Amare Ought to be Embarassed

[jibikao]

Amare is too inconsistent to be a max. player. When he plays well, he is very good but sometimes he just finds way to lose concentration especially when he is not scoring. When he is not scoring, he plays like a C-list player on the court.

Let's see another Amare dominance in game 4, 5+ and we'll see how much he really wants a max. contract!

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Game 2 was the lucky comment and probably his mother's arrest.

She was arrested before game 1.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Don't see anyone blasting Lopez for his 3 rebound night. Guess he wasn't trying?

Are you really justifying Amare's weak rebounding numbers by comparing him to the much less heralded Robin Lopez? A guy who just spent more than a month on the "I'm so injured I can't even exercise list". The same guy who is only into his second year and logged virtually no time as a rookie. Sure, Amare is a great rebounder because he can board as well as Robin (on occasion). Quick, someone give him a max contract.

Steve

 

[cly2tw]

She was arrested before game 1.

"Lucky" comment is probably a consequence of that arrest too, just as the game 2 performance 2 days later. When did his mother speak up for more controversy?

Are you really justifying Amare's weak rebounding numbers by comparing him to the much less heralded Robin Lopez? A guy who just spent more than a month on the "I'm so injured I can't even exercise list". The same guy who is only into his second year and logged virtually no time as a rookie. Sure, Amare is a great rebounder because he can board as well as Robin (on occasion). Quick, someone give him a max contract.

Steve

If you havn't noticed, Amare has been trying to learn boxing out his season, his 9th. He relied on jumping only and indeed lost more rebounds by not boxing out in early career. So, he hasn't perfectly got it as to how to balance boxing out and grabbing the rebounds himself. So what. The general result is not too bad for the team, though not so good for getting a max contract. Shall we ask him to be more selfish and start thinking grabbing the rebounds from Hill and JRich now?

 

[jagu]

Nice to see someone applying the box-out excuse (#2)

"So, he hasn't perfectly got it as to how to balance boxing out and grabbing the rebounds himself. "

A max player still hasn't gotten out how to balance boxing out and grabbing rebounds.

 

[joshstmarie]

Nice to see someone applying the box-out excuse.

Seriously. For some reason everybody but amare learned how to box out in 5th grade.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

cly2tw - Amare's mom has been an issue all of his life. Who knows how much that really affects him anymore...?

 

[jagu]

Seriously. For some reason everybody but amare learned how to box out in 5th grade.

I know, I find it hilarious how people say "oh but he boxed out." The point of boxing out when your a big man is to get the rebound, its not for small forwards and guards to come running in to get the rebound for you. Especially when they are guarding perimeter players. So the idea of Amare taking away rebounds from Hill is silly.

 

[AzStevenCal]

If you havn't noticed, Amare has been trying to learn boxing out his season, his 9th. He relied on jumping only and indeed lost more rebounds by not boxing out in early career. So, he hasn't perfectly got it as to how to balance boxing out and grabbing the rebounds himself. So what. The general result is not too bad for the team, though not so good for getting a max contract. Shall we ask him to be more selfish and start thinking grabbing the rebounds from Hill and JRich now?

Boxing out is a pretty basic skill. How long do you expect it will take for Amare to learn something most of us learned before high school? And since when did standing around counting butterflies qualify as boxing out. I do know the difference between doing nothing and blocking out and I've seen Amare do a lot more nothing than I'd like.

I used to defend Cliff Robinson's rebounding numbers because he was clearly blocking out but that is not what I see from Amare. And yes, I do want Amare to be more selfish and grab every loose ball he can possibly get his hands on.

Steve

 

[jagu]

If you havn't noticed, Amare has been trying to learn boxing out his season, his 9th.

The funniest part about this is that he is still "TRYING" to learn boxing out according to cly2tw. You'd figure after 9 seasons of basketball against the World's best players he'd figure out one of the basic parts of the game.

 

[SunsTzu]

Are you really justifying Amare's weak rebounding numbers by comparing him to the much less heralded Robin Lopez? A guy who just spent more than a month on the "I'm so injured I can't even exercise list". The same guy who is only into his second year and logged virtually no time as a rookie. Sure, Amare is a great rebounder because he can board as well as Robin (on occasion). Quick, someone give him a max contract.

