# OT: Amare Stoudemire - We Haven't Practiced Defense In 3 years



## USSKittyHawk (Jul 22, 2005)

> The video starts with some fun footage of Suns players -- Steve Nash, Robin Lopez, Amare Stoudemire, Alando Tucker, Grant Hill, Louis Amundson, and others -- during a closed off-season practice session. Stoudemire says that Shaquille O'Neal had been there, and Boris Diaw and Matt Barnes would be coming soon.
> 
> Once the interview starts, Stoudemire announces a story that promises to get some major run in the blogosphere as the season unfolds. He has been taking piano lessons. "Strictly for the ladies," he explains. " Just to kind of serenade the ladies a little bit with the piano. See how that goes."
> 
> ...


http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-33-239/Amare-Stoudemire--The-Suns-are-Ready.html

His own former players are saying it, but we still got folks who will claim that D'Antoni will preach defense. What a damn joke.


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## Da Grinch (Aug 17, 2002)

D'antoni's defensive philosophy to seems to be play hard or sit.

he doesn't have problems reaching players, the suns have been an average defensive team the last few years ...with their players to me that seemed about right.


here is something some1 wrote about D'Antoni in a blog , a rather detailed look at the knicks new coach.

http://www.faniq.com/blog/How-Mike-DAntoni-Will-Make-The-Knicks-Enjoyable-To-Watch-Blog-11467


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## Guest (Sep 2, 2008)

That's okay, neither have the Knicks. Or half the teams in the NBA, for that matter.


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## Dean the Master (Feb 19, 2006)

What is going on here in the Knicks forum? (I read the other thread too.)

Man, I think D'antoni's defense is really underrated. Amare is maybe saying this just to show some loyalty to his new coach. That's fine by me.

Though, I'd say the Knicsk will win more games this year than last. Maybe not by much though, we will see.


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## TRUTHHURTS (Mar 1, 2003)

The hypocrisy of some fans knows no end .


Most have said the knicks played NO defense so how is the Suns have played no defense as well.But somehow managed to finish 12th in opp fg% while the knicks finished 28th.I dont understand the logic behind that at all coming from anyone who follows pro basketball.

Now some will say that the Suns scored a ton but played little defense well lets take a look at the other high scoring teams around the league 

Warriors
Nuggets 
Suns 
Lakers 
Jazz

are the top 5 scoring teams in the nba 

the Warriors ranked 24th in opp fg%

The Nuggets ranked 14th in opp fg%

the Suns ranked 13th in opp. fg%

The Lakers ranked 6th in opp Fg%

The Jazz ranked 19th in opp fg%

So how do the Suns get labeled as playing no defense ? If D'antoni was able to take the knicks from nearly last top just outside the top ten in defense would that not be seen as a huge improvement regardless of whether or not he is defensive minded coach ?

Think about this for a second .On the Suns Bell made the all nba defensive team but who else on the Suns couldve made the biggest difference defensively and Nash should be given a obvious pardon as hes too old youre not gonna improve his defense this late in his career .Its Amare who hasnt come close to making a defensive team and if D-Howard can take a team with nelson,Lewis,and Hedo and get them to number 7 in opp fg%. I would think that Amare should have the Suns well into the top ten with a all nba caliber perimeter defender already on the squad . 


I just dont see the basis of any argument that would be against D'antoni if he could take the knicks from 21st in the league in scoring to a top ten ten team and from 28th in opp fg% to above the league average .That would be a huge step for a team looking to re-establish itself.


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