Amare finally addresses lack of explosion / poor play

[Priggy Smalls]

OK, now that the food wars are over, I think we can summarize it by saying Stat had a back injury, needing to rehab, couldn't play hoops while doing that and was rusty coming back after the lay-off.

My only question is after 35 games does saying you're rusty actually make sense? Do you guys believe he should still need more playing time to get his groove back? I don't know. It just seems like a lot of games to say you're still rusty.

35 games in a condensed schedule isn't really a good gauge of much though. you could probably count the number of practices this team has had this year on one hand and with all the weight he put on he just needs time to get shots so he can fix his jumper. now i hope he just loses the weight altogether but either way it's tough with this schedule.

He's only played 29 games.

Sports physiology question: How does a guy with like 2% body fat drop 15 pounds while playing a full NBA season?

i don't get what sort of response you're even looking for here. he hasn't had any time to work his jumper even if he never put on the weight in the first place. the weight thing is just a secondary issue.

[cgmw]

^
Sorry for not being clear enough, Ray. I think it's ridiculous that people are focusing on Amar'e's weight. Therefore I will stop posting about it.

Somewhere in my last ten responses, I called for STAT to focus on working hard, being more aggressive, and finding his place with this squad. Couldn't really care less about his diet. I assume he has world-class trainers and doctors advising him on that.

[GettinitDone]

Good news: second half of season is also J.R. usually routinely turned it up in his time in Denver.

[blumatic]

Won't believe it till he proves it. We'll see how he plays tomorrow and see what kinda "intensity" he'll bring to the court.

Agreed. But Im not looking for intensity. Im looking for smarter decisions. More savvy around the paint. The paint will be crowded no matter what. And he must knockdown his jumper.

[NYK210]

Time to start attacking the rim STAT

[NowWHYcee7]

So Amar'e can't eat fried chicken now? Hilarious.

[NoLayupRule]

Amare hasnt made any excuses for his play nor has he asked for or demanded anything of the coach, as far as we know

I respect him for that

[Deeeez Knicks]

Maybe its shake n bake?

[SelbyCobra]

Amare hasnt made any excuses for his play nor has he asked for or demanded anything of the coach, as far as we know

I respect him for that

He's made several excuses for his play in the first half. He's said that his performance has been due to his teammates not getting him the ball, him picking up fouls, him taking one for the team by sacrificing his role, etc., etc., etc. Basically everything except taking resonsibility for actually missing wide open jumpers and getting blocked like Charles Smith on a nightly basis.

That's why I'm personally happy to see him finally step up here and at least acknowledge that he's not been the player that he should be. I really hope we see that patented second half surge from Stat, because that was absolutely his thing in PHX.

[Besart19]

"All of that might have played a factor," Stoudemire said. "There's no excuse for that. I wanted to get stronger. I wanted to definitely heal my back. From a health standpoint, I feel great, but now it's time to tune it up a little bit and play great basketball."

Let's hope it's for true and not just words to give us false hopes...

[CANiLIVE]

Come on now, how don't you play basketball all summer at all, I know his back was healing, but come on your a pro, would you every hear any great players say this? Perhaps not, this just rises red flags.

[NoLayupRule]

Amare hasnt made any excuses for his play nor has he asked for or demanded anything of the coach, as far as we know

I respect him for that

He's made several excuses for his play in the first half. He's said that his performance has been due to his teammates not getting him the ball, him picking up fouls, him taking one for the team by sacrificing his role, etc., etc., etc. Basically everything except taking resonsibility for actually missing wide open jumpers and getting blocked like Charles Smith on a nightly basis.

That's why I'm personally happy to see him finally step up here and at least acknowledge that he's not been the player that he should be. I really hope we see that patented second half surge from Stat, because that was absolutely his thing in PHX.

Ive never heard him say a single thing like that and I pay attention

Ive hear him say hes willing to sacrifice for the team if it means winning but never an excuse for play

[j4remi]

Come on now, how don't you play basketball all summer at all, I know his back was healing, but come on your a pro, would you every hear any great players say this? Perhaps not, this just rises red flags.

I'm guessing you've never dealt with a real back injury before huh?

[CANiLIVE]

Come on now, how don't you play basketball all summer at all, I know his back was healing, but come on your a pro, would you every hear any great players say this? Perhaps not, this just rises red flags.

I'm guessing you've never dealt with a real back injury before huh?

That besides the point he's a pro basketball player making 100 mill, you telling me you can't improve on mastering your craft for a whole summer at all, there's other plays to improve basketball skill set like watching tape. His back was not broken, he came back with 15 extra pounds so he was working out, so let's not act like he couldn't move at all.

[NoLayupRule]

Come on now, how don't you play basketball all summer at all, I know his back was healing, but come on your a pro, would you every hear any great players say this? Perhaps not, this just rises red flags.

