Shouts to ESPN
Amare Stoudemire saw Blake Griffin's ridiculous dunk over Kendrick Perkins in the Clippers-Oklahoma City game on Monday night. He immediately thought of ex-teamate Timofey Mozgov, who was similarly posterized by Griffin in a game last season.
"I said Mozgov can now sleep. He can get some rest now," Stoudemire said with a laugh.
He added that Griffin's dunk over Perkins was better than the one he put down on Mozgov.
Mike D'Antoni hadn't seen the dunk but heard his players talking about it on Tuesday.
"They said it was better, I don't know," the coach said. "I can't wait to see it .... The Mozgov one was pretty impressive."
Baron Davis missed shoot around on Tuesday due lingering soreness in his back, according to Mike D'Antoni.
"I don't think it's a set back but it just needed a little bit more time to calm down," he said.
Davis, who also missed practice on Monday, probably won't suit up for the Knicks until next week at the earliest.
The Knicks have four games this week. After Tuesday night's home game against Detroit, they play three games in three nights, beginning with Thursday's home against Chicago.
"I think next week's looking more like it ... The sooner the better, but I don't know for sure," D'Antoni said.
The Knicks originally hoped to have Davis back in late January or early February.
He participated in team scrimmages for the first time last Monday and should return to practice on Wednesday.
The Knicks (7-13) are in a free fall and have lost nine of ten, falling far short of preseason expectations. Part of the problem is the lack of a veteran point guard to lead D'Antoni's offense. The organization is hoping Davis is the answer to that problem.
MORE LIN TONIGHT? D'Antoni liked what he saw from third-string PG Jeremy Lin on Saturday night in Houston. He may give the former Harvard standout more minutes on Tuesday against Detroit.
"He shows he can run a pick and roll and he's got some instincts of a point guard and maybe we'll look at that a little bit more and see where we're going because that's what we need," the coach said.
Iman Shumpert had been starting at point guard but was benched on the road trip.
On Tuesday, D'Antoni said Shumpert is more of "a two and three" who would develop into a combo guard.
D'ANTONI TALKED TO FRANK: D'Antoni confirmed that he talked to Pistons head coach Lawrence Frank about joining the Knicks staff in the offseason. The Knicks hired assistant Mike Woodson, the former Hawks head coach, to help coach defense.
WOULD STOUDEMIRE RATHER REST THAN PLAY IN THE ALL STAR GAME? Amare Stoudemire isn't playing like an All Star this season. He is scoring average is down around seven points per game from last season and he is shooting just 43% from the floor.
In the most recent balloting, Stoudemire had the third-highest vote total among forwards, behind LeBron James and teammate Carmelo Anthony.
Stoudemire was asked on Tuesday if he'd rather have the weekend off or play in the game. He laughed.
"Anytime you get time off it would be great. But All Star weekend in Florida is always fun. Back in my home town, my friends and family are already calling. But I'm not focused on that. It's moreso about trying to get us on the right track and get us in the playoff hunt," he said.
Stoudemire later added: "Right now is a delicate moment for us because we're tying to get over the hump and trying to get back in the winning column."
Personally I hope we get this back on track.. I will give us until the All Star Break before I get ignant.