baltimorer said:
That's not really true. Steve Nash is the best point guard in the league and Amare Stoudemire has been just as good as Tim Duncan or Shaq this year. This team plays well together, not necessarily because they're unselfish, but because they fit together almost perfectly on the offensive end. If they truly want to compete for a championship, though, Amare Stoudemire needs to become a top-5 defensive player also. He should be getting 2.5+ blocks per game, and it doesn't really matter how many rebounds he gets, because Marion is rebounding like 11 a game, but Amare needs to get rebounds that the other team's big men are trying to get. When they play Detroit, he needs to grab bounds from Ben Wallace. Against Minnesota, he's gotta take boards away from K.G. Steve Nash will get him open dunks against any defense in the league, but Nash can't keep K.G. off the boards, and either can Steven Hunter, and either can Shawn Marion.
It's a lot of pressure to put on a 22-year old, but he's one of the most coordinated athletes in the world right now, he should not only be able to handle it, but he should embrace it.
Look at marion, you can't really compare him to anyone I have seen (my age 26). I think you have to classify him as his own legend. (well for lack of a better term)...He has those quick hops which made me be excited when I saw the nba draft clips. He is the leandro barbosa of small fowards, and he's doing it against power fowards.....with 1st all team honors defense...steal, blocks, and threes...I never wanted to trade him
We're watching the beginning of a better team era then the late 80's early 90's teams. WHy,(and the talent distribution is far worse) because we are a young team, with still more upside. We haven't reached our potential yet and look at us....and for the time wise I say were going into...we have many locked up. Nash, Marion, (we will for stat), Q, still rookie contract rights on barbosa, z, vroman. Have a shot and a purpose to resing joe johnson and hunter. Our payroll is good, and we have long term committments which are good for the team.
With Amare, he can play top 5 defense. ..It's whether or not the fouls are called. When they are he lets go. When the probability isn't high, he lollygags...(understandable, but still could be better)...the reason they aren't getting too many rebounds at times is the way the defense reacts to the missed shot...our guys more than often are backtracking...hard to get rebounds that way, but makes for better defense...we run a fast break, so that tendency will be there. With that, amare has grown leaps and bounds it terms of playing defense strong without committing fouls...so I think he needs to adjust his compass a bit. Still, you really can't fault much because at their record, everything is gravy. I got a question. For a team sport in the U.S. professional ranks...our Suns are relatively young, maybe really, really, young. I wonder when the last time a team of our youth won a professional championship in the U.S...???.Ever?? Additionally, we had what, 30 wins last season....I think...
...anyways....with that statement, could we be in the running for a best turnaround in the history of the NBA...I know we had around 3rd at 26-56 and 55-27
..Could we have 60+ season to better it? I know we'll hit rough patches, but like I said, our upside hasn't been realized yet...so it will be FUN to see.
GO SUNS!!!!!!
BTW
