Inside the NBA: Quotes of the week

But check with me tomorrow

New York’s Amare Stoudemire, on the Knicks’ struggles:

“We’re staying together, we’re still focused. We’re not quite panicking.”

You talking to me?

New York Coach Mike D’Antoni, who privately opposed the Carmelo Anthony trade, on the Knicks’ and Nuggets’ differing directions:

“We were going well on a team that was playing a certain way and in the playoffs, and they [the Nuggets] were kind of up and down because of the situation that was there.

“[It was] like taking a restraint off of them and, ‘Wow, look at what we got!’

“And ours was, ‘We don’t know what we have.’ ”

We know what you mean

Chauncey Billups, Anthony’s teammate in Denver and New York, to CBSSports.com:

“The problem is, he’s always been so good that the system has always been just whatever he kind of wants, you know what I mean?

“... But he’s so good that he can be effective in any system, I think.”

In other budding debacles

Boston Coach Doc Rivers, after Friday’s home loss to Charlotte:

“We’re just not ready to win any games right now.... I told them that with about five minutes left. I said, ‘If we win, great, you find your own way.’

“Everything is me, me, me on our team right now, feeling sorry for themselves....

“I could care less about their slumps. It’s not hard, you keep playing.”