Has Amare mailed it in?

[Divide Et Impera]

I still 100% disagree Amare has mailed it in. To believe that you would have to believe Amare is playing this bad because of his own free will.

Amare is playing this bad because teams have figured out how one dimensional he is and now if you go at him hard on offense he can't guard you.

I am in line with you on this. I think that all the coaches around the league are actively gameplanning against him and it is also clear that everyone is coaching their players to swipe at Amare's pathetic ball handling. At the same time, I do think Amare is a loafer and he just doesn't have the drive, determination or focus to be any better than he is....

 

[mjb21aztd]

I think it is pretty obvious Amare has nailed it in now , I mean what like 16 rebounds total in 4 or 5 games that is beyond horrible. Also to make matters worse he isn't even scoring the way he was earlier in the year. I have no idea what is going on with the suns no one is playing well really and it is real disgusting..... If we are out of the playoffs by the all star break Kerr should just go ahead and fire porter imo. We are not winning a title this year anyway the spurs,celtics,or lakers would kill us. Sad year to be a suns fan ugh

 

[Mainstreet]

I am in line with you on this. I think that all the coaches around the league are actively gameplanning against him and it is also clear that everyone is coaching their players to swipe at Amare's pathetic ball handling. At the same time, I do think Amare is a loafer and he just doesn't have the drive, determination or focus to be any better than he is....

Amare is a runner, a slasher and a shooter. In short he is a sports car but not a tractor. He has trouble pounding inside for shots and rebounds. Like on the All-Star team, in many ways he is a SF. Maybe the Suns should revert back to using Amare the same way before Shaq arrived. I know this is a tough call but Kerr needs to make a tough decision for the good of the team. Amare does not like playing a younger brother to Shaq.

 

[Divide Et Impera]

Amare WANTED Shaq here. He idolized him and looked forward to not having to play C anymore. Amare used the lack of a C as an excuse for his poor defense. Now he has a C and his other deficiencies are on full display. Shaq has NO culpability in any of this....

 

[Mainstreet]

Amare WANTED Shaq here. He idolized him and looked forward to not having to play C anymore. Amare used the lack of a C as an excuse for his poor defense. Now he has a C and his other deficiencies are on full display. Shaq has NO culpability in any of this....

Agreed. Amare was happy with Shaq as a role player until he realized Shaq had become the dominant big man.

 

[Covert Rain]

Amare is a runner, a slasher and a shooter. In short he is a sports car but not a tractor. He has trouble pounding inside for shots and rebounds. Like on the All-Star team, in many ways he is a SF. Maybe the Suns should revert back to using Amare the same way before Shaq arrived. I know this is a tough call but Kerr needs to make a tough decision for the good of the team. Amare does not like playing a younger brother to Shaq.

I think the Suns have already tried that and have been doing that. Amare is getting plenty of time on the court even without Shaq. You can see that teams have figured out the pick and roll. They wait until Steve penetrates, then they rotate a weak side defender towards Amare giving the screen player a chance to rotate back.

It's not like Amare had this arsenal of weapons. If he wasn't dunking from the pick and roll he was shooting his jumper. With teams defending the pick and roll so well, the jumper has been all he has had.

To Amare's credit it appears he has been trying to take it to the rim. However, his ball handling skills have been horrible and average defenders have been effective. If anything, it's highlighted how one dimensional Amare becomes when his jumper isn't falling.

Amare needs to develop a back to the basket game if teams continue to defend him this well on the pick and roll.

 

[Chaplin]

why do you bother posting here when all you do is rip on people or tell them to kill themselves?

Because everytime I do that it's directed toward you, and you eat it up every time.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think the Suns have already tried that and have been doing that. Amare is getting plenty of time on the court even without Shaq. You can see that teams have figured out the pick and roll. They wait until Steve penetrates, then they rotate a weak side defender towards Amare giving the screen player a chance to rotate back.

It's not like Amare had this arsenal of weapons. If he wasn't dunking from the pick and roll he was shooting his jumper. With teams defending the pick and roll so well, the jumper has been all he has had.

To Amare's credit it appears he has been trying to take it to the rim. However, his ball handling skills have been horrible and average defenders have been effective. If anything, it's highlighted how one dimensional Amare becomes when his jumper isn't falling.

Amare needs to develop a back to the basket game if teams continue to defend him this well on the pick and roll.

You make a great argument to trade Amare. I don't think Amare's game is going to change much.

 

[Andrew]

You make a great argument to trade Amare. I don't think Amare's game is going to change much.

Why? Because he is relatively old?

He is still a kid, he can change his game if he wants.

 

[Divide Et Impera]

Andrew, you are the worst kind of myopic homer ever!

Gimme a break, dude. Do you really think that Amare has the capability to develop a back-to-the-basket game? Do you really think Amare has the capability to develop even passable ball handling skills? Do you really think Amare has the capability to develop a reliable fadeaway shot?

Let's recount some observable facts before you answer any of those questions.

1) Amare has shown an utter lack of drive and focus during the game

2) Amare has not shown any appreciable improvement since the offseason between his 2nd and 3rd seasons

3) Amare talks every offseason about how he has improved this or that and is going to take his game to the next level this season only to see him continue on the same plateau over the last 4 years

So, he hasn't shown any desire or ability to improve, yet you think he can improve. It's one thing to be a fan, which we all are here, but it's another to be blind (and I'll reserve any other statements on this to avoid a ban). The only redeeming part of your post is the "if he wants" part and we all know the answer to that....

