In the season opener, he missed a game-tying shot attempt and promptly got into a heated exchange with Knicks guard Billy Walker.

It didn't just include words either.

Garnett actually put his hands to Walker's throat but quickly let go as the two separated but continued to jaw with each other.According to ESPN, Garnett will not receive any punishment from the league for the altercation.

And, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post, Walker and KG are cool too. Walker is quoted as saying:

“When I was leaving the arena, I talked to him. We’re both competitors; we wanted to win. Emotions run high when you play at that level. We shook hands...I still respect those guys,’’ Walker said. “It was in the heat of the moment."

And by those guys he means the Celtics, a team he used to play with before being traded to New York.

It is hardly a surprise to see these two reconcile. KG is a well-known bully on the court and Billy has plenty of fire to him as well.

These two teams will see each other plenty and this won't be the last time we see a dust-up.

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We get so caught up in conversations over the few that we often forget about the many.

Everyone seems to complain about what was given up in acquiring Carmelo Anthony, which was a necessary trade that left the New York Knicks depleted of role players and help off the bench.

In moving forward, the Knicks have most, if not all, of the big pieces they'll need.

Now, it's time to take a look at the smaller pieces.

As Colin Farrell's character in the new movie Horrible Bosses said, the Knicks need to "trim the fat."

Unlike Farrell, I don't mean that they need to fire the fat people (mainly because Eddy Curry was already traded), but they do need to get rid of the players who are weighing them down.

Perhaps the best example of the Knicks' depth struggles came during game two of the playoffs against the Boston Celtics.

Amar'e Stoudemire went down with a back injury, and 'Melo was forced to play every grueling minute of the second half.

Unable to take even a minute rest, Anthony was worn out in the closing plays of the game, as he almost carried the Knicks to victory by his lonesome.

With just a little help for Anthony, the Knicks could've done a lot more damage.

The Knicks of the '90s had two Sixth Man Award winners, with Anthony Mason in '94-'95 and John Starks in '96-'97, so fans can recall the importance of having a deep roster.

It isn't the sexiest topic, but it is one that needs to be visited.

Here are the players that came off the bench for the Knicks last season and how they will fit into the team's scheme next season.

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The big news was with the win, the Knicks are going to the playoffs for the first time since 2004. But don't ignore the spectacular play by Walker.

With a nine-point lead in the fourth quarter, Anthony Carter caught a pass and immediately saw Walker cutting to the basket. Carter spiked a bounce pass right to him under the basket.

Walker took care of the rest.

He has been struggling with knee problems, but don't tell that to Samardo Samuels.

Walker was a teammate of O.J. Mayo in high school and that Division III team dominated the Ohio circuit.

At the time Walker was just as productive as Mayo and both players seemed destined for greatness.

Now, Mayo is known for taking a banned substance and Walker is struggling to play more than 10-13 minutes a game.

But if last night was a indication of things to come, Knick fans should be excited about his performance last night.

In only 13 minutes of action, Walker went 4-of-5 from the floor in route to 13 points and four rebounds.

Don't forget that he is only 23 and has plenty of potential left in the tank. Walker could be an unheralded X-factor come playoff time for the Knicks.

He is an efficient shooter that is a good fit in the up-tempo style of play the Knicks prefer to run.

Regardless of whether he is or he isn't...breath easy Knick fans, welcome back to the playoffs.

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Walker submitted the dunk of the night Tuesday against the Milwaukee Bucks. He drives past Bucks guard Kenyon Dooling, only to come face-to-face with the shot-blocking center Andrew Bogut. 

Rather than try and deliver a floater over Bogut, Walker opts to dunk on him, delivering a thunderous slam on top of Bogut's head. 

Walker is a 6'6" shooting guard out of Kansas State. He's a third-year player, averaging about 4.3 points and 1.7 rebounds per game in just over 15 minutes. He's not shooting the ball all that well, hitting just 31 percent of his threes and 41 percent of his shots overall, and he's yet to play more than 20 minutes in a game this season. 

Coming out of high school, Walker was a prized recruit, and was quite the catch for the Wildcats. However, he has yet to make a significant impact in the NBA, despite his superb athleticism.

The dunk was the only highlight of the night for Walker, who scored just those two points, shot 1-of-5 from the field and managed to pick up four fouls in just 20 minutes of action. 

The dunk also didn't do all that much to help the Knicks' cause in this one, as they fell to the Bucks, 107-80. Amar'e Stoudamire led all Knicks with 19 points, but New York just couldn't find the basket in this one, succumbing to the Bucks' balance and lockdown defense. 

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