The only drama left in the Knicks’ first-round massacre is whether Amar’e Stoudemire will take his bandaged left hand onto the court tomorrow for Game 4 and try to play against Chris Bosh, the Heat and angry Garden fans who have been unsympathetic toward his self-inflicted wound.
Stoudemire improved his chances yesterday. He made a surprise appearance on the practice court with his hand bandaged and heavily padded, going through solo running, catching and shooting drills with assistant coach Kenny Atkinson.
The Knicks face elimination tomorrow, trying to avoid a sweep as they trail the Heat, 3-0. No NBA team in 99 prior occasions has rallied back after being down 3-0. The depleted Knicks are the least likely candidate to accomplish that feat.
But the Stoudemire mystery keeps this landslide compelling. His unexpected workout came three days after he needed hand surgery from punching a glass-enclosed fire extinguisher after Game 2 — an act Stoudemire disclosed could have cost him his hand.
“I think he’s going to play, but I’m not 100 percent sure,’’ Knicks interim coach Mike Woodson said. “I’m going to talk to the doctors.’’
It was an about-face from Woodson. Knicks officials had extremely low expectations Stoudemire could return for the series because of the injury’s severity. But Woodson was encouraged because Stoudemire was able to catch. Still, the Knicks coach said if Stoudemire plays, it could be on a limited basis and he may not start. That perhaps is to avoid boos during pre-game introductions.
Stoudemire only was cautiously optimistic, because he still is in pain. Stoudemire said the Knicks still have him officially listed as “doubtful.” That designation may change after today’s practice if Stoudemire participates.
On Wednesday, Stoudemire said there was a “great” chance he would play again in the series, but said it might be a game-time decision.
“I’ll wait and see what the reaction is from [the workout],’’ Stoudemire said. “I’ll see [today] how it feels. If it feels great [today], I’ll practice and we’ll see for [tomorrow]. It’s definitely not 100 percent. It’s a little bit sore, too. Today was a test run.’’
Stoudemire tweeted a picture of his stitched-up wound and said it could have been a career-ending injury.
“I feel extremely blessed in the situation [because] the cut was a millimeter away from a nerve,” Stoudemire said. “It’s a strand of a hair. I know a lot of jokes and a lot of fun are made out of it. But it was a serious matter for me and my family because it was so close to a nerve.
“I feel great that I’m able to get back on the basketball court and still use my hand, off an incident that was just a reaction from losing a game,’’ Stoudemire added. “It almost cost me my hand. Young players, it’s never easy but try not to react. You never know what could happen.’’
Stoudemire said he wasn’t supposed to work out yesterday but convinced team doctors.
“With this type of injury, playing [tomorrow] would be out of the question for most people,’’ Stoudemire said. “I feel I’m blessed. I heal fast. I persevere through a lot of injuries.’’
The Knicks are trying to stop their NBA-record 13-game playoff losing streak. But that isn’t his lone motivation.
“All the fans who stuck with me deserve to see me back on the court,’’ Stoudemire said. “But it’s mainly for my teammates. They’re working their butts off all season. For guys who may not be back next season, I want to make sure I leave a great memory on the court with them. I hope we can get a win [tomorrow]. I’m doing it mainly for the fans who stuck with me and my teammates.’’
Stoudemire missed Thursday’s Game 3 loss, sitting on the bench, arm in a sling.
Woodson said he’s concerned about Stoudemire’s effectiveness.
“I have to trust his judgment,” Woodson said. “I’m concerned if he can catch the ball and pass it, rebound it and shoot it. This is all speculation until the doctors release him and say he can play.’’
Last April, Stoudemire tried to play Games 3 and 4 against Boston with a back injury and could barely move.
On Thursday, Woodson said he did not believe Stoudemire would be cleared by team doctors to play Sunday.
“It’s a pretty significant amount of padding,’’ Stoudemire said. “I wasn’t expecting to do this today. But I felt great [Thursday] night and felt better than expected. But it’s still pretty sore.’’