Knicks Take 2-0 Lead Over Boston; Amar'e Hopes To Return

[Giantmetfan07]

Imagine how much better the Knicks will be once Carmelo Anthony’s aim and Tyson Chandler’s health improve.

Mike Woodson’s team isn’t exactly clicking on all cylinders and yet the Knicks will arrive in Boston for Game 3 on Friday with a chance to end the Celtics’ season on the fabled parquet by Sunday night. In fact, anything less than two wins over three days in Boston would seem surprising considering the state of the two bitter rivals.
 
“We did what we were supposed to do at home and now we have to travel to a hostile environment,” Woodson said following the Knicks’ convincing,

87-71, Game 2 victory Tuesday night. “They are going to be cheering for their team and we have to be solid. You almost have to play perfect basketball on the road.”

The Celtics appear incapable of producing anything close to perfection with Rajon Rondo unavailable while recovering from season-ending knee surgery. For the second straight game, the Knicks overwhelmed the undermanned and offensively challenged Celtics in the second half. Boston scored just 23 points in the last 24 minutes. In Game 1, Boston scored 25 second-half points.
 
The Knicks’ bench contributed 27 points, including 19 from J.R. Smith, who hit the basket of the night, a 35-foot buzzer-beater in the first that he punctuated with crowd-stirring dramatics.

 

 

NEW YORK – If Amar’e Stoudemire wants to play again this year, which he does, the Knicks oft-injured forward needs his teammates to perform now more than ever.
 
Win their opening round series against the Celtics and he has a chance to get back on the court in the second round of the playoffs. Lose and he’s likely resting until next year.
 
Stoudemire likes the Knicks chances and his own. But neither is there quite yet.
 
Stoudemire, who is returning from right knee debridement surgery, spoke to reporters before the Knicks played the Celtics in Game 2 of their opening-round series and said he’s currently doing foot work and explosiveness drills.
 
He’s hoping to run full speed by weeks end and will make a decision on when he can return to the court based on how his knee feels after that.
“Everything’s on schedule for the most part,” Stoudemire said. “I’m not sure exactly when [he’ll return]. But once I start moving around at full speed we’ll check the reaction from that.

“If everything goes great than I’m willing to play, sooner than later hopefully if everything continues to improve, so we’ll see.”
 
Stoudemire had debris cleaned from his right knee on March 11 and his recovery time was expected to be around six weeks. He had the same procedure on his left knee in November and it took him eight weeks to return.
 
He’s currently in week six of his latest rehab stint and is taking things slowly.

 

[dez]

Faster Amare's back the better...
 
other then ARJR and Melo, we have noone else that you can give the ball to and have em go get you buckets... especially off the bench.
 
Hopefully he can pick up where he left off....

 

[Giantmetfan07]

Eh, I'm 50/50 on Amar'e. He'd be great to have on the offensive end as you mentioned, but it's going to take away some minutes from KMart who has been phenomenal. the issue, again, is defensively when he's out on the court. I've been as big a supporter of Amar'e as they come this season but they've just been so much better all season when he's not there. 

 

[dez]

We wouldn't have to take mins from KMart.. keep JWhite and Novak (since teams have picked up on how to guard him) on the bench.
 
You gotta give to get a little, we've been solid defensively, but offensively, very hit or miss... Amare was one of the most efficient offensive players on our squad this season, having him back is a must imo
 
especially since Tyson looks like he's laboring out there.

 

[jonathanlambert33]

Bad news man

 

[Giantmetfan07]

Bad news man

 
mind elaborating on that?

 

[jonathanlambert33]

Because he's a boulder rolling down hill. There's a perception of what he is, because of what he used to be. Now he's just a overrated player that hurts his team because people still think he's the Amare of old (or want him to be). When Amare is on the court, they score less points and shoot a worse percentage (which disproves the thought that they're better offensively with Amare) and allow more points per 100 possessions. I remember when he blamed his lack of defensive ability on coaching, but even the simplest of defensive concepts are lost on him. Guard your man, play team defense, box out, simple stuff. He is just lost. His awareness is very poor.

Doesn't understand rotations, doesn't understand when he needs to get into a player and when not to. He's a poor rebounder, doesn't understand how to box out, doesn't understand how to get position. Whoever is out there for the Celtics, possibly Brandon Bass, will have their way on the boards, especially the offensive boards. And then you have help defense. The best defenders in basketball are always excellent team defenders. Which goes back to his awareness being poor. If a perimeter player for Boston gets by their man then they'll get a easy opportunity to score if they go after Amare, because he won't be there. Instead his back will be to the ball, or he'll have his eyes completely on his man, Avery Bradley will kill the Knicks with his basket cuts with Amare in the game.

Watch the below clip, it illustrates everything that is wrong with Amare.

 

[Giantmetfan07]

oh. i already knew all of that. I thought you said "bad news man" because someone else got hurt or something.