lets talk amare :)

[playstation]

i'm sick of coming here every day and seeing only olympic threads, so i thought i'd start something on the suns during these dog days.

where do you think amare will end up in terms of pts/rbs/blks/asts/overall impact/leadership/etc at the end of this year, and why?

i'm curious, cause i keep thinking about the republic story from like 2 months ago where amare said he'd been working like crazy on his game and to expect triple teams and whatnot. i'm also interested because, when i cut through the crap, i find that this team goes wherever amare takes them, regardless of free agent acquisitions.

i'm thinking he'll be borderline great next year, might even get an all-star nod. if he does not average at least 18ppg over 65 or so games played, we might be in for something ugly. to me, the boards are the real question mark. if he's at the 8-9 range, we know he's still lackadaisical in that department. i'd like to see it in the 10-11 range. most importantly, i'd like to see him lead this team by example, working hard and showing a controlled emotion... you know, the kind of walk of confidence that the great ones have. oh, and i'd also like to see him pass...even once...any pass would do...

 

[SweetD]

Ok here is my prediction...


Amare
21pts 10rbs and 2.1blks a game. I think his time with oversees has helped him and I think with out Shaq and major C in the West play big. I also think he will be going to the line alot more this year.

 

[elindholm]

20/10 should be easy, but the question is how many turnovers he has to commit in order to get those points. Last season, he put up huge numbers after the All-Star break, but he still tended to force things that weren't there, so he wasn't nearly the quality offensive option as would have been suggested by the numbers.

He really needs to learn how to see the court better and to give the ball up -- even temporarily -- if he can't do what he wants to do.

To me it isn't a question so much of his numbers, but how he gets them. Has he developed into a powerful and sophisticated enough force inside that it opens up opportunities for his teammates, or will it just be a bunch of "Stoudemire vs. the World" plays?

 

[slinslin]

Ok here is my prediction...


Amare
21pts 8rbs and .9blks a game. I think his time with oversees has helped him and I think with out Shaq and major C in the West play big. I also think he will be going to the line alot more this year.

...

Amare averaged 20.6pts 9.0rbs and 1.6blks a game last year....

Also after he came back from his injury he wents to the line more than 10 times a game. Only Iverson went to the line more in that run but only because he played less than 10 games in that stretch and shot like 25% from the field.

Assists and Blocks should be the area where his stats need to improve.

23.5ppg 10.5rpg 2.5apg 2bpg 1.2spg

I think he can do that or more next season.

He averaged 24.5ppg 10.0rpg 1.8apg 1.6bpg 1.2spg last year after the allstar break.

Sure you add Nash and Q. So his scoring might go down but he is also improving his jumper so it will balance all out and the Suns should score a lot more total points anyway.
His scoring might even go up if Nash and him form a good duo. I just know I would be shocked if he didn't at least keep his numbers while on the other hand it wouldn't shock me if he improved drastically again.

Joe Johnson and Shawn Marion will likely score less I'd guess but hopefully with more efficiency.

If Amare doesn't make the allstar team there can be only 2 reasons.

1. The Suns are already out of the playoff picture
2. He is injured or declines

 

[George O'Brien]

...

If Amare doesn't make the allstar team there can be only 2 reasons.

1. The Suns are already out of the playoff picture
2. He is injured or declines

Amare could have a monster season and still get passed over because there is only one "open" slot in the west after Duncan and Garnett. In no particular order, there will support for Brand, Boozer, Gasol, Nowitzki, Randolph, and Kenyon Martin to name but a few. This is by far the most competative position in the west and many deserving players will not get picked.

 

[Gaddabout]

Amare could have a monster season and still get passed over because there is only one "open" slot in the west after Duncan and Garnett. In no particular order, there will support for Brand, Boozer, Gasol, Nowitzki, Randolph, and Kenyon Martin to name but a few. This is by far the most competative position in the west and many deserving players will not get picked.

If the Suns are over .500 by the All-Star break, he'll get added by the coaches and play center.