Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire have not grown into the perfect tandem, but Anthony has grown to love Stoudemire for his sacrifices.

One day after coach Mike Woodson revealed Stoudemire is on a 30-minute cap the rest of the season, Anthony saluted the Knicks $100 million backup power forward for never once complaining or balking at Knicks management’s wishes. Stoudemire doesn’t start, doesn’t finish and doesn’t play 31 minutes.

“I said it from Day 1 — for a guy like that to accept this role, you got to take your hat off to him,’’ said Anthony.

via Marc Berman of the New York Post