The Knicks Are Back Tonight
Oct 27 2010 12:09AM
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Amar'e Stoudemire lead all scores in the NBA with 25.7 points per game.
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Wednesday’s season opener in Toronto vs. the Raptors marks the 5,000th game in Knicks history. Ironically enough, the first game in franchise history also took place in Toronto with New York defeating the Toronto Huskies 68-66.
While there have been 65 opening nights total, tonight’s is one of the most highly anticipated openers in franchise history for one simple reason – “The Knicks are Back!”
As soon as Amar’e Stoudemire uttered those words in July, announcing his intention to sign with the Knickerbockers, fans have been eagerly awaiting his debut in orange and blue. But the truth is, the Knicks faithful actually earmarked this date over two years ago, when President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh was hired and announced he eyed the 2010-11 season as the year the team would turn it around.
The fans waited patiently while Walsh morphed the roster into his and Head Coach Mike D’Antoni’s image, and with Stoudemire leading the charge, it appears the wait was well worth it.
A five-time NBA All-Star and four-time All-NBA selection with the Phoenix Suns, Stoudemire lived up to the hype and then some with a dominant preseason. STAT led the NBA in scoring with 25.7 points per game, recording three 30-point efforts in six games, and there is no reason to believe those numbers won’t continue once the regular season tips off.
"Everything will flow through Amar’e,” D’Antoni said “Voice-wise, leadership-wise and obviously (the game). Those are big responsibilities. We'll need him at least 75 nights out of 82. We need him a lot and we’ll rely on him a lot."
Stoudemire certainly isn’t the only important new face on the roster, with co-captain Raymond Felton running the point and impressive rookies Landry Fields and Timofey Mozgov expected to get the starting nod. Add in exciting young talent such as 21-year old Anthony Randolph, savvy vets like Ronny Turiaf and Roger Mason, Jr. and returning up-and-comers Wilson Chandler, Toney Douglas, Danilo Gallinari and Bill Walker and the Knicks seem to have one of the most complete rosters in recent history.
Still, all eyes will be on the marquee man in the middle, as there are few in the NBA capable of putting up the numbers and having the impact on a game that Stoudemire can.
The moment Knicks fans have been anticipating for over two years is finally here.
The Knicks are back.
While there have been 65 opening nights total, tonight’s is one of the most highly anticipated openers in franchise history for one simple reason – “The Knicks are Back!”
As soon as Amar’e Stoudemire uttered those words in July, announcing his intention to sign with the Knickerbockers, fans have been eagerly awaiting his debut in orange and blue. But the truth is, the Knicks faithful actually earmarked this date over two years ago, when President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh was hired and announced he eyed the 2010-11 season as the year the team would turn it around.
The fans waited patiently while Walsh morphed the roster into his and Head Coach Mike D’Antoni’s image, and with Stoudemire leading the charge, it appears the wait was well worth it.
A five-time NBA All-Star and four-time All-NBA selection with the Phoenix Suns, Stoudemire lived up to the hype and then some with a dominant preseason. STAT led the NBA in scoring with 25.7 points per game, recording three 30-point efforts in six games, and there is no reason to believe those numbers won’t continue once the regular season tips off.
"Everything will flow through Amar’e,” D’Antoni said “Voice-wise, leadership-wise and obviously (the game). Those are big responsibilities. We'll need him at least 75 nights out of 82. We need him a lot and we’ll rely on him a lot."
Stoudemire certainly isn’t the only important new face on the roster, with co-captain Raymond Felton running the point and impressive rookies Landry Fields and Timofey Mozgov expected to get the starting nod. Add in exciting young talent such as 21-year old Anthony Randolph, savvy vets like Ronny Turiaf and Roger Mason, Jr. and returning up-and-comers Wilson Chandler, Toney Douglas, Danilo Gallinari and Bill Walker and the Knicks seem to have one of the most complete rosters in recent history.
Still, all eyes will be on the marquee man in the middle, as there are few in the NBA capable of putting up the numbers and having the impact on a game that Stoudemire can.
The moment Knicks fans have been anticipating for over two years is finally here.
The Knicks are back.
