New York Knicks head coach Mike Woodson doesn’t believe Amar’e Stoudemire will be ready to play against the Boston Celtics, but the six-time All-Star himself says otherwise.
Per Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com, Amar’e hasn’t completely ruled out the possibility of returning to the lineup in the first round.
Amar’e hasn’t completely ruled himself out of the 1st round. “Hopefully I’ll be back on the court soon.” He’s started light running #Knicks
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) April 18, 2013
Stoudemire’s initial timetable to return was four to six weeks, which means the earliest he could return was for Game 2 against the Celtics.
Believing that he will be ready to go by then is beyond a reach. He’s only done some light running thus and needs to get back to in-game shape before Woodson even considers throwing him out there. Remember, at a time when it’s essentially win or go home, the Knicks can’t afford to experiment with his stamina or even their lineup. They need to know he’s ready.
Not to say that Amar’e won’t be good to go soon. As fragile as he is, the man is a hard worker. This much we know. He’s persevered through injuries his entire career and has managed to establish himself as one of the NBA’s premier big men despite suffering an abundance of knee, back and eye injuries.
Stoudemire did, however, admit that this latest injury was frustrating, but also divulged that he’s proud of what his team has been able to accomplish.
Amar’e: “It’s frustrating that I’ve battled injuries but it’s phenomenal knowing that what I actually started is happening.” #Knicks
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) April 18, 2013
It has to be tormenting for a player, for a competitor like Amar’e to be watching from the sidelines. Not just because he puts his heart and soul into remaining in peak physical condition, but because he started this whole movement.
Whether you despise his contract or not, Stoudemire came to New York at a time when no one else would. Not LeBron James. Or Dwyane Wade. Or even Joe Johnson. He helped turned the Knicks into a destination of choice for outside players again. Without him, who knows if Carmelo Anthony would have wanted to “come home.” So the organization owes much of this recent success to his willingness to lead the cause before anyone else would.
And it’s stuff like this that makes you pull for Stoudemire. His history with the team coupled with his work ethic makes it impossible not to hope he returns to the floor, and soon.
How soon? First-round soon. What will it take for that happen? Well, Stoudemire says he’ll need some help from a higher power, just like he has had before.
Amar’e on the possibility of coming back in 1st round: “The most high sometimes touches me & I heal up fast so hopefully it happens again.”
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) April 18, 2013
With his career possibly on the line, Stoudemire’s strong inclination to play is no surprise. I imagine he would love nothing more than to come back, dominate and remain healthy.
Oh, and I also believe he would love nothing more than to become a vital component of what he considers a championship nucleus.
Amar’e: “We have a great nucleus of guys and I think we have a great chance to win the title.” #Knicks
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) April 18, 2013
What remains to be seen is if the Knicks are a championship team with Stoudemire. They didn’t play their best basketball while he was active this season, but he appeared in fewer than 30 games, so it’s difficult judge.
Eventually, though, we’d all like to know (Stoudemire included) if he’s someone who can be injected into the rotation and make this title-caliber team even better, or if he actually is a liability.
After all this time, I’m still inclined to maintain faith in the former. I believe he can the Knicks team better if he can remain healthy.
But you don’t have to take my word for it. Hopefully we’ll know for sure soon enough.
Dan Favale is a firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His musings can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com. Follow @danfavale on Twitter for his latest posts and all things NBA.
