# Amare hoping for big rebound



## Amareca (Oct 21, 2002)

_Amare hoping for big rebound 


FLAGSTAFF - From the moment he donned a Suns jersey, Amare Stoudemire was a P.T. Barnum freak show.
He was a high school man-child who defied age, physics and a tough upbringing to win the 2002-03 NBA Rookie of the Year. 

He was a genetic mutation who could punish post defenders with brute force, or drive the lane after a cross-over dribble and throw down, as he did on Jan. 14, 2003, in San Antonio.

You could almost slip in the pools of saliva from all those gaping jaws you saw each time he took the court.

He owned the Valley and everybody wanted a piece of the action. But as Stoudemire's stock began to soar with a Nike endorsement, his own comic book action figure and a spot on the 2004 Olympic Team, fate dealt him a balancing measure of gravity.

First came ankle and toe injuries that sidelined him for 27 games of the Suns' disastrous 2003-2004 season.

Then came an unfamiliar slap to his ego when he was benched for most of the Athens Games.

For the first time, Stoudemire, and all of his fans, saw the guy nicknamed STAT for what he really was: an extraordinarily gifted 21-year old who still had so much to learn. “One thing I think we lose sight of when dealing with these 19- 20- and 21-year-olds is that they've never really been taught a lot of fundamentals," Olympic and Pistons coach Larry Brown said.

“Amare was so gifted, so young that he got put right into the pro system, running pro plays where he just had to rely on his athletic ability."

Stoudemire and Brown both admit that the Olympic benching was difficult to manage.

“It took me a little while to make him understand why he wasn't playing,' Brown said.

But the move also was beneficial.

“Even though I wasn't getting my normal PT (playing time) Coach Brown still saw that I had potential and that I'm a good player," he said.

“He kept telling me I was the future of the Olympic team, and it felt good that he had that kind of confidence in me."

Stoudemire said he spent plenty of practice time absorbing Brown's wisdom. He came away convinced that that he should use his above-average, mid-range jump shot more, to pull defenders out, and occasionally drive around them with his quick first step.

“That's something a lot of my opponents don't know about, so we're gonna catch them by surprise this season," he said.

He's also determined to become a better shot-blocker.

“I'm the enforcer man, so anything they bring down in the paint, me, Jake Voskuhl and Steven Hunter are gonna knock it back out of there," he said.

But there are a few more lessons the Suns and Brown hope Stoudemire will embrace this season, including passing better out of double-teams and playing better team defense instead of getting locked in on his own man or just looking for the big block.

“He's got to understand that by making his teammates better — by making a pass in the right situation — that he not only makes it easier for us to win, he makes it easier on himself to have a great game," Suns assistant Marc Iavaroni said.

One issue that still hasn't been resolved is Stoudemire's role at center. While Stoudemire is adamant about not starting or playing significant minutes in the pivot, Suns coach Mike D'Antoni believes he will accept that role if the need arises.

“When the opportunity or situation calls for him to play the 5, guess what, he's playing the 5," D'Antoni said. “If he wants me to call it the 4, I'll call it the 4, but we'll have five guys out there and if he's guarding Yao Ming he might figure out he's the 5. “He's got to have confidence in the coaches not to put him out there unless it's better for the Phoenix Suns. And if it's better for the Phoenix Suns, then there's not much of an argument.

“It's about winning. It's not about what's good for me or good for him. I know he, as a competitor and a winner, will adapt to that."

Brown agreed.

“Amare's still a young guy and sometimes he'll do something or say something that reminds you he's still a young guy," he said.

“But I really believe he wants to get better because he accepts coaching and he works so hard to do whatever it takes to win.

“He's always respectful and attentive, so ultimately I think he'll embrace whatever he needs to do." _

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=29229


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## The Main Man (Aug 10, 2004)

Kind words from Coach Brown. Good to hear.


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## 1 Penny (Jul 11, 2003)

Amare can really benefit from being a good passer off double teams. Every superstar big man are either 'good' or 'very good' at passing out off double teams and finding the right guy.

Its not physical thing, its all in his basketball knowledge, which will only get better as he gets older. Hopefully he can develop that good sense of when to pass and finding the right man.


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## azirishmusic (Feb 25, 2004)

One of the problems is that Amare is so good in the low block that he doesn't think anyone can stop him. A lot of time he's right, but it is still better to get his teammates easy layups.


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## byrondarnell66 (Jul 18, 2004)

Edit, just a waste


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## Arclite (Nov 2, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>byrondarnell66</b>!
> hes gonna get owned in the west this year,LOL


lol dewd




:whatever:


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## The Main Man (Aug 10, 2004)

> Originally posted by <b>byrondarnell66</b>!
> Amare is a fool if he thinks nobody can stop him, hes gonna get owned in the west this year,LOL


lolz jo0 aer teh f00l


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## byrondarnell66 (Jul 18, 2004)

edit


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## hobojoe (Jun 20, 2003)

I'd really like to see Amare play better defense and learn how to pass effectively out of double-teams this season. If he can do that, even without much improvement elsewhere he can become a Top 5 PF in the league.


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## DownUnderWonder (May 27, 2003)

with nash running his usual run and gun game at the point and Q and Marion both players who enjoy up-tempo ball, look for the suns at times to heavily rely on Amare's mobility ala NJ and Kenyon. Its going to be a hell of a show.


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