Bernard backs Amar'e as Knicks' beast in East

Bernard King once made the adjustment from West to East when he joined the Knicks in 1982. And he thrived.

So the former Knicks superstar forward was dumb founded when he read Charles Oakley's comments in The Post that Amar'e Stoudemire won't be able to hack it with the Knicks because he's "a West Coast player" and his body won't hold up in the physical East.

"I would not address what Oakley said, those are his comments," King told The Post last night during an appearance at Steiner Sports in a Long Island mall.

"I joined New York after leaving the Golden State Warriors. I played out West for two years. I was one of the top 10 players in the league and the East was a more physical conference. My game did suffer for it from injuries, but I became a better player in the East -- first-team All-Pro, MVP voted by the players.

"It doesn't matter if you're a finesse player or power player. You don't have to adapt if you're great player. If you're a great player, the defense has to adapt to you.

"Stoudemire hasn't suffered in any way. Obviously the playoffs were difficult because of his back injury, but beyond that, Amare's an outstanding player."

King said he believes fans have yet to see the real damage a Stoudemire-Carmelo Anthony connection can deliver.

"There's only an upside to them playing together," said King, who is Anthony's idol. "Those two guys in tandem will be a dominant force moving forward once the lockout is resolved.

"They didn't have enough time to develop a proper chemistry. It's easier for role players to step into a roster and play than two superstars. There's a greater adjustment for superstars than role players."