Golden State Warriors vs. New York Knicks: Who Has the Edge?
By Mike Dill
May 16, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks power forward Amar
Power Forward
Warriors: David Lee, Marreese Speights, Draymond Green
Knicks: Andrea Bargnani, Amar’e Stoudemire, Kenyon Martin
This power forward matchup includes a whole lot of offense and hardly any defense. David Lee, Amar’e Stoudemire, and even Andrea Bargnani are all known for being poor defenders. Offense, however, is another story.
Amar’e Stoudemire has been a great offensive presence since he entered the league, topping 20 points per game seven out of his eleven seasons. There is no questioning his offensive skill, but his health has been an issue the past few seasons. He only played in 29 games last season, starting none of them, and he is now behind Bargnani on the depth chart. If he can stay healthy next season, he will give the Knicks a huge boost.
The Knicks traded for Bargnani during this offseason, but many were unhappy with the trade. He was drafted number one overall in 2006, but he really hasn’t lived up to expectations. He is a similar player to Stoudemire – except not as good offensively. It will be interesting to see how Bargnani and Stoudemire will compliment each other.
Lee is also a monster on the offensive end. He can score with either hand and has decent range for a big man. Lee is also a phenomenal rebounder and has averaged over 10 rebounds per game in four out of his eight seasons. Lee still seems to be in his prime while Stoudemire may be past his.
At this point, Lee is definitely the best power forward of this group, but Stoudemire could change that if he is able to return to form.