The Knicks didn’t need to be saved.
LeBron James told The Post on Wednesday that his decision to sign with the Heat was about winning and “not about saving franchises or saving this or that.”
But ex-Knicks star John Starks, now the team’s alumni relations and fan development adviser, fired back at James yesterday.
“We were in the same boat Miami was,” Starks said about the talent levels of the two teams after the Knicks signed Amar’e Stoudemire at the onset of free agency.
“Our talent is better than what they have now, to be honest with you. [James’ savior] quote right there didn’t make sense to me. If he wanted to go to Miami, it was his decision, and we have to see what unfolds.”
James tonight will play his first game in the Garden as a member of the Heat, who are on a 10-game winning streak. But Stoudemire has led a Knicks’ revival, and the team sits at 16-10 after just having their eight-game winning streak broken by the Celtics in Wednesday night’s thrilling game.
“LeBron is very talented, one of the top-five players in this league, and it should be a lot of fun,” Starks said. “But you got to commend Amar’e for really stepping up to the plate and really wanting to come here to New York and help turn this franchise around.
“And he’s showing he can be a leader on and off the court, a guy that can be a difference-maker.”
Starks was in attendance for the 118-116 setback to the Celtics and compared the atmosphere at the Garden to what it was like when he and Patrick Ewing were leading the Knicks to Eastern Conference contention on a yearly basis.
“You can just feel the vibe, the energy level, the fans are really into it,” Starks said from ESPN’s “Chalk Talk,” a program that featured former Knicks and Heat players in advance of tonight’s game.
“The start of the game to the end of it, you can just feel the excitement. And in the city, too. Walking down the street, I just start hearing guys talking about the current Knicks, and that feels good that the fans are back involved in the game.
“LeBron coming back, I am pretty sure he’s not going to hear the cheers he used to,” Starks said.
“It will be a very exciting, high-energy game. They are coming in on a high, and I know they have got something they want to prove to New York and New York has something they want to prove to them.”
justin.terranova@nypost.com