Steve

I never said Amare is a great rebounder, just find it funny how people seem to be mad at him no matter what he does. He just had an amazing game in which is basically carried the team to victory and people are still upset with him.

Amare may have had a couple poor playoff games but throughout his career he has been consistently great in the post season.

 

[cly2tw]

cly2tw - Amare's mom has been an issue all of his life. Who knows how much that really affects him anymore...?

But as public, nationally public, distraction at a critical moment of her son's professional career?

 

[cly2tw]

The funniest part about this is that he is still "TRYING" to learn boxing out according to cly2tw. You'd figure after 9 seasons of basketball against the World's best players he'd figure out one of the basic parts of the game.

That's the sad truth about the relationship of Amare and the Suns. Marion was not a good box-out rebounder either after even more years.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Amare may have had a couple poor playoff games but throughout his career he has been consistently great in the post season.

I agree that he typically plays well in the postseason. However, IMO, up until the 3rd game in the Lakers series he has underperformed throughout these playoffs. As I've mentioned in a few other threads, he hasn't looked as active in this post season as he has in previous postseasons and he's been a shadow of the player he was in the 2nd half of this season. His stats this postseason reflect this lack of activity.

Steve

 

[cly2tw]

I agree that he typically plays well in the postseason. However, IMO, up until the 3rd game in the Lakers series he has underperformed throughout these playoffs. As I've mentioned in a few other threads, he hasn't looked as active in this post season as he has in previous postseasons and he's been a shadow of the player he was in the 2nd half of this season. His stats this postseason reflect this lack of activity.

Steve

Throughout this whole season, he has been a good team player. The first two series were the same. There were also no reason to force feed him as our other options were going well. Alternately, most of our guys had huge games before this series, with JRich being most consistent. I really don't see which game you could blame Amare for lack of focus. The two first games this series were different. And the Lakers are a much better teams than Spurs and Blazers. At least for game 3, Amare seems to have turned the corner and our coaching staff too.

 

[Bert]

I'm happy Amare bounced back. I dont take back anything I said about his game 2 performance but I'm not surprised at all he bounced back like this.

We need to keep pissing him off if possible. It seems to really elevate his play.

 

[SunsTzu]

I agree that he typically plays well in the postseason. However, IMO, up until the 3rd game in the Lakers series he has underperformed throughout these playoffs. As I've mentioned in a few other threads, he hasn't looked as active in this post season as he has in previous postseasons and he's been a shadow of the player he was in the 2nd half of this season. His stats this postseason reflect this lack of activity.

Steve

Think that has a lot to do with how teams are playing him. The Blazers dared any and everyone else on the Suns to beat them with all the attention they gave Amare, which is why they got blown out so many times. The Spurs even doubled him a lot more than they had in the past.

 

[Irish]

Objectively, Amare is not "worth" a max contract. But he will get one.

We can dump on Amare because he doen't live up to expeactations consistently. But this summer a lot of teams are going to figure out that he CAN put up some very impressive numbers. 42 points and 11 rebounds against the Laker's front line shows what he can do, even if he doesn't always.

I can understand the frustration at Amare's inconsisent "blocking out", but I take isssue with claims that THEY leanred to block out in junior high. I wonder how many self proclaimed experts had to block out guys with huge wing spans and small forward quickness who are ALLOWED to shove defenders in the back to get to the ball? Also, it's very hard to keep guys off the boards if the fly into the basket.

As for his excuse of not getting good training (I'm not sure he ever put it that way), this has been a problem. Frank Johnson was an idiot who was more inclined to run traps rather than real defense. Amare was explicity told by D'Antoni to stay out of foul trouble at all costs. Even when KT was there, he rarely played with Kurt. Porter lost the faith of team so quickly that I doubt much sank in and Shaq was not much help when it came to rotations.

Considering all, Gentry is the first coach that seemed to understand that fundimentals are more important than schemes when it comes to defense. Sadly, Amare will seem to regress at times but he has gotten a bit better.

