"Amar'e Stoudemire is expected to be in the starting lineup Friday night when the Knicks face the Boston Celtics in Game 3 of their first round series.

"I think he feels a lot better, naturally, right now," D'Antoni said. "He's in the pool. It's good, not to say it's perfect ... game time decision."

Stoudemire, who suffering from a pulled back muscle, was with the team at its training facility Friday morning in Westchester."