Amare missed practice because of knee.

[pokerface]

Anyone else hear on the radio that Amare missed his practice today because of some knee problem? Thats what I heard and am looking for some more news on it.

 

[Joe Mama]

What is he at now? 75%... 70%?

Joe

 

[Espo]

 

[AmareFan]

http://www.azcentral.com/blogs/index.php?blog=193&blogtype=Sports

 

[AmareFan]

Republic NBA beat reporter Paul Coro reports from the Suns' 2007 training camp in Europe


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Reach Coro at [email protected].
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Stat sidelined
10/02/2006 04:00:34

Amare Stoudemire pulled himself out of today's Suns practice, just the team's third day of training camp in Treviso. He cited a stiff right knee, not the one repaired by microfracture a year ago but the one that had surgery to remove a cyst and debris in April.

He expects to play today, when Phoenix has a morning practice and evening scrimmage.

Stoudemire probably spent three-quarters of the practice doing exercise on the sideline but Steve Nash did as well. The latter is by design, though. Nash, who dribbled through conditioning runs, worked out on the sideline with core exercises and a jump rope.

He put a scare into Leandro Barbosa when Barbosa was pumped up about a steal in a defensive drill and came over to slap Nash on the shoulder. Nash feigned injury for a moment, prompting a Barbosa hug.

It's also fun to watch the Suns' defensive drills, especially when the offensive team is made up of a largely stationary, but quick ball-moving team of assistants Dan D'Antoni, Alvin Gentry, Marc Iavaroni, Todd Quinter and Phil Weber.

Another item that jumps out in practices are that Sean Marks and Eric Piatkowski might not just be the roster fillers so many people perceive them to be with Phoenix.

Both can be contributors, maybe not on an every-game basis but there is a good chance an important, occasional one. "Pike" can really shoot it and is in fantastic, lean shape. He learned really fast to be ready for Steve Nash's passes even when he didn't think Nash had a chance of seeing him. "Kiwi" (that's the New Zealander center) runs and shoots well for a center while always playing aggressively. He has quickly won over his teammates.

 

[Nash]

bunch of good Suns stuff at http://www.truehoop.com/
part of it is below

Suns Training Camp Webcast

It's nuts. They have hours and hours of webcasts going already, and they haven't even played a game yet. I just watched almost two hours of web coverage from media day on Suns.com. Here are some things that caught my eye:

• Mike D'Antoni doesn't believe you can play well when you're playing just ten minutes or so a game. He is frank that he will never play a lot of guys. He will, essentially, play someone 25-plus minutes per game, or none.
• There is much talk about the new ball, and no one has anything good to say about it. Pat Burke scoffs at the league's stated reason for the new balls (the old ones didn't have uniformity of color, texture, or grip, reportedly). "Hopefully [the new ball] will alleviate the problem that wasn't there," says Burke. No one has the stones to suggest that the main reason for the new ball might be to sell more new balls. Vinnie Del Negro, who now works in the front office, actually theorizes that the Suns' fast break could be slowed by the new ball being slower through the net.
• Eric Piatkowski is a workout maniac.

 

[Cheesebeef]

how is that knee STILL giving him problems? It was supposed to be a "nothing" injury and we're what, almost 7 months later. that's somewhat concerning to me.

 

[krispydude]

going slower through the net? that was tongue and cheek right????

 

[elindholm]

Stoudemire will have microfracture surgery performed on his right knee within a year. They're going to try to get him through this season because of the championship prospects, but he will be out of commission for '07-'08. That might also be why they're going to wait on Diaw, to see how bad Stoudemire's situation looks then.

Sorry for the pessimism, but tell me I'm wrong next October.

 

[pokerface]

how is that knee STILL giving him problems? It was supposed to be a "nothing" injury and we're what, almost 7 months later. that's somewhat concerning to me.

You have to wonder if Amares speedy rehab messed up his good knee....it got overworked. I'm sure the koolaid gang will come around and tell me I'm full of it but what happened?? He didn't overwork his good knee playing games thats for sure.

