Ewing to return on Friday 12.08.99

NEW YORK-It appears that Patrick Ewing will be taking off his suit and donning a New York Knicks uniform for the first time in six months. The perennial All-Star center, bothered by left Achilles tendinitis throughout last season before suffering a slight tear in the playoffs, will make his season debut Friday against Philadelphia. According to a Knicks spokesperson, coach Jeff Van Gundy said after practice today that Ewing will see his first action since Game Two of the Eastern Conference Finals. The 37-year-old Ewing hobbled through most of last season's lockout-abbreviated campaign with the injury, then suffered the tear in Game Two of the Eastern Conference finals against Indiana. He missed the last four games of that series and the NBA Finals. Playing in his 15th NBA season, Ewing has missed a total of 68 games over the past two campaigns due to a broken right wrist and his Achilles problems. Confined to the role of cheerleader for New York's first 20 games this season, Ewing was fined $10,000 on Wednesday for failing to make himself available to the media during an undisclosed period. Ewing has averaged 23.3 points, has grabbed more than 10,000 rebounds during his career and is one of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players, but he has failed to lead the Knicks to an NBA championship. Last season, Ewing missed 12 regular-season games and averaged a career-low 17.3 points and 9.9 rebounds, his worst mark in 10 years.