Amar'e: None better than Tyson, Melo and me
From left, New York Knicks forward Amare Stoudemire, center Tyson Chandler, and forward Carmelo Anthony address members of the media. (Dec. 12, 2011) Credit: AP
GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- Amar'e Stoudemire believes he and Carmelo Anthony can thrive together and that the two of them and Tyson Chandler are one of the best foundations in the league.
Stoudemire said they can be as good as Miami's LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, the Lakers' Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum and Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.
But those three teams have been to at least the conference finals with their stars, and the Knicks have lost in the first round the past two seasons.
"I think as players, Carmelo, myself and Tyson as a foundation trio, you can't ask for a better lineup than that in the NBA," Stoudemire said. "We're right there at the top of the bunch with the trio. It's just a matter of time for us to really figure it out, have a consistent year."
The Knicks have shown signs of being an elite team since Stoudemire and Anthony became teammates in February 2011, but they haven't done it consistently. When both have played, the Knicks are 30-33 in the regular season and 1-7 in the playoffs, leading to the ongoing debate of whether Stoudemire and Anthony will ever coexist successfully.
"I get tired of hearing that, man," Anthony said. "I get tired of hearing about, 'Can it work? Will it work?' We're here to play basketball. When we win, it works. When we lose, it don't work. It's kind of one of those situations. We'll figure it out."
Mike Woodson said it's up to him to figure out how to get the most out of Stoudemire, Anthony and Chandler.
In Stoudemire's exit interview, Woodson told him to work on his low-post game. Stoudemire, one of the NBA's best pick-and-roll players, said it was the first time a coach asked him to develop his post game. He thinks it will make him more dangerous, but it remains to be seen if it will make him more effective playing with Anthony.
"It definitely can work," Stoudemire said. "I feel like we've only been together for a year now. It was like half a year last year and this was like half a season for us together. It can work for sure. It's just a matter of us having a consistent year.
"Last year was a blockbuster trade that changed the whole team. This year was a coaching change. We can't point the finger at Carmelo and myself for not coexisting because it's been an up-and-down year since we've both been here."
The Knicks believe everything will be ironed out with a full training camp and working with Woodson from the start of the season. "Next year," Stoudemire said, "I guarantee you is going to be a much more exciting and better year for us."
