UNITED STATE: Amar’e Stoudemire (with goggles), Carmelo Anthony (with ball) and the Knicks huddle at yesterday’s practice. (Anthony J. Causi)
The Knicks are on a 57-win pace without Amar’e Stoudemire.
They won’t need him to get a top-four seed and home court in the first round. They will need him at close to his All-Star best to get the top seed — which may be the difference in a potential Eastern Conference Finals showdown with the Heat.
The Knicks’ frontcourt is too old and injury-prone not to need a beastly Stoudemire to win a title. But what version are they getting back exactly?
The hints were there Stoudemire will strap on the goggles and ring in the new year with his season debut tonight against Portland. It’s no guarantee because nothing is ever guaranteed with Stoudemire — except for the $100 million price tag.
Knicks coach Mike Woodson spoke optimistically after Stoudemire got through a second straight practice yesterday without a setback. Woodson said Stoudemire will make the final determination today, pending his surgically repaired left knee’s reaction to the practices. The coach said it hinges on the level of soreness.
Woodson cautioned Stoudemire will play limited minutes for a while because of his lack of conditioning and spotty knowledge of the new defense. The Knicks have listed him as “questionable.’’
“We’ll have a better feel [today] on practice,’’ Woodson said. “I thought [Stoudemire] moved around pretty good. We’ll see how he feels. He’ll let us know. He got through everything today, which is kind of nice.“It’s going to be up to him based on how he feels,’’ Woodson added. “That has a lot to do with it. If he says, ‘Hey, my knee is sore from yesterday’s work,’ we have to back off.’’
The Knicks talk about Stoudemire like he is a $100 million plate of glass. It’s been more than eight weeks since his Nov. 1 knee debridement surgery — a relatively minor procedure with a recovery timetable of 6-to-8 weeks. But Stoudemire still talked Sunday of feeling pain on certain cutting moves and being “not 80 percent.’’
The prospect of Stoudemire’s return has been met with either dread or delight from the Knicks’ fan base. He’s become the same polarizing figure A-Rod is with the Yankees — with a similar monstrous contract.
Conundrums abound. If Stoudemire returns tonight, can Woodson depend on him to stay healthy? Will he adapt to the limited bench role Woodson has planned at the outset? Will he be better on defense and rebounding than in the past? If he plays his way into the starting lineup, will he disrupt Carmelo Anthony’s MVP flow at starting power forward?
Stoudemire skipped off the court without speaking yesterday, exited to the off-limits locker room while Anthony symbolically held court with the writers.
“It felt good today,’’ Anthony said of Stoudemire’s scrimmage. “Seeing him back out there running our offense, getting back in the flow of things, playing in the system. He’s fitting right in so far in practice. Right now, it’s all about getting the legs underneath of him.’’
Stoudemire has turned 30, considered by most past his All-Star prime. But that doesn’t mean huge expectations aren’t attached to this return. He’s making $19.9 million this season, $21.6 million next seasonand $23.4 million in the final season of his deal. The contract will prevent the Knicks from having a good cap situation until 2015.
Woodson will try to ease Stoudemire in slowly.
“We have to be cautious when we approach the game because he won’t be able to play big minutes early,’’ Woodson said. “That’s already been determined. We have to gradually get himself back. That will take a little time.’’
Anthony also is questionable for tonight’s game after missing the past two with a knee hyperextension. So the Melo-Amar’e reunion may have to wait, even if Stoudemire plays.
“There’s a lot of potential,’’ Anthony said. “Our vision is for us to come together pretty well. Once we get healthy and full strength, no telling what we can do.’’
The rhetoric has been heard before about what phenomenal things Melo and Amar’e can do together. The tandem is 30-33 in the regular season (8-2 under Woodson).
After two-plus seasons with the Knicks, the only certainty with Stoudemire is uncertainty.