WEST POINT — While all his teammates went to the finish, Amar’e Stoudemire stood and watched the final 30 minutes of the Knicks first practice to rest his surgically repaired knees. That may be commonplace the first week of training camp as the staff still discusses whether Stoudemire will play all of November’s slate of back-to-back games.
Stoudemire, who had no medical procedures this offseason, prefers to play them all if he can.
“Right now I feel great,’’ Stoudemire said. “No limitations as far as games played at this point. It’s up to the coaching staff. At this point, Lord willing, I will play 82 games.”
Stoudemire sat out some back-to-backs last season and played in 65 of 82 games.
But new coach Derek Fisher noted some of his missed games were because of an ankle injury and the flu, saying he would have cleared the 70-game mark.
“We think the plan that we have will work,’’ Fisher said. “Part of it today was monitoring his level. We got to that point where we felt like it was time to pull him out.”
Stoudemire made it through the full night practice.
“Maybe there’s times I will go 100 percent depending how hard I train the time I’m out there,’’ Stoudemire said. “The medical staff will figure out if I reached maximum potential as far as conditioning. Just follow their lead.’’
Last season, Stoudemire was banned from playing back-to-back games until later in the season. The Knicks open with a back-to-back against the Bulls and Cavaliers.
“I don’t think a decision has been made on back-to-backs,” Fisher said. “We obviously start out, our first month is amazing in terms of the toughness of the schedule and the back-to-backs right from the jump. We’re hoping if we manage the month of October the right way it will give Amar’e the best chance to move through the first month of our season, not just in shape but still go to another level.”
Rookie Cleanthony Early said Carmelo Anthony might have pushed for the Knicks to draft him, though falling to 34 made it a no-brainer. He was projected in many places as a mid-to-late first-round pick.
“I’m pretty sure he and the coaching staff are why I’m here today,’’ Early said. “They have confidence in me, and I have the same belief and confidence in myself.’’
Early really is in his hometown this week, playing at West Point, near his high school in Pine Bush, saying it increased his “motivation tenfold.’’
Early was a late bloomer and never played in the sectionals playoffs held at West Point.
“We were never that good,’’ Early said.
The Knicks wanted to stay at West Point until Saturday, but Army officials wouldn’t let them because of the Cadets’ football game against Ball State next door at Michie Stadium.