Has Amare mailed it in?

[Chris_Sanders]

Right now I look at Amare and see Randy Moss at Oakland. He could be doing more but he just doesn't care to. There is little effort. Rather than mix it up inside, he seems content to take the 18 foot jumper. He is a turnover machine due to his sloppiness.

It's not from a lack of ability that he isn't dominating.

 

[Rab]

Right now it certainly appears that way. It kind of has ever since those 2 games against Memphis and OKC. Before that he was playing very well, but it seems as though his play comes in waves.

Right when I'm about to really question Amare, he has a string of 20/10 games and I think maybe he's turned a corner. Then he goes into his little mini slumps where he doesn't do much of anything and looks tired or just carefree.

I don't know what to make of it now.

 

[Shzm13]

Send him to Toronto for Bosh and Calderon.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

no. He takes what the defense gives him and he is just about automatic from 18'.

 

[Chaplin]

Right now I look at Amare and see Randy Moss at Oakland. He could be doing more but he just doesn't care to. There is little effort. Rather than mix it up inside, he seems content to take the 18 foot jumper. He is a turnover machine due to his sloppiness.

It's not from a lack of ability that he isn't dominating.

Give me a break. Up until last night, that 18 foot jumper has been automatic for him.


ASFN Instructions:

1) Find cliff.
2) Jump off.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Give me a break. Up until last night, that 18 foot jumper has been automatic for him.


ASFN Instructions:

1) Find cliff.
2) Jump off.

Or be a part of 3) Laugh at those that jump.

 

[Covert Rain]

Its been a mixed bag for me but I don't see how you can say he has mailed it in.

He is allowing less points from the PF position this year at 14.7 Per game (down from last year allowing 23.2). That says is playing better "D". His Blocks are down and so is his rebounding. Although for December he did better this his average by almost a full rebound per game. His assists are also up. He also winning most of his head to heads.

It's just never a complete package with Amare but I must be in the minority because I think he is playing better this season. If he can get his rebounding up then the two things people complained about the most this offseason will have improved.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Give me a break. Up until last night, that 18 foot jumper has been automatic for him.


ASFN Instructions:

1) Find cliff.
2) Jump off.

It's not just the jumper. He isn't playing hard right now.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Oh and criticism isn't "Jumping off a cliff". It's called encouraging discussion.

 

[Ryanwb]

Amare is the laziest player the Suns have had on this roster in years.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Can you imagine if he played with the energy of Amundson? I have to say he's been very lackluster as of late out there and his defense continues to be terrible.

 

[Covert Rain]

Can you imagine if he played with the energy of Amundson? I have to say he's been very lackluster as of late out there and his defense continues to be terrible.

Do you mean lately? Because he is allowing 8.5 fewer points against him this season. I would say that is a very healthy drop from last year.

 

[Duke of Oysters]

Amare is the laziest player the Suns have had on this roster in years.

How soon we forget about Boris.

 

[CaptainInsano]

Do you mean lately? Because he is allowing 8.5 fewer points against him this season. I would say that is a very healthy drop from last year.

Keep in mind though he is not being matched up against C's that completely spank him like 2/3rds of last year.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

The biggest worry I see lately is he doesnt seem to find his way into the paint as much as he used to. There used to be nothing that could stand in his way from grabbing the ball at the free throw line to delivering it to the basket, with me knowing that he was going to score even while the pass was still traveling to him.

His shot wasnt falling vs indiana and I dont blame him for that, but the idea that he is not able to slash to the basket as efficiently as he used to is worrying me, and doesnt look to be a temporary thing, as its getting progressively more constant.


That being said, FEED THE BEAST

 

[Nash2Amare]

About Amare shooting his jumper too much:
Amare has a 49% eFG with his jumper..that's pretty impressive for ANY player in the NBA, let alone a big man. He's shooting it 57% of the time this year as opposed to 52% in his 04/05 season (26ppg/9rpg year)

Not that bad.

His defense is still mediocre, but this team as a whole sucks on D, so it's not like it really matters at this point. Amare being able to play D would not change anything. When we had Marion/Bell..we were still awful on D, and those two still got torched by star players. He'll never have the motivation to be a great defender, so don't count on it.

 

[Bayless2Budinger]

Last night his jumper was off and the Pacers crowded the paint and forced the Suns to make outside shots which they couldnt make. It's that simple. He had some turnovers but 2 or 3 of them were on passes that Shaq would have caught. Some of his other passes resulted in what should have been easy shots or wide open shots for guys that missed. Thats why people have to look beyond stats.

