Amare Stoudemire, Dime #14Despite hanging 25 points and 12 boards on the Nets (including one unfair dunk on Yi’s head), Amare Stoudemire had an overall frustrating Sunday. And it wasn’t just that the Suns lost. First, Amare was whistled for a tech during a seemingly silly altercation with Devin Harris, where Amare was on the wrong end of a Revenge of the Nerds moment as Trenton Hassell led a brigade of smaller Nets encircling Amare with all the bravado of Tony Montana and Manny before they shanked Rebenga in the refugee camp scene in Scarface. Later in the fourth quarter, with the Suns trying to protect a slim lead, Amare was called for traveling, and his slightly over-the-top reaction got him T’d up again and ejected … And on top of all that, Amare — like the rest of the Suns — had to be frustrated trying to keep up with Devin Harris. He was doing whatever he wanted, on everybody from Steve Nash to Matt Barnes to Sean Singletary, dropping 47 points (14-for-25 FG’s, 17-for-17 FT’s), seven boards and eight assists in Phoenix’s building. Harris only hit two threes; he was mostly killing ‘em on penetration and pull-up J’s, and of course with that spin move/pull-up in the lane that’s becoming Devin’s go-to move … Vince Carter added 28 points, and NBA TV’s Steve Smith suggested Devin and VC are playing better than any backcourt tandem in the League right now. Would you agree with that? … One backcourt Devin and Vince are definitely out-playing is the one in Detroit. With A.I. back in the starting lineup after the Thanksgiving practice incident, and Rip Hamilton actually having one of his better games in recent weeks, the Pistons still looked nothing like a championship contender in losing to the Blazers. Iverson was held to nine points, and Rip (18 pts) still doesn’t look totally comfortable in this new system with his new point guard. Since Iverson played pretty well coming off the bench against Milwaukee over the weekend and Rodney Stuckey looked good as the starter in that game, could the wheels be turning in Michael Curry’s head that Iverson might be better off for this squad as a sixth man? Would Iverson ever go for that? … One of these days we’ll be able to watch Raptors/Lakers and not think “81,” but yesterday wasn’t that day. Although Chris Bosh wasn’t very MVP-ish (12 pts), the Raps were in decent shape well into the first half. But a few Kobe breakaways later, you blinked and L.A. was up by double figures going into halftime. Kobe (23 pts, 7 asts) sat out the fourth quarter again, but the other guys kept T-Dot at a distance … Beast sequence for Andrew Bynum (18 pts, 10 rebs) in the fourth quarter: He threw down an impressive dunk on a lob from Jordan Farmar, then on the next possession had an even more impressive ‘oop finish (landing on JoeyStephen Graham in the process), and finally clearing a rebound and hitting Lamar Odom with a perfect outlet TD pass, followed by Odom flipping it to Trevor Ariza for the dagger dunk … Vlad Radmanovic looks like a clown in those orange glasses. Were those the same ones he wore when he tore up his shoulder skiing? … Carmelo apparently hurt his elbow on Luis Scola’s face, because a few minutes after clocking Scola in the first half of Rockets/Nuggets, ‘Melo left the game with a sore elbow and didn’t return. Chauncey Billups put up 28 and 10 assists in Carmelo’s absence in a Nuggets win … Feel sorry for Andre Miller. Yesterday he didn’t just get carved up by Derrick Rose, he got carved up in the kind of way everyone will remember and call/text him about for a week. The frank-man block on the break; the crossover that left one of the announcers screaming “Is there a medic in the house!”; it doesn’t even matter than Rose’s 18-point, 10-assist line wasn’t all that much better than Dre’s 15 and 10 line … We’re out like Vlad’s shades …
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December 1st, 2008 at 2:13 am
Duke says:
Damn. Devin Harris Revenge Tour or some shit like that. He’s been getting buckets.
December 1st, 2008 at 2:15 am
ian says:
there you go amare
the offense went with you instead of shaq
a. we lost
b. you got yourself thrown OUT
NOT VERY impressive
December 1st, 2008 at 2:25 am
Dodge Taylor says:
Devin Harris, educating the league! I may not have had a great draft in my fantasy comp, but picking him up with the 60th pick was definitely my best move!!
December 1st, 2008 at 2:55 am
Aussie Nets Fan says:
Devin is going off, and VC is proving what a superstar he is. Highest scoring tandem in the league.
