GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Amar’e Stoudemire played 4-on-4 at the Knicks practice facility Saturday and looked fine running up and down the court.
He continued to avoid the media and left head coach Mike Woodson to speculate on when he might return to game action. Stoudemire has been out since March 24 with a bulging disc in his back and likely won’t play Sunday against the Miami Heat.
Asked if Stoudemire was targeting a Wednesday return at the Nets, Woodson said, “Don’t know. I mean, a lot of it’s going to be determined on how he feels [Sunday] and we’ll practice again on Monday and give him an opportunity here and then gauge it the next day. I just dont know yet when he’ll be back.”
Woodson did say that when Stoudemire does return, he will start and play the power forward position.
“If he tells me he’s ready to go, we’re going to move him back at the four spot,” Woodson said.
“He’ll just slide right in,” said Carmelo Anthony, who has been playing the power forward spot in Anthony’s absence with Iman Shumpert at small forward.
“Everybody continue to play the way they’ve been playing. He come right in and fit right in. I don’t think nobody has to change anything when he gets back. Actually, we’re looking forward to him coming back.”