Surely, it hasn’t all been about the impending news and subsequent arrival of new team president Phil Jackson that sparked the Knicks turnaround. One major reason during the current 7-game win streak has been the play of Amar’e Stoudemire.
“Amar’e is able to play minutes now,” coach Mike Woodson said. “Where his minutes were limited, we’re up to 30 minutes for Amar’e and his stats are off the [chart] in terms of how he’s been playing.
“So that’s a major plus.”
Stoudemire has started his last seven games, beginning with the defeat at Detroit and has been in for six of the Knicks’ seven wins. In his last seven games, he has shot 57.5 percent (50-of-87), averaged 18.0 points — and 27.9 minutes.
“The consistent time has been awesome and … those minutes on a consistent basis allows me to create confidence,” Stoudemire said. “I know what to expect every night. I know the minutes are going to be there and I know how to adjust.”
The Knicks signed Shannon Brown Thursday for the rest of the season. The 6-foot-4 guard has averaged 1.8 points in nine games since signing the first of two 10-day contracts Feb. 27.
How bad is the Sixers’ 22-game losing streak? Consider Jackson coached seven teams that didn’t lose 22 all season.
Life offers few certainties — beyond the No. 1 vs. No. 16 NCAA matchups. But Woodson could not be more certain about one proposition: he is “absolutely” the right man for the Knicks coaching job.
Woodson, on his weekly ESPN 98.7 New York radio spot Thursday, said he is first and foremost a coach who knows the Knicks players. But it’s not his call. That would be the call of Jackson and Garden executive chairman James Dolan.
“I consider myself a coach and a good coach,” said Woodson, who earned his 100th Knicks coaching victory Wednesday.
“Phil is going to make the final decision on who he wants to coach his team and I’ve got to respect that. If I sit here today and you ask me, ‘Do I think I’m the guy for this job?’ Absolutely I do. I know these players, I’ve been with them now for three years, and I think I can coach. But again it’s still going to be up to Phil and Mr. Dolan to make that final decision.”