Los Angeles Clippers fans were dealt a blow with the news that Blake Griffin is suffering from a staph infection that required emergency surgery, the Clippers are suddenly thin right as the stretch drive toward the playoffs begins.
While the signing of Spencer Hawes in the offseason gives the Clippers some room to breathe and not go straight into full panic-mode, it still puts stress on a team that seemed to just start to get its rhythm.
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Ekpe Udoh and Glen Davis are rotation caliber NBA players, and Spencer Hawes is not someone who can play 40 minutes per game, even for a few weeks.
The prognosis on Griffin is that he is out at least three weeks, and possibly up to six weeks. Six weeks is a long time, given that there is only eight or nine weeks left in the entire season.
It is not like Los Angeles has been playing great, either. In the last seven games, the Clippers are 2-5, and other than a demolition of an also-injury-plagued Dallas Mavericks team, they have barely been competitive.
Amar’e Stoudemire Is Available?
Former first team All-NBA center Amar’e Stoudemire said over the weekend that he would use the NBA All-Star break to ponder his future with the last place New York Knicks, via the New York Post:
"Amar’e Stoudemire’s status for Friday’s game in Brooklyn was clear. His status for the second half of the season was far more muddled, with the Knicks big man mulling over whether to ask for a buyout after the All-Star break.Stoudemire had told Yahoo Sports that he would use the All-Star break to make his decision.“You give yourself a break during the All-Star break. You think about it with your family,’’ Stoudemire told the web site. “That will give me a good solid week on how to weigh out the rest of the season.”"
Given Stoudemire is in the last year of his five year, $100M contract, and is currently on a last place team headed toward the NBA Draft Lottery, there is certainly the possibility that comes to terms with New York and becomes a free agent.
Reportedly, the Clippers would be interested in Stoudemire if he does agree to the buyout:
"One team that could have interest in Stoudemire if he becomes a free agent is theLos Angeles Clippers, whose coach Doc Rivers said the team would be in the market for buyout players."
Can He Still Play?
Injuries and age have taken their toll on what was once one of the most fearsome finishers in the Western Conference, but Stoudemire does have something left in the tank.
He has a plethora of NBA playoff experience, including three different trips to the Western Conference Finals with the Phoenix Suns. He is no stranger to the pressure of a big playoff game, and has never shown any sign of melting under the bright lights.
In 64 career playoff games, Stoudemire has averaged more than 22 points and close to nine rebounds per 36 minutes, according to Basketball-Reference.com, while shooting 51 percent from the field.
More than that, Stoudemire can still finish around the basket, shooting 68 percent when within three feet of the rim. That is still a quality player, and given his history of playing his best during a contract year, there is no question Los Angeles will be getting his best effort.
Contract Run For The Ages
Who can forget the last time he was in the last year of his contract, his final season with the Phoenix Suns. As the trade deadline neared, and the Suns were stagnating as future playoff fodder for a true contender, Phoenix listened to offers on Stoudemire.
As terrible offer after terrible offer rolled in, and rival GMs seemed unwilling to roll the dice on a talented but seemingly unmotivated player, the future of Stoudemire as a star in the league was in question.
Things culminated when Stoudemire was benched in the second half of a big game against potential playoff foe Oklahoma City. Stoudemire could have pouted after the benching and demanded a trade, or any number of other things.
However, the perceived slight of other team’s not having much interest in Stoudemire, combined with the national media feeding frenzy over Stoudemire sitting on the bench as his team rallied to a huge win seemed to light a fire inside the mercurial big man.
After the NBA All-Star break that year, Stoudemire went on a monster contract run, scoring 26.6 points per game and averaging 9.6 rebounds while shooting better than 56 percent from the field with a true shooting percentage better than 62 percent.
He carried his team from a squad muddling around in the middle of a pack of mediocre teams into a championship contender. The Suns rampaged through the first two rounds of the NBA playoffs, vanquishing their hated rivals, the San Antonio Spurs, in the process.
If not for terrible play by former Suns wing Jason Richardson, Phoenix might have won it all that year.
The Clippers will not be getting that Amar’e Stoudemire, but they will be getting an experience playoff veteran looking to prove himself once again. Stoudemire plays his best when there is a chip on his shoulder, and the way the season has gone for the Knicks, you can feel that chip getting bigger and bigger.
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