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The New York Knicks couldn’t keep up with the Orlando Magic on Thursday night and the reason was simple.

"I got in foul trouble," Amar’e Stoudemire explained. "I had to go out of the game and they took advantage of it. If I didn’t get in foul trouble this would have been a different game, for sure."

Even after contributing thirty points in 32 minutes, Stoudemire felt that he didn’t do enough to give New York a chance against Orlando. There are few teams that rely as much on their star player as the Knicks do on Stoudemire, as evidenced on Thursday. When he plays well, the Knicks usually find a way to win. When he’s out of the game or struggling, the Knicks are a completely different team.

Luckily, Stoudemire has adjusted quickly and propelled the Knicks into the Eastern Conference playoff picture where they currently hold the sixth seed. Mike D’Antoni coached Stoudemire in Phoenix for five seasons before reuniting in New York, but even he can’t believe how much the forward has matured both on and off the court since their stint with the Suns.

"It’s not just as a player, he has improved all over. He’s understanding, taking on responsibility, and leading which has been the best thing. He’s the best on and off the court. He lets the game come to him a little bit more and he shoots the ball better now. His awareness on defense is much better. He’s just a much better player. He was really good back in Phoenix, obviously, where he was first team All-NBA but he’s much better now," D’Antoni said.

In Phoenix, Stoudemire was surrounded by leaders and strong presences in the locker room. After New York’s slow start, he quickly realized that he had to step into that role in order for the team to find success.

"You had [Steve Nash], Grant Hill, and all kinds of guys there," D’Antoni said. "Also, he was young and coming right out of high school so he was still feeling his way and learning how to win. He was going through different levels of his career, but now he just keeps getting better on and off the court. It’s just learning the game and he’s always trying to get better. Every summer he tries to get better and he has a great work ethic. He’s only twenty-seven so there’s a reason why he’s getting better. He’s hitting his prime about right now."

While Stoudemire has been able to carry the Knicks thus far, the team would still love to add another scorer to take some of the pressure off of their forward. However, that’s easier said than done due to New York’s limited trade chips and their reluctance to take on contracts that would hinder their chance to be players in free agency next summer when a certain Carmelo Anthony can opt out.

"We’ll be okay with the players we have now," Stoudemire said. "We have to focus on what we have and we can’t worry about what the future holds. We’ve done a pretty good job this year."

Stoudemire is the engine that makes the Knicks go and his improvement has not only garnered MVP consideration, but also put New York basketball back on the map, one 30-point performance at a time.

Clark Motivated in Orlando: Earl Clark didn’t even have a chance to unpack his bags when he learned that he had been traded to the Orlando Magic. The second-year player had just arrived at a hotel in Oklahoma City and was focused on the next day’s match-up against the Thunder when he received the news from Phoenix Suns’ management.

Now, two weeks later, Clark’s bags are still packed because he’s staying in an Orlando hotel as he looks for his own place.

"To tell you the truth, I’m still in the hotel so I’m living out of my bags," Clark said with a laugh. "Everything is cool though and my family is coming down so that’s really going to make everything easier for me."

While the adjustment has been hectic both on and off the court, Clark is making the most of his opportunity in Orlando. After playing in just nine games with the Suns before the trade, the forward has already appeared in five games with the Magic and earning the trust of the coaching staff and his teammates.

"It feels good just to get out there and help the team win. That’s what I want to continue to do every time I play so that Coach feels he can throw me in there. I’m just trying to build confidence and trust with my teammates," Clark said.

{AUTHOR_BOX}After the Magic overhauled their roster two weeks ago, many overlooked the acquisition of Clark and felt that he was simply a throw-in to make salaries work. When listing Orlando’s new additions, some failed to even mention Clark’s name. While big names like Gilbert Arenas, Hedo Turkoglu, and Jason Richardson understandably received more recognition, Clark is now motivated more than ever to prove his worth.

"Everybody in the NBA knows what I’m capable of and what I can do so I try to look past that," Clark said. "I’m just trying to get better and use that as motivation. If they didn’t mention my name or know me before, then I’ll make them."

But with that comes the urge to force shots and try to do too much. Clark realizes this and is trying to make an impact by playing within the flow of the offense and then turning heads on the defensive end.

"It’s definitely difficult because you want to perform well, but that can sometimes be a downfall. I just try to focus on getting stops on the other end. You’re going to make mistakes and I think Coach knows that, but as long as you know the defensive schemes and you’re in the right places then you’ll be fine," he said.

The Magic have only held one practice since their overhaul, but it hasn’t taken Clark long to pinpoint the differences between the Suns and Magic.

"Everything is really detailed here. Coach wants everything to be perfect," he said with a laugh. "But there are also a lot of defensive schemes that we do that are different and I’m just trying to pick it up fast."

Because Phoenix passed on Clark’s option earlier this season, he will be an unrestricted free agent after the season. Though he has only been in Orlando for two weeks, he already loves the situation and could see himself re-signing with the Magic over the offseason.

"Yeah, definitely. I think Coach Van Gundy likes to push his players to their full potential and I like his style of coaching. Anytime you’re not doing something well or you’re half-assing it, he’s always there to push you and that’s great for a guy like me. I love being around somebody that’s going to give it to you straightforward and motivate you to go out there and get the job done. As far as the players go, they have all taken me in with open arms and everyone is cool. Everybody is around the same age so I can relate more to this team and its fun to be around them," Clark said.

The former first-round pick believes this is a perfect fit and already likes the idea of remaining in Orlando beyond this season. Just imagine how comfortable he’ll be once he unpacks his bags.

NBA News and Notes: Here are several items from this week’s news and notes bin.

• Amar’e Stoudemire will protest his tenth technical foul which he received against the Orlando Magic on Thursday. After blocking a Gilbert Arenas lay-up, Stoudemire insists he didn’t yell anything worthy of a technical. "I told him to, ‘Get that mess out of here,’ and I got a tech," Stoudemire explained. "I’ve been saying it all year so I don’t understand how you get a technical foul for that. It wasn’t showing up the ref and I wasn’t talking directly to Gilbert on that particular play. I actually said it twice in the game and for some reason I got a tech on that one so I’m going to try to call and protest that one. I’ve been saying it all year and opposing teams have said it all year. It’s really a judgment call on their behalf but I’m going to protest that one."

• Gilbert Arenas recently told reporters that he nearly ended up in New York last summer, but Mike D’Antoni wasn’t interested in his style of play. "I heard I could’ve been traded there and then I heard I wasn’t his type of point guard," Arenas said. "I understand when you’ve had Steve Nash all those years, I’m a guy who’s still trying to score 60." But when told Arenas’ comments, D’Antoni said that was the furthest thing from the truth. "That never came from me. I think it’s pretty well-documented how we win. We try to clear cap and we try to get a guy. Did we even have enough cap space? That’s the first I’ve ever heard of that. When are we talking about? It didn’t come up. He never came up, not that I remember," D’Antoni said. "I’m sure he could [have fit], he’s a good player. Last time he got cut from the Olympic team, he told both Nate [McMillan] and I that he would give us sixty and he gave me about fifty-five points so I’m not saying anything. Whatever he says is right. He’s already paid me back; he does’t need to do it again."

• If Brandon Roy is indeed out for the remainder of the season, teams that covet Portland’s assets are curious to see how the Trail Blazers will approach trade talks. There are plenty of executives who would love to get their hands on players such as Andre Miller, Marcus Camby, Joel Przybilla, and Nicolas Batum. Interested teams are hoping that shutting down Roy may cause Portland to alter their plans and make some of those pieces available.