predicted by the Knicks, has been extended to 6-8 weeks. From Howard Beck:

[blackbirdpie url="https://twitter.com/HowardBeckNYT/status/263381742294020097"]

Debridement is a form of surgery where – I guess – they’ll remove stuff from Amar’e's knee, like the ruptured cyst that originally caused the problems and prolonged absence. Stoudemire’s left knee is the same one he had microfracture surgery on in 2005, according to Chris Broussard.

No one much believed the Knicks when they said Stoudemire would miss only two to three weeks, as the team’s staff has a brutal history of misdiagnosing injuries and recovery periods. Now, however, the Knicks may not see Stoudemire on the floor until late December or even January. In his absence, Carmelo Anthony will almost assuredly see playing time at the power forward (perhaps the only positive of the injury), while Chris Copeland and Kurt Thomas will likely see some minutes there as well.

J.R. O’Grady summed it up pretty nicely on Twitter with his twittering. It appears to be a rapid descent for Amar’e, and boy, do I miss this. Get well soon, STAT.

On Monday April 30, 2012, the New York Knicks lost Game 2 of their NBA playoff series against the Miami Heat. The Knicks never really threatened the Heat, as the Heat cruised to a 104-94 victory.

Amar'e Stoudemire inexplicably punched a glass case and injured his left hand. Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

But it was the actions after the game that hurt the Knicks’ chances even more. Stoudemire inexplicably punched a glass case in frustration. He required stitches in his left hand and will likely miss Game 3.

This is the second straight year that Stoudemire has taken himself out of the playoffs. Last season, he injured his back in warm-ups before Game 2 against the Celtics. Now he has done it again. And the Knicks’ playoff hopes may go down with him.

Let’s be realistic. The Knicks are probably not going to beat the Heat, with or without Stoudemire. But as a longtime fan, I want to at least see some progress. I want to see something to build on. Instead, the Knicks look separated. They seem to be playing without a plan or strategy. There’s no identity.

Does the offense run through Carmelo Anthony? What about Stoudemire and the pick-and-roll? Do they need Jeremy Lin back to run the show? Where is the defense? There are too many questions to be answered about the Knicks. And Stoudemire just added a big one to the list.

Maybe the Knicks just need more time together? After all, the Heat are rolling after their Big Three got a full season under their belts. At some point, the Knicks will need some consistency. Players need to stay healthy. The coach has to be settled. The time for adjustments is over. The Knicks have plenty of talent. Now they have to go out and do it.

Edwin Torres was born in New York City. He has been a Knicks fan since the early 1980s. He has visited Madison Square Garden on many occasions to watch the Knicks and his favorite player, Patrick Ewing. For more articles, follow him on Twitter @FlipPoker.