Stephen A. Smith's take on Amar'e and How Much we need him back HEALTHY..

[EnWhyKay]

With Respect to the Lin fan's.. We need a secondary scorer.. Someone who is proven that teams have to respect.. Not just through traps at and try to rattle.. With a healthy Amar'e this team can go all the way... With Both Lin and Amar'e im on my way to veges to put a months Salary on the Knicks going all the way...

If Amare is healthy, look out, Miami!
Melo's in top form, but he needs help from the big man to take the Knicks deep
Updated: April 16, 2012, 2:22 PM ET
By Stephen A. Smith | ESPNNewYork.com

Melo Needs Help
Stephen A. Smith discusses how Carmelo Anthony cannot do it all on his own.Tags: carmelo anthony, NBA, knicks, new yorks sportscenter
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Melo Wants Amare Back (Part 2)

This is 2012, but these New York Knicks are eerily similar offensively to the team that teased us for an entire decade into believing it had championship mettle, only to succumb repeatedly to the greatness of Michael Jordan.

Carmelo Anthony is the Knicks right now, much as Patrick Ewing was the Knicks years ago, which is a good thing. The rest of the Knicks now are what they were back then, too, which isn't so good. But it can become a good thing if Amare Stoudemire returns, healthy and ready to put all the questions about his ability to coexist with Melo to bed once and for all.

If Stoudemire comes back and ends all that nonsense, there's no telling when the Knicks' season will end.

If he doesn't, the Knicks will be done by the first week of May.

[+] EnlargeAmare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony
Al Bello/Getty ImagesThe whole idea was that there were supposed to be two superstars on the Knicks. (These two.)

Book it!

"I have no idea when [Stoudemire] is coming back, but I can't wait for it because we need him," Anthony said. "He's important to this team. To what we're trying to do."

Don't bother knocking Melo for failing to emphasize Stoudemire's importance to his own game. You can't blame Anthony for wanting to refrain from such conversation when he's averaging 31.7 points per game in April, playing like a man clearly in pursuit of Gotham City's unfiltered and uncompromised affection.

But if Sunday's 93-85 loss to the Miami Heat proved anything, it proved an army isn't made up of one man. That a dynamic duo -- or trio, if you want to include Chris Bosh -- in the form of Dwyane Wade and LeBron James is significantly more sustainable than a one-man wrecking crew.

"I'm loving what I'm seeing from Melo right now," Knicks interim coach Mike Woodson said on Sunday. "I'm proud of him, the way he's playing and the effort he's giving. But nobody's blind here. Everyone knows we'll need more than him to get to where we want to go. Nobody's saying his name that much, but I'll say it: Amare! We need him. He'll come back when he's healthy enough to play, but I'll be very happy when he does."

Relieved would be a more appropriate word.

All anyone had to do was watch the continuously gifted but erratic play of J.R. Smith, a surprisingly poor output from Iman Shumpert and the alarming, inexcusable regression of Landry Fields to know how desperately Woodson is aching for Stoudemire to come back.

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In 43 games this season, Stoudemire averaged 17.6 points and eight rebounds on 47 percent shooting. He did it with a questionable back, questionable knees and -- no matter how much anyone tries to avoid it -- the simmering acrimony with a touch of chaos that, essentially, has served to damage his career and stature in New York.

People forget that Stoudemire was the Man before Melo arrived. That he was the one averaging 26 points, heading to All-Star weekend, with New York's affection as his motivation. All that changed once Melo arrived. When Mike D'Antoni decided to veer away from both and make Jeremy Lin a savior, Lin had the audacity to jack up more shots than Stoudemire, with the unwavering support of the now-departed coach.

Back a few months ago, Stoudemire acknowledged: "It's hard. The bottom line is about winning, and we all know this. But I'm not going to lie by standing here and saying it's easy to hear folks questioning whether or not you should be here any longer, or whether you fit, when you're just a year removed from being an All-Star and doing the things I was doing."

Stoudemire wasn't blaming anyone, but he would have certainly been within his rights to do so. Such is the case when you're the forgotten man, and politics are influencing things just as much as basketball.

But things are working out now. Not just because the Knicks are 13-5 since Woodson took over, or because of Melo's resurgence as an offensive force.

Things are working out now because in spite of all that, it's still evident the Knicks can't make much noise in the postseason without Stoudemire.

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"They will need him," Chicago Bulls guard and reigning MVP Derrick Rose, told me a few days ago. "They're doing a lot of great things. Coach Woodson is doing a great job; I've got to give it to him. But no matter what, you always need someone like Amare Stoudemire. He's a big-time player. He's something we'd have to pay attention to."

