The Knicks on Monday announced that Amar’e Stoudemire is out indefinitely with a bulging disk in his lower back.
Stoudemire left Saturday’s game with lower back soreness and an MRI exam Monday revealed the condition.
The Knicks do not know when he will return, but his season is in jeopardy. Stoudemire is in Miami seeking a second opinion.
The forward will receive what the Knicks termed “non-surgical treatment.” But surgery is seemingly an option after Mike Woodson said, unprompted, “If he has to have surgery, he has to rehab and come back.”
The Knicks play the Bucks on Monday night. They lead Milwaukee by 1-1/2 games for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
This is the second straight year that Stoudemire, who’s in year two of a five-year, $100 million contract, has suffered a back injury. He pulled a back muscle in the playoffs last year and had to spend the offseason rehabbing.
Woodson said he was not given a possible date by which Stoudemire could return. The coach also said he has not spoken to him yet.
The injury news is surprising in its significance. Stoudemire said Saturday his back had improved and he expected to play Monday. He also assured reporters his back was not a serious issue.
The Knicks also played Monday without Jeremy Lin, who was out with a sore left knee. Lin called himself “day to day” and is not sure if he will play Wednesday against Orlando. He seemed optimistic at shootaround that he would play, but that ended up changing.
“It was a mutual decision,” Lin said. “Just kind of weighed the options and I want to make sure that when I come back, I’m 100 percent.”