I'm guessing you've never dealt with a real back injury before huh?

That besides the point he's a pro basketball player making 100 mill, you telling me you can't improve on mastering your craft for a whole summer at all, there's other plays to improve basketball skill set like watching tape. He's back was not broken, he came back with 15 extra pounds so he was working out, so let's not act like he couldn't move at all.

no its exactly the point

just like when he had to spend 15 hours a day lying face down in the dark for his detached retina his rehab on his back required him not to play basketball


back injuries are not like twisted ankles, you dont just man up and soldier through them

[Retired_Doc]

Basically, when I hear Amare talk this season I hear:

1) A person who might just be flat-out lying.

2) A person almost certainly "fibbing."

3) A person offering lame excuses, and hiding the truth.

4) A person never coming to grips with THE real truth, and simply bypassing reality.

5) Possibly just one VERY confused person who essentially doesn't know what the heck he's even talking about.

6) A very uneducated person, and one not at all blessed with intelligence. (Surely he could never be confused with say, one Jeremy Lin).

[makeitstop]

Come on now, how don't you play basketball all summer at all, I know his back was healing, but come on your a pro, would you every hear any great players say this? Perhaps not, this just rises red flags.

I'm guessing you've never dealt with a real back injury before huh?

That besides the point he's a pro basketball player making 100 mill, you telling me you can't improve on mastering your craft for a whole summer at all, there's other plays to improve basketball skill set like watching tape. His back was not broken, he came back with 15 extra pounds so he was working out, so let's not act like he couldn't move at all.

No, it isn't beside the point. It is the point.

I hurt my back a few years ago. I couldn't walk, couldn't stand for an extended period of time, couldn't sit comfortably. If you'd asked me to play basketball at that time I would have told you you were nuts.

It took me two solid years of treatment to get back to the point where I could move comfortably.

Pointing out that he makes a 100 mil is weak - it's you making an excuse for why you think he should have been playing while he was most likely flat on his back.

Like I said to Donkki - let's see you get a back injury and tell us all how much basketball you can play.

[SelbyCobra]

Amare hasnt made any excuses for his play nor has he asked for or demanded anything of the coach, as far as we know

I respect him for that

He's made several excuses for his play in the first half. He's said that his performance has been due to his teammates not getting him the ball, him picking up fouls, him taking one for the team by sacrificing his role, etc., etc., etc. Basically everything except taking resonsibility for actually missing wide open jumpers and getting blocked like Charles Smith on a nightly basis.

That's why I'm personally happy to see him finally step up here and at least acknowledge that he's not been the player that he should be. I really hope we see that patented second half surge from Stat, because that was absolutely his thing in PHX.

Ive never heard him say a single thing like that and I pay attention

Ive hear him say hes willing to sacrifice for the team if it means winning but never an excuse for play

He says all kinds of these fluff/BS quotes constantly.

Stoudemire drove hard to the basket for a resounding dunk with 7:42 left, but never really saw the ball much again. Stoudemire said he was revved for a big fourth quarter.

“I was telling myself they can’t keep a good man down,’’ Stoudemire said. “I was amped up and ready to go in the fourth. I was ready to dominate. Again it’s my fault. We lost the game because I got into foul trouble. It won’t happen again.’’

That quote, acting like it was a foregone conclusion he would dominate, was coming from a guy who was 23-65 (35.3%!!) in his 4 games prior. As usual, it wasn't about him playing terribly, it was about some external factors with no acknowledgement of him actually being BAD at that moment in time.

For me, that's why I liked hearing the quotes form him at yesterday's practice. Finaally there was some personal accountability on his end.

[NoLayupRule]

jesus, what do you want him to say?

He blamed himself for not getting the ball again and put it all on himself unlike most guys out there who blame not getting enough touches or whatever


some of you guys are so pleased to blame our players that you'll say anythign

they are dammed if they do and dammed if they dont

retired_doc calling Amare stupid, as if he has any idea about Amare's intelligence based on press quotes and as if he had any basis to make a judgement about someone else.

Selby_cobra claiming amare's saying a loss is his fault is not taking accountability when its exactly taking accountability

come on people
I'd hate you all to be judged the way you judge

[makeitstop]

jesus, what do you want him to say?

He blamed himself for not getting the ball again and put it all on himself unlike most guys out there who blame not getting enough touches or whatever


some of you guys are so pleased to blame our players that you'll say anythign

they are dammed if they do and dammed if they dont

retired_doc calling Amare stupid, as if he has any idea about Amare's intelligence based on press quotes and as if he had any basis to make a judgement about someone else.

Selby_cobra claiming amare's saying a loss is his fault is not taking accountability when its exactly taking accountability

come on people
I'd hate you all to be judged the way you judge

QFT