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Amaré gets 2 preseason games
Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
Oct. 10, 2007 12:00 AM
Suns coach Mike D'Antoni likes having all of October to prepare for the regular season because it allows his team to ease into mental and physical fitness for the season.
There is now something else to make it worth the wait. The time is allowing center Amaré Stoudemire to recover from an Oct. 2 arthroscopy. D'Antoni said Stoudemire has improved enough to play in at least the final two preseason games (Oct. 25 and 26).
"I need to (play preseason games) but it all depends on how I feel," Stoudemire said. "It's always great to have a couple preseason games under your belt before the regular season jumps off. We're on the right track."
Stoudemire, who is "starving" to play, was supposed to return to basketball activity after two to three weeks of rehabilitation. The front end of that timetable might hold true because what minimal swelling Stoudemire had is gone and his range of motion is back.
Stoudemire said he may jog on the court next week. He ran on a treadmill Monday for the first time since his surgery. Asked how long before he dunks on opponents again, he said: "That shouldn't be too long at all. Hopefully, another two to three weeks."
Rotation equation
D'Antoni said he would go at least 12 deep for Thursday's preseason opener at Sacramento and might play all 15 active members. He considers preseason games to be the best practices. His top units may sit the fourth quarters but will gradually play together more in upcoming games.
"Gotta win," D'Antoni joked. "We don't want anybody to play a long stretch of minutes. They're in pretty good shape. We use these exhibitions to get them in better game shape. I won't play Steve (Nash) 40 (minutes). I swear I won't."
Center Brian Skinner bumped his left knee this weekend and sat out Tuesday's practice. He is expected to return today and play Thursday.
Cover boy
Nash is on the cover of the November Men's Journal with the title, "The superstar who made the NBA fun again."
In the article, Nash credited his playmaking ability to watching Coyotes coach Wayne Gretzky play hockey.
"I got that from Gretzky, who never fought for the puck because he knew where it would bounce off the boards," Nash told the magazine. "It's almost metaphysical: The ball finds the best player, partly because the other players want him to have it."
Award winners
The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences' Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter awarded Emmys to the Suns for My45 game broadcasts (produced by Dan Siekmann, Bob Adlhoch and David Hughes) and a Steven Koek suns.com video of Raja Bell's reunion with teammates after his 2006 playoff suspension.
Welcome, citizens
Suns Managing Partner Robert Sarver on this season's marketing campaign, "Planet Orange," reaching a broader fan base: "The whole idea of Planet Orange doesn't just limit your marketing to Phoenix or Arizona. You can be on Planet Orange anywhere in the world."
Amaré gets 2 preseason games
Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
Oct. 10, 2007 12:00 AM
Suns coach Mike D'Antoni likes having all of October to prepare for the regular season because it allows his team to ease into mental and physical fitness for the season.
There is now something else to make it worth the wait. The time is allowing center Amaré Stoudemire to recover from an Oct. 2 arthroscopy. D'Antoni said Stoudemire has improved enough to play in at least the final two preseason games (Oct. 25 and 26).
"I need to (play preseason games) but it all depends on how I feel," Stoudemire said. "It's always great to have a couple preseason games under your belt before the regular season jumps off. We're on the right track."
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Stoudemire, who is "starving" to play, was supposed to return to basketball activity after two to three weeks of rehabilitation. The front end of that timetable might hold true because what minimal swelling Stoudemire had is gone and his range of motion is back.
Stoudemire said he may jog on the court next week. He ran on a treadmill Monday for the first time since his surgery. Asked how long before he dunks on opponents again, he said: "That shouldn't be too long at all. Hopefully, another two to three weeks."
Rotation equation
D'Antoni said he would go at least 12 deep for Thursday's preseason opener at Sacramento and might play all 15 active members. He considers preseason games to be the best practices. His top units may sit the fourth quarters but will gradually play together more in upcoming games.
"Gotta win," D'Antoni joked. "We don't want anybody to play a long stretch of minutes. They're in pretty good shape. We use these exhibitions to get them in better game shape. I won't play Steve (Nash) 40 (minutes). I swear I won't."
Center Brian Skinner bumped his left knee this weekend and sat out Tuesday's practice. He is expected to return today and play Thursday.
Cover boy
Nash is on the cover of the November Men's Journal with the title, "The superstar who made the NBA fun again."
In the article, Nash credited his playmaking ability to watching Coyotes coach Wayne Gretzky play hockey.
"I got that from Gretzky, who never fought for the puck because he knew where it would bounce off the boards," Nash told the magazine. "It's almost metaphysical: The ball finds the best player, partly because the other players want him to have it."
Award winners
The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences' Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter awarded Emmys to the Suns for My45 game broadcasts (produced by Dan Siekmann, Bob Adlhoch and David Hughes) and a Steven Koek suns.com video of Raja Bell's reunion with teammates after his 2006 playoff suspension.
Welcome, citizens
Suns Managing Partner Robert Sarver on this season's marketing campaign, "Planet Orange," reaching a broader fan base: "The whole idea of Planet Orange doesn't just limit your marketing to Phoenix or Arizona. You can be on Planet Orange anywhere in the world."
