Am I wrong in thinking Amare doesn't have the same Spring he used to?

It all starts with Nash. If you make Nash work for everything and constantly challenge his passing lanes - the Suns offense will sputter. The Spurs did a great job of that the last meeting in the regular season, but can they do that consistently for 4 wins? I'd probably say yes.

While Amare has lost some leap, I think he has made up for by making quicker decisions and not solely relying on his own athleticism to win games. Just last night watching him blow by Turiaf in the 4th made me nervous.

I still say Spurs in 7.

Amare isn't as athletic but he's a better basketball player now.

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Originally Posted by Kevin Blackistone

Amare has lost a step, but offensively has a better jump shot (still not very good). I think the real question is whether Duncan is healthier and better than '05 - in '05 he had two sprained ankles throughout the playoffs.

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Well he had like 3 sprains on one foot (one severe) before going into playoffs and 1 sprain on the other foot the last game before the Suns series. He still owned the Suns!

The kid still has very few fundamentals...

He relies on athleticism alone to get him to the rim...

I only saw him play the Spurs once this season and he had 20-something points and 20-something rebounds-- spring or not. He is a better all-around player than 2 years ago.

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Originally Posted by monosylab1k

his defense is infinitely worse (not that it was great to begin with)

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I agree, he's better, but DAMN did you see him trying to match up on Duncan this year? I've never seen an all-star look so baffled as to how to guard someone. He looked like a high schooler.

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Originally Posted by Extra Stout

90-95% of 2005 Amare

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Straight-line quickness: 90-95%
Lateral quickness: 80-85%
Vertical leap: 75-85%
Secondary leaps: 60-70%

He's still very good, and improving, but, save for his straight-line quickness, he's not near the athlete he once was.

Laterally, he gets caught under the basket too much on both ends. Not near as quick with moves as he once was.

Vertically, he's easily missing six-to-ten inches on his lift. Easily. Plus, he seems to have to generate upward thrust now, where the 2005 Amare was a spring. He could bounce as high off one leg as off two and could do so as quickly as just about anyone.

I'd say he's very average in secondary leaps. If he skies for an offensive rebound, he generally has to stop and gather himself before attempting to go back up strong. Even then, it's still sometimes pretty average.

This is just his physical skills. He's much improved in every other area, however, and just because his springs are gone, won't mean he still can't be a menacing force in the paint, though, mainly on the offensive end.

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Originally Posted by Cry Havoc

I agree, he's better, but DAMN did you see him trying to match up on Duncan this year? I've never seen an all-star look so baffled as to how to guard someone. He looked like a high schooler.

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i have, way back in the year 2005 when amare torched TD for 37ppg, wether it was planned or not...no player is going to LET some guy score 30+ ppg on em.

Amare is the most overrated player in the playoffs

He still cant play man defense worth a shit

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Originally Posted by nkdlunch

Amare is the most overrated player in the playoffs

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and yet youd trade half your team to have him
:downspin:

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Originally Posted by nkdlunch

Amare is the most overrated player in the playoffs

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Amare being overrated is the most overrated stance on this message board.

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Originally Posted by sunsbum

i have, way back in the year 2005 when amare torched TD for 37ppg, wether it was planned or not...no player is going to LET some guy score 30+ ppg on em.

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It wasnt like all those points were scored strictly on Timmy. That was the game plan that series, let Amare get his while no one else did shit. They won 1 game, 1, that speaks volumes

he's better than fabricio....




























on offense...

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Originally Posted by mardigan

It wasnt like all those points were scored strictly on Timmy. That was the game plan that series, let Amare get his while no one else did shit. They won 1 game, 1, that speaks volumes

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i know where youre comming from and i know what youre saying...but theres not many players in this league....especially against the spurs int defense that are good enough to put up those type of numbers, regardless if its a gameplan or not.

The Spurs did allow Amare to score at will. It was their strategy to have Nash dump the ball down low to basically make the Suns one-dimensional.

It worked perfectly.

The stats are misleading.

The fact remains that the Suns have even less of an interior presence this year than they did in 2005 because of his lack of lateral quickness and spring... they dont have any shotblocker, and Amare will allow himself to be screened out on every one of our guard's penetrations...

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Originally Posted by Sec24Row7

The fact remains that the Suns have even less of an interior presence this year than they did in 2005 because of his lack of lateral quickness and spring... they dont have any shotblocker, and Amare will allow himself to be screened out on every one of our guard's penetrations...

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again another spurs fan that has no clue what they are talking about. 2007 amare + kurt thomas >>>>> 2005 amare and steven hunter.

amare was a beast before he got hurt. at times he could just be completely unstoppable. he's taken a big step down this year.

Amare and Kurt Thomas are not a serviceable interior on the defensive end...

sorry

Your team is scary... but that isn't one of the reasons.

(Denver), Dallas, Detroit, Chicago, Utah, and Houston of the teams remaining all have scarier post defenders and shotblockers...

Kurt Thomas is nothing more than 6 free personal fouls for Phoenix. Amare, is a beast....at pushups.

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Originally Posted by nkdlunch

Kurt Thomas is nothing more than 6 free personal fouls for Phoenix. Amare, is a beast....at pushups.

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my my you are so clever.

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Originally Posted by sunsbum

i have, way back in the year 2005 when amare torched TD for 37ppg, wether it was planned or not...no player is going to LET some guy score 30+ ppg on em.

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Yeaaaaaaah.... who won that series, again? With their best player on two bad ankles?

You better hope Amare shows that again, because if he doesn't Duncan will have a nice little blockfest in the post now that he's healthy.

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Originally Posted by Cry Havoc

Yeaaaaaaah.... who won that series, again? With their best player on two bad ankles?

You better hope Amare shows that again, because if he doesn't Duncan will have a nice little blockfest in the post now that he's healthy.

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right two bad ankles, like the marion with the bad wrist, and jj comming of serious face surgery 2 weeks previous. nothing like that right?