Amar’e Stoudemire (UPI/Susan Knowles)
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ORLANDO, Fla. — Tonight in the main event at the new Amway Center, it’s a battle of two heavyweights — former Orlando high school superstar Amar’e Stoudemire vs. Magic superstar center Dwight Howard.
Stoudemire lived in the Orlando area during his chaotic teenage years when he attend six different high schools before making the jump to the NBA.
But Stoudemire had his game face on yesterday — eschewing sentimentality — when asked if he ever considered playing pro ball in Orlando.
“I don’t believe in Magic,” Stoudemire said jokingly with a smile.
Bring it on, Dwight!
Stoudemire, who lived in upstate Newburgh while going to middle school before moving to Florida, has played center much of the season once Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni decided to go small, yanking former starting centers Timofey Mozgov (now out of the rotation) and Ronny Turiaf from the starting five. D’Antoni added Wilson Chandler to power forward and moved Stoudemire to center — something he claimed in preseason he wasn’t crazy about.
On nights like tonight, Stoudemire at center could backfire, if he gets in early foul trouble against Howard in a clash of two of the best bodies in the NBA. In Miami Tuesday, Heat center Zydrunas Ilgauskas brutalized the Knicks inside in the first half.
“He’s definitely a physical specimen down there in the post,” Stoudemire said of Howard. “He’s definitely a great defensive player. Offensively, he’s a little limited, so we’re going to use that to our advantage.
“He’s so strong once he catches the ball in the paint. He’s hard to guard,” added Stoudemire, who said he was briefly a Magic fan. “But if you can get him outside the paint and make him put the ball on the floor, it’s easier for us.”
The Knicks will double Howard, but D’Antoni also said he is cautious of leaving open their dangerous perimeter shooters following the blockbuster trade that added Gilbert Arenas, Jason Richardson and Hedo Turkoglu.
“We talked about it,” D’Antoni said. “It’s a concern he’d get in foul trouble. I’m sure they’ll go to him. He’ll get help. We’re better this way [small]. If we have to adjust, we’ll beef it up.”
Twenty five minutes from the downtown arena, Stoudemire starred at Cypress Creek High, where he averaged 29 points, 15 rebounds and six blocks as a senior, winning Florida’s Mr. Basketball. He was selected by the Suns with the ninth pick in the 2002 draft after being passed up by the Knicks.
After his father died when he was 12 and his mother had alcohol and drug problems, Stoudemire rotated high schools following his career ambition of turning pro.
“The story of my high school years is unbelievable,” Stoudemire said earlier this week in Miami. “I’m going to write a book some day. It was unbelievable for me to stay focused, to continue to work out and stay out of trouble. When I look back now, it was pretty remarkable.
“I made decisions on my own,” he said. “My father passed when I was 12. My mom was unstable. I made decisions from 16 to 17. I was promised certain things about eating habits that didn’t turn out the way wanted. I made decisions.”
Stoudemire said he still feels he has Florida followers and he could hear cheers tonight.
“This state is where it started for me,” he said. “Orlando, they pretty much grew up with me my teenage years. They saw me mature as a man. My fans in Florida are very impactful.”
Stoudemire is a distant third in the All-Star voting among forwards behind LeBron James and Kevin Garnett, which is a disgrace considering he’s the leading MVP candidate. But Stoudemire will be voted in by the coaches for his sixth All-Star appearance and represent the Knicks in Los Angeles, likely as a backup center.
“Playing center is definitely working for us so far,” Stoudemire said. “Whatever creates wins we’ll keep going with.”