:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/40010996/cyoa3.0.jpg)
(Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports)
Alright, lets face it now, the decisions you've made up to this point have been fine for your ball club. Amar'e has been working hard, he plays with his heart, is bringing a lot of intensity and he goes at ya all game. He's been getting into a comfort area as the season has progressed. Where, now, he is shooting a very high percentage, giving ya that 18-point a game scorer lately, ok, and his teammates are staying involved, also. Then on the defensive side, he's been giving ya right around seven or eight rebounds a game, and he's blocking a shot or two a game. Amar'e has really shown ya, now, that he can elevate his game, and ya love to see that.
You look at the team as a whole and ya like what they're doing, ok. Plenty of balance, lots of scoring, and now also the rebounding and the effort on defense from the help rotation. Amar'e is giving you the 30-plus minutes every night and if the game is on the line, ok, ya know he's out on the floor. He's hitting right at 49% of his elbow jumpers, and has implemented a nice little change of direction move out of the jab step. Ok, and he's cutting down on the turnovers. Now we know, thats not gonna change. He's a proven scorer, ok, and it translates to his effort showing up as your help defender at the rim. Coming from the other side of the lane to help with the blocked shot.
The team has taken a turn up in the standings, ok, and is right in that 6-10 range of the playoff teams in the East. Now, Amar'e has shown a bit of fatigue, ok, but we're headed to the All Star break, ok, and the trading deadline. His teammates work for him, he's done whatever the coaching staff has asked of him, ok and the fans love him.
Down the stretch here, what's it gonna be?