Imagine if they had a good frontcourt…
Playoffs?
December 1st, 2008 at 3:11 am
the_don_mega says:
Devin is buckets…
December 1st, 2008 at 3:23 am
Dank says:
derrick rose is my new favorite player. sad cus im older than him by like 10 months but crazy. Teams actually play defense designed to stop him and his penetration, and he still penetrates, no screens needed. he is so fast and has such a sick handle, that even when the sixers were clogging the lane he blew by everyone. and the crossover on Dre was jsut ridiculous. i was speechless, miller was playing 5, 6 feet off him and he still got his ass handed to him
Derrick Rose: MVP when he gets a jumpshot
my smartest fantasy pick EVER
December 1st, 2008 at 3:40 am
John says:
With Nash and Bell the Suns got 75 from the Nets backcourt, just the other night, with Singletary and Bell they got 56 from the Miami Heat backcourt ,,,, I dont think that the real problem of the Suns is the amount of touches that Amare gets ,,,
December 1st, 2008 at 4:14 am
Hi, Jurg from Denmark says:
hi hi from your Jurg and I am in Europe. And a good time to remind my friends at dimemag.com that I have completed my list of Top Ten best euro players in nba now and also cos jurg had some alone time, my top ten list of euro player of all time who play in nba. and next month when dimemag has an open microphone night, i am ready. just let me a holla and give jurgy the 311 mr burton and i am ready for you.
and i must say that i can not believe mr devin harris. this guy score 10 points every game for dallas mavs and WOW, not can not stop scoring. very much like jurg on my business trips all over europe. and a big woop ups to mr Dodge Taylor who get devlin in his draft because i am still wanting a point guard after fantasy doctor say ‘ramon sessions no good cut him’ and i did. only beno and duhon left to make the assits.
and who can believe andrea bargnani. the best player italia has produced and now starting to be good. still not on jurg’s top ten list but one day maybel.
so this is saying outty homeez. hi hi. from jurg.
December 1st, 2008 at 4:40 am
smity far away says:
Devin harris has really impressed me. i have been one of his doubters but i give him his props.
i was looking forward to seeing if bosh could truly back up this mvp talk he’s garnered lately by doing something against L.A. he didnt do much so i’ll hold off on backing him 100. i want to see those 30 12 games against top tier talent teams, not just undersized/underskilled forwards and overrated/underwhelming teams.
L.A. seems to be everybody’s test, really. and i’m starting to think that they really will win 70 some games. I wouldnt want to see them do it (cause the MJ,Rodamn,Pip bulls are sacred (love for the other squads to though) to me but i think that L.A. will barring injury…
and i laughed outloud when andre fell. get up old man!
December 1st, 2008 at 4:42 am
smity far away says:
and also, wow…i remember when pheonix was one of the good teams…
December 1st, 2008 at 5:05 am
dLee says:
I been watching Devin Harris ever since he was at Wisconsin. Always knew he had this kinda potential…dropping 30+ on D-Will, Bibby (twice), calderon, and iverson? straight up sickkk.
Is he a top 5 point guard?
December 1st, 2008 at 5:57 am
rick773 says:
I’m anxious to see the first meeting of cp vs D. Rose they might have to play the whole game in slow-mo. I don’t know if Devin Harris is a top 5 quite yet but if he keeps getting buckets like this he’ll be there quicker than his own fastbreak. Everytime I watch a blazers game I get ill(similar to hawks fans after watching cp play) thinking about what could’ve been if Paxson heard me screaming at the top of my lungs at the tv to draft roy instead of Tyrus Thomas. Granted I still think theres hope for him to be a decent 13 point 8 rebound 3 block kinda guy. But Brandon Roy and Derrick Rose on the same court would’ve been lethal
December 1st, 2008 at 6:14 am
caeubona says:
devin harris burned everyone in a suns uniform. not to mention that vince carter is on some kind of renaissance or something. think he’ll round up into vinsanity form sometime soon?
derrick rose is really putting space between himself and the rest of his class. meaning no disrespect to OJ, but d-rose is on a different level.
man, the lakers win with kobe AND pau sitting out the fourth quarter? sick.
December 1st, 2008 at 6:28 am
Sweet English says:
Just to let Dime know, NBA.com has just released the Top 10 Plays of the first month, and i think it is a bit weak.
