Rick Fox

[jmc@ptc.com (Jonathan McIntyre)]

Hello everyone,

  Though I've been on this list a few weeks this is my first post, even 
though I've seen a lot I've wanted to respond to about various players and 
coaches and very vocal scouts.  I've just been extremely busy lately.  
Overall, I'm very impressed with the level of discussion and informed 
opinions on this list.  

  There's just one thing that I've seen mentioned by several people
that has bothered me more than anything else, and that's all the
mention of Rick Fox as a "bench player at best", or 6th best, or not
that great.  The only way I think this could be explained is that you're 
only looking at his offensive stats, and not his overall impact to the 
team's winning.  

  Most people don't give enough credit to defense, which is at least as 
important as offense in helping a team win consistently.  Rick Fox is one 
of the best defensive players in the league.  He was excellent defensively 
right from his rookie season, and he's improved significantly both 
defensively and offensively since then.  He's always had an uncanny ability 
to strip the ball from a player just as they bring it up for a shot, and 
he moves his feet as well as anyone.  Last summer he used videotape to 
figure out opponents' moves, and team plays, so that he could get more 
steals, and this year he broke the team record in steals.  Grant Hill 
has been quoted saying Rick Fox is one of the 2 toughest people in the 
league for him to score against.  

  Fox and David Wesley are the only good defenders on the worst
defensive team in the league.  If you're trying to improve your
defense, you don't put your defensive star on the bench or trade him
away.  The Celtics would be foolish not to re-sign Rick Fox.

  He's also no slouch offensively, either, and can adapt his game to do 
whatever the team needs most on a given night.  When the scorers were all 
injured for several games this year, he scored 30+ per night.  When the 
rebounders are out, he rebounds.  He was 2nd on the team in rebounds and 
assists, 3rd in points, blocks, FG% & FT%, and 1st in steals and 3-point FG%.
Granted, there weren't a lot of other great players on the team to compete 
with, but my point is he can do everything well, and he's a defensive star, 
so I think he's easily the most valuable person on the Celtics as far as 
helping them toward wins. 

  If you want to get rid of someone, make it Dana Barros.  While David Wesley 
makes up for his lack of height defensively with aggressiveness and steaks, 
Dana does not.  Dana is a defensive liability.  Offensively, he's a
great shooter, but he doesn't use that skill to help the team win.  He's in 
love with the 3-point shot, and consistently passes up high-percentage
short jumpers and layup opportunities for himself coming off picks or
teammates on the fast break by pulling up for 3-pointers.  He sometimes
creates offensive momentum, but more often destroys it.  He is the most 
highly overpaid person on the team.  

  OK, 'nuff said.  Glad I got all that off my chest!  :-)

Jon McIntyre