via NYDailynews.com
Stoudemire lived in the Orlando area during his chaotic teenage years when he attend six different high schools before making the jump to the NBA.
But Stoudemire had his game face on yesterday -- eschewing sentimentality -- when asked if he ever considered playing pro ball in Orlando.
"I don't believe in Magic," Stoudemire said jokingly with a smile.
Stoudemire, who lived in upstate Newburgh while going to middle school before moving to Florida, has played center much of the season once Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni decided to go small, yanking former starting centers Timofey Mozgov (now out of the rotation) and Ronny Turiaf from the starting five. D'Antoni added Wilson Chandler to power forward and moved Stoudemire to center -- something he claimed in preseason he wasn't crazy about.
On nights like tonight, Stoudemire at center could backfire, if he gets in early foul trouble against Howard in a clash of two of the best bodies in the NBA. In Miami Tuesday, Heat center Zydrunas Ilgauskas brutalized the Knicks inside in the first half.
"He's definitely a physical specimen down there in the post," Stoudemire said of Howard. "He's definitely a great defensive player. Offensively, he's a little limited, so we're going to use that to our advantage."
"He's so strong once he catches the ball in the paint. He's hard to guard," added Stoudemire, who said he was briefly a Magic fan. "But if you can get him outside the paint and make him put the ball on the floor, it's easier for us."
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