Amare to Return

After looking at the season Amare Stoudemire has had it seems crazy to me that he and Knick management are looking for him to return for game 3 in the Pacer series. While STAT is a talented player, he simply has not been in the lineup long enough this year to be his effective self. Mike Woodson and the Knicks managed to win the Atlantic Division and go on 13-game week streak this season all without one of their top players. To me the timing simply is not right in this situation. I do not think anyone knows how Amare is going to fit in with the overall flow of the game. Although STAT can be a dominate offensive player, his mediocre defense at best is a significant weakness that other teams will look to exploit. Another factor that can not be ignored is conditioning. There is no doubt STAT has done his best to keep his body in shape but nothing compares to actual game experience. Amare can run, lift and do all of the tangibles but the high speed pace of the NBA game is something that you can't just throw yourself into. As a New York fan all my life, I just do not see Amare's return being what is best for the Knicks at this point. The team has Melo and JR producing at a high offensive level and the rest of the team has learned their roles. It would not be a huge surprise if STAT ends up being a positive contribution but overall I think the team chemistry may be disturbed as they have managed just fine without him.

Erika Schmid

 http://www.cbssports.com/nba/blog/eye-on-basketball/22206993/amare-stoudemire-likely-to-return-for-game-3