Stoudemire is Ready for 5-on-5 Work

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">HOUSTON - Amar? Stoudemire has been cleared to start five-on-five play today.

Now, if only there were nine other Suns who could practice.

With the OK from team physician Thomas Carter, Stoudemire is set to skip the expected two-on-two and three-on-three steps of his rehabilitation but may have to settle for a scaled-down version, with Steve Nash needing rest and being among Phoenix's nine healthy bodies.

"I felt really good with the one-on-ones and it's not going to change anything if I skip some steps, so I might as well get in five-on-five practices," said Stoudemire, emphasizing the need for cardiovascular workouts. "My main thing is to make sure I'm healthy. Personally, I feel pretty good. I'm not choosing this on behalf of anyone else's injury."

Asked whether late March is a fair comeback estimate, he said: "That sounds close if everything keeps progressing."

Phoenix started the season with fewer big men than most teams have and now has Stoudemire and Brian Grant in the midst of knee rehabilitation and Kurt Thomas down for at least six to eight weeks with a stress fracture in his right foot.</div>

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