MILWAUKEE — David Lee wants two things out of tonight’s Garden homecoming, and it’s not necessarily a double-double. Lee wants to hold back the tears and wants — desperately — a Golden State victory.
“It’s going to be extra emotional for me,” Lee told The Post via cell phone from Manhattan yesterday after visiting some old haunts. “And I’m really excited to come in with a young team that I’m proud of. All I’m really worried about is finding a way to win.”
That should be no problem for the 5-2 Warriors after the Knicks got thumped by the Bucks last night at the Bradley Center to fall to 3-4.
Lee posted plenty of double-doubles at the Garden but suffered lots of defeats during his five non-playoff seasons. By far their hardest-working player, Lee deserves the video tribute Knicks brass will give him on the Garden scoreboard during the contest.
“It means a lot to me,” Lee said. “The only other player I remember that got something was Jamal Crawford. I gave everything I had to them for the last five years, so it means a lot they would take the time to do that. I’m looking forward to it. I want them to win every game except against us.”
There were hard feelings in July. Lee thought he at least deserved a courtesy call from Knicks president Donnie Walsh, who was too busy giving Amar’e Stoudemire $100 million. But Lee is beyond it now.
“It was tough at first because I wanted to be back,” Lee said. “But I have great teammates now, a great coaching staff , a very young group of guys. It’s a very good situation to be in.”
Lee got his six-year, $80 million deal in the sign-and-trade, he’s got a great place in San Francisco, living with his fiancée, model Sabina Gadecki, and he’s a landlord to the Knicks star Stoudemire, who is renting Lee’s condo in White Plains.
Tonight, Lee matches up with the Knicks’ newest star.
“He’s been a good tenant,” Lee said. “I have no worries. But it will be a tough matchup for me [tonight].”
On Sunday, Mike D’Antoni talked about having Stoudemire and more athletic big men this season — which has improved their interior defense and shotblocking.
“Time will tell how good they’ll be,” Lee said. “They’ve looked good so far. Last year I was the only guy who could quote-unquote rebound. So it was tough some nights on defense. They got more guys now.”
During an interview with Golden State writers, Lee emphasized he’s in it to win it.
“Make no two ways about it, I’m looking forward to going up there and getting a victory,” Lee said. “It’s a decision that was business oriented. It wasn’t because of what I was doing, it was because they wanted to go in a different direction and wanted to go after LeBron James. That’s understandable. With that being said, it’s going to mean a lot for me to go in there and get a win. I don’t care what kind of game I have.”
Lee’s scoring numbers are down — he’s averaging 12.3 points and 11.4 rebounds and shooting just 42 percent.
“He should get a warm ovation,” Stoudemire said. “He had a helluva career in New York.”