Amar’e Stoudemire scorches Suns’ faithful
Amar’e Stoudemire’s decision to retire with the New York Knicks is yet another burn in a valley of them.
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On a warm beginning to the month of June 2005, the corner of 201 E. Jefferson Street was ablaze, as the Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs were set to do battle in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals.
With the return of Joe Johnson in Game 4, the Suns were able to stave off elimination and force one last game on their home floor. The 62-win Suns were the crown jewel of the NBA and despite the fact that they were up against elimination against a more seasoned Spurs team, the potential of what could be soared higher than the 102-degree temperatures that claimed that day.
Like three of the four games that proceeded the one in the desert, the Suns battled mightily but fell just short again and watched the Spurs claim the Western Conference Championship on their home floor in front of a disappointed crowd.
Even if Stoudemire loved the big market and enjoyed being the star for Knicks fans for a season, there is nothing there that is greater than what he accomplished in Phoenix.
While the taste of defeat and the plight of losing was the stench that filled the capacity-filled arena, there was optimism about a young power forward that dominated the series in Amar’e Stoudemire.
Despite the fact that his team would head back to clear out their lockers and get prepared for what was next, there was no denying there was something special about a young man that had just scored 42 points and grabbed 16 rebounds against one of the best defensive teams in the league.
Although, fans didn’t get to see that individual again. Stoudemire would undergo microfracture surgery and would miss a majority of the 2006 season, where the Suns would advance to the Western Conference Finals behind their MVP point guard Steve Nash and bow out to the Dallas Mavericks in a tightly contested six games.
Stoudemire would return to form in 2007 and the Suns would look like the favorites in the NBA to win it all, until a suspension from the league ultimately robbed the Suns of their best chance to bring the city a championship.
2008 would arrive and there would be a shift in the dynamic of the team. Shawn Marion would be sent out the door and Shaquille O’Neal would come into the fold. Pointing to his ring finger from a luxury box on the day of the trade, O’Neal promised the crowd he would bring a ring to the team.
Unfortunately, there was just a first-round exit in the team’s future and they would proceed to miss the playoffs the following season. Despite all this, Stoudemire had regained his form and the Suns were out and running again.
They would shake up the roster, move out O’Neal and the team would put together a run that would carry them to the 2010 Western Conference Finals, where they lost on their home floor to their rivals to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The elephant in the room at the time was Stoudemire’s impending free agency. With a class led by LeBron James, Stoudemire was an excellent consolation prize for the New York Knicks. Discussions between the Suns and Stoudemire soured when they could not agree to terms because of the future longevity of Stoudemire’s knees.
This allowed New York to give him the money he wanted and he dominated in his first season there and was one of the three best players in the league. However, the Suns’ training staff was ultimately proven right and his knees finally gave way.
The rest of his career was filled with bench roles and an incident with a fire extinguisher, that left a lasting impression during the playoffs.
As we know now, Stoudemire chose to retire with the Knicks, rather than the team that he was a Rookie of the Year with and he had his best memories with. The decision is yet another notch on the belt for the pain of being an Arizona sports fan.
Even if Stoudemire loved the big market and enjoyed being the star for Knicks fans for a season, there is nothing there that is greater than what he accomplished in Phoenix. The playoff battles, the accolades and the memories were created in the desert.
The desert remains unyielding to its purple and orange faithful once again.