 

[pokerface]

Stoudemire will have microfracture surgery performed on his right knee within a year. They're going to try to get him through this season because of the championship prospects, but he will be out of commission for '07-'08. That might also be why they're going to wait on Diaw, to see how bad Stoudemire's situation looks then.

Sorry for the pessimism, but tell me I'm wrong next October.

Welcome aboard elindholm. Better late than never!

 

[elindholm]

Welcome aboard elindholm. Better late than never!

I don't think so. The only reason I even viewed your post was because I was suspicious you might now consider me a brother in conspiracy. I'm not.

Stoudemire's knees just can't take the pounding that he puts on them. That would be true whether he spent six months rehabilitating each one or six years. There is nothing that the Suns could have done differently to avoid this, aside from giving Stoudemire specific instructions to remain earthbound for the rest of his career, which was never on the table.

 

[CaptainInsano]

I know this will sound stupid but honestly I think Amare is being a wimp. He got his knee scoped only because he was scared about it and the results said that it is in perfect shape and still he thinks it has problems and that it feels stiff.

He needs to get his ass out there and start working both knees into shape. This stuff has gotten to him mentally way too much. Both knees are fine Amare, it is time to get back into season shape and that is never easy for someone who missed a whole year.

 

[Espo]

I know this will sound stupid but honestly I think Amare is being a wimp. He got his knee scoped only because he was scared about it and the results said that it is in perfect shape and still he thinks it has problems and that it feels stiff.

He needs to get his ass out there and start working both knees into shape. This stuff has gotten to him mentally way too much. Both knees are fine Amare, it is time to get back into season shape and that is never easy for someone who missed a whole year.

I would tend to agree. He just had an MRI on that knee and it said there was nothing wrong with it. I tend to think that he is affraid he is favoring it and that he will hurt it. I think Amare's problems are just as mental as physical this point and until he gets though the mental hurdles he won't be as good as he can be.

 

[joshstmarie]

because both of you have been through the whole process right?

get lost.

 

[Cheesebeef]

because both of you have been through the whole process right?

get lost.

YAO MING! Someone's corn flakes were pissed in this morning.

 

[CaptainInsano]

because both of you have been through the whole process right?

get lost.

I don't know if you are defending Amare or jumping into the he is done boat with this post, it would be nice if you made some kind of point so I could make sense of your posts purpose...

 

[Mainstreet]

Stoudemire will have microfracture surgery performed on his right knee within a year. They're going to try to get him through this season because of the championship prospects, but he will be out of commission for '07-'08. That might also be why they're going to wait on Diaw, to see how bad Stoudemire's situation looks then.

Sorry for the pessimism, but tell me I'm wrong next October.

Sadly, I think you might be correct. The right knee actually prevented him from playing the latter part of last season and has proved worrisome heading into this season as well. The knee with the microfracture surgery has not been the problem.

Here's what I don't fully understand. Wouldn't the various doctors Amare has seen, examined the right knee and considered any possible need for microfracture surgery to this knee as well? The right knee has also been scoped, drained and cleaned out so it's not like they haven't been inside the knee. There have also been multiple follow-up MRI's and such. I mean there are so many good doctors available to Amare, it is hard to fathom that they would not have examined and considered the need for microfracture in the right knee. I hope all this stuff is precautionary, but admittedly I am worried.

However, wouldn't this concern solidify the need to get Diaw extended now rather than later if Amare is still uncertain with his knee(s)? I know if I were the Suns management and I had any significant concern about Amare's future, I would want to know my other young 4/5 is under a long term contract ASAP. I can also see why the Suns were reportedly(?) interested in signing Ely to a multi-year contract.

Also, just a comment, why is offseason injuries seemingly minimized until training camp in so many sports?

 

[green machine]

I've always wondered what leads to a player needing microfracture. I bring this up because just because the knee may be hurt, what's to say they don't just need to get some loose cartilage or even just do a scope or whatever it is they do? Why does it automatically have to be microfracture?

