EXACTLY. The Suns don't have a championship because of Amare Stoudemire. A championship team need post defense period. ...and i've never heard him say it but i suspect Dantoni taught Amare to play weak D to stay out foul trouble and score before the other team could get back on defense. In past years it was like a fluid motion for him to back off his man, catch the ball out of the net, and pass it to another player. It was fluid, like muscle memory taught in practice or something, disgusting. Amare could have been a great.
The problem I was speaking of is why Amare's points and FG% have declined from last year and why he disappears so often. A lot of it is Amare's attitude when Shaq plays. It's like he refuses to play hard when he knows the offense won't focus solely on him. Sometimes he's so passive he may as well not be on the court.
+1. Amare has been exposed for the whining no defense pansy he really is. Pre injury Amare was so fast and so fluid he could get away with not playing any defense, but he lost maybe 1/6 of his step after his microfracture and dropped down to just "elite" athletecism (unlike before where he was in a whole another level from the rest of the league like LBJ). I also agree with Ap30 when he said the guy has a tendency to pout when the offense doesn't go through him. I was thinking, everyone thought that Marion was the primadonna, but could Amare actually have been the locker room cancer here? Maybe Marion just got fed up from the babying Amare got. The Suns should have traded him when for KG before last season....now I don't know what his value really is. Maybe he should offer to Grizzlies for Big Al Jefferson. Think Wolves will bite on that? Amare can play center and Love will get the PT he deserves.
We're set at the pf spot. That trade won't help our glaring weakness, the pg spot. I'd rather trade Artest+Alston+Brooks+Hayes or Scola or landry for Nash
Another factor is that Amare lost his biggest advantage in the Marion-Shaq trade: playing in a serious mismatch every game at the 5. He made his living pulling centers away from the rim, catching the ball from 20, and using the major speed advantage to get around them and to the unguarded rim. Marion helped pull the other big away on the weakside as well. With Shaq there, the opposing center is going to be near the rim to help, and Amare is facing a 4 that has a much better chance of staying in front of him. Oh Noes!
One of the stupidest trades ever? What? Amare is one of the top PF's in the league with a complete offensive arsonal. Luther Head - non factor for the Rockets Artest - has been hurt much of the year and a non factor but regardless we have a glut at the wings positions and his contract expires. Scola - I love the way he plays but he is in no way on the same level as Amare. A coach, GM or who ever would be nuts to turn down this trade.
Here's Amare's stats against the Celtics 30mins 0-7 shooting 3 points 1 REBOUND 4 turnovers Scola may not be the better offensive player but Scola is definitely a better defensive player. Amare has all this talent but he doesn't want to play defense.
Only trade Suns will do with Rockets is Amare for Yao... This probably is the shortest distance to elite for the Rockets, on paper at least. Imagine how Rockets was playing small ball, but substitute Landry with Amare and adding TMac to direct traffic... But will you do it? I mentioned this looks great ON PAPER. But there are so many intangibles that may make the teasm worse...
That game just sticks out the most because it was HORRENDOUS. I've watched enough Suns game to know Amare can't play defense. Maybe he can do better but he is just tanking it instead because he wants out of PHX.
Also Suns fan say Amare has been making headlines on how he wants to "be feared" and "be the man". I mean do you think this guy will play second fiddle on any team? He couldn't even get along with Marion. He's probably mad that the Suns traded to get a ball hog( Richardson) to the team.
Nash's style doesn't fit Yao. Just think that Nash feels uncomfortable to play with Shaq. He just is not good at half court game. On the other hand, Yao is not good at run-and-gun game where Nash is an expert.
