Amare Stoudemire Out, New York Knicks Reaching Playoffs in Doubt

Okay, I'm in Walt Frazier mode with the rhyming today, and really I shouldn't be so glib under the circumstances. Amare Stoudemire is out indefinitely after an MRI revealed a bulging back disc, an awful occurrence for a player who's worked so hard to come back from injuries. The treatment will be non-surgical, and rooted in rehab. 

So what does this mean for the Knicks? In the short term, I don't think it means all that much. The Knicks should retain their two and a half game lead for the eighth seed.

Milwaukee's Monta Ellis addition might hurt the ninth place Bucks more than New York's immediate Amare subtraction hurts the Knicks. Since their acquisition of Ellis, Milwaukee has lost crucial games to both New York and Boston. 

And, to put it lightly, Stoudemire was not very good this year. He posted his lowest player efficiency mark since his rookie season and the Knicks were much better when Amare was off the court. While this certainly thins New York's depth up front, I highly doubt they're much, if at all, worse.

In the long term picture, it's looking bleak. New York owes the oft-injured Amare $83,257,386 through 2015. Ouch.