Amare: Extension in the works

[cly2tw]

Extreme efficiency in two categories. 14 of 16 shots made when he was not fouled, for 28 points.

And another 16 points when fouled on 9 shots (which led to 18 free throws).

So overall, he attempted 25 shots from the field which resulted in 44 points out of a potential 50. There were no 3-point attempts.

At a 50% shooting average, you'd expect 25 shots to yield 25 points. 44 is spectacular. But it must be mentioned that the opposition was not equipped to play NBA caliber.

There were several and-1's to make his shot attempt number even lower. OTHO, he did have 5 TOs. So he used up about 27 shots to get his scores. Still not bad.

 

[Sunburn]

"neither good nor bad; barely adequate."

Um, that pretty much sums it up.

And besides, you're the one who goes on every game thread and says you hate the team!

I need to vent. Game threads are my therapy. I don't believe the word mediocre is being properly used when describing the suns. Those who are using it are warping the word to fit their idea. Perhaps a better term would be under-achieving or disappointing. Though harsh to my ears, they seem to fit the model of the recent suns better than the word mediocre. Mediocre, by definition, implies middle of the road, average, "neither good nor bad". The suns have been way, way above average for some time now. If mediocrity is being searched, there's plenty of specimens in the nba, none of them being the suns. Now, if you want to say the suns have been mediocre of late compared to a couple of years ago, I guess I can go along with that, but a comparison should be implicitly stated. Just saying they are a mediocre team is baseless.

 

[Sunburn]

There were several and-1's to make his shot attempt number even lower. OTHO, he did have 5 TOs. So he used up about 27 shots to get his scores. Still not bad.

Lol ur a hard man to please. . . forgive me if I'm mistaken about your gender. I took a shot. 14 for 16 this week in random assumptions. Not bad.

 

[krazyasiankid]

Lol ur a hard man to please. . . forgive me if I'm mistaken about your gender.

Ohhhh SNAP. Comeback of the year.

 

[Errntknght]

The way I'd describe the Suns is 'good' in the regular season and 'mediocre' in the playoffs. The standard is higher in the playoffs but they are the most important part of the season. (Incidentally, this is not just recently - its true for the entire time the team has been in existence.) So to my way of thinking the best you can say overall is that they are a tad above mediocre.

I concede that Jerry C. saved the franchise during the drug scandal and, sportswise, he did well for the city of Phoenix - and did extremely well for Jerry C. But we have him to thank for casting in cement the ideas of neglecting defense in favor of offense & neglecting the playoffs in favor of the regular season. (Some might say that the two are the same idea, cast in different words.)

For me, his ideas were excruciating as I began watching the NBA as a Boston Celtics fan, due to their then(1955) backup center, Gene Conley, being from my home town. Red Auerbach was in his very early years and soon they were to win 10 titles in 11 years. That set my expectations for what coaches and GM's should do to win titles and the Suns have not come close. JC used to brag about the Suns having the best W-L regular season record in the league over a span of 8 or so years - it always made me ill. Its only a small step removed from bragging your team had the best record in pre-season games. If you don't consider the regular season just a time for getting your team in peak form for the 'real season', you should have nothing to do with an NBA team.

 

[Mainstreet]

The way I'd describe the Suns is 'good' in the regular season and 'mediocre' in the playoffs. The standard is higher in the playoffs but they are the most important part of the season. (Incidentally, this is not just recently - its true for the entire time the team has been in existence.) So to my way of thinking the best you can say overall is that they are a tad above mediocre.

I concede that Jerry C. saved the franchise during the drug scandal and, sportswise, he did well for the city of Phoenix - and did extremely well for Jerry C. But we have him to thank for casting in cement the ideas of neglecting defense in favor of offense & neglecting the playoffs in favor of the regular season. (Some might say that the two are the same idea, cast in different words.)

For me, his ideas were excruciating as I began watching the NBA as a Boston Celtics fan, due to their then(1955) backup center, Gene Conley, being from my home town. Red Auerbach was in his very early years and soon they were to win 10 titles in 11 years. That set my expectations for what coaches and GM's should do to win titles and the Suns have not come close. JC used to brag about the Suns having the best W-L regular season record in the league over a span of 8 or so years - it always made me ill. Its only a small step removed from bragging your team had the best record in pre-season games. If you don't consider the regular season just a time for getting your team in peak form for the 'real season', you should have nothing to do with an NBA team.

JC was never blessed with a high quality center that could carry the Suns very far. I'm sure you know the list of big name centers that eluded the Suns that lead other teams to championships during his era. He even traded Dennis Johnson for Rick Robey for what he thought might be a viable center (which was a terrible move) but it showed how desperate he was to get a big center. Players like Neal walk, Alvin Adams, Mark West, Larry Nance (forward) and the such was the best he could muster. Nick Vanos looked like he might eventually develop but he met a sad ending. JC would never back away from a quality big man, in fact he was responsible for drafting Stoudemire which to many teams was a risky selection. Blaming JC for what he could never get is mistaken IMO.

 

[Black Jesus]

That dunk tonight was anything but mediocre

 

[Ronin]

I'm probably alone this but the Suns should sign and trade Amare.

 

[shazaam6]

I'm probably alone this but the Suns should sign and trade Amare.

