Nearly two months since he pulled his back muscle during the Knicks’ first-round ouster by the Celtics, Amar’e Stoudemire said he still hasn’t recovered 100 percent and is still doing rehab.
That showed the depth of the injury in which Stoudemire tried to play through during Games 3 and 4 during which he was severely limited and the Knicks were swept – the only club not to win a playoff game who advanced to the postseason.
“It’s still a little sore,’’ Stoudemire said during a promotional appearance for Excedrin at Chelsea Piers. “ But it’s definitely getting better. I’ve been working out, getting rehab on the back. It’s getting stronger.’
“It’s still pretty tight with certain movements. It was serious. It’s a sprained muscle and it takes a while to get its motion back.’’
Stoudemire pulled his back during warm-ups before Game 2 in Boston, attempting a trick dunk. He labored through the first half, sat out the second half. He played with limited motion in the final two games. A person close to Stoudemire said he should have sat out Game 4 with the club down 0-3 considering his condition.
Asked if he would’ve played in Round 2 if the Knicks survived, Stoudemire said, “I would’ve played. Probably wouldn’t have been smart.’’
Stoudemire was happy to see Dallas finally win it all over Miami but a little bittersweet, wondering what would have happened if he remained with the Suns. Phoenix made it to the Western Conference Finals his final season in Phoenix, losing to the eventual champion Lakers.
“I figured all the teams we battled with in Phoenix all won championships except us,’’ said Stoudemire, who signed with the Knicks last July. “If we stayed together one more year it might have happened. We played all those teams every year in the playoffs, Dallas, the Spurs, Lakers. Each of those teams won a championship. But we’re in the East Coast now in New York and now it’s our turn.’’
On Donnie Walsh stepping down as president June 30, Stoudemire said he will still keep in touch with him when he is a consultant for the team.
Thursday, Stoudemire will be honored as Father of the Year in advance of Father’s Day. Stoudemire, who has a place in Miami Beach, did not attend The Finals, spending time with his kids Phoenix and LA.
