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STAT on the Comeback
Posted: Oct. 17, 2007
Stoudemire has been practicing without contact. (Barry Gossage/NBAE/Getty Images)
Amaré Stoudemire
As the Suns embark on a preseason road trip that features three games in four days, Mike D’Antoni continues to assemble the pieces to what he hopes to be a championship puzzle.
Phoenix will play against the Clippers both tomorrow and Saturday, while finishing up the trip against the Lakers or Bobcats. The last two contests comprise a mini-tournament that is known as the Preseason Shootout at the STAPLES Center.
Whether the Suns will face a Lakers team that includes Kobe Bryant is one story, but one thing is for certain, Phoenix is not going to jump the gun and play Amaré Stoudemire just yet. Although STAT participated in 5-on-0 drills, plyometric exercises and shooting drills, he did not do anything that required any contact.
“He’ll probably start practicing on Tuesday,” Mike D’Antoni said. “He’s going full-blast now as far as moving and cutting, but just not with any contact. Maybe we’ll have him play one-on-one this weekend.”
Watching Stoudemire participate in footwork and quickness drills, it’s obvious that he is on the road of recovery. When changing direction quickly, he seemed to do so with explosiveness and confidence. Throughout the drills, he executed all movements and plays without limping or hesitation.
Brian Skinner
If there is a silver lining to Stoudemire missing most of the preseason action, it is that players like Sean Marks and Brian Skinner will have the opportunity to receive more repetitions in the post. Thus far, Skinner has been unable to take advantage, sitting out most of the preseason action with a knee contusion. But in practice Wednesday, he looked sharp.
"He looked real good and real quick today, D’Antoni said. "His knee is noticeably different from what it was before. He’s definitely going to play some minutes this weekend.“
Not being a situational type of coach, D'Antoni usually settles on a fixed number of players based on how they perform within a unit. With Marks' strong showings during the preseason, Skinner will have to use his minutes off the bench to work his way into the rotation.
“I’m not going to rush anything, I’m just going to play within myself,” Skinner said. "If I don’t play hard or do what I’m supposed to do, I don’t expect coach to give me any time. My job is to rebound, play defense, block shots and score baskets, so I am just going to take care of what I need to do and everything will fall into place."
As a veteran, Skinner knows that adjusting to a new team and getting over an injury takes time.
“It’s a long season," he stated. "Everything isn't going to be done in two weeks. My improvement is going to be based on my endurance and persistence over time.”
D.J. Strawberry
One player who has impressed the coaching staff by playing like a veteran despite his youth has been D.J. Strawberry.
“I wasn’t expecting to play against Sacramento at all," Strawberry said about the first preseason game. "I thought maybe in the second half, so when coach called my name I could barely get my pants off.”
But despite his admitted excitement, the rookie out of Maryland has garnered attention from the coaches for his maturity and focused demeanor.
“He does all of the simple things like hitting the 3, playing defense and adding energy,” D'Antoni said. “It looks like he’s been around a long time.”
The 6-5 combo guard credits picking up the offense by running the point in the Las Vegas Summer League. Although he manned the position well, he will most likely see most of his time at the 2-guard slot.
D’Antoni isn’t going to exclude him from his thoughts as the back-up playmaker, but with players like Boris Diaw, Grant Hill and Leandro Barbosa on the floor, there doesn’t really see the need to designate a ballhandler.
Strawberry believes that it is his defense that has earned him his minutes.
“That want me to play defense and that’s what I do," he added.
While that may be true, Strawberry will have to be on the attack this weekend as he hopes to provide tickets for his friends and family. A native of Los Angeles, he expects to have a strong cheering section.
“I’m going to have to mix up my tickets. I can’t have everybody all coming at once,” he said.
STAT on the Comeback
Posted: Oct. 17, 2007
Stoudemire has been practicing without contact. (Barry Gossage/NBAE/Getty Images)
Amaré Stoudemire
As the Suns embark on a preseason road trip that features three games in four days, Mike D’Antoni continues to assemble the pieces to what he hopes to be a championship puzzle.
Phoenix will play against the Clippers both tomorrow and Saturday, while finishing up the trip against the Lakers or Bobcats. The last two contests comprise a mini-tournament that is known as the Preseason Shootout at the STAPLES Center.
Whether the Suns will face a Lakers team that includes Kobe Bryant is one story, but one thing is for certain, Phoenix is not going to jump the gun and play Amaré Stoudemire just yet. Although STAT participated in 5-on-0 drills, plyometric exercises and shooting drills, he did not do anything that required any contact.
“He’ll probably start practicing on Tuesday,” Mike D’Antoni said. “He’s going full-blast now as far as moving and cutting, but just not with any contact. Maybe we’ll have him play one-on-one this weekend.”
Watching Stoudemire participate in footwork and quickness drills, it’s obvious that he is on the road of recovery. When changing direction quickly, he seemed to do so with explosiveness and confidence. Throughout the drills, he executed all movements and plays without limping or hesitation.
Brian Skinner
If there is a silver lining to Stoudemire missing most of the preseason action, it is that players like Sean Marks and Brian Skinner will have the opportunity to receive more repetitions in the post. Thus far, Skinner has been unable to take advantage, sitting out most of the preseason action with a knee contusion. But in practice Wednesday, he looked sharp.
"He looked real good and real quick today, D’Antoni said. "His knee is noticeably different from what it was before. He’s definitely going to play some minutes this weekend.“
Not being a situational type of coach, D'Antoni usually settles on a fixed number of players based on how they perform within a unit. With Marks' strong showings during the preseason, Skinner will have to use his minutes off the bench to work his way into the rotation.
“I’m not going to rush anything, I’m just going to play within myself,” Skinner said. "If I don’t play hard or do what I’m supposed to do, I don’t expect coach to give me any time. My job is to rebound, play defense, block shots and score baskets, so I am just going to take care of what I need to do and everything will fall into place."
As a veteran, Skinner knows that adjusting to a new team and getting over an injury takes time.
“It’s a long season," he stated. "Everything isn't going to be done in two weeks. My improvement is going to be based on my endurance and persistence over time.”
D.J. Strawberry
One player who has impressed the coaching staff by playing like a veteran despite his youth has been D.J. Strawberry.
“I wasn’t expecting to play against Sacramento at all," Strawberry said about the first preseason game. "I thought maybe in the second half, so when coach called my name I could barely get my pants off.”
But despite his admitted excitement, the rookie out of Maryland has garnered attention from the coaches for his maturity and focused demeanor.
“He does all of the simple things like hitting the 3, playing defense and adding energy,” D'Antoni said. “It looks like he’s been around a long time.”
The 6-5 combo guard credits picking up the offense by running the point in the Las Vegas Summer League. Although he manned the position well, he will most likely see most of his time at the 2-guard slot.
D’Antoni isn’t going to exclude him from his thoughts as the back-up playmaker, but with players like Boris Diaw, Grant Hill and Leandro Barbosa on the floor, there doesn’t really see the need to designate a ballhandler.
Strawberry believes that it is his defense that has earned him his minutes.
“That want me to play defense and that’s what I do," he added.
While that may be true, Strawberry will have to be on the attack this weekend as he hopes to provide tickets for his friends and family. A native of Los Angeles, he expects to have a strong cheering section.
“I’m going to have to mix up my tickets. I can’t have everybody all coming at once,” he said.
