Oct 13, 2014; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks point guard Jose Calderon (3) drives on Toronto Raptors point guard Greivis Vasquez (21) during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden.
Oct 13, 2014; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks point guard Jose Calderon (3) drives on Toronto Raptors point guard Greivis Vasquez (21) during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. REUTERS

New York Knicks starting point guard Jose Calderon will be shelved during the start of the season and is projected to miss two to three weeks of action. The Spaniard was penciled in as the starter of the Knicks but has to watch from the bench because of a strained right calf.

The former Toronto Raptors and Dallas Mavericks guard was projected to facilitate the new triangle offense that is being pushed both by neophyte coach and former player Derek Fisher and twelve time NBA champion (11 as coach, 1 as player) Phil Jackson. The sweet shooting guard was already announced as the starter for the first game of the Knicks against the Boston Celtics but was a late scratch due to the injury.

In his place the Knicks will rely upon second year player and 37-year-old Argentine Pablo Prigioni and former Dallas mavericks back-up point guard Shane Larkin. Iman Shumpert can also be called upon to do some ball handling duties as the Knicks try to hold down the fort as they begin a grueling schedule of seven games in eleven nights.

The team was disappointing in its home opener, suffering the second worst loss in margin for the franchise, bowing down to the Chicago, 104-80. The team bounced back the next day and spoiled the homecoming of Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James, nipping them at home 95-90. The replacements for Calderon were huge contributors for the team as Larkin posted a respectable line of 9 points, 5 assists and 5 steals while Prigioni had 6 points and 2 assists in controlled pace that just saw the Knicks commit just 15 turnovers to Cleveland's 19, eight of which came uncharacteristically from James.

Calderon's absence while albeit will still be felt by the Knicks who will face the rising Kemba Walker and the Charlotte Hornet next Monday Night. Prior to the start of the season, the first year coach was optimistic that his seasoned veteran will be ready to go as he participated in practices but that was not the case.

"Jose looked really good (Tuesday)," said Fisher, the first-year coach per New York Daily News. "Yesterday he did just about everything. We held him out of parts of yesterday's practice toward the end."