Amar’e Stoudemire signed with the Knicks as a free agent last summer after eight seasons with the Phoenix Suns. He led the Knicks to their first winning record (42-40) in 10 years and their first playoff berth in seven. Stoudemire, 29, was limited by a pulled muscle in his back during the first-round series against Boston, and the Knicks were swept. He was in Manhattan for a promotion before the N.B.A. imposed a lockout last week.  What has been the best part about being a Knick?  The fans. When we are winning, the fans are incredible. When we’re losing, they can grow impatient. Winning a championship takes patience, and the fans here in New York are not willing to wait — and neither am I.  How can the Knicks improve themselves in the off-season?  I think defense is where it all starts. We need an interior presence to help us on the floor. I don’t have any one particular player in mind, but I know he’s out there.  As a former member of the Suns, where do you prefer living, in the East or West?  The East Coast is more entertaining. You have so many great cities here, like Miami, New York and Philadelphia, that have so much to offer culturally. These are intriguing cities to me. They’re fun to visit and explore.  What were your thoughts on the N.B.A. finals?  I thought the games were great, very exciting. Every game could have gone either way, depending on how the ball bounced.  Did Miami prove that having three talented go-to guys — LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh — can actually disrupt team chemistry?  It’s hard to have three guys averaging 25 points a game. I think the Celtics do a great job with their Big Three because they believe in the pass, and that’s something we’re going to stress next season, believing in each other. I don’t know if Miami had enough time to figure that out this season.  The Celtics’ nucleus of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen is aging. Have they missed their window of opportunity to win another championship?  I think there’s still a window of opportunity for them to win it all again, but it won’t be easy because there are so many teams in the East, like the Knicks and the Chicago Bulls, who will keep getting better each season.  Are you worried about the possibility of an N.B.A. lockout?  It’s something I dread. I don’t want a lockout, I want to play. I want to have a training camp to get me and my teammates in shape for the coming season. We need to negotiate and find a common denominator.  Tell us something no one knows about you.  I enjoy eating Gummi Bears.  What are you doing in the off-season?  A lot of traveling, a lot of resting and a lot of rehabbing my back. I never had a back injury before. It definitely hindered my style of play against Boston. I’m rehabbing my back in the gym almost every day by lifting weights. It’s still a little sore, but it’s getting better.
Amar'e Stoudemire, who helped lead the Knicks to the playoffs, talks about his off-season and the best thing about playing in New York.