In any case, Kerr cannot afford to let Amare walk away. This team will return to being a real lottery team. Look at teams like Minnesota and Memphis it you want to see how quickly losing a quality big can kill a team.

 

[Yuma]

As I asked in another thread, "Why can't Amare do this EVERY game?"

 

[cly2tw]

Objectively, Amare is not "worth" a max contract. But he will get one.

We can dump on Amare because he doen't live up to expeactations consistently. But this summer a lot of teams are going to figure out that he CAN put up some very impressive numbers. 42 points and 11 rebounds against the Laker's front line shows what he can do, even if he doesn't always.

I can understand the frustration at Amare's inconsisent "blocking out", but I take isssue with claims that THEY leanred to block out in junior high. I wonder how many self proclaimed experts had to block out guys with huge wing spans and small forward quickness who are ALLOWED to shove defenders in the back to get to the ball? Also, it's very hard to keep guys off the boards if the fly into the basket.

As for his excuse of not getting good training (I'm not sure he ever put it that way), this has been a problem. Frank Johnson was an idiot who was more inclined to run traps rather than real defense. Amare was explicity told by D'Antoni to stay out of foul trouble at all costs. Even when KT was there, he rarely played with Kurt. Porter lost the faith of team so quickly that I doubt much sank in and Shaq was not much help when it came to rotations.

Considering all, Gentry is the first coach that seemed to understand that fundimentals are more important than schemes when it comes to defense. Sadly, Amare will seem to regress at times but he has gotten a bit better.

In any case, Kerr cannot afford to let Amare walk away. This team will return to being a real lottery team. Look at teams like Minnesota and Memphis it you want to see how quickly losing a quality big can kill a team.

Great post, George!

BTW, welcome back on board after so long!

 

[Bufalay]

Why cant amare do this every game? Also why hasnt dragic had anymore 23pt qtrs?

 

[AfroSuns]

Why cant amare do this every game? Also why hasnt dragic had anymore 23pt qtrs?

 

[elindholm]

Why cant amare do this every game? Also why hasnt dragic had anymore 23pt qtrs?

Yeah, now that you mention it, I'm having second thoughts about paying Dragic $20 million per year also.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Yeah, now that you mention it, I'm having second thoughts about paying Dragic $20 million per year also.

Warn me before you make me laugh. I was eating breakfast. Now, who's going to clean the cereal off of my computer screen? I'd call the cat over but even he won't eat fat free soy milk.

Steve

 

[AzStevenCal]

I can understand the frustration at Amare's inconsisent "blocking out", but I take isssue with claims that THEY leanred to block out in junior high. I wonder how many self proclaimed experts had to block out guys with huge wing spans and small forward quickness who are ALLOWED to shove defenders in the back to get to the ball? Also, it's very hard to keep guys off the boards if the fly into the basket.

Why would you take issue with our comments about blocking out and which of us laid claim to expertise? I was a very mediocre player but that doesn't negate the fact that I was taught how to block out before I got to high school. And no, I didn't have to block out the monsters that Amare faces but I didn't have Amare's gifts either. If he was failing to block out/rebound for the reasons you suggest you'd think that all big men averaged 6 rebounds a game come postseason time.

Sadly, Amare will seem to regress at times but he has gotten a bit better.

Actually, I thought he got a lot better. Following the All Star break he played as if he were one of the 2 or 3 best players in the league. AFAIC, this level of play ended with 2 games left to go in the regular season and wasn't seen again until game 3 of the Lakers series.

In any case, Kerr cannot afford to let Amare walk away. This team will return to being a real lottery team. Look at teams like Minnesota and Memphis it you want to see how quickly losing a quality big can kill a team.

I felt the same way until a few weeks ago. Now, having watched him dog it through these playoffs I think long term we're better off just letting him walk. It won't make us a better team but it's a smarter move than giving a max contract to an injury riddled oft-uninspired big man.

I really will miss him when he's gone. When he's working his butt off he's one of my all time favorite players. And if the injury risk were not so high I'd be in favor of keeping him at any cost even with his on-court warts but that's not the case. The risk/reward just doesn't make sense, IMO.

Steve