NEW YORK — Amar’e Stoudemire watched Linsanity from Florida, a welcome break as he grieved the death of his brother.
Carmelo Anthony had a front-row seat in Madison Square Garden, where he couldn’t escape fears he was eventually going to mess things up.
Both superstars will return soon, but the question is no longer whether they can coexist.
Now, it’s how do they fit on Jeremy Lin’s team.
Linsanity entered its second week Monday, with the Knicks on a roll they feel can keep right on going behind their surprising point guard, who coach Mike D’Antoni said has given the team a “spirit” and a “swagger.”
“You go into every game thinking you’re going to win, and it changes everybody’s mood,” D’Antoni said.
Lin was chosen as Eastern Conference player of the week after averaging 27.3 points and 8.3 assists in his first four starts. The Knicks have won five in a row heading into tonight’s game at Toronto, turning things around after an 8-15 start.
“It’s more exciting than anything, just to see the buzz that he’s created here in New York, here in the NBA as a whole,” said Anthony, who could return from a groin injury by the end of the week. “I just want to get back there and be a part of it.”
Lin sat out practice to rest, but Stoudemire was back on the floor after leaving the team last Monday after his older brother, Hazell, was killed in a car crash.
“The only positive for us during that whole week was we were watching the basketball games and we were watching Linsanity and my family was getting a kick out of it,” Stoudemire said. “That’s the only smiles really they had all week.”
