The NBA's MLP: Most Lazy Player
While everyone on the big basketball sites hands out their midseason award picks, I'd like to offer one of my own: the MLP, Most Lazy Player.
Just in case the picture didn't spoil the mystery as to the 2009-2010 MLP is, let me introduce him.....Amar'e Stoudemire, everybody!
Never have I seen such a unique combination of limitless athletic potential and utter indifference on the basketball court. Actually, I don't know if indifference is the right word. Apathy, lack of discipline, arrogance, missing work ethic, laziness? There, laziness, that's the right one. While everyone loves to watch the Phoenix Suns play, I have grown to dislike watching them, mostly because of the way Stoudemire plays. If you tune into a Suns game at any given moment, you're likely to see Amar'e moving exclusively between the free throw lines, and leisurely at that.
Granted, its fairly easy to stand around and watch while Steve Nash is executing his brilliance all over the offensive side of the court, but one of the league's most imposing and dominant specimens has relegated himself into a near-exclusive jump shooter. Rarer and rarer are the charging dribble drives that turn into powerful finishes at the rim or thunderous dunks over unsuspecting defenders. Usually, he stands at the top of the key waiting for Nash to feed him for a jumper, which is the path of least resistance.
On defense, his lack of effort is obvious: he blocks a mere 1.0 shots per game and grabs only 8.3 boards per game, which is the 2nd worst he's averaged over a season. EIGHT rebounds a game!?!?! This guy is SO athletically superior that he could average 28 points and 15 rebounds a night, no doubt. That is how far above the rest he is. No one can stop Amar'e when his head is in the game and he feels like playing.
Anyone who is worth their weight in basketball knowledge knows the importance of simply bending your knees on D and being in a stance. Stoudemire missed the day they taught this at basketball school. Standing straight up most of the time, he only makes impact plays when they fall in his lap. I'm not sure if he has problems with his focus, mental toughness, or what, but his inconsistency is maddening.
Stoudemire turned in the best piece of his MLP resume just the other night against Dallas. His line for that game: 22 points on 7-13 FG and 8-10 FT, 1 REB, 5 TO, and 1 BLK in 26:40. He hauled in ONE rebound. Shocking and depressing for someone so unfathomably gifted.
