The New York Knicks are 19-7 and finally living up to the hype and talent on their roster. They will deal with the return of Amar’e Stoudemire shortly, and if head coach Mike Woodson can work him back into the lineup, this team has a shot to go far.
How far one might ask? Well according to star Carmelo Anthony, the Knicks need to go very far. Melo was asked during a recent ESPN interview what a successful season for the team would be. Anthony pulled no punching in claiming anything less than “the Conference Final is unacceptable.”
“Winning the division, getting out of the first round, getting to the Eastern Conference finals,” Anthony says. “I don’t see anything less than that.”
“I’ll sit here and tell you right now, it’s unacceptable. With the guys we have, with the team we have, with the roster that we have, it’s unacceptable,” he says.
Anthony was then asked about the return of Amar’e Stoudemire. It is crucial for Stoudemire whether he starts or comes off the bench to blend with this team, and not splinter it apart.
“I tell you what, when he comes back this time, it will be totally different,” Anthony said. “We trust the system, we trust one another. What we have going right now as a team while he’s out, we’re building something. When he comes back, he can fit right in with what we have going on.”