Uh-oh - here comes Amare

Amare Stoudamire is talking about taking the floor when the Suns play Portland tomorrow (Thurs) in Phoenix.

This is potentially tremendous news for the Suns, and equally dreadful news for the rest of the league, esp the West.

Stoudamire is a MONSTER. A force in the paint, a guy who can shoot from outside, he's got post moves like Kevin McHale and can handle the ball. When he's on, there's no stopping the guy.

For the Suns, his return in any sort of capacity is fantastic news. Phoenix has rocketed to the top of the Pacific division without Stoudamire, but seems to be slowing a bit as the season winds down. They've fought some injury problems and had to rely on career years from their spares, most notably Shawn Marion and Boris Diaw. Steve Nash especially seems to be wearing out under the strain. Amare strolling out for pre-game warmups could be exactly what this team needs in terms of physical and psychological reinforcement.

As a part time resident of Phoenix at the moment, and a fan of the NBA in general, I hope he does come back and comes back strong. The guy is great fun to watch!

As a related aside, the Western Conference playoffs are starting to look like an absolute war. The Spurs are still (to me) the class of the conference, but they don't seem as bullet-proof as last year. The Mavs are right there. And the Suns, with or without Amare (but a lot more with Amare), are holding up their end of the bargain. We're approaching 15 or so games left for everyone. It's almost time for the fun to start!