Amare Stoudemire made his NBA season debut after an injury absence but couldn't lift the New York Knicks over the Portland Trail Blazers. Portland's French Olympian Nicolas Batum scored 26 points -- draining six three-pointers -- to help the Trail Blazers open the new year and their four-game road trip with a 105-100 victory on Tuesday. Damian Lillard added 21 points for the Trail Blazers, including a three-pointer after the Knicks had cut a double-digit deficit to three points in the final minute. Stoudemire, playing his first game since having knee surgery shortly before the start of the season, wasn't a factor. He ruptured a cyst behind his left knee in a pre-season game on October 19 and had a procedure two days later to remove unhealthy tissue from the knee. Despite his absence the Knicks have thrived, and coach Mike Woodson said before Tuesday's game that he would go slow with the six-time All-Star. "We've just got to gauge his minutes and work him slowly back in," Woodson said. Stoudemire came off the bench and played just over 16 minutes, scoring six points on 3-of-8 shooting and grabbing one rebound. He received a standing ovation when he entered the game with 3:31 to play in the first quarter. He missed his first five shots but his production included two impressive dunks. "It's been a long time coming," Stoudemire said before the contest. "I've been so ready to play, put in so much hard work this off-season, and then to have to sit out for the first half of this season... I'm so ready to go. I'm ready to provide whatever my team needs to improve." Carmelo Anthony, who missed two games with a hyperextended knee, matched his season high with 45 points. But he missed a potential game-tying three-pointer with less than 16 seconds to play. Source:AFP
GMT 17:21 2018 Monday ,08 January
Play abandoned in South Africa v India TestGMT 17:18 2018 Monday ,08 January
Play abandoned in South Africa v India TestGMT 15:43 2018 Sunday ,07 January
Hackers already targeting Pyeongchang OlympicsGMT 15:38 2018 Sunday ,07 January
India's Pandya defies South African bowlersGMT 18:23 2018 Thursday ,04 January
Russian doping whistleblower free to pass evidence to FIFAGMT 12:08 2018 Thursday ,04 January
Pep Guardiola fears Man City stars in danger over fixture pile-upGMT 22:26 2018 Wednesday ,03 January
Mohamed Salah favorite to complete awards hat-trickGMT 16:12 2017 Tuesday ,26 December
Russian-Syrian basketball festival held at Damascus
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©
Send your comments
Your comment as a visitor