I'm for the first half of that. I like exciting basketball and Amare brings that. There is no going back unless he gets injured or needs surgery. He doesn't look like he needs surgery soon.

 

[nashman]

Right^ because if he needed surgery you would be able to tell from just watching him play! They didn't think that he needed it before he signed his last deal then days after he underwent it! Careful what you wish for.

 

[SirStefan32]

I'm probably alone this but the Suns should sign and trade Amare.

You know, couple of weeks ago I would have said the same thing, but Amare has been playing like a beast. I am not saying sign him for a max, but at this point, I'd like to see Sarver and Kerr do everything they can to extend Amare.

On the other hand, the fact that he is playing so well may actually get you some value in a sign and trade deal.

 

[jagu]

As much as I hated Amare for the past few years for not living up to his game (he really did slack off as much as people want to make excuses for him), I hope the Suns can resign him. He's just a beast and he is unstoppable, he reminds me of the Juggernaut from X-Men. I know he could revert to lazy Amare once the ink is dry on the new contract but the Suns will be a far worse team without Amare if he chooses to leave at the end of this year.

This team is pretty darn talented. And I think if we get a first round matchup of Utah, Oklahoma City, or even Dallas we have a good shot of getting to the next round. The Suns need to continue to focus on running the offense through Amare and the secondary option of Jason Richardson.

 

[Ronin]

You know, couple of weeks ago I would have said the same thing, but Amare has been playing like a beast. I am not saying sign him for a max, but at this point, I'd like to see Sarver and Kerr do everything they can to extend Amare.

On the other hand, the fact that he is playing so well may actually get you some value in a sign and trade deal.

He can score, I don't think that has ever been a question....but I rather see him work on his overall game. I cherished his 18/14 more than his 44 point games.

 

[SirStefan32]

He can score, I don't think that has ever been a question....but I rather see him work on his overall game. I cherished his 18/14 more than his 44 point games.

And I completely agree.

 

[82CardsGrad]

You know, couple of weeks ago I would have said the same thing, but Amare has been playing like a beast. I am not saying sign him for a max, but at this point, I'd like to see Sarver and Kerr do everything they can to extend Amare.

On the other hand, the fact that he is playing so well may actually get you some value in a sign and trade deal.

Like many, I was one who was willing to allow Amare to walk as I didn't feel he was worthy of a Max deal - or even close to it...
HOWEVER, he has officially shown me that I was wrong. And the thought of him producing like he has over the last month or so wearing some other jersey is simply not acceptable to me. I am now one who believes that if it takes a Max deal to keep him in Phoenix, so be it... Sign him to a Max deal!! Whatever it takes but please don't let him go!
Amare has shown me that we can indeed build a competitive team around him. In fact, I now believe we can build a championship team around him. Further, I actually believe that the current team is not that far off from being Championship quality - in large part because of who Amare has become. But with players like Dragic, Lopez, Dudley and maybe Clark, along with JRich & Frye, the Suns have a core that can easily be added to that could create a true/legit Championship contending team...
Finding adequate replacements for Hill and Nash will be the biggest issues for this team, if we are able to keep Amare. If Amare walks, than I say get rid of Nash and Hill as well...

 

[mjb21aztd]

I agree I was slightly disapointed with Amare early in the year but man he has proved me wrong over the past month and longer he is just playing awsome offense by attacking the rim, he is also doing a lot better job getting the boards and playing solid defense. Why not lets sign Amare to whatever it takes don't let him walk this offseason resign him before the playoff's hopefully . Get it done suns

 

[chickenhead]

Ugh, this is so cynical, but I am just terrified that he's earning himself an extension and will then fall back into his old ways. I'm probably more open to a sign and trade for that reason, but of course it would stink to watch him play at this level elsewhere.

But he could end up like Marion: not the force elsewhere that he was here. I also wouldn't underestimate the value of the Suns trainers in this regard.

 

[BirdMan21]

If Amare can continue to play at this level and Kerr is able to build a team around him that is capable of hiding his defensive and rebounding deficiencies he has shown that he can take over a game and score at will again, with or without Nash. There were plenty of the greatest players ever who struggled on one side of the ball, but they had GMs that were smart enough to build a team around them to hide those deficiencies. Hopefully Kerr is smart enough to....he should understand the idea, considering he was a slow white guy who even admitted he probably couldn't even guard himself.

But if he keeps playing like he has the past 2 weeks, he is worth a max contract with a team that is put together correctly. He is able to just dominate on the offensive side of the ball really unlike any other PF in the game.

 

[BC867]

For me, his ideas were excruciating as I began watching the NBA as a Boston Celtics fan, due to their then(1955) backup center, Gene Conley, being from my home town.

Ah, a bit of nostalgia. Gene Conley, backup Center on the Celtics and 6'10" pitcher on the Boston Braves.

I remember the cover of Sport magazine in 1953 saying about the Braves, "Banned in Boston; SRO in Milwaukee". I had to ask my father what "SRO" meant. I was 12.

Little did I suspect that, five years later my beloved Brooklyn Dodgers would be moving west and taking the Giants with them, while the Braves moved from near bottom of the league to the top of the standings.

Spahn and Burdette, Mathews and Adcock, Billy Bruton, Hank Aaron, Johnny Logan.

It's been fun being a NL fan for six decades.

And now, folks, back to the NBA.