amare is passing the ball well

[playstation]

he's averaging 3 asts/gm over the last 5, and they're instances where he's finding people. don't know if he's actually looking more because diaw is out, but very impressive nonetheless.

his february numbers to date are insanity:

28 ppg / 12 reb / 2 ast / 1 stl / 1 blk / 56%fg / 85%ft

so now amare is 85% from the line??? when a guy takes 10 attempts a game, to shoot that well REALLY makes a difference

i'm looking at him offensively, and i'm pretty much seeing no weakness at this point. right or left, post or face-up, drive or jumpshot, power or finesse, he has it all. now all he needs is to become KT on defense and you have the best player in basketball right there.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Amare definitely has weaknesses in his post up game, and cannot use his left hand at all.

 

[msdundee]

Amare definitely has weaknesses in his post up game, and cannot use his left hand at all.

He finished one of his sweetest moves last night with a lefthanded shot.

 

[SunsTzu]

Amare is playing great but he seems to be mishandling more passes this year than he did in the past.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Amare is playing great but he seems to be mishandling more passes this year than he did in the past.

Agreed, his hands use to be like Super glue, now they are more like Elmers.....

He finished one of his sweetest moves last night with a lefthanded shot.

..but to say that he has no offensive weaknesses? When was the last time you have seen a left handed hook from Amare? I can't remember one.

 

[jbeecham]

..but to say that he has no offensive weaknesses? When was the last time you have seen a left handed hook from Amare? I can't remember one.

When was the last time you saw a hook from Amare with either hand? He doesn't use hook shots because he doesn't really need to since he has good body control and can find a way to get his shot off over or around the defender. His post up game is getting better and he's getting back to facing up the defender after he posts and then driving past them.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

When was the last time you saw a hook from Amare with either hand? He doesn't use hook shots because he doesn't really need to since he has good body control and can find a way to get his shot off over or around the defender. His post up game is getting better and he's getting back to facing up the defender after he posts and then driving past them.

But that could be considered a weakness. There are many times where he has been caught up, and has had to pivot, throw up a bad shot. A hook would have been good in those spots.

 

[TucsonDevil]

I am amazed at Amare's ability to attack the basket against 2-3 defenders, get the shot off - and only elevate 12-18" off the ground. He is not having to out jump defenders to put up shots in traffic. It seems in the past, he would have to dunk those shots to have a chance at scoring. Maybe I am wrong.

 

[msdundee]

..but to say that he has no offensive weaknesses? When was the last time you have seen a left handed hook from Amare? I can't remember one.

I didn't say he has no offensive weaknesses and didn't know we were talking only about hooks ... was responding to the claim that "he can't use his left hand at all."

The finish on the play last night was not a dunk. Can't recall for sure but it was either a layup or a baby hook, either way it was with the left hand and Majerle commented that he's getting better at that and has been working on it.

I've noticed Amare having trouble with handling some passes too, but his allover game is impressive enough and improved to a point where I'm not much motivated to zero in on what's wrong with it.

 

[azirish]

I do not think Amare gets much respect from refs when it comes to being hacked. It is almost as if the refs are saying, "you get to the line enough anyway, we won't call a foul unless it is blatant". Opponents have caught on and really start hacking as soon as the ball gets to him.

As for Amare needing a hook, I agree. In particular, I'd like to see him add one of those crossing, jump hooks that Boris does so well.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I didn't say he has no offensive weaknesses and didn't know we were talking only about hooks ... was responding to the claim that "he can't use his left hand at all."

The finish on the play last night was not a dunk. Can't recall for sure but it was either a layup or a baby hook, either way it was with the left hand and Majerle commented that he's getting better at that and has been working on it.

I've noticed Amare having trouble with handling some passes too, but his allover game is impressive enough and improved to a point where I'm not much motivated to zero in on what's wrong with it.

I wasn't talking about you particularly, playstation stated that he had no weaknesses.

 

[jbeecham]

I do not think Amare gets much respect from refs when it comes to being hacked. It is almost as if the refs are saying, "you get to the line enough anyway, we won't call a foul unless it is blatant". Opponents have caught on and really start hacking as soon as the ball gets to him.

As for Amare needing a hook, I agree. In particular, I'd like to see him add one of those crossing, jump hooks that Boris does so well.

I agree, Amare is being given the Shaq treatment by the refs. They allow a lot more contact than normal because Amare is such a strong guy and can usually finish the play and make the basket despite the contact. What really frustrates me is when they allow a ton of contact when Amare's going to the basket and then call a ticky-tack foul on Amare on the other end. If the refs are going to allow the opponents to bludgeon Amare on one end then he should get to bludgeon them on the other.

 

[jlove]

One of the things I've noticed, which could become very negative, is his anger. He has become very angry. He picked up a T for slamming the ball yesterday. He's been averaging a Technical a game for about 5 games now. Last night after he picked up the T, D'Antoni called him to the bench and was yelling at him about his anger. Amare needs to turn that anger into Intensity. Or maybe it's the intensity that he doesn't have a handle on and it's turning into anger. I know he's been getting frustrated with the no calls against him, and is justified, but Nash, Bell and Marion need to mentor him on that.

 

[jbeecham]

Getting back to the original point of the thread......

I think our entire team has improved it's passing and court awareness. Everyone is looking for guys cutting to the basket. Amare has obviously had some great passes to Nash, but he's also made quite a few to Marion (other than his alley-oop attempt last night). Bell has been making some fantastic passes as well over the last few games and I think he started to take on more of a playmaker role when Nash went down. Marion has been driving to the basket and looking for to dump the ball off to Amare at times. LB has obviously improved his assists a lot over last year.

 

[CaptainInsano]

One of the things I've noticed, which could become very negative, is his anger. He has become very angry. He picked up a T for slamming the ball yesterday. He's been averaging a Technical a game for about 5 games now. Last night after he picked up the T, D'Antoni called him to the bench and was yelling at him about his anger. Amare needs to turn that anger into Intensity. Or maybe it's the intensity that he doesn't have a handle on and it's turning into anger. I know he's been getting frustrated with the no calls against him, and is justified, but Nash, Bell and Marion need to mentor him on that.

He didn't get to play bball for a year man, when he gets out there he is psyched up so he goes a little overboard this year. I think it is passion and not anger and I am fine with that. His actions make sense especially when I see people like Tim Duncan get calls that amare could only dream about.

Amare is constantly in foul trouble for ticky tack fouls, so I think it makes perfect sense he is a little ticked when somebody makes contact against him and he gets a no call.