11-28-2008, 09:40 PM
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#1
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Guru
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 40,410
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What is the deal with Phoenix?
This team seems to be just full of prima-donnas. First marion..now Amare. I get the feeling (not sure where it's coming from) that Nashty is biding his time before he's outta there also.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/column...udemire-081128
Quote:
PHOENIX -- The scene was the home locker room, minutes after the Suns had emphatically illustrated they are not who we're used to seeing and certainly are not where they want to be. Amare Stoudemire stood at his locker with his head bowed, looking distant amid a crowd of familiar faces, resembling a sad puppy who had lost his way.
The Phoenix Suns had not only been beaten by the Los Angeles Lakers over the course of 48 excruciating minutes in last week's 105-92 loss, they had been beaten down. L.A.'s precision had been in full effect, its togetherness undeniable, as had been the Lakers' depth and confidence. And so, indeed, had been the good time they were having at the Suns' expense.
"They did look really good out there," Stoudemire said, deadpan. "They were fluid, flowing. Just doing what they do. I remember when we looked like that."
Stoudemire stopped right there.
He knew he didn't need to say another word.
The Suns, at 11-5, still sit near the top of the Western Conference standings. They still have Stoudemire and Steve Nash. Add the usual bandits like Raja Bell, Boris Diaw and Grant Hill, and one would think Phoenix is still the same potent team it's been in recent memory.
Except that is simply not true.
For one thing, the Suns don't have departed coach Mike D'Antoni, who averaged 58 wins the past four seasons. In his place is new coach Terry Porter, whose mandate is to tweak the offense and cater more to Shaquille O'Neal (acquired from Miami halfway into last season) -- but more so to fix a defense that surrendered 105 points per game (24th in the league) and 45.6 percent shooting from the field (18th) last season.
Supposedly, this transition will transform the Suns from all-entertainment status to legitimate title contenders. So say Hill and almost everyone else in Phoenix's locker room.
Almost.
"I hope so," said Stoudemire, who is averaging 22.6 points and 8.3 rebounds and is shooting 57.4 percent from the field thus far, showing little regression despite the changes. "The goal is bigger than just myself. It's to win a championship. Do everything it takes. But in the process, I'm also trying to be the best I can be, too."
Sorry! But few, if any, can tell what direction Phoenix is headed right now.
....
When asked about his situation, Stoudemire said, "You've got LeBron James who's a featured guy. You've got Dwyane Wade. He's a featured guy. Dwight Howard? They go to him. Chris Bosh? They go to him.
"Bottom line: I want to be that guy. I want to show the league and the world that I feel like my game has improved to that level."
When asked whether he felt Porter's new system was helping that cause, Stoudemire said, "I'm not sure."
When told it wasn't good for him to feel that way, his response: "It ain't great!"
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__________________
"Yankees fans who say “flags fly forever’’ are right, you never lose that. It reinforces all the good things about being a fan. ... It’s black and white. You (the Mavs) won a title. That’s it and no one can say s--- about it.’’
Last edited by dude1394; 11-28-2008 at 09:43 PM.
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11-28-2008, 09:57 PM
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#2
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Diamond Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Arlington, VA
Posts: 7,031
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not a good sign. I heard the announcers talking about this before the suns heat game tonight
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11-28-2008, 10:18 PM
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#3
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Diamond Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,082
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What if the Knicks get Nash and Lebron.
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11-28-2008, 11:59 PM
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#4
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Ithaca, NY
Posts: 282
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MavsWiLLHaVeRinGs
What if the Knicks get Nash and Lebron.
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I'm guessing they might win a few games...
__________________
"Gimme some Raptor news..."
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11-29-2008, 11:50 AM
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#5
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 16,054
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Ama(M)e has always been about himself ans his stats. Hell, he gave himself the nickname STAT. Now that he no longer has the stats... 22/8... he wants out.
Last edited by Bayliss; 11-29-2008 at 11:51 AM.
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11-29-2008, 11:58 AM
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#6
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Diamond Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Hudson, WI
Posts: 3,938
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Another game, another "Dwyane Wade shoots more FTs than the other team"....
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11-29-2008, 01:33 PM
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#7
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Moderator
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: 41.21.1
Posts: 36,143
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Quote:
Originally Posted by spreedom
Another game, another "Dwyane Wade shoots more FTs than the other team"....
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That's because Cpt. Wheelchair is the best player in the NBA (when the refs want him to be...)
__________________
These days being a fan is a competition to see who can be the most upset when
your team loses. That proves you love winning more. That's how it works.
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11-29-2008, 01:41 PM
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#8
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 17,873
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The FT with Wade is a little ridiculous, but he totally dominated this game even without the FT's. He took the Suns and made them his personal whipping doll. I think he at least 3 absolutely vicious dunks.
__________________
John Madden on Former NFL Running Back Leroy Hoard: "You want one yard, he'll get you three. You want five yards, he'll get you three."
"Your'e a low-mentality drama gay queen!!" -- She_Growls
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11-29-2008, 07:15 PM
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#9
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Platinum Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,150
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Phx did not have Nash that game and Phx will suck without Nash. With a healthy Nash, they will win alot of regular season games and so many that reporters will be talking like they can compete for a title but they won't go far in the playoffs even with Nash. To many good teams in the west that have talent and are younger.
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11-29-2008, 08:40 PM
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#10
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Platinum Member
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Between Sun and Moon
Posts: 2,441
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Not a good sign when you are a very good 11-5 and your star player is talking about the ways things used to be!
__________________
Mavericks team pic. Guess which one is Stack.
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11-29-2008, 11:49 PM
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#11
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 4
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The Shaq effect is now in full effect. The blackhole!!! But yeah Amare needs to learn defense.
Last edited by Laker Fan #24; 11-29-2008 at 11:52 PM.
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