Shaq got in at #4 by for getting a rebound.
Roys dagger game winning prayer was SICK. Should have been number 1.
December 1st, 2008 at 6:35 am
Duke says:
dLee: While Devin Harris has been getting buckets lately, he’s definitely not top 5 PG.
December 1st, 2008 at 6:38 am
JCARR says:
nETS got better side of deal with harris!!! Amare?!?!?! better than sheed though. Lakers win again. Did calderon miss a free throw yet???
December 1st, 2008 at 7:25 am
QQ says:
Top 5 PG RIGHT NOW IMO:
1. Chris Paul
2. Chauncey Billups
3. Tony Parker
4. Derrick Rose
5. Jason Kidd
The Suns are just sad to watch right now. Goodbye, ‘the reason I got league pass’ team, hello ‘Shaq is really SHIIIIT’ team… And the Pistons are just… Damn. Remember, in AI’s first few games with the Nuggets (with Melo) and they weren’t clicking, people were saying, they just need more time, etc, and eventually they will hit their stride? Well, it didn’t fucking happen. And it’s almost the same situation with the Pistons now. It’s put up or shut the fuck up time.
December 1st, 2008 at 7:37 am
OJT says:
Top 5 PGs in my perspective:
1. Chris Paul
2. Deron Williams
3. Steve Nash
4. Chauncy Billups
5. Jose Calderon
This is based on my opinion of “true point guards”, running the team and setting players up. I think Nash is just having difficulty with Porter’s playbook. Rose is gonna be special, but I think he’s def still a year away from top 5 material though. Kidd is just on the decline at this point.
I don’t think anyone expected Devin to blow up the way he is…gets my Most Improved Player vote right now! 17 for 17 from the charity stripe and averaging almost 30 since his ankle injury…ridiculous…
December 1st, 2008 at 7:42 am
Amar says:
harris is really hot right now (like hansel). he needs to keep it up for a season in order to be on a top PG list. (same with Rose — rookies have to earn it, this has always been the way of the NBA) that said, both of those guys had killer months.
December 1st, 2008 at 7:53 am
the_don_mega says:
@JCARR - LOL!!!
Starburry rips on his entire team…
“When things got bad and then worse, guys like Quentin Richardson say, ‘I don’t consider him a teammate. He let his teammates out to dry.’ He didn’t care I was his teammate when I was banished. They left me out for dead. It’s like we’re in a foxhole and I’m facing the other way. If I got shot in the head, at least you want to get shot by the enemy. I got shot in the head by my own guys in my foxhole. And they didn’t even give me an honorable death.”
December 1st, 2008 at 7:56 am
that's whats up says:
top 5 point guards:
paul, billups, parker, williams, jurg from denmark -
or maybe rose
December 1st, 2008 at 8:00 am
Smitty313 says:
Devin Harris he’s been ballin to me every since hr came into the League. Only difference now is he has a great mid range jumper and he gets to the line 10 times a game. Him and Vince are the best backcourt right now.
TOP 5 PGs
Chris Paul
D-Will
Tony Parker
Chauncey Billups
Devin Harris
December 1st, 2008 at 8:13 am
QQ says:
Come on now, where’s the love for Kidd, people? LOL.
The Mavs recently had a nice little win streak going, and the biggest reason would be Kidd’s play, elevating the play of his teammates, especially Terry.
December 1st, 2008 at 8:33 am
control says:
Dallas has a talent for trading their point guard and them having them have career years. If they ever trade Jason Kidd, I bet he will average a triple double for awhile.
Toronto is pissing me off, they have the mental toughness of a Bob Saget crackhead sucking dick for a rock. They just can’t put it together for a whole game against a tough team. That has been their problem for like the last 6 years.
December 1st, 2008 at 8:56 am
smity far away says:
marbury is right, what can quentin say now?
December 1st, 2008 at 9:18 am
GEE...All ya heard was poppa don't hit me no more says:
Houston up!
Win against San. An and lose vs. Denver. got to get some consistency. That pg position is a killa for Houston. I like skip, brooks and all the guards but they still need a legit starting one who won’t get 28 from B,b,b,Billups dropped on em!
Anyway nice title Dime. NEEERRRDDSSSS!
Props to Harris. Dude is doing it fa real!
Lakers might get 74, 75 games. They are looking strong and winning eeeasssy!
