New York Knicks Blog – Page 59 – NBA Blog

Amare Stoudemire cleared for contact

Amar’e Stoudemire took a big step toward getting back on the court Saturday, but his status for the season opener is still up in the air.

Stoudemire was cleared for contact and participated in half-court drills Saturday. It was the first contact for Stoudemire since he underwent surgery on his knee over the summer.

“I felt explosive. So we’ll see how the progress continues,” Stoudemire said.

Stoudemire collided with rookie Tim Hardaway Jr. in half-court drills and hit his head, but he seemed to be OK.

Reported by Ian Begley of ESPN New York

Knicks test Melo at PF, Bargnani at C

Mike Woodson experimented with playing Carmelo Anthony and Andrea Bargnani together at the power forward and center positions, respectively, on Thursday night.

And in a statement that may scare some Knicks fans who value interior defense, Woodson says he likes what he saw.

“We started with the big lineup but also put Melo back at the 4 and had Bargnani at the 5 and that was pretty positive,” Woodson said. “I’ll go back and look at it a little closely on tape.”

To be clear, Woodson did not commit to the idea of playing Anthony and Bargnani at power forward and center in the regular season. It was probably something that he was curious about, so he decided to try it in a preseason game.

Reported by Ian Begley of ESPN New York

Carmelo Anthony rumors: future may be with Knicks or Lakers

Future of Carmelo Anthony may be with Knicks or Lakers

Carmelo Anthony reiterated that he wants it all: He wants to be a Knick for life, yet he also wants NBA teams — the Lakers, really — to court him when he becomes a free agent on July 1.

The Melo-drama Part II is under way in the wake of Anthony confirming that he plans to opt out of his contract next summer and become an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career. And for the first time, Anthony hinted that it is a two-team race between the Knicks and Lakers.

When asked about the long-held belief that the Lakers would pursue him, Anthony said: “What other team would they say? I don’t think they would say any other team. If you look at situations, that’s the only team that they probably would say.”

The Lakers will have cap space, and Anthony is close to Kobe Bryant. Also, Anthony owns a home in Los Angeles, and his wife, La La, is a working actress in Hollywood. Needless to say, if Anthony leaves the Knicks, it won’t be for a small market team.

Reported by Frank Isola of the New York Daily News

J.R. Smith wants to be a Knicks starter

J.R. Smith took an important step toward returning to the Knicks, taking part in running drills Tuesday for the first time since undergoing left knee surgery in July.

When Smith does make it all the way back from the injury — and the five-game suspension he still must serve, once deemed healthy, for violating the NBA’s drug policy — the league’s reigning Sixth Man Award winner prefers it to be as the Knicks’ starting shooting guard.

“I’ve always wanted to start. Everybody knows that. Everybody knows how I feel about that,” Smith said after practice in Greenburgh. “I won the Sixth Man last year, so I felt as though there’s nothing left to prove at the sixth-man spot.

“But at the same time, if that’s what my team needs me to do, that’s what I’ll do. If Coach (Mike Woodson) wants me to be a sixth man, I’ll be a sixth man. If he wants me to start, I’ll start. That’s up to him.”

Reported by Peter Botte of the New York Daily News

Photo: New Madison Square Garden sky bridges

Madison Square Garden today unveiled new construction photos of their new Chase Bridges, which will debut later this month as part of the third and final phase of the unprecedented $1 billion, top-to-bottom Arena Transformation project. The two first-of-their-kind sky bridges will offer a premium experience for fans with one of the most unique seats in any sports arena.

In a nod to New York City’s many renowned suspension bridges, the bridges are suspended from The Garden’s iconic ceiling by 24 (north bridge) and 26 (south bridge) steel tube hangers. First-class food and beverage options are steps away from the seats, including MSG Signature Collection offerings from top New York chefs and restaurateurs. The two bridges have a combined 430 seats. Here’s a photo:

Steve Novak misses New York

Steve Novak never wanted to be traded by the Knicks, never wanted to leave New York. But the sharpshooter was the key piece in the deal that brought the Knicks new starting power forward Andrea Bargnani.

“I didn’t expect it,” Novak said after the morning shootaround. “ You understand this is the business we’re in. New York felt like home. It was a place I love to play and I miss. I miss those guys. It’s not easy being traded. But there’s no doubt Toronto is a great city and good place to be.”

