Amare's New Role

[maes]

Point - Center. Huh?

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketba ... mire_x.htm

Stoudemire is the cornerstone, and he came out of his exit meeting with Suns coaches and officials smiling about his future role: point-center.

The Suns, in an apparent compromise to Stoudemire's reluctance to play center again next season in D'Antoni's small-ball lineup, sent him home for the summer as the team's designated go-to player next season.

He earned the promotion with a stunning postseason that included averaging 37 points against Tim Duncan and the Spurs and 29.9 points overall in the playoffs.

The redefined role will have him pick-and-roll more often with Nash on the perimeter and free him to shoot outside, drive inside or pass.

Did someone say Magic Johnson?

"It's playing the position I played this year, center, but with a different twist — more of a perimeter, inside-outside game," Stoudemire said. "I'll do a lot more."

He added: "I've always dreamed of being in that position, the go-to guy. With this team, once I polish my game up a little more, I'll be able to take us to the promised land."

[air gordon]

now this should be interesting..

q's new role: show up for the playoffs

[Andrew]

Given that he was their top scorer in the playoffs and the regular season by at least six points per game, I would have thought he was already their go-to guy. Seems like a good strategy to me.

[cyanide]

A point-center? Huh, that sounds interesting. I'm glad he's happy about that role and I hope he'll do awesome next year

[Mikki]

I would have thought he was already their go-to guy.

He was Nash's go-to-guy.

[Andrew]

No, he was the team's go-to guy. Steve Nash is the starting point guard, the team is the Phoenix Suns. Amare led the team in scoring during the regular season and the playoffs, he was getting the ball down the stretch in the San Antonio series. He is the go-to guy on the Phoenix Suns, not the Phoenix Nash.

[Fresh8]

Amare and his new role.. very interesting.. and he s promising to rip up the league...

[fgrep15]

now this should be interesting..

q's new role: show up for the playoffs

Try not to get traded

[beau_boy04]

so what position should Amare play next season? Center or Power Forward? He's very good at C position even though he lacks the defensive intensity but I think if he keeps on improving he could become the next Hakeem Olajuwon but with powerfull dunks He definitely is too fast and quick for most centers in the league, mmmm let me rephrase that all the centers so he definitely has an speed/quickness advantage.

Anyways, he could dominate the PF position as wel.

[Andrew]

He's got a long way to go before he's even the same class as Olajuwon. He showed off some moves that were quite impressive but nothing compared to the Dream's bag of tricks. He also needs to improve his defense before he's truly an Olajuwon-like player. As far as where he should play, I think he should remain at centre for as long as it works for the Suns.

[Matt]

he can do a crossover like Hakeem too! he needs more range on his J like Hakeem had and of course defensively he needs to get better.

[Fresh8]

The small lineup is good in terms that they can run the floor. Amare can run the floor and beat opposition C and if the other four guys do the same, the strategy should be fine!

[J@3]

Great, Amare Stoudemire will become the new Chris Webber. He'll get so enamoured with shooting outside that's all he'll end up doing.

[Andrew]

I don't know about that, C-Webb came into the league with three point attempts and long jumpers. These days, he isn't healthy enough to mix it up inside as he used to. I think Amare will be more like the mid-90s Shawn Kemp.

[Matt]

^^^I agree. We also know that Amare aint scared to throw down some nasty shit on peoples heads, and he went right at Tim Duncan (an excellent defender). It'll just add to his game and make him more dangerous. In the end, he'll still throw down. KG's and Duncans outside game havent hurt their post play, and neither should Amare's.

[J@3]

It came naturally to them though, and you've got to remember neither of them were "point center'... mainly because they don't play center. Amare's game since he's been in the league has been inside (I'm told) so why try and make him shoot more outside.

[Fenix]

Now that's a thing I wanna see . I read on many occasions that Amare is a good 3pt shooter and that he tends to work on his ball-handling skills this summer. If it goes everything the way it should go, he could end up revolutionizing the game. Mark my words.

I'm still suprised that he agreed upon playing a C.

[maes]

Amare is greatness...but Hakeem was so different. He would be considered "soft" these days in a bad way, back in the day it was called "skilled". His most deadly move was a turnaround jumper that he didn't need any PG penetration or pick & roll for, he created his own points without any help. Anyone trying to play any tough D on him just got owned by a variety of jukes, fakes, up & unders, layups, banks...you were better off just letting him shoot and praying.

If i had to pick a guy that reminded me of Hakeem it would probably be Nowitzki. He's not the most amazing athlete. He's got a deadly turnaround jumper, he uses his shooting to throw a million headfakes at you, he grabs a lot of rebounds and can block shots. But Nowitzki doesn't have the Hakeem smoothness.

Amare is pure power, i think the primetime Kemp comparison is spot on. Kemp also developed a jumper just inside the 3 point line, and Kemp was also starting to develop ballhandling skills & ability to attack on his own.

[Jackal]

Let's just hope Amare doesn't become completely like Kemp.

[Andrew]

Amare is greatness...but Hakeem was so different. He would be considered "soft" these days in a bad way, back in the day it was called "skilled". His most deadly move was a turnaround jumper that he didn't need any PG penetration or pick & roll for, he created his own points without any help. Anyone trying to play any tough D on him just got owned by a variety of jukes, fakes, up & unders, layups, banks...you were better off just letting him shoot and praying.

Agreed, though he was still a physical player on defense and had a few power moves on offense. As you said, his footwork allowed him to embarrass players in the post without force, moves such as the "Dream Shake" and his multiple fakes (David Robinson in the 1995 Playoffs and Christian Laettner in the 1997 All-Star Game come to mind).

[beau_boy04]

Yeah I enjoyed seeing Hakeem embarrasing David Robinson in that series it was sooo much fun to watch. I think David was named the regular season MVP and seeing him get screwed over and over by Hakeem was fun

On another note:

Amare during the regular season averaged:

16.7 FG attempts
and
9.93 FT attempts

He is the Suns go to guy!

He's going to demand lots of money cuz he knows he's that good and if the Suns don't open up the bank for him, he's gone!

[Nel]

I hope Amare's game stays the same and not copy someone elses game..

[Matt]

I think it's an insult compare Hakeem and Nowitzki. You stop Nowiztki's shot and you stop his effectiveness. Hakeem....you couldn't stop him. He embarassed great defenders, he ran like a guard (ask Rod Strickland), he had endless moves and he was the leagues best defensive big man.

[Sauru]

its also an insult right now to compare the dream to amare. infact its insulting to hakeem to compare alot of players to him. the guy was just all kinds of good, the kind of good that these players cant even understand yet.

[Andrew]

It's become fashionable to compare up and coming players to established stars and all-time greats. There's a host of "Next Jordans" than can attest to that. Billy Owens comes to mind.