I dont know what facts I was ignoring…. here is fact… he is a multi-time allstar, olympian, 1st team all NBA, 20/10 errr 9 guy pretty much for his career, and Maggette has never been an allstar or anything I just listen.

That’s all good, but it’s nothing compared to what Bill Russell did: 5-time MVP, 12-time All Star, gold medalist, and member of 11 NBA championship team. Facts!

I’m not sure I understand what this comment is trying to say…

On the one hand, I could interpret it as you thinking I don’t understand basketball strategy simply because I see a need to use facts to back up opinions….but no, couldn’t be that. Nobody would ever suggest i don’t understand basketball strategy. :)

So on the other hand, you could be saying you see a need to bridge the gap between one side simply quoting statistics and the other side who throws out ridiculous claims with nothing to back it up….

Hmmmm……..to sort of bridge that divide, here we go:

Once you double he can pass the ball efficiently

Yes, someone like Tim Duncan helps his team very much by drawing a double and being able to pass well out of it. Shaq used to be excellent at this. What do these guys have in common, that Amare doesn’t share…the fact that they don’t rank at the bottom of the league in assists? On one hand we have an opinion: Amare passes efficiently. On the other we have a fact that directly contradicts this opinion: Amare doesn’t rack up assists. Not once in his whole career has he averaged as much as 2 assists every 36 minutes. Heck, even Zach Randolph averages 2 assists every 36 minutes. Amare is about as good a passer as Al Jefferson….

Also, you can run a LEGIT pick N roll with him, something currently we cannot do, because pretty much none of our bigs can step out and hit a jumper.

Hmm…this doesn’t even make sense. If you’re running a pick and roll correctly, the picker should not shoot a jumper. Ever. If he does, there is no “roll”. You want to see a proper pick and roll executed? Watch Tyson Chandler and Chris Paul – there’s a reason Chandler had twice as many alley-oop dunks as the second highest person in the league. Big man shooting at the rim > anyone taking a long 2 point jump shot. By the way, Biedrins is pretty good at the pick and roll. He’s quick enough to slip well if they overplay, he has great hands, and he’s a great finisher. His 60% career TS% isn’t an accident – he doesn’t need to shoot jumpers, he catches and finishes with the best of them when he’s open on the pick and roll. By the way, Amare shooting jumpers is pretty unlikely to match Biedrins 60% TS%.

This means he is a threat on a fast break EVERY SINGLE time, which means the other team’s center is going to be GASSED.

Sure, this could be a fair point. But we already have Biedrins, Randolph, and Wright (when they’re healthy). They might not be quite on Amare’s level, but all three run the court very well. We’re not going to see much additional benefit here from Amare being on the floor. Also keep in mind we often have had someone like Maggette playing the 4 – Amare’s a freak athlete, but he’s not going to be any more of a threat than Maggette, a good athlete himself, and more importantly, a 3.

He is a good rebounder

At various points in his younger days he was a decent rebounder. Those points are long gone. He now gets a very, very, very small amount of rebounds. Maybe it’s effort/motivation, maybe some of it is scheme, but he doesn’t rebound even an average amount for either of the last two coaches, no matter what position he’s playing or role they have him in or personnel he’s teamed with. Right now, Amare Stoudemire is a bad rebounder. If you want to make a case he’s not, go for it, I’ll listen – but the burden of proof is now on you, since I can show you he’s currently a bad rebounder.

He is a good team defender, thats why he gets in foul trouble, much like Andris

Except that…well, he’s not a good team defender. Frankly, he doesn’t do much defense in general, he doesn’t really get into bad foul trouble, because he isn’t playing D. Again, just to actually back an opinion up with facts that support it (what a concept, right?), Amare doesn’t block very many shots. He barely blocks more than 1 shot every 36 minutes.

30pts, and 14reb a night EASILY, if not 6 assists JUST FROM MORROW

30 points? Sure, why not, he’s a very good scorer. 14 rebounds? That would make him one of the very best rebounders in the NBA. He has never even been close to that kind of player at any point in time, and lately, he’s been getting half that. Again, burden of proof to come up with a way for him to double his rebounds is on you. 6 assists? Guy has never even averaged 2 assists per 36. That’s a fact, and it very much contradicts this ridiculous opinion. Funny how he can play on a team with a bunch of 3 point shooters (Nash, JRich, Barbosa, Bell was on the team for a while last year, Frye and Dudley have been hitting so far this year)…and yet he doesn’t rack up any assists.

Notice the basic structure – present an opinion, give examples/facts/theories to back it up. I hope that helps bridge the gap for you. :)

Listen, if you want to counsel me Mr. Olympic send me a private message. Stop trying to be Mr. Cool Guy by derailing the LIVING DAYLIGHTS out of this post.

Oh wait, then you would have nothing to do all day.