Perhaps that's because he (Skinner) and Amare Stoudemire did not play much together. I can't remember now.
You're right. Skinner was Amare's backup for awhile. He came in when Amare was in foul trouble. One big man at a time.
However I definitely agree with you regarding coach Mike's misuse of Shaquille O'Neal. I just don't understand it. Offense with Shaquille O'Neal and the game should be easy. The Phoenix Suns should try to push it every time they get the ball. And if they don't get a GOOD, easy shot off the transition the ball should go through shaq in the low post. Even when he does establish himself in the post now the guys feeding the ball are two quick to give up on him.
I've had to change the channel a few times in the last couple games because I was so pissed off about it.
Joe
Right on, Joe. Here's D'Antoni's quote about going back to the ol' Amare and Boris at Center routine.
What's the 'Skinny'?
"What about Brian?" the fan's sign asked Saturday night.
Suns center Brian Skinner did not play again. He has played two minutes in the past seven games. Skinner did struggle with a 12-game stretch of 8-for-39 shooting in January but did not lose his rotation spot until O'Neal's arrival.
"The reason that Brian, who I like, was playing was because he gave us toughness, rebounding and an inside presence," D'Antoni said. "That's Shaq. Now, we need running. We need to space the floor. When Amaré (Stoudemire) needs to move over, you've got Boris (Diaw). Shaq's taken his minutes up. You don't want to play the same way all the time. You want to switch gears."
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/0301sunsnb.html
D'Antoni acknowledges that Brian Skinner "gave us toughness, rebounding and inside presence." Then instead of taking the 5th Amendment, he sure incriminated himself. "You don't want to play the same way all the time. You want to switch gears."
So not only is he not using Shaq as an inside presence, he won't use Skinner to provide toughness and rebounding, as well as inside presence, when Shaq is on the bench, because "you want to switch gears".
Regardless of the Press reports about D'Antoni wanting Shaq here, he obviously doesn't want 48 minutes of "toughness and rebounding" and very little time of "inside presence".
If Mike D'Antoni cannot put aside everything his father taught him about small ball (a long time ago), it's time to put aside Mike D'Antoni.
He's counter-productive to the trade. He's counter-productive to our post-season success.
And if he thinks he's going to change his approach in Game 2 of a playoff series (as he did last season), he belongs in a rubber room.
How many times are we going to witness the same obsessive approach?
As my posts have shown, I share your anger, Joe, at how Shaq and Skinner have (not) been used since the trade.
