Fakers 0-2! http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9452881/ NBCSports.com news services Updated: 1:07 p.m. ET Sept. 23, 2005 Amare Stoudemire says he will sign a five-year, $72.6 million extension with the Phoenix Suns before training camp, the East Valley (Ariz.) Tribune reported Friday. “The Suns deal should be done here pretty soon,” Stoudemire said, the newspaper reported. “We're just going over the paperwork and we should finish it here shortly.” Stoudemire will make $2.59 million for the upcoming season, then the salary jumps to $12 million in 2006-07, with annual raises of $1.26 million each year through 2010-11, the newspaper reported. Stoudemire said he was happy with the offseason changes made by the Suns, the newspaper reported. Phoenix lost Joe Johnson, Quentin Richardson and Steven Hunter to free agency. “I'm very impressed with guys like Kurt Thomas, Brian Grant and Raja Bell and the other additions,” he said, the newspaper reported. “I think we can be better. We'll be much better defensively, and we still have our offensive game. I've been working on my perimeter game, trying to become an all-around basketball player. That's my goal.”
Why isn't he working on his post-up game. That would make him a lot scarier than being able to make some jump shots.
I think if he had a consistent jump shot, he would be unguardable. Right now defenders can give him space and hope he takes a jump shot. When he is in the post, he is already extremely effective (except against Yao) even without a polished post-up game (~55% FG percentage). Now, he should really be working on his defense. He looks absolutely lost on that end. He's going to play PF this year, a position where there are a lot more scorers than at the center position. Let's hope Stromile can take advantage against him
You can't improve perfection, he can't get better in the post. Unbelievably athletic in the paint, can apply the facial to every big man in the league. Amare with a 3 point shot, scary.
What perfection in the post are we talking about with Amare? The guy has no post up moves and depends on Nash to play 2 man so he can drive to the baskets for a goal. BTW, driving by a defender for a dunk, while impressive, is not a post up move. A fadeaway turnaround shot, a jumphook, a baseline spin, an up and under move, a dropstep, are post up moves which Amare has not mastered.
You're kidding right? Being able to dunk off a pick and roll is pathetic. Just look at Amare's dropoff when Nash isn't playing. Amare is a mediocre post-scorer when he has to create his own shot.
Not sure if we're talking about the same player, Amare doesn't have much of an offensive game other than dunking, that still gets him 27ppg so no one is complaining. Looks like it's down to Lebron for the Lakers now.
Nah...Amare falls somewhere in between "pure perfection" and "only dunks." If you've ever watched him play a complete game, you'll see that he does have some decent moves in the low block. However, most of them are slashing, face-up moves. He really doesn't look comfortable with his back against the basket. He's actually surprisingly consistent out to 15 feet or so, definitely more so than in previous years. There's no way you can average 27 points a game in today's NBA on dunking alone. I agree that the two things he should work on are a back-to-the basket game and his defense. His face-up moves are fairly effective already. If he learns some back-to-the-basket moves, he'll basically be a mini-Duncan, but with more athletcism. As for Amare's defense, it's practically nonexistent. He gets a fair number of blocks from the weak side (like Stromile Swift), but he's an absolute piss-poor man-on-man defender. EDIT: Even without Steve Nash, Amare managed to average about 20 points a game. It's his FG% that dropped significantly.
If Bobby Bonds only hit home runs would anybody complain that he wasn't a complete player because he didn't have base running skills because he didn't hit singles. Amare might not have a back to the basket game but he can create his own shot with his ball handling skills and an explosive move to the basket. Complete post-game he doesn't have but like Gucci said when a guy scores 27ppg and if he says I don't need to change anything about my inside game, you don't argue.
Another blow to the Lakers organization and crappy fans. Amare is a beast. I'll admit it. I don't care for him, but he is a beast.
Yes they would. If someone only gets 73 hits a year, they are not going to be long for MLB. That would mean that you are averaging less than 1 hit per game. Players that average less than 1 hit per game don't even hit 9th. That is bad for a pitcher. At best a player that could only hit home runs would be a career pinch hitter.
Tiger- your original post made it seem like Amare's post game was perfect and that he can't improve on that. Most of us are talking about his post game, or lack of. He's almost unstoppable when facing the basket and/or under it, but his post game from 6-8 feet away is non-existant. If he wants to become a complete player, then that is something he'll have to improve on.
That's the thing. He's an excellent finisher around the basket, and he has above average ball-handling skills for a big man. Regardless of how well a big man handles the ball though, driving/slashing and facing-up can oftentimes result in a turnover or a bad shot. For a big man, long distance jump shots aren't very practical. Give Amare an arsenal of jump-shots and 3-pointers and he becomes an athletic Dirk Nowitzki. Give him an array of back-to-the-basket post moves and he becomes an explosive Tim Duncan/Kevin Mchale. Which one would you say is more intimidating on offense? You can put a hand in Dirk's face and force him to fade away when he shoots a jumpshot. There's virtually nothing you can do when a guy like Hakeem or McHale gets the ball 8 feet from the basket and starts posting you up.
I was just a kid when Kemp was in his top form in Seattle. So my memory is a bit fuzzy. Is Stoudemire's game a lot like Kemp's, with mostly power dunks but no finess moves like hook shots, fadeaways, mid-range jumpers, fakes, dribble-penetration, etc? Is Stoudemire's dependency on Nash similar to the relationship between Kemp and Payton?
yes and yes Kemp had a shot, a good mid range shot. Was a beast at pentrating to the rim, monster dunks galore, and relied heavily on Payton. Once he was without Payton, he was crap. He didnt succeed with with Brevin Knight as his PG and Amare wasnt great at all with Marbury. Kemp was great during his Sonics years, he was so great, the Rockets had to trade for Barkley to stop them.
Nah, Kemp wasn't anything special. We had to trade for Barkley because their swarming defense negated Olajuwon's interior play. Adding Charles gave us that second post passing threat so they couldn't double as easily. It had nothing to do with Kemp. He was just like any other good All-Star player - good but nothing great. Like a taller Shawn Marion in terms of his impact on the game (not his skillset). If it wasn't for all the hype and flashy dunks, revisionist history wouldn't look back upon Shawn Kemp as kindly as she has.
And yes, that comparison is dead on. I honestly can't remember a single time Shawn Kemp did a fadeaway or a drop step or even backed someone down in the post like Charles would. The most out of him would be a awkward little jump hook or the spin and baseline dunk like Amare. Offensively, I personally think Amare is already ahead of him. He's one of the most overrated players in league history, mainly because of the flash. Shawn Kemp's perceived legacy is one of my biggest sports pet peeves.
