So much of the attention paid to Knicks forward Amar’e Stoudemire this summer was on his training with post guru Hakeem Olajuwon. The pair’s workouts in Houston were dissected for improvements in the back-to-the-basket skillset of Stoudemire, long a forward more comfortable with a two-step running start than a traditional entry pass. It feels like deja vu now, five months later, to watch Stoudemire’s brief, newest workout tape to look for insight into his recovery from left knee surgery. This time, it’s not with a two-time world champion big man, though: It’s with the Erie BayHawks.
Stoudemire scrimmaged for an hour with the D-League squad, according to several reports. The New York Times got STAT saying encouraging words.
“I feel like I’m very, very close,” said Stoudemire, who added he felt some soreness in his knee after practice. “But again, I still want to improve and get better. I’m almost there.”
While depth has never hurt a team, and players forecast as headaches such as Rasheed Wallace have turned into positive additions to the Knicks, is Stoudemire’s return a good thing for NY? One factor to watch upon STAT’s return is Anthony’s comfort shooting in the interior when both play together. Last season, Anthony shot 18 percent in the key (excluding the restricted area) playing with Stoudemire, and 36 percent when he was on the bench. It’s just one area of their games, albeit the area of the court both use the most. Expect much, much more about their games to be dissected upon both players’ return to the lineup, coming to a mini-controversy near you.
When do you think he’ll return as a Knick?
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