CLEVELAND — Playing blocks from the famed Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Amar’e Stoudemire stopped the good music wafting over the Knicks. The only thing that looked fresh about Stoudemire Friday night was his cornrows.
Stoudemire, after missing 13 straight games with a bulging disk, was blanketed in rust early. He got better as the game got along, but Carmelo Anthony and his teammates stunk all night long in a 98-90 momentum-killing disgrace to the lowly Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena.
It’s a good thing they avoid the 21-41 Cavaliers in the playoffs, because it was their 10th straight loss in this arena.
Stoudemire’s teammates seemed unexcited to see him on the court and interim coach Mike Woodson ripped the team afterward, saying they “didn’t compete and that’s unacceptable’’ and felt they were complacent after clinching a playoff berth the night before.
Stoudemire said he is not concerned about the Knicks regaining their mojo.
“We could’ve come out with more energy and done a better job,’’ Stoudemire said. “We felt complacent. We clinched, we felt we accomplished something. So we got to make sure we keep our focus going into the postseason. We’re all veterans. We all understand how to win. There’s nothing to worry about.’’
As feared, Anthony looked disengaged with the new alignment and finished with a paltry 12 points (5-of-13 from the field) and four turnovers. Woodson didn’t play him in the fourth quarter when the Knicks fell behind by 19 points with 9:03 left. The coach said he was resting him for the long haul because the game was out of reach.
Anthony’s numbers were jarring considering he had averaged a league-best 30.6 points in the 13 games without Stoudemire as the Knicks went 9-4.
Anthony might have been in denial about last night’s adjustment.
“Not at all,’’ he said. “It was one of those nights the Cavaliers had it more than we did out there. Wasn’t anything anyone had to adjust to. They just outworked us tonight. They were the more physical team. They wanted the win tonight and they went and got it.’’
DISK DRIVE: Amar’e Stoudemire, who scored 15 points in his return from a bulging disk injury that kept him out 13 games, gets a knee to the stomach from Tristan Thompson during the Knicks’ 98-90 loss to the Cavaliers last night. (AP)
Stoudemire, after a 2 of 7 start, scored 10 of his 15 points in the second half. He finished 5 of 11. But he hauled in just three rebounds, had three turnovers and five fouls in 27:29 and wasn’t sharp defensively, letting Samardo Samuels (15 points) and Tristan Thompson (10 points) get the best of him. He had four blocks, but all wound up right back in Cleveland’s hands.
Stoudemire said he was “pain-free’’ but it was painful to watch.
“Sure there’s some rust there,’’ Woodson said. “The guy’s been out a while. But these next three games is all we have.’’
Anthony managed just one rebound in a lethargic outing. The Knicks were butchered 52-32 on the boards, played lax defense and let undrafted shooting guard Manny Harris torch them for 19 points and 12 rebounds in the game of his life as the Cavaliers moved to 21-41. In the night’s most ridiculous moment, Harris flung up a 35-foot heave at the shotclock buzzer that banked in.
The Knicks used as an excuse the hangover from clinching a playoff berth the previous night by the Bucks losing, but that might have been to cover up the elephant in the room — that adding Stoudemire to the mix could spoil the stew.
They looked out of rhythm and are running out of time with the playoffs starting next weekend. The Knicks have three games left, including tomorrow’s in Atlanta.
“I’ve seen this happen over the years,’’ Woodson said. “You clinch a spot. It’s like a sigh of relief. They stop playing and they think they can gear it back up. There’s nothing about this game I liked at all.’’
Backup point guard Toney Douglas led the club with nine boards.
Asked about Stoudemire’s defense, Woodson said: “He played OK, but nobody played well defensively. When you get outrebounded by 20 boards and your leading rebounder is your point guard with nine, you’re not competing.’’
The Knicks are likely stuck in the seventh or eighth spot. They are in the seventh and lead Philadelphia by one-half game. But they played last night as if they wouldn’t mind dropping to No. 8 and meeting Chicago in the first roundinstead of Miami.
Stoudemire had a sloppy, ineffective first half. He was 1 of 4 from the field, finished with five points but missed three of his six free throws. On the game’s first possession, Stoudemire got it in the lane by the basket, went up for a stuff and got fouled. He promptly bricked both free throws. Moments later, he plucked an offensive rebound and got fouled and missed 1 of 2.
“As the game went on, I felt more comfortable,’’ said Stoudemire, who headed to the bench 5:40 into the game because of his second foul. “It’s just muscle memory.’’