Amare to return to action tonight

[fordronken]

http://www.nba.com/suns/news/stoudemire_040204.html

Stoudemire Returns to Action Tonight Against the Blazers

By Josh Greene, Suns.com
Posted: Feb. 4, 2004

Day-to-day status for Amaré Stoudemire has been upgraded to "today."

The Suns’ power forward, who has missed nine games with a sore left ankle and big toe, will play in tonight’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers at America West Arena. Head Coach Mike D’Antoni confirmed Stoudemire told him he was good to go, a decision the 21-year-old says was based simply on how well he felt.

“Yeah, I’m playing tonight,” Stoudemire said. “Just how I feel… That’s what I based my decision on. Right now I just have to make sure I feel good before I get out there, and I feel great.”

Last year’s Rookie-of-the-Year admits he is still experiencing lingering pain, but not enough to keep him out of the lineup any longer. He re-aggravated an ankle injury Jan. 15 against Portland and has not played since. Before his recent stint on the disabled list, he was averaging 16 ppg, 8.3 rpg and 1.4 bpg in 23 games this season.

“It’s tough because you’re pretty much always feeling pain,” said the power forward , who originally suffered the third-degree ankle sprain back on Dec. 5 in Boston vs. the Celtics. “It’s just a determination of how much pain you’ll feel. Right now I feel just a little pain, but it’s good enough where I can get out and get up and down and help these guys win some games.”

In addition to seeing if time off has made for any rust, in just over a week "STAT" is scheduled to participate in the Rookie Challenge on All-Star Weekend as one of nine second-year players to take on nine first-year pros. As for taking the court at Staples Center that weekend, he has not ruled it out. He’s also not committing to anything.

“Not necessarily,” Stoudemire said when asked if he’ll play in the exhibition. “I just made the decision on getting back out onto the court, so it all depends on how I feel out there playing.”

The Suns are 7-20 without Stoudemire in the lineup. For as much as his teammates have missed his strong inside presence, Amaré’s missed being able to make a difference on the court, and he’s looking to make an immediate impact with his return tonight.

“The toughest part has been not playing,” he said. “I’m a competitor and I want to get out there every minute and play. It’s tough not to be able to get out there and run up and down with the guys.

“I’m ready to get out there and play. You’re going to have pain regardless, you just have to determine how much pain can you play on, so that’s the main focus right now. Playing through pain, that’s part of being an athlete.”

 

[Chaz]

Whoooooo Hoooooo.

 

[slinslin]

Great News.

Please punk Randolph again, I hate those debates with Blazers fans who take their boxscores to "prove" that Amare is inferior.

 

[slinslin]

I also think that Amare takes it personal against Randolph and or the Blazers.

In the summerleague video it looked like that between Amare and Randolph even when Amare was sidelined.

In his rookie season Amare "volleyball-blocked" Randolph's dunk.

And of course the "throat slash" when he blocked Patterson.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Great news. Think he read this when he woke up??

Stoudemire: Turned ankle or bent ear?
Feb. 4, 2004 12:00 AM


The trainer has cleared him to play. His teammates need him to play. The fans want him to play.

Everybody wants the Suns' Amare Stoudemire to play, it seems, except Amare Stoudemire.

What in the name of a 38-inch vertical leap is going on here?

The official diagnosis is a lingering sprained left ankle and sprained right toe. The unofficial diagnosis? He's hearing voices.

No one is suggesting Stoudemire isn't hurt. Serious ankle and toe sprains take time to heal. The 21-year-old forward deserves a mulligan for an 82-game rookie season in which he willingly took on any challenge thrown his way, including a 7-foot-1, 338-pound challenge from the Los Angeles Lakers.

At some point, a player has to distinguish pain from injury. It's hard when you're young and have the upside of Stoudemire, an upside that includes the potential for millions in salary and endorsements. An upside that could be taken away with an injury.

At some point, a player has to tune out outside influences. Stoudemire, whose childhood included his father's death and his mother's multiple prison sentences, is helping take care of a family with whom he had spotty contact in his youth. Some, including former teammates, think this family could be telling him the wrong things.

"If Amare grows for himself and not for everyone that's around him, he has an unbelievable upside," Stephon Marbury, whom the Suns traded to New York, said Saturday. "If he works hard and listens to the coaching staff, takes advantage of guys like (assistant coach Tim) Grgurich, his upside will be remarkable because he's a great player and a great talent. And he works hard."

Although the injury puts the Suns in an awkward situation, they're not making it a big deal.

"I've never questioned his heart," Suns Chairman Jerry Colangelo said. "Personally, I think he has the heart of a warrior. That's not in question. I think once the player is cleared with any injury, ultimately it's still up to the player to feel comfortable. Coming back from an injury is as much emotional as it is physical."

The Suns can afford to be patient. They're not going anywhere this year.

"Obviously, if we're in the stretch drive or the playoffs, players cast that kind of thing to the wind," Colangelo said. "But he's a young player who has already established himself with a tremendous rookie year. There's no reason to put him in jeopardy."

Stoudemire missed five weeks (18 games) earlier this season, and then on Jan. 18 landed awkwardly after making a block on the Trail Blazers' Ruben Patterson. The Suns are 7-20 without him in the lineup.

After Tuesday's shootaround, in which he spent about 30 minutes on big-man drills, including two-on-two play, he looked like the old Stoudemire. His cuts were fluid. He dunked. That's why it's hard to believe he's not ready.

He said he will have a better sense when he tries five-on-five contact.

"Once I step out wide, inside the ankle I don't want to feel too much pain," he said. "I'll feel a little pain, but I want to make sure it's not a sharp pain. Also, if I come to the rack and take off from outside the paint, when I push off, I want to make sure I don't feel a sharp pain. I don't have too much of that explosiveness yet."

No one is suggesting Stoudemire is slacking. Let's just hope he's listening to his ankle and toe. Not outside influences.

 

[Chaplin]

 

[SweetD]

 

[SirStefan32]

Sweet

 

[slinslin]

Dude!

 

[SweetD]

Originally posted by SirStefan32
Sweet

YA?

 

[Brandon_Webb]

might as well

 

[arthurracoon]

 

[SunsTzu]

I'll join.