PHOENIX (AP)—Amare Stoudemire is taking a lot of heat for his defense, or lack of it, thus far in the Western Conference finals. Then again, nobody ever confused him with Kevin Garnett(notes) as an NBA stopper—and he is playing against the Los Angeles Lakers. 菲尼克斯-斯塔德迈尔曾鼓吹他的防守，可到了西部决赛，他的防守就如虚设一般。不过，也从没有人把他当做一个防守终结者那样和加内特相提并论-他是在和洛杉矶湖人对抗。
The teams returned to practice on Friday after a day off, with the Lakers up 2-0 as the series shifts to Phoenix for Game 3 on Sunday night. 在一天的休息后双方都在周五恢复了训练，G3将于周日移师菲尼克斯，而湖人已经拿下了前两场。
Stoudemire indicated defensive strategy, not his individual failings, were to blame for Phoenix’s interior defensive woes. 斯塔德迈尔还不肯承认自己的防守稀烂，他把原因嫁祸到球队内线整体的防守上。
“I’m doing everything the coaching staff is asking me to do, every single thing,” he said after the Suns’ workout, “from fronting the post, to doubling Kobe, to helping out. Those guys are big down there.” 在太阳训练结束后小斯说：“教练组要求我做的我都做到了，从绕前，到包夹科比，再到协防补位。只不过湖人那些家伙们打的好罢了”。
Phoenix is trying to become the first team in 47 tries to come back from an 0-2 deficit to win a seven-game series against a Phil Jackson-coached team. Those teams, of course, have been laden with talent, and these Lakers are no exceptions. 太阳在努力尝试做第一个吃螃蟹的人，凡是禅师执教的球队在2-0领先的情况下还没有输过任何一个系列赛。 不过面对才华横溢的湖人，太阳的成功几率是微乎其微。
Steve Nash(notes) said the only way for Phoenix to beat the defending NBA champions is with the effort and chemistry that made the Suns such a surprising success this season. 纳什说太阳唯一的机会就是付出他们所有的努力和激情，就像这个赛季给人们带来惊喜的那种状态。
“They’re a more talented team than we are,” Nash said. “They’re a more balanced team. It’s probably not a stretch in most people’s minds just to say they’re a better team than we are. So how do we overcome that? That’s just all spirit, fight and belief. We’ve got to rely heavily on those characteristics with this group.” 纳什说：“和我们相比，湖人无疑具有更高的天赋。他们的整体配置也更加的平衡。可能在大多数人的眼里他们就是比我们要好。那么我们怎么才能战胜他们呢？那就是打出血腥，打出精神，打出信念。我们大家需要齐心合力。”
Stoudemire might be playing his final games for Phoenix. He can opt out of the final year of his contract with the Suns after this season and would like a maximum deal. He was one of the most dominant players in the NBA since the All-Star break, but two games against the Lakers have rekindled debate as to whether he is worth that much money. 这有可能是小斯代表太阳打的最有一个系列的球赛。他有权跳出和太阳的最后一年合同去追求顶薪。在今年的全明星赛后，他是最具破坏性的球员，不过在同湖人的前两场比赛后，他的价值被打了问号，他值得那么多钱吗？
“I understand. That’s fine, that’s fine,” Stoudemire said. “Last year, this same team with Shaq, we didn’t make the playoffs. You get rid of Shaq and add me and we’re in the Western Conference finals. That alone should tell you what I bring to the team.” 小斯发话了：“我知道，我觉得还好。去年我们有沙克，但我们连季后赛都没进。但今年只是我填补了沙克的空缺，结果怎么样，我们来到分区决赛了。这很明显的会告诉你我给球队带来的帮助有多大。”
Phoenix coach Alvin Gentry said critics should lay off his All-Star forward. 太阳教练希望媒体不要再批评他的全明星大前锋了。
