Amar'e Stoudemire is requesting more playing time as his New York Knicks desperately attempt to find their groove in time to make an earnest playoff push.
CBSSports.com reports currently 10 teammates average more minutes than Stoudemire, and the All-Star forward now insists he's not going to take it anymore.
Stat claims doctors have not placed a minutes limit on him to protect his troubled knees, Stoudemire told CBS of his reduced time "that's a coach's decision at the end of the day, I feel great. I am ready to play. But it's up to him if he wants to play me or not.''
Currently the Knicks sit and 19-29 and in 10th place in the Eastern Conference playoff race. With Coach Mike Woodson desperate to find an offensive spark to complement Carmelo Anthony, Stoudemire is adamant his coach should look in his direction.
"Yeah, I talk to coach all the time about it,'' Stoudemire told CBS."He knows I'm ready. He knows how hard I train. He watches me in the weight room and also on the court. The whole training staff knows, the Knicks organization knows how hard I train. I'm ready to play, but it depends on how the game's played.''
Stoudemire is averaging just 18.9 minutes and 9.3 points per game, career lows if you don't count the 2005-06 season with the Phoenix Suns in which he played in just three games due to injury.
Stoudemire returned to action against Miami on Saturday, scoring just 2 points in just minutes of action. Two night slater against Milwaukee, he played just 17 minutes and finished with seven points. .
"I feel great, man," the 31-year-old Stoudemire told CBS. "It don't take much for me. I have been playing at a high level my entire career. I know what it takes to get back to the top of the game. I know what it takes to feel confident. That's never going to go away.''
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