TNT analyst Steve Kerr talks with The Post’s Justin Terranova about the Knicks’ winning streak, what they have to do with Amar’e Stoudemire and their likely first-round matchup against the Celtics.
Q: How have the Knicks come out of their midseason struggles to discover their early-season success?
A: They are at their best when Carmelo (Anthony) is at the four and they have the floor spaced. If (Tyson) Chandler is healthy they are able to have him in to anchor their defense on the other end. It just has a really good chemistry, a real good flow. I thought when Amar’e (Stoudemire) came back, even though he put up really good numbers, they sort of lost that identity they had built earlier in the season.
Q: So, if Stoudemire is healthy should they still keep him out of the rotation?
A: If he’s ready that’s tough, but that’s probably what you need to do. Now, I don’t know how you handle that. That’s an internal matter. But when you win 13 in a row (before last night’s game) you have to run with what you have whether Amar’e is healthy or not.
Q: Right now it looks like the Knicks and Celtics will meet in the first round. Is Boston still a dangerous team?
A: I wouldn’t want to play them in the first round regardless of who I was. I just think they are so well-coached. They are a little like the Spurs where they just have that foundation, that knowledge, that comes from playing together and having really smart players on your team. If (Kevin) Garnett is active and healthy, he’s still one of the best players in the league. Their backcourt is awesome defensively. The record is not great, but the potential is there for them to be a real problem for the Knicks or whoever in the first round.
Q: What’s the difference between the Nets now and the team that struggled earlier in the season?
A: Deron Williams looked like a totally different player than what I saw earlier in the season. It looks like he’s got his bounce back and his quickness. That’s changed the team dramatically and I think that’s what Brooklyn has envisioned with Deron and Joe (Johnson) in the backcourt and Brook Lopez getting better all the time.
Q: Do you see the Spurs and Thunder destined for another showdown in the Western Conference finals?
A: It’s not the sure-fire situation we saw last year where they were just kind of bearing down on each other and you knew the matchup was coming. I think there’s more potential for upsets with Denver’s emergence and Memphis playing at a very high level.