Novak had his two best seasons with the Knicks – he led the NBA in three-point accuracy in 2011-12 – and was a fan favorite. But for the second straight postseason he was ineffective because defenses wouldn’t give him any room to shoot and ultimately Mike Woodson didn’t give Novak much playing time.

Reported by Al Iannazzone of New York Newsday

Novak was part of the package of players and draft picks that brought Andrea Bargnani to the Knicks and sent him to Toronto in July.

And it’s clear he’s still rankled by the way his career ended, with him riding the bench, fully healthy, in the second round of the playoffs against Indiana, despite pleas to Mike Woodson that he’s ready to play. Soon he was traded to Toronto, a decision that left a bad taste in his mouth.

“It wasn’t like a rift [with Coach Woodson],” Novak said on Friday following his team’s shoot-around at the Air Canada Centre before the Raptors hosted the Knicks. “Obviously he knew the whole time that I wanted to play. I told him when I got healthy- don’t not play me because I’m hurt. I’m ready. And he went another way.”

Reported by Mitch Abramson of the New York Daily News

Tim Hardaway Jr enjoys big preseason game

Tim Hardaway Jr. didn’t take long to acclimate to life in the pros.

The rookie scored 10 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter, including the go-ahead basket with 8.2 seconds to play, to lead the New York Knicks to a 103-102 preseason victory over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night.

‘‘It was great, everything you’ve asked for, you’ve dreamed of, and it’s coming to reality,’’ the son of the former NBA guard said following the Knicks’ preseason opener. ‘‘Just got to live in the moment and take advantage of your opportunities.’’

Iman Shumpert scored 18 points, Metta World Peace added 13 and Andrea Bargnani had 12 for the Knicks, who led by as many as 23 points with 8:13 to play in their preseason opener.

Reported by the Associated Press

Melo wishes good health for Amare

There were probably plenty of reasons why Carmelo Anthony wanted to play for the New York Knicks back in 2011.

Money, marketing, the opportunity to be the face of a franchise in a major city — they all likely played a role.

But so did Amar’e Stoudemire.

Anthony says that the chance to play with Stoudemire was “one of the reasons I wanted to come to New York.”

So it’s difficult for Anthony to watch Stoudemire struggle with another knee injury.

“As a friend, it’s hard for me to sit back and act like it doesn’t bother me because I know how hard of a worker he is [and] I know the time that he puts in the gym to train and rehab,” Anthony said Tuesday. “To see him go forward and then take some steps back every time, it’s just sad.”

Reported by Ian Begley, special to ESPN New York

Knicks like Melo-Bargnani forward combo

Granted, just one week into training camp, the Knicks haven’t seen it a heckuva lot, but the more they see it, the more they like it.

What is “it?” Their big lineup, with 6-foot-8 Carmelo Anthony and 7-foot Andrea Bargnani as bookend forwards for center Tyson Chandler. Anthony started 56 of 67 games at power forward last season and Sunday after practice, he certainly sounded as if he would grab the small-forward job in a heartbeat.

“That’s what got me here,” Anthony said of playing the three.

But honestly, it doesn’t matter to him: “Just put me out there, put us out there on the basketball court, whoever’s the lineup we’ll adjust to each other.”

Reported by Fred Kerber of the New York Post

Larry Johnson sees Iman Shumpert as future of Knicks

Iman Shumpert went to Summer League in Las Vegas for two reasons: The New York Knicks wanted to see him play a little point guard and to get used to playing a bigger role within the team, according to ex-Knicks star and current Knicks staff member Larry Johnson, who was in Las Vegas with the team.

“We wanted [Shumpert] to know, ‘You’re our future.’ We wanted him to play a bigger role, [be] a little more vocal and have a little more leadership,” Johnson said in an interview last week.

Shumpert’s entering his third season in the NBA, but this is the first year he will play a full training camp and preseason. He was a rookie during the lockout-shortened season of 2011-12, which featured an abbreviated camp. Last year, he sat out the first 2 1/2 months of the season while rehabbing his knee after surgery on an anterior cruciate ligament.

“I’m extremely excited,” Shumpert said Thursday. “I’m just happy I’m healthy and ain’t nothing wrong with my knees, man. [I’m ready to] get out here and play, put my jersey on for the first game and we’re going to get rolling.”

Reported by Ian Begley of ESPN New York