All-star forward Amare Stoudemire sat out the New York Knicks' 105-95 NBA victory at New Jersey on Saturday with a sprained right big toe.

Stoudemire, the Knicks' leading scorer this season, wasn't sure exactly when he hurt the toe, a team official said.

However, Stoudemire said after the game he thought it could have happened when he collided with Ron Artest during the Knicks' 113-96 defeat of reigning NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers on Friday at Madison Square Garden.

Stoudemire played 32 minutes in that contest, finishing with 24 points and 10 rebounds.

However, he was in some discomfort on Saturday and less than an hour before tip-off the Knicks said he wouldn't play.

Stoudemire said he hopes to be back on Wednesday, when the Knicks host Atlanta in their last game before the All-Star break.

"The trainers took me through a few tests earlier and I wasn't able to go tonight," Stoudemire said. "So treatment tomorrow and two days after that, so I should be able to go by Wednesday."

Wilson Chandler started in place of Stoudemire and scored 21 points. Stoudemire leads the Knicks with an average of 26.2 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. He had not missed a game this season until Saturday.

AFP