"Didn't practice D at all past 3 years"

[WuRaider]

 

[HooverDam]

I think you may be making a mountain of out of a molehill if you take that comment by Amare seriously. He's never been the brightest crayon in the box, nor the best with words, so I think that was just a bit of hyperbole.

Countdown to this turning into a D'Antoni bashing thread (ooh and someone saying the oh so clever and always hilarious DUMB'Toni- hur hur) in 3....2....1....

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Defense wasn't a D'Antoni priority, that is no secret. Since Amare is blaming his horrific defense on his coach, I expect to see a marked improvement this year...zero excuses.

 

[sunsallday]

All hell is about to break loose.

 

[WuRaider]

I think you may be making a mountain of out of a molehill if you take that comment by Amare seriously. .

I know he was exaggerating but D'Antoni's refusal to extend practice time on defense makes it obvious that it had little to no value in his gameplan.

Defense wasn't a D'Antoni priority, that is no secret. Since Amare is blaming his horrific defense on his coach, I expect to see a marked improvement this year...zero excuses.

Same with me. I've been giving Amare a pass because the way he played D looked like a player who had no one coaching him. The memory of him standing straight up without bending his knees while Okur did a spin move and dunked on him should be enough motivation for him to step up.

 

[WuRaider]

You notice how Amare is trying to be charismatic in his interviews? "Don't tell nobody", "I dropped 30-40 on the Warriors". I think Shaq told him "To get more fame than Dwight, you gotta be funny"

 

[sunsallday]

Amare Stoudemire must prove he can play defense this year or teams will exploit his severe weakness. He needs to improve his defense in order for us to go to the next level. If he becomes a good or great defender, improves his rebounding, and slightly improve his shot blocking, he will be the best PF in the league bar none.

 

[SunsTzu]

Defense wasn't a D'Antoni priority, that is no secret. Since Amare is blaming his horrific defense on his coach, I expect to see a marked improvement this year...zero excuses.

That puzzles me since Amare has had several quotes over the past few years talking about how much he has practiced his D and expected to get defensive player of the year.

 

[Bufalay]

Amare Stoudemire must prove he can play defense this year or teams will exploit his severe weakness. He needs to improve his defense in order for us to go to the next level. If he becomes a good or great defender, improves his rebounding, and slightly improve his shot blocking, he will be the best PF in the league bar none.

welcome to 4 years ago

 

[elindholm]

The good old "it's not my fault" syndrome. Even at his young age, Stoudemire has mastered it. That was among Barkley's greatest talents as well.

 

[Irish]

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-33-239/Amare-Stoudemire--The-Suns-are-Ready.html

Amare Stoudemire: The Suns are Ready

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August 28, 2008 4:05 PM
Suns TV (I'd bet my eye teeth that's the voice of former HOOP colleague, and current Suns media bigwig, Jeramie McPeek asking the questions) caught up with Amare Stoudemire for a video interview.

The video starts with some fun footage of Suns players -- Steve Nash, Robin Lopez, Amare Stoudemire, Alando Tucker, Grant Hill, Louis Amundson, and others -- during a closed off-season practice session. Stoudemire says that Shaquille O'Neal had been there, and Boris Diaw and Matt Barnes would be coming soon.

Once the interview starts, Stoudemire announces a story that promises to get some major run in the blogosphere as the season unfolds. He has been taking piano lessons. "Strictly for the ladies," he explains. " Just to kind of serenade the ladies a little bit with the piano. See how that goes."

Then he kind of winks at the camera.

We are going to need progress reports, and some home video of Stoudemire tickling the ivories, as the season unfolds.
Now, remember, Stoudemire is seen as, essentially, an MVP-type player who is sub-par on defense. I can remember screaming at my TV now and then during last year's playoffs, hoping that Stoudemire might, you know, lift his arms from his sides from time to time on D.

Stoudemire seems more than happy to pass off some or all of the blame for his team's mediocre defense, however, to the departed coaching staff of Mike D'Antoni.

He was asked about his new coach.

"I love Terry Porter," Stoudemire says to the camera. "His method. His way of coaching is going to be great for us. You know, he's extremely focused on the defensive end, something that we haven't practiced at all in the previous three years, and now we're definitely practicing and improving on the defensive end."

Haven't practiced defense at all in three years? Wow. That's a bold claim.

Maybe it was just Amare that didn't practice defense.

All the practice in the world is not going to change the fact that Amare attracted foul calls like he was the next Mark West. He got so many calls without contact it had to be pretty frustrating. Better coaching would have helped, but lining him up with a 225 pound power foreward didn't help either.

IMHO, Amare did better once he was moved to the weakside. Better, not good enough, but better just because he was not stuck out on an island. In any case, I have no doubt that Porter/Cartright is going to spend a lot more time with Amare on his weaknesses:

-- Positioning
-- Footwork
-- Vision (not just focus on hi own guy)
-- Rotation - know what to do without having to think about it
-- Rebounding (anticipate where the ball is going when shot rather than after it bounces)

 

[shazaam6]

Anybody ever been interviewed? It's not easy to be funny. Amare said they didn't practice defense under 'Antoni. That has been said before. You think he is lying?