“I think you guys are making way, way too much of that,” Gentry said. “We had a lot of guys out of position on certain plays. If you’re telling me because of the statement he made everybody is looking at him more closely then OK, fine. But to say that he’s the guy that’s out of position is not an accurate statement. That’s not true at all.” 他说：“我觉得媒体们是在鸡蛋里挑骨头。几乎每个人都会有发挥不好的时候。如果你认为只因为某个球员个别场次发挥不好批评他的话也无关痛痒，但你要说他实力不济，那我就不敢苟同了。”
Gentry was referring to Stoudemire’s statement that Lamar Odom(notes) had “a lucky game” with 19 points and 19 rebounds in the series opener. 针对小斯的窘境金特里就说起了喇嘛G1中的双19。他认为那只不过是他运气好罢了。
Odom, who had 17 points and 11 boards in Game 2, has caused matchup problems for the Suns, but Pau Gasol(notes) has been even more of a nightmare. The Spanish 7-footer is averaging 25 points in the series, shooting 66 percent (21 of 32). 而喇嘛在G2再次拿下了17分11篮板，他在对位上给太阳带来了难题。而枷锁更是他们头疼问题，西班牙长人在这轮系列赛场均砍下25分，命中率达到66%（32中21）。
“He’s one of the best players in the league,” Kobe Bryant(notes) said. “He’s still underrated. His work around the paint, his work in the mid-range, turnaround (shots), passing abilities, defensive ability. Those are things we’re all fully aware he’s capable of doing.” 科比说道：“枷锁是联盟最棒的球员之一。他无可阻挡，禁区得分，中距离跳投，转身投篮，隐蔽的传球，强悍的防守...他简直无所不能。”
Stoudemire said Gasol is helped by the company he keeps. 而小斯显然不这么认为，他说枷锁的发挥完全是由于队友的帮助。
“He’s very, very crafty,” Stoudemire said. “He’s great using his left and right hand. He’s a phenomenal player. But he has help. He has a lot of help with (Andrew) Bynum, Odom, (Ron) Artest. The lineup they have on the court, you’ve got to guard all those guys, not just Gasol.” “他非常非常的狡猾，他的左右手运用的十分娴熟。是个现象级球员。不过他得到的帮助也非常大，庵主，喇嘛，阿泰都是他的帮手。这样一条锋线，你得对每个人都加以堤防，所以枷锁就有了可趁之机。”
Stoudemire didn’t even mention Bryant, who followed his 40-point performance in Game 1 with 21 points and a career playoff high 13 assists in Game 2.
On offense, Stoudemire could use some help, especially from Channing Frye(notes). Frye led the Suns with 172 3-pointers in the regular season. The 6-foot-11 player can bring out big defenders, opening space for Stoudemire, when he’s sinking shots from the top of the key. But he’s 1 of 13 in the series.
“It’s happened before,” Frye said of his cold spell. “I was just a little off-rhythm and they did a good job of taking advantage of that. … For me it’s just going out there and relaxing and just playing.” 小斯甚至没有提到科比，G1科比砍下40分，G2他更是拿到了21分和职业生涯季后赛最高的13次助攻。在进攻端小斯能得到些许帮助，尤其是弗莱。弗莱常规赛投入了球员最多的172粒三分。这个高架炮可以把对方的高中锋拉出来，而小斯就可以获得足够的空间。不过在前两场比赛中，弗莱的命中率是13中1。对于自己冰冷手感弗莱说：“这情况以前就发生过，我的节奏出了点问题他们也抓住了这个漏洞....对我来说只需要放松心情继续比赛而已。”
Gasol said it’s important for the Lakers not to relax as the series moves into hostile ground. 枷锁说来到客场，不能放松对湖人来说非常重要。
“You stretch the series, put yourself in the position where you can lose the series and get knocked out,” he said, “so we really don’t want to do that at all. So we understand where we’re at, what we’re playing for and the importance of every game. We’re a veteran team, it’s not our first rodeo here.” “一旦你放松，对手就会抓住机会拿下比赛，你甚至会一蹶不振输掉系列赛。所以我们绝不会让这种情况发生。我们明白现在的处境，了解每场比赛的重要性。我们都有丰富的经验，这可不是我们的菜鸟季后赛。”
