Stoudemire can't offset Big Three in loss to Celtics

BOSTON - The Knicks felt fortunate to come out of the offseason with at least one star in Amar'e Stoudemire. But one Stoudemire was just not enough to beat the Celtics' Big Three - plus one Rajon Rondo - which the Knicks have never done at TD Garden.

After the Knicks' 105-101 loss to the Celtics Friday night, the streak is eight straight defeats in Boston - seven since the Big Three era began. But this might have been the most encouraging performance the Knicks have had here in that time.

"I definitely think we earned some respect tonight,'' said Stoudemire, who had 27 points and eight rebounds in a marquee matchup against Kevin Garnett, who finished with 24 points and 10 rebounds. "We always give respect due, and Boston gets respect. Hopefully, they respect us and understand we're a team to be reckoned with.''

The Knicks fell behind by 11 with 2:14 remaining, so how did they make such a quick comeback? "Will power,'' said Stoudemire, who scored 12 fourth-quarter points and drilled a straightaway three-pointer with 17.5 seconds left to cut the Celtics' lead to 103-101. But Pierce sank two free throws with 15.4 seconds left to finally put the Knicks away.

There were mistakes - such as Wilson Chandler's foul on Pierce for the sealing free throws - but Mike D'Antoni, who spent most of the preseason wondering what kind of team he had, came away pleased.

"Overall, just by the determination and how hard they played,'' he said, "we're going to be good.''

Pierce had 25 points, 14 rebounds and five assists and Rondo had 10 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high 24 assists, which fell four shy of the Celtics' record of 28 set by Bob Cousy in 1955. It also was four short of an opponent's all-time high against the Knicks, which was set by John Stockton on Dec. 19, 1989.

Chandler had another strong game with 19 points and four of the team's nine blocked shots, and Raymond Felton had 17 points and six assists, but Danilo Gallinari's alarming shooting woes (0-for-6, two points) continued. He played only 3:13 in the third quarter and did not play in the fourth.

D'Antoni said his concern was because Gallinari "didn't play well and that's why he didn't play.''

Gallinari refused to say his shooting issues are related to the sprained right (shooting hand) wrist, an injury he suffered late in the preseason. He left the locker room with an ice pack wrapped on the wrist.

"The wrist is fine, the wrist is fine, that's it,'' Gallinari said. "When I say it's fine, it's fine.''

If it's not the wrist, then it must be a confidence issue. Stoudemire said, "The wrist is bothering him a little bit,'' but he added that the 22-year-old "has to prepare and be ready to play, ready to shoot and knock down open shots.''

Stoudemire said Gallinari is "important to the team'' and reiterated his message to the team in preseason - that every player "has to step up and lead.''

The Knicks take a 1-1 record into their home debut Saturday night at Madison Square Garden against the Trail Blazers, who are off to a 2-0 start. It is the first of seven back-to-backs the NBA scheduled for them in the first month of the season.