"Now he'll have no excuse." OK and if he improves will you finally say that 'antoni was just stupid for not practicing half of the game of basketball?

Amare won't be the only one to improve either. We have a good offense, the best way to improve the team is to improve defense because there is alot more room for improvement.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Anybody ever been interviewed? It's not easy to be funny. Amare said they didn't practice defense under 'Antoni. That has been said before. You think he is lying?

"Now he'll have no excuse." OK and if he improves will you finally say that 'antoni was just stupid for not practicing half of the game of basketball?

Amare won't be the only one to improve either. We have a good offense, the best way to improve the team is to improve defense because there is alot more room for improvement.

Hmm...who could be lying here:

Amare

Or

Kerr (has talked about Suns practicing defense)

The Author for 7 Seconds or Less (chapters about defense...and Amare being a lazy malcontent)

All the reporters who have made reports on the Suns making defense.

I mean really...

 

[shazaam6]

Lazy malcontent who had to play center when he is one of the top 3 power forwards in the league and he knows it.

How would you like to be told you had to work out of your natural position at your job, if you were top 3 in the nation?

Kerr fixed that with Shaq and Lopez.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Lazy malcontent who had to play center when he is one of the top 3 power forwards in the league and he knows it.

How would you like to be told you had to work out of your natural position at your job, if you were top 3 in the nation?

Kerr fixed that with Shaq and Lopez.

These are excuses that have nothing to do with things like actually showing up for practice. It is well reported he frequently chooses to skip them.

His excuses are done. He can meet expectations or stop giving worthless lip service. My expectations aren't that high really. It's one thing to try and still be a sub par defender. Amare only has to try.

 

[Yuma]

Well, if they did or did not practice defense, the end result was they couldn't shut anybody down!!! LOL!

 

[SirStefan32]

I don't buy it. Not even coach D'Antoni can simply not practice defense at all in 3 years. They were definitely not focused on defense, but I think Amare is pulling a Bill Walton with this exaggeration.

On a more serious note, it's great to see that everyone's there- vets and new guys.

 

[shazaam6]

Do you really have a problem with his interview?

It seemed positive to me.



Some things I'm looking forward to:


I remember Barkley always saying things like "It doesn't matter how much the Suns are up they don't play defense. The other team will come back." I used to hate it but it usually happened and many times we lost. Now I think that problem will be addressed during practice and won't show up as much in games.

Plus I hope Porter calls timeouts to stop momentum when the other team scores 8 to 10 in a row.

 

[SirStefan32]

Do you really have a problem with his interview?

It seemed positive to me.

I don't have a problem with it at all. I just wanted to point out that Amare is greatly exaggerating.

 

[shazaam6]

SirStefan32 I really meant that one for Chris. I should have quoted him. But I do know what you guys are saying about Amare and his lack of defense effort. I think it is a matter of his not knowing exactly what to do and D'antoni not knowing how to teach defense as well as offense so he didn't emphasize it during practice is all. D'antoni practiced his strengths and defense wasn't one of them.

 

[Covert Rain]

Correct me if I am wrong. Kerr specifically has made comments regarding changes when D'Antoni was here in regards to defense. He stated he would like to see more of an emphasis on defense during practice. That to me says that Kerr felt like there was a lack of practice on the defensive end as well.

It's not like it's the first time we have heard D'Antoni's practices lacked a defensive focus. So even though Amare says "at all" I seriously doubt Amare is saying "not for one second". Come on people.

Update. Just listened to the interview again. He says "defensive focus, something we have not practiced on at all in the last 3 years".

I took that as the last 3 years the focus in practice has not been defense. I think people are reading into this a bit. Especially, Amare bashers.

 

[okhoops]

Lazy malcontent who had to play center when he is one of the top 3 power forwards in the league and he knows it.

How would you like to be told you had to work out of your natural position at your job, if you were top 3 in the nation?

Kerr fixed that with Shaq and Lopez.

What concerns me most is Amare's unwillingness to physically battle at the defensive end. Anyone who has played this game has had to guard someone bigger, stronger, and/or quicker. The only compensation for physical deficiencies in a one-on-one match-up is a willingness to get one's nose dirty and battle. I've not seen this intangible in him very often. Instead, he seems like the stereotypical player who has been such a force at the offensive end that he's never had to (chosen to?) earn his minutes at the other end. As cliched as it is, defense is a heart and mind thing more than a physical one.

 

[BC867]

Whether Amare's comment about not practicing defense at all is accurate . . .

We all know that the Suns didn't value or use game-long defense at the level necessary to advance in the playoffs.

So rather than pick apart Amare's phrase, let's look at the big picture.

Mike D'Antoni did not coach the defense, bench play or develop young players that would be required to be fresh and effective during the post-season or in the finals.

 

[msdundee]

Defense wasn't a D'Antoni priority, that is no secret. Since Amare is blaming his horrific defense on his coach, I expect to see a marked improvement this year...zero excuses.

on the signature.

 

[dodie53]

pure bull