Stein on the Surgery

[thegrahamcrackr]

This would be a fine time for Amare Stoudemire to reaffirm how truly amazing he can be.

To recover from microfracture surgery in a mere four months, as the Phoenix Suns' medical staff projects, Stoudemire might have to be more freakish than ever.

For no one in the NBA has ever rebounded that quickly from hole-drilling in the knee.

Tuesday brought word of the season's first major injury and, sadly, it's a doozy. With the Suns hope that they wouldn't lose the future of their franchise for more than a month, Stoudemire wound up having a surgery that quickly proceeded from exploratory to serious and promptly landed him on a team no one wants to join:

The All-Microfracture Team.

It features Jason Kidd and Allan Houston at the guards, Jamal Mashburn and Chris Webber at the forwards and Stoudemire, blessed with the potential to be better than any of those guys at their best, suddenly at center.

It sounds like an All-Star team, but it's actually a collection of famous names that has mostly encountered long, painful recoveries from a procedure that has returned only Kidd to the vicinity of peak form.

The good news?

Stoudemire is only 22. The defect that led to the surgery, furthermore, is considered far smaller and less serious than the original injuries which plagued Kidd, Houston, Mashburn and Webber. The Suns thus contend that they're taking an aggressive course to prevent a problem from becoming a major problem.

Combine that contention with Stoudemire's youth and you have the basis for the Suns' belief that Stoudemire can be back on the floor sometime after the All-Star break in late February.

"I would be a lot more down or depressed if I really thought this would affect Amare's future," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said by phone Tuesday night. "I don't think it will."

Earlier in the day, D'Antoni told reporters in Phoenix that he fully expects Stoudemire "to be great when he comes back and wow the fans for 10 more years."

Suns fans can only hope. They can also be pardoned if they're not quite ready to echo the coach's confidence, because it wasn't so long ago that Penny Hardaway, one of the league's first high-profile microfracture patients, never came close to living up to the rich contract Phoenix gave him.

And Hardaway is hardly alone. Microfracture procedures couldn't save Mashburn or Terrell Brandon and likewise haven't resulted in lasting improvements for Webber, Houston, Alvin Williams and Eduardo Najera.

Utah's Matt Harpring, who underwent his second microfracture surgery in April, hopes to be ready for Opening Night, which would represent a six-month recovery.

Can Stoudemire do it faster?

He is a Phoenix Sun, after all, and a certifiable freak of nature with his unmatched package of size, speed and power. So maybe it's not impossible.

Portland's Zach Randolph is another youthful power player trying to make it back from microfracture faster than ever before. Who knows? Maybe Randolph and Stoudemire can revolutionize the rehab process together, just as Stoudemire and Nash modernized the pick-and-roll.

You don't have to be a Suns fan to hope so. No matter where your allegiances rest, you'd miss the Suns and the way they run and gun if Stoudemire were to end up missing the usual six-to-eight months.

"Amare's a pretty amazing guy," said Suns point guard Steve Nash, the reigning MVP, of his favorite assist target. "I don't ever want to say there's something he can't do. We're just going to hope for the fastest possible recovery and try to be a better team when he comes back. There are lot of unknowns, and we have a lot to prove without him, but the mood is pretty upbeat considering."

Good article I think. I didn't realize Harpring had microfracture, let alone two of them.


Also, like people have said in the other thread - Randolph's knee is looking great. I am feeling a lot better for the long term right now

 

[elindholm]

The thing about Randolph is that he could never jump in the first place, so there's no loss. Having a bad knee doesn't affect your footwork or your ability to run people over.

I'm quite confident that Stoudemire will play again, and he'll probably still be very good. But what made him the next ultra-dominant player in the league was his once-in-a-generation athleticism. If a fraction of that is lost, he's going to have to rely on a lot more skills to make up for it.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

The thing about Randolph is that he could never jump in the first place.

I'm quite confident that Stoudemire will play again, and he'll probably still be very good. But what made him the next ultra-dominant player in the league was his once-in-a-generation athleticism. If a fraction of that is lost, he's going to have to rely on a lot more skills to make up for it.

shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh


I am feeling good right now.

 

[JCSunsfan]

The thing about Randolph is that he could never jump in the first place, so there's no loss. Having a bad knee doesn't affect your footwork or your ability to run people over.

I'm quite confident that Stoudemire will play again, and he'll probably still be very good. But what made him the next ultra-dominant player in the league was his once-in-a-generation athleticism. If a fraction of that is lost, he's going to have to rely on a lot more skills to make up for it.

His athleticism includes both upper and lower body strength, speed, and tremendous catching and coordination. Even if there is something diminishing his explosiveness off of his left leg, the other things remain.

Also, his confidence, drive to succeed, his uncanny ability to know exactly where he is on the court, etc also make him successful.

I do believe that he will come back and be as dominant as before. I do believe though, that this will probably shorten his career by 3-4 years. The "blood cartilege" from the microfracture is not as durable as normal cartilege.

 

[jandaman]

The way I look at it...


Amare needed to develop "basketball" skills sooner than later anyways. He cant be dunking on everyone and exploding pass players when he's in his late 20s.

I was thinking he would eventually develop a consistent jump shot and/or a post game... which he WILL need to, if he was going to be one of the best power forwards ever. Because athletism only can carry him till he slows down or in this case injury.

The only really bad thing is .. or good thing if you look at it a different way... is Amare will need to become a real Post player... need to develop a back to the ring game and post up moves.... SOONER... im thinking 1-2 seasons.

When he comes back, he wont be dunking as much so soon... he'd eventually get movement back to normal... but not in 4 months. Next season 99% chance he will.


So when he does come back, he will need to develop a more reliable post game and rely more on positioning himself rather than exploding pass people.
Because he wont be doing the same thing he is doing now at 23 years old, when he gets in his late 20s.

 

[Yuma]

I honestly think it's taken Kidd a while to get over the surgury. You could also put him in with the group of guys who couldn't really jump anyways, too. Then again, with Kidd having to carry someone like Joumana on his A$$ while he recovered, probably didn't help his knee during rehab.

 

[haverford]

Maybe it is time for Amare to slow the game down, and live up to the Olajuwan comparisons.....

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I was thinking he would eventually develop a consistent jump shot and/or a post game... which he WILL need to, if he was going to be one of the best power forwards ever. Because athletism only can carry him till he slows down or in this case injury.

He ALREADY has a consistent jump shot. In fact, you could poll starting 4's or 5's and I would be willing to bet that he is in the top 3 in % in jumpers from 12' and longer. Prior to last year, his jumper was suspect. In the course of one year, he completely turned that around and his jumper from 15' is right on the money.

I do agree however that he needs to work on his post game.

 

[AZZenny]

I just think "4 months" is pushing it for full return to the court - based on the other thread about rehab, my read of outcome studies, etc.

I know when baseb all guys have TJ surgery, they 'come back' and play full time after 9-12 months - but every single one says it's closer to 18 - 24 months before they are 'back to normal' - and that's not only pitchers, but position guys like Carlos Quentin. He had surgery in June 2003, wasn't even allowed to play in ST 2004, started playing in late April, and said it was very late summer before he felt like he had his swing and his throw from the outfield even close to normal. Same with shoulder repair in baseball - you can play after 6-9 months, but it's another 3-6 at minimum before power, speed, fluidity are up to par.

Never like to agree with Paola Boivin, but Amare must NOT rush back - and the Suns must not subtly nudge or nag him to save this season.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

but Amare must NOT rush back - and the Suns must not subtly nudge or nag him to save this season.

agree 100%