Damyean Dotson
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New York Knicks guard Damyean Dotson feels ready to go after recovering from shoulder surgery this past offseason.

The New York Knicks entered the third of their four-game preseason slate with a home matchup against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday. In the midst of their struggles in what was a 100-96 loss, the Knicks at least received slight production out of their guards.

Focus on the word “slight” in that sentence.

RJ Barrett, Dennis Smith Jr., Frank Ntilikina and Wayne Ellington all saw time on the floor, producing a mere 23 combined points in 96 combined minutes.

One guard that was ready to go but didn’t see the floor was Damyean Dotson. The 25-year-old shooting guard is coming off offseason shoulder surgery for a labrum tear.

Despite the Knicks playing it safe and sitting him in an exhibition match, Dotson feels as if his endurance has returned.

“My stamina is there,” Dotson said before the loss, per Marc Berman of the New York Post. “Of course there’s going to be a little rust but just got to find my rhythm. It was a long Summer.”

The young veteran added that he “never felt anything was torn,” in his shoulder.

With a current competition occurring at the two-guard spot, the Knicks seem like they could have a decision made on their starting point guard. Elfrid Payton, who the Knicks inked a deal with this past Summer, is working his way towards solidifying the starting role.

Ntilikina and Smith Jr. showcased their talents in Wednesday’s loss while Payton sat. However, those talents didn’t amount to much.

Ntilikina had two points, three rebounds and three assists in 21 minutes. Smith Jr. finished with four points, two rebounds, and three assists, also within 21 minutes on the floor.

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Ryan Honey is a staff writer and host of the Wide Right Podcast.