Amare: The best is yet to come

Stoudemire: 'I Always Play Better In Postseason'

Apr 10, 2011 1:35 PM EDT
Stoudemire_Amare_nyk_101410.jpg
Amar'e Stoudemire said New York Knicks fans haven't seen anything from him yet. He said he always has played his best ball in the postseason.
Still wearing a walking boot on his sprained left ankle, Stoudemire won't commit to playing the Knicks' final two regular season games against the Chicago Bulls and the Boston Celtics. He's deciding whether it's best to rest up for Game 1 of the Playoffs.
"That's the whole goal now," Stoudemire said. "I always play better in the postseason. I want to be 100 percent healthy to keep that trend going. The good news is it's getting better by the second. I'll play sooner than later."

Via Marc Berman/New York Post

Miami Heat... Boston Celtics.. prepare your body..
 

New New York

Quiet Storm
I'd say just let him rest til post season.

There is nothing to gain (and everything to lose) by having him play the next two games

Giving Amare a much needed 2 week break(the Philly game when he got hurt until the start of the playoffs) should bring about a rejuvinated Stat.
 

Crazy⑧s

Evacuee
I'd say just let him rest til post season.

There is nothing to gain (and everything to lose) by having him play the next two games

Giving Amare a much needed 2 week break(the Philly game when he got hurt until the start of the playoffs) should bring about a rejuvinated Stat.

^

I concur!

You have to love the man's confidence. He fears nothing!

Captain Stat!:peace:
 

DaTPRiNCE

The Knicks are Back
i mean i would say give him some burn in tuesdays game let em get some game minutes and finish off the season in the garden maybe play em 15-10 minutes tops just to keep em fresh i guess. either way whether he plays some or not i dont mind it cause were definitely gonna need em at 100% vs our likely opponent the celtics.
 

STAT1

Starter
I'd say just let him rest til post season.

There is nothing to gain (and everything to lose) by having him play the next two games

Giving Amare a much needed 2 week break(the Philly game when he got hurt until the start of the playoffs) should bring about a rejuvinated Stat.

I tend to disagree. You don't want your main star coming off 2 weeks of inactivity going into the playoffs. You want him getting a little play at least so he has his rhythm & his legs to prepare for the intense play that comes in the playoffs.
 

NicksKnicks

Rotation player
I tend to disagree. You don't want your main star coming off 2 weeks of inactivity going into the playoffs. You want him getting a little play at least so he has his rhythm & his legs to prepare for the intense play that comes in the playoffs.

yeah i agree. Limit him to around 17-20 mins for the last couple of games just to keep him fresh and ready for when shit kicks off in the play-offs!
 

miked1958

Rotation player
I agree. You dont want rust for the playoffs, but, is it better to have him play with a little rust for first game or 2 rather then not have him at all???. He comes out for 17-20 minutes in these last 2 games and tweaks it a little more, we could lose him for all of the first round.

We dont beat Miami or the Celts without Stat, so having him on the bench for first round would mean we would not see him again till next season. We have come to far to get to this point and have a chance at playing past the regular season. I will take having him come out with 2weeks rest if it helps heal that ankle just a little more. U know he is out on the practice floor running a little, seeing how it feels. I know its the worst possible timing for the ankle thing to happen but right now we are locked into a playoff spot at either 6 or 7. We can not jepordize him hurting himself even more bec we are jocking to try and play or not play either the heat or celts.

NO. I say rest him and if we are way up or way down in either of those games maybe get him in so he can just run a little on it. but that may even be a bad idea in the Boston game. Celts know there is a good possibility they will play us, so wouldnt you think they would bang on Stat a little Harder trying to rehurt that ankle knowing it might mean they wont have to face him in a playoff series???
 
I don't know...I'm still not convinced by his defense. Melo has shown the ability to dominate on both ends of the floor, if neccessary. STAT can be a beast on offense, but on defense the Tyler Hansbroughs, Taj Gibsons and Amir Johnsons of this world look like All Stars.

He needs to play defense first and foremost. If he plays some tough D and rebounds well, we can go to the Conf. Finals - not joking. But if he turns up with a offensive mentality and plays his trademark (bad) defense, we're out in the first round in 6 games.
 

miked1958

Rotation player
I don't know...I'm still not convinced by his defense. Melo has shown the ability to dominate on both ends of the floor, if neccessary. STAT can be a beast on offense, but on defense the Tyler Hansbroughs, Taj Gibsons and Amir Johnsons of this world look like All Stars.

He needs to play defense first and foremost. If he plays some tough D and rebounds well, we can go to the Conf. Finals - not joking. But if he turns up with a offensive mentality and plays his trademark (bad) defense, we're out in the first round in 6 games.

