The Knicks suffered a major blow Monday when they learned that they would be without forward Amare Stoudemire for an extended period.
Stoudemire is out indefinitely with a bulging disc in his back. The star may miss only a couple of weeks, but there's a good chance that he won't play for the rest of the season.
Stoudemire has struggled with back problems since joining the Knicks. He pulled a muscle in his back last year, which caused him to miss a playoff game. The injury precluded him from playing basketball for almost the entire offseason.
New York had high hopes entering this season. Many felt they could compete with the best teams in the Eastern Conference. Even after a slow start, the Knicks looked like a new team with the emergence of Jeremy Lin.
With Stoudemire out, can the Knicks still make a run in the playoffs?
The answer will likely hang on the play of Carmelo Anthony.
Anthony has been one of the best players in the NBA since he entered the league in 2003. Some might even call him the best pure scorer in the game. But he is having arguably his worst season this year.
For his career, Anthony averages 24.5 points per game on 45 percent shooting from the field. This season, the forward is averaging a career low 20.2 points per game on 40 percent shooting.
It's no surprise that Anthony is scoring less with the Knicks. That was bound to happen playing with Stoudemire. But his problems aren't the result of playing alonside STAT.
The All-Star has had trouble finding his shooting touch all season long. That will have to change if the Knicks want to be successful without their starting power forward.
Monday night, the Knicks beat the Bucks 89-80. With no Stoudemire or Jeremy Lin, who's listed as day-to-day with a knee injury, New York ran its offense through Anthony. He finished with 28 points, but only shot 40 percent from the field.
The Knicks struggled offensively, and will continue to do so if Anthony doesn't improve his shooting. Lin's return will certainly help, but it won't cure all of the Knicks offensive woes.
Anthony isn't the only Knick who has struggled offensively this year.
New York is 12th in the NBA in scoring, with much of that coming while Stoudemire was struggling. Since Mike Woodson took over as head coach, Stoudemire has been rejuvenated, averaging 18 points per game on 57 percent shooting in New York's last five contests.
Before this stretch, Stoudemire had been struggling, perhaps as much as Anthony. His field goal percentage of 47.7 percent is one of the worst in his career.
Many have felt that Stoudemire's explosiveness disappeared this year, and only seemed to return recently. Others have blamed his lack of production on his inability to play well with Anthony.
While Stoudemire's offense has dipped this year, his defense has been criticized since he entered the league. Stoudemire's poor play on defense has come back to haunt the Knicks on many occasions.
He's played better defensively recently, but Stoudemire's absence might actually help New York on that side of the ball. The Knicks allow 95 points per game with Stoudemire on the court. In games that he's missed this season, they've given up just 88 points per game.
Stoudemire is certainly an important part of the Knicks. When healthy, he's one of the best forwards in the game. New York's recent winning streak shows that the Knicks are one of the best teams in the East when STAT is playing at his best.
But losing Amare doesn't mean the Knicks season is over. Carmelo Anthony is one of the best players in the game, and the Knicks are one of the deepest teams in all of basketball.
The Knicks have proven they can win with tough defense. If Anthony can play as he's capable, New York's offense with Lin and its deep bench will be very dangerous.
Stoudemire's injury certainly makes things harder for the Knicks, but it's not the end of their season.