Still does it hurt more to win so much in the reg. season and then come playoff time still lose?
Is Amare becoming a player who just needs to shut-up and play?
Portland is lookin like they have found their swag. Ut oh!
December 1st, 2008 at 9:19 am
MSkittle says:
Gotta agree with Steve Smith. Harris and Carter are the highest scoring tandem in the league right now.
December 1st, 2008 at 9:28 am
that's whats up says:
hey Gee, - “Still does it hurt more to win so much in the reg. season and then come playoff time still lose?”
ask the 2006-2007 Dallas Mavericks
December 1st, 2008 at 9:33 am
Dagomar says:
About Bosh not performing against good teams, from Doug Smith at the Toronto Star:
“I’ll throw these numbers at you: Last year against Boston, he averaged 20 and 10, not bad numbers against an extremely good team; last year he went for 29 a game against Cleveland with five rebounds. Against Detroit this year he had 26 and 13 and averaged 22.5 and 11 in four games last year. Orlando? 33 and five last year, a mere 40 and 18 in the game this year. Can’t play against good teams? Don’t buy it. Never will.”
Add to that how Bosh dominated the Suns last year, got 24 points against Boston in his second game against them this year, and performed well towards the end of the playoff series last season . . . I call BS on those who say Bosh doesn’t show up in big games.
December 1st, 2008 at 9:46 am
GEE...All ya heard was poppa don't hit me no more says:
that’s whats up, forgot about them lol.
December 1st, 2008 at 9:59 am
ScoGo says:
Gotta love Bulls announcer Stacey “Is there a medic in the house!” King. He’s been in Derrick’s corner since the pre-season when he emphatically advised to anyone who was watching Bulls pre-season basketball, “Give him the keys” and turn the team over to the rookie.
The announcer role is so good for Stacey it makes me wonder if that’s what former Bullies GM Jerry Krause had in mind when he drafted King 6th overall in 1989 ahead of Tim Hardaway and Shawn Kemp. Guess it all worked out. Stacey’s got rings and a sweet seat to watch the next ROY build a new dynasty.
December 1st, 2008 at 10:37 am
Da Chi 23/33 says:
D Rose is a monster! He’s blowing past guys that are playing 5-6 steps off him anyway. Wasn’t someone in here yesterday saying Mayo is running away with ROY?? Might wanna check that again. If Luol Deng was still a decent basketball player or we had one NBA quality big man we might have a decent team!
December 1st, 2008 at 10:44 am
Big Freeze says:
“this guy score 10 points every game for dallas mavs and WOW, not can not stop scoring. very much like jurg on my business trips all over europe.”
LMAO at Jurg!
December 1st, 2008 at 11:56 am
P_Dizzle says:
Harris has been carving everybody up the past couple weeks. Hell someone needs to tell him Thanksgiving is over.
Think Mark Cuban is regretting the Harris/Kidd trade yet? He’ll never admit it but it has to keep him up at night.
Is Amare turning into one of those “I think I am better than I actually am” players? Dude kicked D’Antoni in the ass on the way out of Phoenix saying they played no D. Now the dude is bitchin’ about Porter. Maybe Marion just wanted out of Phoenix to get away from this cancer? Amare is going to pull a Plaxico Burress and shoot himself in the leg. Dude better do like Barkley suggest and just shut the hell up, before he destroys this Phoenix team.
Amare will demand a trade before the All-Star break! You heard it hear first.
December 1st, 2008 at 12:08 pm
doc says:
If somebody remembers,Harris use to get in Tony Parker ass faithfully in Dallas.He been had the talent but u can see he worked on his game.And where are Ai fans at now?It went from the whole comment section to just fed holding his loser ass down.
December 1st, 2008 at 12:24 pm
that's whats up says:
deeeee-troooooiiittt bASS-ketbaaaaaaalllll
December 1st, 2008 at 1:39 pm
K Dizzle says:
Devin Harris or Tony Parker?
December 1st, 2008 at 9:27 pm
dLee says:
Nash, Kidd, Billz each have about 2 more good years left, if that. By then, Devin Harris will only be going into his prime at 27.
Top 5 PG, 2010
1. Chris Paul
2. Deron Williams
3. Derrick Rose
4. Tony Parker
5. Devin Harris
we’ll have to see how this rubio kid turns out lol