Is Amar’e Stoudemire Playing Too Many Minutes?

STAT ranks 11th in the League for most minutes played so far this season, something coach Mike D’Antoni and the Knicks know isn’t ideal. From the NY Times: “They will play 18 games in March; 12 will be games played on consecutive days. Since the All-Star break in mid-February, the Knicks have had consecutive days without a game only once. Another off day will be lost when they host the Orlando Magic for the second time in six days on Monday to make up a November game that was postponed because of asbestos-related concerns after debris fell at Madison Square Garden. The effect of the frequent games might have culminated in the Knicks’ loss to Orlando on Wednesday, when Amar’e Stoudemire finished with 13 points, his fewest as a Knick. He admitted to fatigue as early as the first quarter, but played 39 ½ minutes. Immediately after the game the Knicks scheduled a practice for Thursday, then quickly canceled it after Stoudemire and Coach Mike D’Antoni talked. ‘We’ve played 14 games in the last 20 days and he’s been carrying us throughout the whole year and that’s it,’ D’Antoni said. ‘I play him a lot of minutes and we keep talking about playing too many minutes. To get where we are, I had to, and we’re trying to get into the playoffs and he’s paying for it a bit, but we’ll snap back.'”