Billups' aims to prove production to Knicks

Chauncey Billups was walking without a limp last night at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, looking chipper as he accepted the Mannie Jackson Human Spirit Award. Billups also received a warm handshake from commissioner David Stern during the pre-dinner cocktail hour.

Billups, whose left knee injury in Game 1 of the first-round series vs. the Celtics was a killer blow to the Knicks, might one day make it to Springfield for his basketball exploits.

But for now, Billups, still not 100 percent, is just trying to prove he can be a productive, healthy, floor general for the Knicks in 2011-12, if the lockout does not cancel the season.

"I think I got a lot to offer my team when the season starts," Billups told The Post last night. "I'm looking forward to showing people I'm still me. I don't have anything to prove. I've proved everything throughout my career. My body of work speaks for itself. However, I really wish I could've been healthy my whole time in New York and things would've been a lot different."

Billups got cleared last week for individual workouts but still can't play 5-on-5.

"I'm getting better. I'm just now starting to work on the court, individual workouts," Billups said. "Not yet 5-on-5, but it's feeling a lot better."

The Knicks drafted defensive point guard Iman Shumpert with the 17th pick over Chris Singleton as insurance in case Billups gets injured again.

"I heard a lot of good things about him," Billups said. "I never got chance to see him play. If things I heard about him is true, it will be a good pick for us."A lockout-induced shortened season could reduce the wear and tear on Billups, but he said he's not afraid of the potential three games in three nights.

"It's not like I'm a 40-minute-a-night guy," he said.

Unlike other players, Billups has no desire to play overseas.

"I'm really not thinking about it," he said. "I haven't really spoken to [agent] Andy Miller about it. I'm going to enjoy the rest. Hopefully the rest won't be too much."

Billups said he's unsure if the lockout will cause the season to be lost.

"Of course I'm hopeful we're going to have a season and I'll be able to play this year in New York," he said.