Amar’e Stoudemire Accepts Total Blame for Knicks’ Loss to Magic


New York suffered yet another humiliating loss at home yesterday afternoon, and Amar’e Stoudemire (10 points, a ghastly 2 boards, and foul trouble) said the defeat was his fault. Per the NY Post: “Stoudemire said he was to blame for yesterday’s Martin Luther King Day matinee fizzle, a 102-93 loss to the Magic, because of his foul trouble. In truth, there’s plenty of blame to pass around the Knicks’ locker room. The Knicks proved yesterday they aren’t good with or without Carmelo Anthony right now. Coach Mike D’Antoni’s club went stone cold in the final minutes in a discouraging defeat at the Garden on an afternoon Dwight Howard could hardly pass as Superman, fouling out with 40.3 seconds left after eight points, 10 rebounds and six turnovers. But neither Stoudemire nor Anthony could pass for superstars right now. Anthony made a surprisingly early return from his twin sprains, posted a terrific first half, but petered out in the fourth quarter. Anthony, who tweaked his ankle again late, shot 9 of 27 for 33 points, but scored just six in the fourth quarter. The Knicks’ third straight loss dropped them to 6-7. Stoudemire was in foul trouble all game, finished with 10 points in 22 minutes and was phased out after a fourth-quarter dunk with 7:42 left. The superstar duo ain’t working. Still, Stoudemire wanted this loss on him, not Anthony or D’Antoni. There were a few fans chanting ‘Fire D’Antoni’ at the buzzer, but it was barely audible. ‘Basically [it was] my fault out there,’ Stoudemire said. ‘I’m taking all the blame for the loss. I got into foul trouble. I didn’t get many minutes in the first half. It definitely won’t happen again.'”