Anthony has scored at least 36 points or more in his past three games. Those are point totals Stoudemire had grown accustomed to posting before Anthony arrived on Feb. 23.
But Stoudemire has scored 16 or fewer points in three of his past six games. Last week, he said he was worn out from the New York Knicks’ grueling 18-game schedule in March.
Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni put the players through individual workouts on Friday, in part to give Stoudemire a rest.
“I think, psychologically, he could use a little bit of a break,” D’Antoni said Friday.
The coach also suggested that Stoudemire’s recent scoring dip may be due in part to his sharing of the ball — and spotlight — with Anthony.
“I think it makes a difference, it could be for good or for bad. You’d have to ask him about that, exactly,” D’Antoni said.
Stoudemire answered that question on Saturday, claiming he has no problem sharing touches and airtime with Anthony.
“I can give him a little of the spotlight and take some of the lights off of me,” the All-Star said.
Prior to Anthony’s arrival, Stoudemire was the unquestioned leader of a Knicks team that was contending for a playoff spot for the first time in six seasons. He scored at least 30 points in nine straight games from Nov. 28 to Dec. 15 and had at least 20 in 26 consecutive games from Nov. 24 to Jan. 19.
Stoudemire’s production has tailed off recently — he’s scored 20 points or less in six of the Knicks’ past nine games, including a season-low 13 in a loss to the Magic on March 23.
“I think he was kind of tired trying to go out there and score 30 and 40 points. He’s been doing that this whole season, just playing with this team on his back this whole season,” Anthony said Saturday. “He was having an MVP year and one of his best years in the NBA so far. For him to have somebody else, a couple other guys, on the team that [can] help him out, that’s perfect for him.”
The Knicks are 9-12 since Anthony’s Feb. 23 debut. They snapped a six-game losing streak on Monday with a win over a depleted Orlando Magic and closed out an 18-game March with a win against New Jersey.
D’Antoni gave his players the day off Thursday. The Knicks had a light workout on Friday and participated in full-court scrimmages on Saturday. They will carry a two-game winning streak into Sunday night’s game against the 15-win Cleveland Cavaliers. The Knicks have lost all three games to Cleveland this season.
“Tomorrow is another one of [the] games [that] we have to go out there and get. Especially after the couple wins that we had, back to back, and the way we won. We don’t want to take no steps back,” Anthony said.
If the Knicks beat the Cavs and the Charlotte Bobcats lose to the Washington Wizards on Sunday evening, New York will clinch its first playoff berth since 2004. The franchise hasn’t won a playoff game since 2001.
“That’s been the goal [since] the start of the year. That’s what we’ve been striving for since training camp,” Stoudemire said. “Now the plan is finally coming into full motion. But we have to keep striving. We want more for ourselves. The first step is to get to the playoffs and next is to see how far we can go.”
Ian Begley ESPNNewYork.
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