Author Topic: Amare Stoudemire to miss 8 weeks after eye surgery (Read 131 times)

D-Nice · « **on:** February 20, 2009, 09:25:32 AM »

Phoenix Suns forward Amar’e Stoudemire underwent successful surgery today to repair a partially detached retina in his right eye. The procedure was performed earlier this morning by Dr. Pravin Dugel at Spectra Eye Institute in Sun City, Arizona.

“We are very glad to hear that Amar’e should have a 100 percent recovery relative to his vision and his long-term prognosis is excellent,” said Suns President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Steve Kerr. “Obviously, it is very disappointing to lose him at this time. We are all very excited about the progress the team is making, but Amar’e’s health and the health of all our players is our number one concern.”

Stoudemire’s return to physical activity is estimated at eight weeks depending upon his healing process. Dr. Dugel stresses that recovery varies on a case-by-case basis.

Phoenix’s leading scorer for the third-straight season, Stoudemire has played in all 53 games and is averaging a team-high 21.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.08 blocks and 2.0 assists. One of only two Suns to appear in every game (53) this season, Stoudemire became the youngest Suns player to reach 9,000 career points on Feb. 6.

The Phoenix Suns host the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight at 7 p.m. at US Airways Center.

Man I don't think Phoenix is going to be able to recover from this one.

tempo2 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 20, 2009, 10:58:19 AM »

so could this be the real reason the suns didnt trade stoudamire? with the notion that stoudamire wanted the surgery and subsequentley couldnt be moved.

OchoCinco · « **Reply #2 on:** February 20, 2009, 05:14:24 PM »

PHOENIX (AP) -- Amare Stoudemire could be finished for the season just days after the Phoenix Suns decided not to trade him.

Stoudemire, a starter for the West in Sunday's All-Star Game, had eye surgery Friday and won't be able to resume physical activity for about eight weeks.

"We're going to be ultraconservative with this and if means he misses the remainder of the season, so be it," Suns general manager Steve Kerr said. "He's got a long career and a long life ahead of him. And that's the most important thing."

The NBA playoffs begin eight weeks from Saturday, and it's no sure thing the Suns will even be in the postseason, especially with their All-Star power forward unavailable for the final 29 games of the regular season.

"He was really discouraged," Kerr said. "He was really starting to play well. He was feeling good about things. Our team obviously is feeling very good about things, just about the way the last couple of games have gone, and this is a major blow."

Stoudemire was injured during his 42-point performance in Phoenix's 142-119 victory over the Clippers in Los Angeles on Wednesday night. The Suns didn't find out about the need for surgery until after Thursday's trade deadline.

"He seemed fine. He didn't have a lot of discomfort after the game," Kerr said. "It seemed like this was going to be a routine checkup like he's had about monthly throughout this season. We didn't expect, obviously, what we found out."

Had the Suns known of the injury, Kerr said he would have looked to acquire someone to help fill the void, "but that's easier said than done."

Pravin Dugel, who performed the surgery to repair a partially detached retina in Stoudemire's right eye, said the eight-week recovery period is an average and the time varies case by case.

Stoudemire injured the same eye in training camp this season. In that case, he had a partially torn iris with no damage to the retina.

Last week, the Suns entertained offers from other teams for Stoudemire but decided against the move after firing coach Terry Porter on Sunday and replacing him with Alvin Gentry. Gentry returned Phoenix to the high-speed game of Mike D'Antoni, a system that suits Stoudemire best.

Gentry said the team would keep running, and several players would be used in Stoudemire's absence.

"We'll have combinations out there with a lot of small guys and we'll have combinations out there with a lot of medium guys," Gentry said. "We don't really have a lot of big guys so we'll be medium I guess out there."

Stoudemire is one of the game's best finishers on fastbreaks.

Rather than "a thunderous dunk," Gentry said, "it may have to be a layup. But we can still do some of the things that we did, a lot of things that we did."

Steve Nash said the players have to keep their spirits up.

"We've got a choice to make," Nash said. "Are we going to come together and make the most of the situation and give ourselves a chance, or are we going to cry about it and fragment and splinter and not give ourselves a chance?"

Stoudemire's backup used to be Boris Diaw, but he was traded to Charlotte along with Raja Bell in the deal that brought Jason Richardson to Phoenix.

"We traded Boris and we lose Amare," Nash said. "So we lost two really good power forwards and that's going to put a strain on any team. But we'll just try to make do and do the best we can.

"We've still got a lot of good players and if we come together and have a good spirit and are competitive, I think we'll win a lot of games."

Owner Robert Sarver also chose not to deal Shaquille O'Neal, like Stoudemire a high-priced player with a year left on his contract, in order to make a run at the postseason. The Suns entered Friday night's play a game behind Utah for the eighth and final playoff berth in the West.

Kerr said Stoudemire's long-term prognosis is excellent, and he should have 100 percent recovery of his vision.

Stoudemire is one of two Suns who started all 53 games this season -- Grant Hill is the other. Stoudemire is the Suns' leading scorer for the third consecutive year, averaging 21.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per game.

lol good thing no one traded for him.

Now_Im_Not_Banned · « **Reply #3 on:** February 20, 2009, 05:49:11 PM »

WTF!!!?!?!?! another muthafucker gone from my fantasy team...why did he do the surgery now instead of wearing goggles and waiting until the offseason? what a selfish prick.

OG Hack Wilson · « **Reply #4 on:** February 20, 2009, 05:50:46 PM »

poor guy

OchoCinco · « **Reply #5 on:** February 20, 2009, 05:50:49 PM »

i posted like 4 threads down lol. guess no one seen that

PLANT · « **Reply #6 on:** February 20, 2009, 05:51:56 PM »

this is a different injury than the one during the summer. It happend last night against the clippers, someone came in for a dunk and amare went up for the block and got a hand in the eye.....He shoulda been wearing some Bo Outlaws or some Horrance Grants, for real tho!