Knicks' Calderon, Bargnani expected to return Saturday

Not much has worked for the New York Knicks so far this season, but maybe adding a little European flavor will help.

Spanish point guard Jose Calderon and Italian power forward Andrea Bargnani are expected to make their season debuts on Saturday, when the Knicks host the winless Philadelphia 76ers, reports Marc Berman of the New York Post.

Calderon and Bargnani have both been out since getting injured late in the preseason, a strained calf for Calderon and hamstring for Bargnani.

According to Berman, Calderon and Bargnani are slated to conduct a 3-on-3 scrimmage with some younger players on Thursday - when the Knicks don't practice - and then participate in a full-blown scrimmage during Friday’s practice. The status of the two for Saturday's game will be determined thereafter.

The Knicks have struggled at points to adapt to rookie coach Derek Fisher's triangle offense, but the bigger problem - the reason they're sitting second-last in the Eastern Conference at 3-10 - is their defense, which ranks 28th in the NBA. The Minnesota Timberwolves, one of the two teams that have been worse on that end, pasted them 115-99 on Wednesday night.

Calderon and Bargnani aren't likely to help defensively. But they should help goose the offense some - particularly Calderon, whose unselfishness, precise passing, ball control, and dead-eye shooting make him a potentially strong fit in the triangle.  

"I know wins and losses are not on our side but we’re getting where we want," Calderon said of the team's offense. "But we got to do it for 48 minutes. We’re right there, fighting. We’re close. I can only be myself, get everyone comfortable out there. Pass ball to the open guy. Shoot the ball when I’m open, try to get everyone organized. That’s my job." 

Saturday represents a great opportunity for Calderon and Bargnani to get their toes wet again. The 76ers, if you haven't been paying attention, are really bad, and polls show that more than half the country thinks they'd lose to the NCAA's Kentucky Wildcats.