Assistants lace ’em up at practice

With Troy Williams suffering a fractured jaw and being scratched for what remains of the season, the injured and ailing were virtually as much a part of the Knicks landscape as healthy bodies Monday.

So assistants Jerry Sichting, 61, Kurt Rambis, 60, and a couple kids, Corey Gaines, 52, and Howard Eisley, 45, were among the staff members who helped eight healthy, in-attendance Knicks go through their routine.

“We needed the coaches to play a little bit today because we didn’t have very many guys,” said coach Jeff Hornacek, the one former NBA player who declined playing. “We had all our guys shooting against the players.”

And who did the best among staff members?

“Probably the guys who played in the NBA shot the ball well,” Hornacek said.

Williams became the latest casualty. He underwent what the team termed successful surgery for the fractured jaw he sustained in a collision with Detroit’s Ish Smith late in the fourth quarter Saturday. Williams impressed in his 17-game stay with the Knicks.

“His activity. The playing hard, cutting to the basket, some of that stuff gets contagious. His ability to make some athletic plays,” Hornacek said of what he liked from Williams, who averaged 7.5 points in his Knicks stay. “There was a [recent] play, he actually scored on it. They took it out and threw a long pass. He got back, jumped up in the air and stole it. He has the ability to make plays other guys may not be able to do. He also showed if he gets a kick-out 3, and he’s ready for it, he can make it.” Michael Beasley did not practice Monday due to illness. Here is a rundown for the Magic game Tuesday at the Garden: Williams (jaw), out; Beasley (illness), questionable; Courtney Lee (foot) and Frank Ntilikina (illness) both probable; Enes Kanter (lower back, wrist), doubtful. That’s in addition, obviously, to Ron Baker (shoulder), Joakim Noah (personal) and Kristaps Porzingis (knee) all being out.