That means all the attention couldn't be focused on Melo. Against Chicago or Miami, this is exactly what the Knicks will need.

When you hear Smith echo how Miami won't want to see the Knicks in the first round, or others bloviating about what a tough out the Knicks will be, it sounds good. It even seems plausible …

If Stoudemire comes back.

"Like I said," Woodson deadpanned, "we could use him."

Healthy, that is. Nothing less will do.

[HouRealCoach]

We really do need him... I think he & Melo can play together and win as they were doing under Woodson before the injury

[AIMelo=KillaDUO]

I was starting to think this also... Because it wasn't until Amar'e went down, that we started getting noticiably outrebound on the offensive end. giving up 2, 3, even 4 extra possessions on the same drive. So i was thinkin, If Amar'e was back it wouldn't be an issue but then after further thinking, Amar'e isn't the best rebounder for being 6'11" unless it's his big enough body to box people out and prevent them from getting boards even tho he himself isn't the rebounder.

And the scoring. Amar'e wasn't reliable @ scoring the ball all season long, it wasn't till about two weeks before going down, where he was hitting his Jumpers, and dunking the basketball, so again I ask... is it really Amar'e thats gonna save us?

[KnicksFan4Years]

I was starting to think this also... Because it wasn't until Amar'e went down, that we started getting noticiably outrebound on the offensive end. giving up 2, 3, even 4 extra possessions on the same drive. So i was thinkin, If Amar'e was back it wouldn't be an issue but then after further thinking, Amar'e isn't the best rebounder for being 6'11" unless it's his big enough body to box people out and prevent them from getting boards even tho he himself isn't the rebounder.

And the scoring. Amar'e wasn't reliable @ scoring the ball all season long, it wasn't till about two weeks before going down, where he was hitting his Jumpers, and dunking the basketball, so again I ask... is it really Amar'e thats gonna save us?

He is not going to save us, he is going to make our offense and team better.

He can score 30+, he can finish, he can draw fouls on the interior and finish with contact. You need all that in the playoffs.

[AIMelo=KillaDUO]

He is not going to save us, he is going to make our offense and team better.

He can score 30+, he can finish, he can draw fouls on the interior and finish with contact. You need all that in the playoffs.

He's not gonna save us? But he's gonna make our offense and team better huh? Not quite sure what that means...

Amar'e can score 30+? You realise he hasn't scored 30 all season right?

Amar'e wasn't even drivng towards the basket the first 30 games he played it wasn't until maybe the final 10 games he played where he started looking good again then he went down with an injury...

Do we need him in the Playoffs... Absolutly. Am I worried about him and Melo going back to playing the way they were a couple months ago, hell yes. If I could choose to have Lin or Amar'e back healthy to start the playoffs, It'd definalty be Jeremy. We'll see what happens tho. If they play to they're potential, they could definatly be dangerous, but we've only seen flashes that have been few and far between, to allow me to have any sort of optimism. I've co signed for Amar'e to come off the bench with the second unit.

[EnWhyKay]

He's not gonna save us? But he's gonna make our offense and team better huh? Not quite sure what that means...

Amar'e can score 30+? You realise he hasn't scored 30 all season right?

Amar'e wasn't even drivng towards the basket the first 30 games he played it wasn't until maybe the final 10 games he played where he started looking good again then he went down with an injury...

FALSE!!!.. He went for 34 against the Bulls the first time we played them this season in the Garden... On February 12th..

[He115ing]

So is there a timetable for when he will return? Before the season ends, or during playoffs?

I heard he was back at practice so that is a step in the right direction.

[Broadwayjoe NY]

I know Woodson already has said it, but I completely believe that when/if he comes back, he would be so much better utilized coming off the bench and playing with the second unit. I just feel Melo's spacing would be impacted negatively with Amare back. But him coming off the bench when Melo takes his rest would allow our second unit not to get so stagnant like it tends to.

[EnWhyKay]

I know Woodson already has said it, but I completely believe that when/if he comes back, he would be so much better utilized coming off the bench and playing with the second unit. I just feel Melo's spacing would be impacted negatively with Amare back. But him coming off the bench when Melo takes his rest would allow our second unit not to get so stagnant like it tends to.

You dont put him on the Bench.. U need him so that defenses cant just collapse on Melo.. We are running a different offense now.. U need Amare on the floor.. What I would do is adjust the subs so that when Melo is out Amare is in and vice versa... But you dont bench Amare if he is healthy...

[D-Leethal]

He's not gonna save us? But he's gonna make our offense and team better huh? Not quite sure what that means...

Amar'e can score 30+? You realise he hasn't scored 30 all season right?

