Do you think he will ever return to the player he was? Microfracture surgery destroys athletic players like Amare. Players that use their jumping and speed have a hard time coming back from this injury. They never get that explosiveness back. Remember that Stockton or Kidd haven't relied on explosiveness to play so it really hasn't hurt their game much. If he is the old Amare he gives the Suns the inside presence they need. It is certainly the weakness of the Suns. The Lakers used the same strategy tonite that almost won them the playoff series with the Suns last season. They pounded the ball down low and drove and killed them in the paint. The Suns are deep and talented, but they live by the three and die by it, ultimately.
I think he has a chance because of the athlete he was. Even if he get's 80% of it back he's still almost unstopable on offense (if he can hit the jumper he was hitting from 15 and continue to develop his post moves). Kidd and Stockton didn't depend on explosiveness like Amare but they played the point which requires more sharp cuts, pushing the ball and pressure in the knee in my eyes. Again , they had different situations. Webber was never the explosive player Amare was and his injury was the worst time and it came late in his career. That being said he was also more skilled then Amare. I'm not going to pass judgement on the kid until after this season. I think Amare's ego and his the Suns made a mistake by pushing his comeback so soon. Even with the old Amare with better skills (assuming he comes back and develops) the Suns aren't a championship team to me. Not only do they live by the three and play little to no defense but they also rely way too heavily on Nash. Remeber how he wore down the stretch last season. He's not getting any younger. Diaw is a good role player and I'm not judging teams or players by their first game but I don't fear the Suns (Amare or no Amare).
err... you seems to describe someone we all very familiar with. What's his name again? I believe both his first and last name starts with "S"...
Nash looked old. He is aging and he Suns will be faced with a tough decision all season long. Either play him heavy minutes during regular season to have a very good season record, or play him less minutes, sarifice some wins, and keep him fresh for playoffs. Either way, as Nash goes, so do the Suns. Nash age will show starting this season and Suns will decline accordingly. Lakers will be good this season. They have talent and Phil Jackson is good at maximizing the output from his players. If they play hard every night, they should have no problems getting in playoffs. All Lakers have to do is keep the games close till the end, and then let Kobe do his thing.
Agree with you on Nash and the Suns. One of the things I love about Nash is he raised his game to another level after getting the big contract. KAS13, I hope Amare makes it all the way back. I saw part of the game but missed his appearance. You offer some hope. Amare isn't the easiest guy to like but he's good for the NBA.
That's my hope. I enjoy watching him play. I don't like LeBron James at all but I certainly tune in to Cavs games on League Pass when we're not playing. Same with Carmelo. The NBA needs young exciting stars. I'd rather root for any of them then Dirk.
