Updated: April 22, 2011, 3:28 PM ET
Special to ESPNNewYork.com
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GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- Both Amare Stoudemire and Chauncey Billups will be "game-time" decisions for the New York Knicks' Game 3 against the Boston Celtics on Friday night, according to coach Mike D'Antoni.
D'Antoni is optimistic that Stoudemire can play through a pulled muscle in his back.
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"He said he feels pretty good, it's better," D'Antoni said, "and I have a lot of faith in our medical staff."
He is less confident that Billups can play with a strained left knee, saying there is "a lot less probability" that the veteran point guard will be available for Game 3.
Stoudemire participated in the Knicks' walk-through Friday morning. He was working out in the pool after the team's shootaround and likely will test his back at about 4 p.m. ET, when the team meets for pregame warm-ups.
"Less optimistic," D'Antoni said of Billups, who had 10 points, four assists and three turnovers in Game 1.
The Knicks trail Boston 2-0 in their best-of-seven, first-round series. It is their first playoff game at Madison Square Garden since 2004.
Stoudemire sat out of the second half of Game 2 with back spasms.
Billups strained his left knee late in the fourth quarter of Game 1, and did not play in Game 2.
An MRI on Wednesday revealed that Stoudemire had a pulled back muscle. He sat out of practice Thursday, staying home in Manhattan to receive treatment on the injury.
Billups also underwent an MRI on Wednesday, had fluid drained from his knee and had a cortisone shot.
Stoudemire finished with four points and five rebounds in 17 minutes in Game 2. He was in so much pain that he had to stand during his postgame news conference. He also needed a team trainer to help him put on his socks and shoes after the game.
"I think right now a lot of it is psychological in a sense of can he trust his back and can he get out there and just not worry about it," D'Antoni said of his All-Star power forward. "Every individual responds a little bit different, but he's a warrior and I don't doubt him for a second."
Stoudemire, who had 28 points and 11 rebounds in the Knicks' Game 1 loss, was replaced by Shawne Williams in Game 2. Toney Douglas started in place of Billups. He finished with 14 points in 34 minutes. Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo had 30 points, though.
Carmelo Anthony tied a career playoff-high with 42 points in Game 2, singlehandedly keeping the Knicks in the game with Billups and Stoudemire out. He said he is preparing to play without two-thirds of the Big Apple's Big 3.
"And if they do [play], that's a plus," said Anthony, who also had a career playoff-high 17 rebounds and added six assists in Game 2.
Anthony expects to see the same double-teams from Boston that he faced throughout the second half of Game 2. D'Antoni is counting on Anthony to replicate his performance if the Knicks are without Stoudemire and Billups.
"He'll have to be huge," D'Antoni said.
Stoudemire did not play in three of the Knicks' final four regular-season games due to an ankle injury. He also sat out New York's road win over New Jersey with a sprained big toe.
Billups sat out of six games in early March with a left thigh bruise, which affected his knee. He also missed the Knicks' regular-season finale against the Celtics. The Knicks are 4-5 without Billups. They are 2-2 without Stoudemire.
Ian Begley is a frequent contributor to ESPNNewYork.com.
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