On Jan. 2, the Suns finish their first major East Coast swing in New York against the Knicks. The next day, when they're home in Phoenix, Amare Stoudemire is scheduled to start running and shooting. Stoudemire has been out since early October after having microfracture surgery on his left knee.

"He's way ahead of the timetable at this point," said coach Mike D'Antoni. "The MRI's look really good, better than what they should look at this time. But that won't speed up anything in terms of when we think he'll be back." The Suns are still projecting a mid-February return for Stoudemire.