why wasn't amare in the game at the end last night?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_rRdYPWIgQ

was he hurt? bad timing for a teaching, make-an-example of you moment....

look i don't care how many lapses he has or how lazy you think he is, amare is the team's leading rebounder and shot blocker so i am not understanding how you go with a frye (relatively a finesse big) over your allstar with a slight chance of making the hall.

gentry has been great for the suns. the suns were thought to be in a rebuilding year after last yr. the suns were thought to be a defensive liability everywhere pre-gentry. gentry has this team (1) playing defense, (2) playing more toughly, (3) winning with the zone (unheard of; that's coaching), and (4) getting output from its reserves... the latter two are huge as d'antoni was the antithesis to these and porter's style could not get them to commit to the previous 2 points. basically GENTRY HAS BEEN AWESOME up until 3.5 sec left in game 5 unless amare was hurt or said/did something egregious that they have not come public with.

i just don't understand the logic in sitting your best player (arugably between he and nash), best rebounder, and best shot blocker in that situation for a frye (not a ben wallace or theo ratliff type; this dude shoots the 3 at 6'10 which tells you where he prefers to play). didn't amare just have the block on gasol's dunk the play before that allowed you to tie the game, which speaks to amare's IQ because this is the only successful timing play that teh lakers were able to craft against the zone and amare sniffed it out?

if you watch the final play watch how gasol eventually muscles he way between frye (FRYE WAS TOUGH DURING THE INBOUNDING PORTION but he looked like he was counting 3.5 in his head and eventually gave up position at 2.8 secs forgetting about the possibility of help defense which is amare's strong suit) and the basket essentially gaining better rebounding position... by this time the ball was on the glass from artest (if there was time for a tip back gasol definitely would have DONE THAT ON FRYE) but maybe amare secures the air ball rebound or touches the ball while artest in trying to secure it making it tough, or maybe he blocks it like he did on the previous play.

well it was really j-rich's fault and lost assignment who was still basking in the glory of his bank three probably... not to mention airballs have a tendancy of favoring offensive rebounds for anyone who has played basketball...

but if he plays stoudemire and the outcome is the same no one questions the line-up... you just can't tell me that was a good decision.... when are people going to realize in closing seconds against the lakers you have to put a big team on the floor (not speed). truth be told he should have gone with three bigs (amundson, frye, and amare)... the key to these laker inbound plays really is lamar as the big, can-see-everything passer.... if you put amundson on him and make the pass tough, your chances skyrocket in your favor. his defensive line-up should be in similar situations frye (or lopez if healthy), amundson, amare, nash (in case their is a rebound and weird foul; don't care how much of a liability he is nash has to play for calm and IQ purposes), and grant (or dudley).

i am done second guessing to me the coach of the year before the last 3.5 secs of last night's game... anyway what do i know.....