The New York Knicks will play their second pre-season game tomorrow against the Boston Celtics, but Amar'e Stoudemire may not be suiting up. Stoudemire already missed the Knicks' first game due to a bruised left knee, and he is questionable for the exhibition game on Saturday.
The Knicks do not want to take any risks with Stoudemire and putting him in harms way during the pre-season isn't very smart. Surely if it was the regular season Stoudemire would have played, but an exhibition game is not a time to further intensify an injury.
"I could play if I needed to, but it's the preseason, so we're not going to force anything right now," he said after practice on Friday at the Knicks' training facility. "A bone bruise is never a fun thing. It takes a while for it to heal. Right now, we're just trying to break up the blood that's in there, loosen it up and get ready."
At this point, rest is the best thing for Stoudemire and the Knicks much rather have him on the bench than the court. If New York wants to make a deep playoff run, they need a healthy Stoudemire, one of their main stars.
The Knicks will be playing the Celtics on Saturday at the XL Center in Hartford Conn.
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