If the Style Doesn't Fit...
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Greg White
Basketball News Services
A lot of Suns fans seem to be a bit worried about the lack of playing time for Amare Stoudemire in Team USA's exhibitions. In listening to the radio and reading emails from Suns' fans, it seems that they think that his lack of playing time and his lack of production is a bad sign for the upcoming season. I just have one thing to say: Don't fret Suns' fans. Amare not producing, therefore not getting many minutes in the exhibitions is a result of - as Johnnie Cochran would but it - if the style of play don't fit, you must sit! It's quite simple: Amare's game doesn't fit well in the International style of play. The rules are quite different from NBA rules which is why just throwing a bunch a good players in the mix will not automatically translate to gold for Team USA.
Just ask yourself: Is Amare a really good perimeter shooter? No. Does he rotate and play really good defense out on the wing? No. Well, those are the skills that a big man needs in International play. If you were someone that always wondered why all the 7-footers that come from Europe can all shoot 3's but none of them can go into the post and bang like a true big man, well watch the exhibitions and Olympics and you will see why. With that trapezoid lane and a true zone defense (not this half-lame zone crap they do in the NBA), it truly takes away a players inside game. It even affects Shawn Marion because the zone defense allows the defense to just put up a wall in the lane and prevent slashing which is what is Marion's bread and butter.
So the fact that Amare has played in only 2 of the 5 games played so far, averaging 8.5 mins a game and only 3 points a game, doesn't say anything about his production falling off or anything being wrong for the upcoming season. Quite frankly, the Olympic committee got it wrong when they chose Amare as one of the players for Team USA. If you look at the big men that have gotten the bulk of the minutes, its because of their style of play, not because they are better than Amare. Besides Tim Duncan Amare is the best big man on Team USA. Lamar Odom is a natural small forward who they have played at the 4 spot, but as a 4 Amare would have him beat if it were the NBA game. Same goes for Carlos Boozer. What those players do have is a jumper; both of them can hit that mid-range 12-15 footer which is so crucial against zone defense and that trapezoid lane.
Speaking of that lane, that is what is really killing Amare's chances. It changes your whole style of play. Imagine you have been posting up in certain spots your whole life and now you have to move out another 5 feet. Players will not be comfortable in the post, will be farther away from the basket, and will be forced to pass the rock. And Amare isn't the best passing big man. I am not saying he is a bad passer out of the post, but Boozer and Odom are better, not to mention Tim Duncan. His game is so fundamentally sound he can play in any style which is why he is leading Team USA averaging just over 16 points a game. He can pass, he can hit the mid-range jumper, and he has even hit a 3-pointer in the exhibitions. Being fundamentally sound is part of what is ailing Team USA. It's not just Amare's game but most NBA players in the game today. They don't practice the fundamentals such as passing, mid-range jump shots, and not traveling every time they make a move. The lack of education at the high school and AAU level has hurt the game and we are see its results. But a player like Tim Duncan who learned the fundamentals, and played 4 years in college honing those skills, can/will thrive in any level and any style of play. I am not against players coming out of high school, but seeing Amare's lack of adaptability in the international game is a direct correlation of someone coming straight out of high school (in his case 5 different high schools).
But as I said, don't fret Suns fans. Amare is still one of the rising stars in this league. With the addition of Nash and Q he will continue to rise to being one of the top power forwards in the game today. As the Suns win, he will get more shine, more spotlight on him, and will only get better. His lack of production and playing time will have no bearing on the upcoming season, instead maybe motivating him to improve his game even more. It is just of matter of his style not meshing with the International style of play. Team USA needs to take that into consideration when choosing a team to represent the United States in any type of International game.
