Amare knows teams will be prepared for him

In the Suns' favorite preseason fantasy, point guard Stephon Marbury leads an explosive, creative and unstoppable running game that features a graceful Shawn Marion on one wing and a powerful Amare Stoudemire on the other. The highlight reels overload with emphatic fast-break finishes, and the Suns reward a city that waited patiently for the team to rebuild its nucleus.

The problem with that fantasy? The Suns still play in the Western Conference where the defending champion San Antonio Spurs and three-time champion Los Angeles Lakers reside. If the Suns want to rub elbows with the NBA's weighty upper crust, they'll have to execute just as effectively in the half court against the likes of Tim Duncan and Shaquille O'Neal.

No player is more important to that execution than Stoudemire, the reigning Rookie of the Year. The Suns 6-foot-10 power forward gives the team its best interior presence on offense since Charles Barkley, and its most intimidating defensive presence since Antonio McDyess' brief 1997-98 visit.

After a season of opening eyes around the league, Stoudemire knows he won't catch anyone snoozing this year.

“I think I'm going to get double teams from the first game on out, but I've prepared for it. I've worked on a lot of moves," Stoudemire said.

Among the skills Stoudemire says he has added to his repertoire are a mid-range jump shot to keep defenders from backing off of him, better ball handling, moves in the post and a better understanding of his one-on-one defensive assignments.

Via East Valley Tribune

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Suns' Rookies shelved

Rookie Zarko Cabarkapa is nursing a strained groin and may be limited as he seeks to get healthy for the start of training camp.

Fellow rookie Leandro Barbosa was supposed to arrive from Brazil after clearing up a visa issue, but he remained there because of his father's illness.

Both players will attend the NBA's rookie orientation program next week, then report for camp.

Via Arizona Republic

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Stoudemire returns

Amare Stoudemire went through his second full-court workout, and he was sucking wind by the time it was over after spending most of the summer recuperating from toe surgery.

"I was trying to play through it so I can get into better shape," Stoudemire said.

Although the surgery didn't help his conditioning, it may have aided his shooting. He spent the summer working on his shot, and it shows in workouts.

"(Assistant coach) Phil Weber is a great shooting coach," he said. "I had to change up my shot a little."

Stoudemire also underwent laser eye surgery, which should help his shooting and didn't hurt while he was taping an episode of Wheel of Fortune that will air during the show's "NBA Week" Nov. 17-21.

Via Arizona Republic

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