Baron Davis Adapts to Limited Role With Knicks GREENBURGH, N.Y. - Baron Davis had his first impressive outing as a Knick on Wednesday night against the Cavaliers, tallying 8 assists and 4 points in only 15 minutes. At practice on Thursday, Davis described it as "kind of like one of those games where the monkey's off your back, as far as knowing that, O.K., I am in the game and I am a part of the team, and I know that I can do certain things out there to help this team win." The Knicks are still being cautious with Davis, who is recovering from a herniated disk in his back, by limiting him to 15 minutes a game. Those minutes at point guard will help spell Jeremy Lin, whom Coach Mike D'Antoni jokingly compared to the horse Secretariat a few weeks ago because of how hard he had to ride him. Being a backup is unfamiliar to Davis. Since his rookie season, Davis has come off the bench only 52 times in his 13-year career. Lin recounted a conversation he and Davis had Thursday about their roles as teammates in the weeks ahead. The theme was trying to combine their statistics to meet a "point guard goal." "Not necessarily need X and X, but us together need to get this many assists and this many turnovers," Lin said. Lin discussed being a Davis fan when Davis and the Warriors pulled off a first-round playoff upset against the Mavericks in 2007. "I watched every single one of those up until 1 in the morning by myself in my dorm at Harvard," Lin said. Just growing up a lifelong Warriors fan, so I remember everything. At team practices, the Knicks" revamped second unit, which includes Davis, has fared well in scrimmages, D'Antoni said. "Every day in practice we are challenging them, and we are kicking their butts," Davis said.