Is Amare a bad defender because he has always been in PHX?

[MitchellUK]

no, he's a horrible atrocious defender because he doesn't try on defense

i know, that is exactly what i'm saying, he plays in a system that doesn't require players to try, just throw up a shot and run. and he has played in that system his whole career.

what if he played his whole career with Larry Brown, were all you stress in practice is defense.

And yet Shawn Marion was highly respected for his defense during his time in Phoenix. At the end of the day, even if you don't have a coach who stresses defense (which I find hard to believe - do you really think D'Antoni says "Don't worry about stopping the other team, it's all about taking the first open look you get"), you can put the effort in yourself. Show some pride, make your opponent work for every last point he gets, fight for every rebound, help your team-mates. Amare just doesn't have that.

As for the Larry Brown thing, yes, he stresses team and defense above all else, but there are always going to be some players you can't reach. How far did it get him in New York?

[GameOver25]

Has the tools to be a good defender. But he doesn't try and doesn't know how to play defense.

[CB4MiamiHeat]

I mean i look at the Suns or the Knicks and defense doesnt even matter there, so its hard to label him as a bad defender....those teams dont even rotate.

In a good system hed be OK. If he played for the Cavs or Heat his defense wouldnt even be brought up...i consider Amare pretty smart, i think he would get it pretty fast...and he cares about playing time, so hell show more effort on a team that stresses defense.

[DaDragicShow]

Amare has always preached defense but never shown it. Yes, he does have flashes to be a good defender but those flashes come once every 5 games. I don't believe for one second if he played for the Lakers that he would be any better defender then he is now.

[tsherkin]

Amare has the tools. He has the quickness, he's got the leaping ability, the wingspan, enough strength.

He doesn't box out frequently, he doesn't chase boards often, he doesn't make hustle plays, he often keeps his hands down on defense, he doesn't move to take charges often...

In short, he basically puts his body between the check and the rim and if that's not enough, then the guy gets a good look, often much closer to the rim than he should have been.

He CAN do it, but he's just lazy as Hell and doesn't listen well. He runs his mouth too much, as well.

[Too Late Crew]

No he's a bad defender becuase he's a bad defender.

There is no evidence you can't be a good defender with the Suns. Did the mere fact that he played for the suns make Bell or Marion bad defenders?

If he played in a system that stressed defense and played with better defenders would his bad defense be less apparent? It has to be yes. It doesn't change the fact that he's a bad defender it just reduces the spotlight.

Was eddy curry a bad defender and a terrible rebounder because of where he played? Nope he was bad becuase he was bad. Larry Brown coached him and he was still bad.

[MitchellUK]

Stouremire is on the same level as Howard is to me.

Hopefully you mean Juwan and not Dwight.

I don't think he did. That's the sort of post that makes you shake your head in disbelief.