But the point of this thread is weather they should play him or not in this last two regular season games. Weather he plays any D at all is not what we are discussing. Either way we need him in there to have any chance to win, a little D from him will be a huge plus. BUt not having him at all i think is alot worse then having him in there not playing great D. So do you think we should hold him out or use him some now. Especially with Celts on schedule and themknowing they may play us and knowing he is injured. they will play him hard to try and get him out of there
 
But the point of this thread is weather they should play him or not in this last two regular season games. Weather he plays any D at all is not what we are discussing. Either way we need him in there to have any chance to win, a little D from him will be a huge plus. BUt not having him at all i think is alot worse then having him in there not playing great D. So do you think we should hold him out or use him some now. Especially with Celts on schedule and themknowing they may play us and knowing he is injured. they will play him hard to try and get him out of there


I think we should rest him. Let him regain some energy, have a few workouts and practices. When the playoffs start he'll be fresh and energized and provide a boost. No point in risking him against Boston and Chicago. All we need is a win at MSG against the Bulls to secure 6th spot. I think Tom Thibs will rest most of his key players in that game, so we should have a pretty good chance to beat them.
 

miked1958

Rotation player
Agreed!!!

I think we should rest him. Let him regain some energy, have a few workouts and practices. When the playoffs start he'll be fresh and energized and provide a boost. No point in risking him against Boston and Chicago. All we need is a win at MSG against the Bulls to secure 6th spot. I think Tom Thibs will rest most of his key players in that game, so we should have a pretty good chance to beat them.

Also, like some others on here, I am changing my thinking on who we would want to play in round 1. The thought was to get miami first and be the ones to eliminate the Big 3 then get Boston in 2nd round, being that they are an aging team that may get pushed to the limit by the younger 76ers and be out of gas if we got past miami to play them.

Now i am thinking the Heat are peaking at right time and will whip whom every they play in first round, and Celts are Reeling with a 9-10 record in last 19 and have an NBA low 90.8 ppg avg.. That would help us in a first round as we get are feet wet with a team that is just learning to play D. I think a team that is struggling on Offense is just what the doctor ordered. And we can ERASE years of GHOSTS against the Celts and all that High and Mightyness (is that a word... lol) that they hold over us. Get rid of them, then with some momentum and a few good games of D under our belts and a first round series Victory, we can go into a series with the Heat with nothing to lose. Also u would want the Heat to win in 4 and have to sit and wait for our series which may go 7. They may have some rust and lose an edge by waiting a week. We would have MORE then exceeded any preseason Expectations at that point and be playing with HOUSE Money, and Who knows what could happen. We could be the UCONN of the NBA and go on a Long run in the playoffs ending in a VERY VERY unexpected Title, just like the Huskies. lol
 

Deathstroke

Benchwarmer
I think we should rest him. Let him regain some energy, have a few workouts and practices. When the playoffs start he'll be fresh and energized and provide a boost. No point in risking him against Boston and Chicago. All we need is a win at MSG against the Bulls to secure 6th spot. I think Tom Thibs will rest most of his key players in that game, so we should have a pretty good chance to beat them.

Do you know who Tom Thibodeau is? He'd play Rose 50 minutes if he could
 
9-10 record in the last 19 means nothing to the celtics

they finished 25-25 last year with garnetts injuries and what not

Same as the lakers who lost 5 in a row, after winning like 15 of 16, to follow up a 10-10 spurt before the all star break

its hard to come in every year and dominate during the regular season, but as soon as the ball goes up in a playoff series the mettle gets tested and the championship level teams start clicking.

While amare needs the rest, we also need to be clicking as a whole unit before facing a team like the celtics.

because if our chemistry and our togetherness is off just a little bit, well be looked at the summer door in just 5 games.
 

STAT1

Starter
I agree. You dont want rust for the playoffs, but, is it better to have him play with a little rust for first game or 2 rather then not have him at all???. He comes out for 17-20 minutes in these last 2 games and tweaks it a little more, we could lose him for all of the first round.

We dont beat Miami or the Celts without Stat, so having him on the bench for first round would mean we would not see him again till next season. We have come to far to get to this point and have a chance at playing past the regular season. I will take having him come out with 2weeks rest if it helps heal that ankle just a little more. U know he is out on the practice floor running a little, seeing how it feels. I know its the worst possible timing for the ankle thing to happen but right now we are locked into a playoff spot at either 6 or 7. We can not jepordize him hurting himself even more bec we are jocking to try and play or not play either the heat or celts.

NO. I say rest him and if we are way up or way down in either of those games maybe get him in so he can just run a little on it. but that may even be a bad idea in the Boston game. Celts know there is a good possibility they will play us, so wouldnt you think they would bang on Stat a little Harder trying to rehurt that ankle knowing it might mean they wont have to face him in a playoff series???

& What's to stop the Knicks from trying to injure KG, Pierce, Rondo or Ray Allen if they play against us in the final regular season game if you think that's how teams strategize? Guys in the NBA don't go out trying to hurt other guys, guys know when players try dirty tactics & they lose respect pretty quick.
 

iJoe

Rotation player
Chicago should be playing mostly their bench to rest up for their playoff run since they've got their 1st seed locked.

Boston is probably gonna play hard to get their losing streak off their chest.

Either way, I say we rest our guys. Especially against the Bulls. Get our bench confidence up and keep our starters fresh.
 
Top