 

[Mainstreet]

I've always wondered what leads to a player needing microfracture. I bring this up because just because the knee may be hurt, what's to say they don't just need to get some loose cartilage or even just do a scope or whatever it is they do? Why does it automatically have to be microfracture?

It doesn't. Amare's right knee has already been scoped, drained and cleaned of debris. However, why haven't the doctors discovered the problem with the right knee if there is one. If it isn't loose cartilage or fluid, what is the problem with that knee?

I will venture to say, if Amare needs microfracture surgery on his right knee, I don't think he will try to tough it out. IMO, he will have surgery and not play any further on it. It would not surprise me if Amare's right knee is scoped again... soon.

 

[pokerface]

Stoudemire's knees just can't take the pounding that he puts on them. That would be true whether he spent six months rehabilitating each one or six years. There is nothing that the Suns could have done differently to avoid this, aside from giving Stoudemire specific instructions to remain earthbound for the rest of his career, which was never on the table.

What pounding did he put on his good knee other than rehab?? He wasn't even playing! He worked his good knee too hard compensating in rehab. He wasnt meant to come back in 5 months!!!

 

[George O'Brien]

I am always pleased when a collection of physicians come on the board and give use their expert opinion on what is happening and why.

 

[elindholm]

What pounding did he put on his good knee other than rehab?? He wasn't even playing! He worked his good knee too hard compensating in rehab. He wasnt meant to come back in 5 months!!!

This is the last one of your ignorant posts I will respond to. Why don't you try jumping 30+ inches thousands of times and see how your knees feel? You don't sustain major cartilage damage by favoring a knee during rehab.

All reports have been that Stoudemire has, at times, been looking "normal" on the court, with all of the explosiveness that puts such an unusual strain on his knees and legs. His left knee is at full strength -- for the time being -- so what else do you expect to gain by waiting?

What's your conspiracy explanation for how Stoudemire hurt his first knee? This is just the same thing, a year later.

I know that you Hardaway fans are still looking to someone to blame for having ruined your golden boy's career. But being able to withstand the pounding is just one more talent for an athlete to have, and not everyone is so blessed, no matter how brilliant they look "when healthy." Hardaway was unlucky in that respect, and it's looking as though Stoudemire is too. Keeping all of the bogeymen out of the trainer's room wouldn't have changed these players' sad destinies.

 

[Mainstreet]

What pounding did he put on his good knee other than rehab?? He wasn't even playing! He worked his good knee too hard compensating in rehab. He's wasnt meant to come back in 5 months!!!

If his left knee was healed in 5 months and his right knee was healthy, why not? IMO, the assessment that the right knee problems were caused by overcompensation to the left knee surgery is just a theory.

I tend to think the idea that perhaps Amare may have been running on two bad wheels and one just went out before the other is just as logical.

Have you ever had a set of tires on your car replaced all at one time because of wear? Now Amare is not a car, but I think this analogy might be a distinct possibility. If one knee wore out because of wear... who's to say the other knee didn't need microfracture as well.

However, if so, why didn't the doctors diagnose this then... or certainly before now?

I'm just hoping Amare is just being cautious in his return.

 

[elindholm]

However, wouldn't this concern solidify the need to get Diaw extended now rather than later if Amare is still uncertain with his knee(s)?

That depends. The Suns can't extend Diaw without going into luxury tax land, probably pretty deep. So if Stoudemire is a lost cause, it may not make sense to pay $15-20 million per year for Diaw (figuring in the tax penalty). It would probably be smarter to play out the Nash/Marion pairing for some more 50-and-fade seasons, then figure out where to go from there.

If Stoudemire is able to play, it's a different story. First of all, paying luxury tax for a real shot at a championship might not be so hard to stomach. But also, Marion could possibly be moved, if he appears expendable behind a Nash/Stoudemire/Diaw trio.