Roca Dolla
BIRD CITY!
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Shawn Marion and Amare Stoudemire.
To put those two in the same sentence in the past couple of seasons, you would believe you are ready to read a saucy piece.
Tabloid fodder, in most cases.
Nine times out of ten, it would be about how these two supposedly do not get along. How one is jealous of the other, and how they cannot co-exist on the same squad.
Egos abound. Trade requests. Backbiting and side-of-mouth comments, right?
Then you do not know Shawn Marion OR Amare Stoudemire.
That stuff is just as much a fairy tale as the Justice League episodes my son watches repeatedly on DVD.
They are, however, a dynamic duo.
No names, like STATman and Robin (remember, if you believe what you hear through the so-called grapevine, Marion would not settle for second billing).
One night it can be Amare and Shawn. Another it can be Shawn and Amare. And, some other nights, it is neither … the marquee highlighting a guy named Steve, or Leandro, or Raja.
Because the Phoenix Suns are a team in every facet of the definition, including -- and especially -- Shawn Marion and Amare Stoudemire.
Hold back the snickers, guffaws, and oblique references to me eating paint chips as a child -- but Stoudemire and Marion may be one of the most potent frontcourts in all of the NBA.
Volatile, yes. However, not how you may perceive them.
Their chemistry is near flawless. They have helped lead this squad to an 11-2 mark, tying the best start in franchise history. And there was no better testimony to their fluidity and grace together than the third quarter they put together against the upstart Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night.
Stoudemire may have scored eight of the Suns' first 12 points in the decisive breakaway, but Marion provided every intangible imaginable, which allowed Stoudemire many of those scoring opportunities.
"Shawn was all over the place," marveled Phoenix head coach Mike D'Antoni. "Shawn literally doubled and rebounded and (chased down) loose balls and did an unbelievable job of picking our energy up."
"Amare got it going on the offensive end and I got it going on the defensive end," said Marion matter-of-fact. "We were active and we were helping each other out there and moving the ball."
"I think it's a team effort," added Stoudemire. "We throw guys off guard and they drop it off to me and I'm at the basket. My teammates did most of the work and I just finished."
Marion being that key guy who does everything that no one sees on a stat sheet, all the while filling in the blanks on the tracked reports as well.
With Marion having been in the league, and more specifically, on this team longer than Stoudemire, one can see where his experience and comfort level allows him to be the aggressor. Yet he maintains decorum on the court and plays well under the radar of the league's officials.
Rarely do you associate Marion's name with dirty play, technical fouls, or complaining about the officiating.
Why? Because Marion is about as clean and efficient as they come.
Stoudemire is still trying to master the balance between being aggressive and being successful at being aggressive.
Through 10 games, Stoudemire is tied for second in the league, averaging 4.0 fouls per game. When the whistle blows against the Suns, more often than not, it is followed by the index finger of an NBA referee … something that makes the Suns -- especially Stoudemire -- cringe.
"He's doing pretty good. He's an emotional player and that's good and bad. Sometimes it gets you. But his outbursts (when he has them) never really cost us games, so he's fine," said D'Antoni.
"When he gets in shape, I think a lot of these fouls go away. But he's very aggressive offensively and becoming very aggressive defensively, and you're gonna pick up some fouls. Right now, I think it's just a matter of being in game shape and being ready. When you get a little tired, you get a little 'leg-heavy' and he just doesn't get there."
"I'm young. I just turned 25 last week," smiled a humble Stoudemire. "I think it's me still just adjusting to the speed of the game. I'm still learning the game."
Yet, one thing he has learned is how to smile and walk away, even when officials whistle him for reactions as subtle as, "What?" (Despite the fact that he is a team captain and allowed to question calls, he was whistled and ejected for that simple question week before last).
He has learned the proper decorum, yet still is in the crosshairs of officials, mainly because of his aggressive play -- a smaller guy playing taller and talented than most other 6'10" players do.
"I'm pretty fierce out there. I'm a loud guy, I'm emotional and very energetic," admitted Stoudemire. "Sometimes it helps and sometimes it doesn't.
"It's just a matter of picking my poison. Knowing when to go after steals, when not to … things of that nature. And I'm definitely getting better at it."
Some facets of the game where Marion's experience may actually lend a hand. Certainly, at the very least, it complements Stoudemire's game.
"He's more inside, I'm more everywhere," explained Marion of the two stars' complementary styles of play. "He's showing great signs of determination. I think if he keeps working like he is, with his determination to play great defense, he's gonna get there."
Not only complementing … but also complimenting each other.
And there is a breach of camaraderie here in Phoenix?
I'm sorry, but I do not see it.
Maybe people should see these two for who they are: individual talents, absolutely.
But as part of a team, nothing but a thing of grace and beauty unfolding.
To me, the best description of both Shawn Marion AND Amare Stoudemire is with one simple adage:
You can stand tall without standing on someone. You can be a victor
without having victims.
Anything else you hear about these two elite athletes is pure rubbish.
Neither one of these players would have brought back their worth individually nor their worth as a tandem in any trade scenario.
They both belong here with their names on the marquee along with the other 11 guys. No one above the other. In no particular order.
Still not a believer?
Then come to Phoenix … and watch the masterpiece as it's painted, game after game.
It truly is a sight to see.
http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=6203
