Oh, you thought the Knicks were done wheelin’ and dealin’? You figured they would rest after making the Tyson Chandler sign-and-trade official?

Think again.

One day after making acquiring Chandler from the defending champion Dallas Mavericks, New York kept stocking up on talent. With a hole at the point guard spot, the Knicks signed Mike Bibby to a one-year deal at the veterans’ minimum of $1.4 million Sunday. The 13-year guard will add a veteran presence to a team filled with young talent and the ability to knock down an open 3 with Carmelo Anthony running the offense. Adding size in the post will be forward/center Jared Jeffries, whose one-year pact was also finalized Sunday. And rounding out the transactions for the Knicks is 1st-round pick Iman Shumpert and 2nd-round pick Josh Harrellson signing their rookie contracts. The Knics roster currently stands at 11 players, two below the league minimum of 13. But with exactly two weeks before the start of the season, there’s plenty of time for interim GM Glen Grunwald to bring in more pieces (more on this later).

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It sure doesn’t sound like Chauncey Billups is too pleased with the Knicks using their amnesty clause on him. Under this amnesty provision, the Knicks are allowed to waive one player (who’s contract was signed under the previous CBA) and have his contract not count against the salary cap and luxury tax. While one can argue that it makes more sense for the Knicks to save the amnesty for Amar’e Stoudemire in case there are problems with his knees, New York opted to waive Billups (plus trade Ronny Turiaf to Washington and Andy Rautins to Dallas) in order to sign Chandler. According to Yahoo! Sports, the 14-year veteran guard essentially threatened teams under the salary cap to not claim him on waivers. It was possible for the Knicks to buy-out Billups’ contract for $3.2 million before the lockout started and still go through with the Chandler signing without using the amnesty, but what’s done is done … and Chauncey Billups is no longer a Knick.

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Even with the activity the Knicks have had over the last few days, there’s still more on the horizon. Newsday’s Alan Hahn writes that with the “room exception” (two years, $5 million) available, the Knicks have offers to forward Shawne Williams and guards J.J. Barea and former Knick Jamal Crawford. Nothing has been decided yet, but expect something to go down soon as training camp moves forward to the start of the season.

Via the New York Daily News:

Billups, who suffered a strained left knee late in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s Game 1 loss, didn’t practice at the TD Garden on Monday, and even when he made his way down from the stands to the court to address the media, he walked with a heavy limp.

From Billups himself:

“I think everything is up in the air, day to day. I’m hoping it’s (Tuesday). I don’t know if that’ll happen. I don’t even know if that’s realistic.”

Greeeeeeeeat. The Knicks will now have to rely on Toney Douglas to lead the offense.

Time to form a prayer circle Knicks fans.

Carmelo Anthony finished with 31 points and 11 rebounds, Amar’e Stoudemire scored 18 points and your New York Knicks beat the Philadelphia 76ers 97-92 to move into sixth place in the Eastern Conference.

The Knicks blew a 19-point lead and were trailing by one late in the fourth quarter. In mid-March, they probably would have lost this game but the climactic scene in this story was different. Instead of letting the Sixers take the lead and keep it, the Knicks fought back. Toney Douglas nailed a 3-pointer with 1:47 left in the game and put them ahead for good 90-88. He also knocked down two free throws with :42 left. After the Knicks scored two to make it 92-88, Andre Iguodala pulled the Sixers within one with his first 3-pointer of the game. For a brief moment Knicks fans were ready to form a prayer circle, that is until Carmelo Anthony delivered with a big-time 3-pointer and gave the Knicks a 95-91 lead.

Elton Brand led the Sixers with 24 points, nine rebounds and two assists.

Some bad news: Chauncey Billups was injured again late the third quarter, a bruised right thigh. Amar’e Stoudemire also injured his ankle in the fourth quarter. The late word was that he would sit out Friday’s contest with the New Jersey Nets.

After an abysmal March, the Knicks have won five in a row, are 40-38 and now are in line to match up with third place Miami in the playoffs. That is if the playoffs started today which, of course, they don’t. So we’ll have to wait and see how the Knicks finish the regular season. Right now, things are looking good.

Chauncey Billups was able to play a scrimmage with the Knicks yesterday and thinks he can return to action tonight against the Indiana Pacers. So does Carmelo Anthony:

“Fresh legs, man. He looked healthy, he said he felt good today. He showed it. He proved it. I think he’s ready to rock,” Anthony said. “I really don’t like to put a percentage on anything, but he got up and down the full practice today. His leg is looking good, his shot is looking good, so hopefully he’s ready to play tomorrow.”

Billups had been sidelined by a deep thigh bruise since a March 1st collision with Orlando Magic forward Dwight Howard. The Knicks went 4-2 in those six games.

In other news, Amar’e Stoudemire was pleased with the NBA’s decision to rescind his 16th technical foul. That 16th technical would have forced him to sit for tonight’s game.

Speaking of tonight’s game, it is the start of a five game stretch in which the Knicks will be playing four opponents with records under .500.