 

[arwillan]

Why? Because he is relatively old?

He is still a kid, he can change his game if he wants.

if we look at his first handful of years in the league, we can tell he, in all odds, won't be changing. The only thing he's really done to improve his game was on offense, and that was working on the jumpshot/free throw shooting.

You said it yourself. He can change his game if he wants. He doesn't. he wants to score, make flashy offensive plays, and be on sportscenter highlights. That's who he is.

 

[Andrew]

But the point is, he could if we wanted to. Sure, he might not have wanted to in the past, but if he decides he wants to be a more consistent player, what is stopping him fron developing that back to basket game? I mean come on, eventually he is gonna realize he isn't as good as he thinks.

Andrew, you are the worst kind of myopic homer ever!

Gimme a break, dude. Do you really think that Amare has the capability to develop a back-to-the-basket game? Do you really think Amare has the capability to develop even passable ball handling skills? Do you really think Amare has the capability to develop a reliable fadeaway shot?

Let's recount some observable facts before you answer any of those questions.

1) Amare has shown an utter lack of drive and focus during the game

2) Amare has not shown any appreciable improvement since the offseason between his 2nd and 3rd seasons

3) Amare talks every offseason about how he has improved this or that and is going to take his game to the next level this season only to see him continue on the same plateau over the last 4 years

So, he hasn't shown any desire or ability to improve, yet you think he can improve. It's one thing to be a fan, which we all are here, but it's another to be blind (and I'll reserve any other statements on this to avoid a ban). The only redeeming part of your post is the "if he wants" part and we all know the answer to that....

 

[Bayless2Budinger]

Andrew, I understand your point. These other guys are very fickle fans who just like to hate. Dont let them get to you. I love your faith. *High Five*

 

[Divide Et Impera]

Meanwhile, Lee drops 19/14 on MEM....

 

[Mainstreet]

Here is an interesting article about from CBS Sportsline NBA written by Len Berger on 1-23-09 that hints the Suns might consider losing Stoudemire.

Stoudemire has made no attempt to hide his frustration with the 180-degree change in offensive approach from D'Antoni to Terry Porter, who has had little choice but to run the offense through O'Neal in the post. As the high pick-and-roll man with Nash in the D'Antoni system, Stoudemire put up massive numbers last season -- his second full year since returning from microfracture surgery -- averaging 25.2 points and 9.1 rebounds while shooting 59 percent.

It was not lost on Stoudemire that David Lee -- a power forward with modest offensive skills -- had 25 points and 16 rebounds Wednesday night while punishing Phoenix in the high pick-and-roll.

"I think Mike's offense allowed guys to play free and comfortable and play with confidence," Stoudemire said. "I'm not saying this offense is wrong, because we've got Big Fella. Big Fella's playing well for us. We've just got to play with confidence. We've got to play free, just go out there and play hard and have fun doing it."

The article says a lot about the two schools of thought in coaching the Suns. I definitely think Amare's recent play is a silent message that he may want out. I can't help but think Nash feels likewise.

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/11294057

 

[elindholm]

The other interpretation is that any athletic, decently mobile PF can get 25 points in D'Antoni's pick-and-roll offense. Maybe Stoudemire was never that special. After all, Lee is a good player, but if he can do it, how hard can it be? When Stoudemire faces up someone like Joe Johnson or Wilson Chandler, never mind Brian Scalarbine, and gets nothing, time and time again, that's an indicator that he really doesn't have very many weapons in his arsenal.

 

[PDR]

Amare for Marbury

and why should we trade amare when he is the youth on our team, and one of the top players in the nba, for a declining self ego point guard?

 

[Mainstreet]

The other interpretation is that any athletic, decently mobile PF can get 25 points in D'Antoni's pick-and-roll offense. Maybe Stoudemire was never that special. After all, Lee is a good player, but if he can do it, how hard can it be? When Stoudemire faces up someone like Joe Johnson or Wilson Chandler, never mind Brian Scalarbine, and gets nothing, time and time again, that's an indicator that he really doesn't have very many weapons in his arsenal.

A lot of good players were the product of DAs system. I have mentioned before that I believe DA made the players as much (if not more) than the players made him. I don't think DAs coaching skills were never fully appreciated in Phoenix because he made winning so easy.

 

[AceP]

DA is a excellent coach, he utilizes those who fit his system very very well. But his style doesn't win in playoff. His Suns' era has to end. This topic is really out-of-date. Get over it.

 

[Mainstreet]

DA is a excellent coach, he utilizes those who fit his system very very well. But his style doesn't win in playoff. His Suns' era has to end. This topic is really out-of-date. Get over it.

It seems the topic of coaching is very pertinent to the Suns. Deal with it.

 

[nashman]

Exactly, I think Amare was never as special as some seem to think! I am so tired of him trying to force his way to the basket only to lose control of the ball time and time again, I mean he is turning over the ball at a ridiculous rate! Doesn't even try on the defensive end, Boris Diaw made him look totally ridiculous quite a few times in the Charolette game, we would really be better off with Diaws' skills playing with the big fella that Amare. I am all for trading this guy for whomever of decent value we can get for him. He is NOT a superstar and never will be he just doesn't have it!

 

[nashman]

David Lee is a superstar.....wait thats Amare.... nah neither one will EVER be a superstar!