Hooped Up

When it’s there, the Suns appear to be the NBA’s best team. When it’s not, opponents gleefully line up for layup drills that harden the opinions of the team’s skeptics. “It” is Amaré Stoudemire’s interior defense.

It was there during 15- and 17-game win streaks.

It wasn’t so much when the Suns looked like an ordinary team for much of the post All-Star game schedule.

And it’s been back for the Suns’ two playoff wins over the Lakers.

Stoudemire had four blocks, nine defensive rebounds and several altered shots in Tuesday’s 126-98 rout of Los Angeles in Game 2.

The exclamation points came on two early spectacular blocks of Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom — defensive gems that set the stage for the Suns to explode and the Lakers to wilt.
East Valley Tribune