Sure hiseffort has been inconsistent but it coincides with the Suns getting him involved. Take out those two games against scrubby teams where he got called for 3 or 4 questionable fouls in both games and are people still bitching? Probably but that says more about the board than it does his game.

 

[elindholm]

If the defense gives him the jumper, he has to take it. That's why he developed it. Make them honor the jumper, then you have more opportunities to go inside. I have no problem with him shooting 18-footers when the defenders sag in the lane and won't come out to challenge him.

That said, his energy was terrible last night, and it sure would be nice if he could show some leadership once in a while.

 

[Bayless2Budinger]

and it sure would be nice if he could show some leadership once in a while.

Its kind of difficult to show a lot of leadership when you have guys like Shaq and Nash who have been leaders for year. Just look at Kobe and Dirk. Both struggled to be leaders with those guys on there team and they have been successful since. Amare isnt in the same situation as guys like Wade/Bosh/Dwight where he can be the undisputed leader.

One thing I have noticed this year is he is being very supportative of the guys when on the bench.

 

[JCSunsfan]

If the defense gives him the jumper, he has to take it. That's why he developed it. Make them honor the jumper, then you have more opportunities to go inside. I have no problem with him shooting 18-footers when the defenders sag in the lane and won't come out to challenge him.

That said, his energy was terrible last night, and it sure would be nice if he could show some leadership once in a while.

82 games is a long season. Its January. It seems like everyone I know is sick. Shaq is sitting out.

There could be a host of reasons why his energy is not up to par.

 

[Andrew]

His best bet to succeed is here, and I truly think that. As long as he cares more about the team succeeding than himself.

 

[Sunburn]

its true. i havent been seeing that look in his eye lately. the one that gives u the impression he wants to tear the rim off the backboard and whack people in the head with it. It hasn't been there of late. It is worrisome. In his defense, he has been putting up pretty consistently good numbers. but where is that killer instinct that i admired so much and that made opposing team members fear for their lives

 

[Covert Rain]

Keep in mind though he is not being matched up against C's that completely spank him like 2/3rds of last year.

Yep I got that. I am quoting his minutes purely at PF. I am not even including his minutes at center.

2007-2008 (Points allowed)
PF - 23.2
C - 21.3

2008-2009
PF - 14.7
C - 14.3

Like I said, it appears to be a healthy drop no matter where he is logging his minutes. In fact, that is currently the biggest improvement from defense from any player on the team compared to last year. So, moving him to PF has helped but when I did a spot check, Amare is up there with the best PF in Opponent Per this year and in the top 10.

When you look at overall PF productivity from the PF position we rank #9 in the NBA. He has to be doing something right defensively even with the move to PF. Plus he has been playing lots of minutes at center when Shaq is out.

 

[CaptainInsano]

Yep I got that. I am quoting his minutes purely at PF. I am not even including his minutes at center.

2007-2008 (Points allowed)
PF - 23.2
C - 21.3

2008-2009
PF - 14.7
C - 14.3

Like I said, it appears to be a healthy drop no matter where he is logging his minutes. In fact, that is currently the biggest improvement from defense from any player on the team compared to last year. So, moving him to PF has helped but when I did a spot check, Amare is up there with the best PF in Opponent Per this year and in the top 10.

When you look at overall PF productivity from the PF position we rank #9 in the NBA. He has to be doing something right defensively even with the move to PF. Plus he has been playing lots of minutes at center when Shaq is out.

Hmm then that is quite interesting.

It is odd that we blame barbosa but on the stats he is not a problem. Now we do Amare and he is not the problem going by those numbers.

If anything Amare has started operating on the outside more BECAUSE of shaq working completely on the inside. How is that a problem with Amare, then? If anything he is evolving to keep the wheels turning on the team.

Honestly this team really needed shaq last night. With the pacers center having a lovefest with the 3 point line shaq would have put a wrench into that plan. Doesn't help that we started out cold from all the rest we have had lately, and dumping the ball into shaq instead is a lot easier then starting ice cold and having to climb a double digit hill all game.

I can easily let this one slide, but we better give dallas some serious hell or then I will definatley be flat out disappointed.

 

[Covert Rain]

Hmm then that is quite interesting.

It is odd that we blame barbosa but on the stats he is not a problem. Now we do Amare and he is not the problem going by those numbers.

If anything Amare has started operating on the outside more BECAUSE of shaq working completely on the inside. How is that a problem with Amare, then?

I would say consistency. That has always been his problem. The good news is that he has to be playing more consistently this season with the numbers he is putting up. But IMO he still disappears in some aspects of his game to often.

If he could ever put all it together....man.....