Amar'e wasn't even drivng towards the basket the first 30 games he played it wasn't until maybe the final 10 games he played where he started looking good again then he went down with an injury...

Do we need him in the Playoffs... Absolutly. Am I worried about him and Melo going back to playing the way they were a couple months ago, hell yes.

A team that is 13-5 against almost all playoff teams the past 18 games doesn't need a savior. We just need 'help' so Melo doesn't need to drop 40 for us to compete. Amare gets 20 ppg in his sleep, if you don't see the need for an additional scorer, especially big man, IDK what to tell you. He won't be a savior but will give us a much better chance at a deep playoff run now.

And under Woody, Melo and Amare were clicking and our team was blowing the doors off the opposition on a nightly basis. I have a lot more faith Woody will adapt his philosophy to make Melo and STAT work as opposed to the insistence on working with square peg players for round hole system like D'Antoni did.

[AIMelo=KillaDUO]

FALSE!!!.. He went for 34 against the Bulls the first time we played them this season in the Garden... On February 12th..

You're right. He went for A 30 point game.

[msc43]

You know it's not a proper Stephen A. Smith article without throwing Jeremy Lin under the bus. But I'll get to that later.

I simply love the roll the Knicks have been on lately. But as most of you observed, it's been under the play of Carmelo and not much else. As much of you also observed, Melo has been living in the low-post and that's where he's gotten many of his points from. With Amar'e in the post now, I'm curious to see what Woodson to keep them both Amar'e and Melo happy.

If Amar'e played better defense, I wouldn't think twice about putting him in the center spot. His defense has picked up as of late, but I'm worried about the strain heavy defensive work is going to put on his back. With Lin running the point and mismatches at the 4 and 5 spot would be a point guard's dream. However, not having Tyson on the court is a serious minus defensively. It will all depend on what Woodson needs at the particular circumstance, I suppose.

Now, back to Stephen A Smith... he just can't leave Lin alone! The kid has been injured almost a month now and he can't even rehab without his name being snubbed by a glorified sports gossip columnist. Amare's numbers increased when he was with Woodson because of the feeds the point guard throws into the post. Woodson is a big believer of post-play. Melo's resurgence had just as much to do with Amare's absence as Woodson's love of feeding the post. Perhaps the opposite of D'Antoni, but the surge that STAT had under Woody isn't that surprising. Lin was basically playing the same way. Sure he wasn't going 25 a game, but he was efficient in getting the ball to STAT in the place he likes it. Having Amar'e back healthy could possibly be the difference between winning and losing a playoff series.

The Melo-Lin teamwork is pending for the main reason I don't think Lin has ever played with as versatile a scorer as Melo. I also don't think Melo has ever had a point as attack-minded as Lin (AI doesn't count, as he was a 2 guard). If I'm Woodson, I'd have Lin and Melo practice together all summer if it weren't for the Olympics.

That said, STAT healthy is a big bonus for the Knicks. He's a bonafide scorer that is a monster in the post. With some Woodson coaching and better pick-and-roll help, STAT has transformed himself into a better player. Hopefully with Woodson, STAT and Melo could also find a way to work better together. Without a point guard, the two clashed in each others' zones all the time.

[Da Knicks]

Most posters that have read my posts know my fealings about this season, i have alot of money on the line and i feel really confident! New York Knicks 2012 Nba Champions book it!!! quote me i dont care its destiny!!!

[AIMelo=KillaDUO]

A team that is 13-5 against almost all playoff teams the past 18 games doesn't need a savior. We just need 'help' so Melo doesn't need to drop 40 for us to compete. Amare gets 20 ppg in his sleep, if you don't see the need for an additional scorer, especially big man, IDK what to tell you. He won't be a savior but will give us a much better chance at a deep playoff run now.

And under Woody, Melo and Amare were clicking and our team was blowing the doors off the opposition on a nightly basis. I have a lot more faith Woody will adapt his philosophy to make Melo and STAT work as opposed to the insistence on working with square peg players for round hole system like D'Antoni did.

I completly agree. We do need scoring bigs and Amar'e instantly solves that. I get excited about it... but @ the same time, I haven't forgotten when he was shooting 40% from the feild on almost ALL jumpshots. These guys have the potential to do great things. RIGHT NOW. I just hope we get to see it.

[Garrett2010]

Howard Beck ‏ @HowardBeckNYT
Tyson Chandler is a go for Tues game vs. Boston. Amare Stoudemire is not. He's also highly unlikely for Weds game vs Nets.

Stoudemire's earliest return looks like Friday (at Cleveland) or Sunday (at Atlanta), depending on how his week goes.