After Receiving Left Knee Surgery,
Stoudemire Returns to the Court, Putting up Impressive Numbers Off the Bench
By Ali Koskoris
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| AP Photo/ Kathy Willens |
The New York Knicks have played the first couple months of
basketball without their star forward Amar’e Stoudemire. Stoudemire returned after left knee
surgery, playing off the bench, on January 1st.
Despite the fact that the Knicks have gone 5-6 since Stoudemire
has returned, the 30-year-old player has put up impressive numbers for someone
recovering from surgery.
Stoudemire has scored at least 12 points in the last five
games and is averaging 16 points and five rebounds in that span. “I have no worries,” he said, “I keep
improving.” Recently, he shined in
a game against Boston, scoring 15 points, pulling down 9 rebounds, and blocking
two shots.
Stoudemire has been putting up these numbers while playing,
on average, less than thirty minutes per game—meaning he is playing effectively
and efficiently. His rebounds and
blocks have not been as high as his usual numbers, and his defense might be a
little slower, which might be why head coach Mike Woodson seems to be planning
to keep Stoudemire coming off the bench.
Stoudemire will continue to improve
and get stronger, and will become New York’s sixth man off the bench. Somehow, despite his numbers, the
Knicks have not been winning as much, so his teammates need to get used to him
being back in the rotation, especially because Stoudemire is not playing with
all of the same players that he started with before the injury.
Overall, though, Stoudemire’s return can only help the
Knicks, who are first in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.
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