By Dwain Price

When Stoudemire entered the NBA in 2002 as the ninth overall pick by the Phoenix Suns, trying to guard the prep-to-pro star was akin to trying to drive on icy roads.

Fast-forward 13 years, and the veteran continued to show signs of that domination Sunday night. He collected 14 points and three rebounds in just 11 minutes during the Mavericks’ 92-81 victory over the Charlotte Hornets.

It was as if the 32-year-old took a sip from the fountain of youth before he came off the bench and started plowing through the Hornets.

“I was just being aggressive and wanted to establish myself and give us something off the bench that we needed,” the 6-foot-10, 245-pound Stoudemire said. “But it’s a lot of room to grow.

“There’s so many offensive plays that I have to still study night in and night out to figure it out. Defensively, there are a few strategies that I’ve got to figure out as well, so it’ll take time. But I think this is a great starting point.”

The fans also believe the Mavs have found someone special – giving Stoudemire a standing ovation when he entered Sunday’s game for the first time.

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