New York Knicks Lose Amare Stoudemire, Out Two To Four Weeks

New York Knicks forward Amare Stoudemire will miss two to four weeks with a bulging disk in his lower back. The team revealed on Wednesday that their forward will undergo non-surgical treatment and rehabilitation.

The Knicks will also be without point guard Jeremy Lin on Wednesday night, Lin has sat out the last two games because of a sore left knee.

To treat Amare’s bulging disk doctors will use an epidural to lessen his pain, at which point they will hope that the disk repairs itself over time.

If Stoudemire is able to return in two weeks time he will make the teams final nine games of the regular season, if his rehabilitation takes four weeks Amare would be available for Game 1 in the first round of the playoffs should the Knicks make it that far. At this point the Knicks are just two games ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks for the final spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

This unfortunately isn’t the first time Stoudemire has had to deal with a back injury, the 29-year-old Knick pulled a back muscle during the 2011 playoffs. With a five-month NBA lockout Amare attempted to rest his back, giving it time to heal however he appeared to suffer during the start of the 66-game shortened season, while averaging just 18 points per game and shooting 57 percent in the last five games.

Amare isn’t the only NBA star who expected to sit out during Wednesday night play, Carmelo Anthony is questionable with a strained right groin and J.R. Smith is ill but is listed as “probable” for Wednesday night.