Crazy⑧s
Evacuee
CRAZY❽S'
SHAT
Shortly after entering the game, Stoudemire got his first touch on the left block, defended by Portland power forward LaMarcus Aldridge, and promptly turned the ball over by stepping out of bounds while trying to make a post move on Aldridge along the baseline. (Here's hoping Hakeem wasn't watching.) He got his first shot up two possessions later, hoisting a jumper from the left elbow that went wanting ... as did his next four shots, leaving him scoreless in 9 1/2 minutes of first-half action.
Things didn't go much better on the defensive end, where he routinely looked lost, especially on a second-quarter pick-and-roll possession on which he completely forgot about Blazers center J.J. Hickson, who cut behind Stoudemire unmolested to the rim to dunk a lob thrown by Portland reserve guard Ronnie Price. Not that Stoudemire was alone in his defensive lapses ? Hickson torched the Knicks' frontline for 18 points (on 9 for 10 shooting) and eight rebounds in the first half, while sterling rookie point guard Damian Lillard toyed with older defenders Jason Kidd and Pablo Prigioni en route to 12 points and five assists at intermission.
Stoudemire made his sixth shot, scoring his first points of the season at the 3:11 mark of the third quarter on a layup generated by rolling to the rim after setting a screen near the right elbow for Carmelo Anthony. Two minutes later, he sagged along the baseline as J.R. Smith penetrated the paint, drew the defense and dished it off, setting up a big Amar'e dunk over Blazers rookie Victor Claver:
Playing on a minutes restriction as Knicks coach Mike Woodson looks to slowly work the 30-year-old former All-Star into the rotation, Stoudemire finished with six points on 3 for 8 shooting, one rebound, one block and two turnovers in just under 17 minutes. Rust aside, he offered glimpses of an intriguing pick-and-roll pairing with Prigioni on the second unit and, at times, with Anthony in potential starting/closing lineups ? if nothing else, he draws more defensive attention than nominal starting power forward Kurt Thomas ? while resembling the unaware defensive liability NBA fans have come to know over the past decade.
Are you a believer? I, Crazy❽s, am not. Apologies.
