Amar'e Stoudemire Finds Comfort in Kevin Durant's Signature Shoe

Filed under: Suns, Thunder, FanHouse Exclusive, Sneakers

PHOENIX -- The Suns have been playing some of their best basketball of the season recently, and a big reason why is the improved play they're getting from Amar'e Stoudemire. Over his last five games, in a stretch that began on March 6th, Stoudemire has been unstoppable, averaging 32.8 points and nine rebounds per game.



Besides his bumped-up scoring and rebounding averages, here are some other impressive stats (courtesy of the awesome folks in the Suns' PR department) that show just how much Stoudemire has upped his game as of late:



- Amar'e posted a personal season high of 44 points on Friday against the Jazz, which was the second time he's gone over the 40-point mark this season. The first time was less than three weeks ago against the Spurs; it's the fewest number of days (20) he's gone between 40-point efforts since the 2004-05 season.



- Stoudemire has eight 30-point-plus performances since the All-Star break, which has him tied for the league lead in that category with Kevin Durant.



- Stoudemire is currently on a career-best streak of scoring 19 or more points in 22 consecutive games. It doesn't sound that impressive initially, until you realize he's just two games away from tying the Suns' franchise record of 24 straight games, set by Tom Chambers back in 1990.







ShareIf you ask Stoudemire what the change has been, he'll tell you that he always takes his game up a notch after the All-Star break, and that's simply what he's doing again this season. But there might be another reason for the statistical improvement -- it might be the new shoes.

 

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Full story at http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/03/20/amare-stoudemire-finds-comfort-in-kevin-durants-signature-shoe/