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Amare Has A Better Opportunity To Play Than Chauncey

UPDATE: Amare will start, but Chauncey will be out of action.  Douglas and Fields will start in the back court.

Game-time decisions.  With the Boston Celtics up 2-0 on the New York Knicks and Game 3 set for tonight in Madison Square Garden, coach D’Antoni is still unsure whether his squad will be at full strength when they step foot onto the hardwood in what will be labeled a “must-win” game.  Should they play hurt?

With the season riding on the line, it looks as if Amare could be ready more so than Chauncey, according to the Knicks head coach: “He said he feels pretty good, it’s better, and I have a lot of faith in our medical staff.”  The high-rising, explosive power forward is experiencing a pulled muscle in his back; the first time he has dealt with back spasms in his NBA career.  (Picture visions of Willis Reed hobbling out onto the court).

Coach believes Amare can overcome the pain: “I think right now a lot of it is psychological in a sense of can he trust his back and can he get out there and just not worry about it, every individual responds a little bit different, but he’s a warrior and I don’t doubt him for a second.”  If Amare can’t play then Shawne Williams will be the top choice to replace him in the starting line-up.

As for the starting point guard and big shot maker, he is less likely to give it a run, as Mike D’Antoni used the words “lot less probability” and “less optimistic” to describe Billups’ playing status.  Toney Douglas will run the show again if Chauncey cannot suit up.

Melo (42 points, 17 rebounds, 6 assists in Game 2) addressing the Amare-Chauncey injury situation at hand: “And if they do [play], that’s a plus.”  It’s quite obvious that the Knicks will be counting on more of the same from their star scorer in Game 3 at MSG against Boston: “He’ll have to be huge,” D’Antoni said.  The understatement of all understatements; it’s desperation time in the Big Apple.  Simply put – win or prepare for next season.