NEW YORK -- Veteran New York Knicks forward Amare Stoudemire may return as early as Friday's road game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to interim coach Mike Woodson.

Stoudmemire has been out since March 24 with a bulging disk in his lower back.

Woodson said before Tuesday's game against the Boston Celtics that Stoudemire could "possibly" play Friday, depending on how he feels after practice on Thursday.

Stoudemire will not play on Tuesday against Boston or Wednesday at New Jersey.

"Thursday, we'll have another practice to kind of see where he is. And if everything goes well in that practice then there's possibility (that Stoudemire could return Friday)," Woodson said.

The coach added that Stoudemire would be inserted into the starting lineup upon his return. Carmelo Anthony had been starting at power forward in place of Stoudemire. Woodson has said that Anthony will move back to small forward when Stoudemire returns. It is unclear who will be removed from the starting five, but Landry Fields, who has been struggling of late, is a possible candidate.