RE: Billups

[Magnus Dahlborn <mdahlborn@tv3.com>]

I like your comments about the weight. That is a very underrated =
measure
for pointguards.
It is very tough to defend someone on the court if you have to give up
20 lbs. That is sometimes much more important than the height
difference.
But of course, most important is heart and if already Billups=B4 =
attitude
is questioned, that is a big problem. If he is working hard, two =
seasons
is about the time you can spend on him.
Then he probably goes to another team and become a great point guard: =
"I
learned everything in Boston, but it took a change for me to realise =
how
everything works".

Billups is without doubt the biggest challenge for Pitino on the team
right now.


Magnus.
	-----Original Message-----
	From:	Alex Wang [SMTP:awang@mit.edu]
	Sent:	 den 2 december 1997 01.34
	To:	celtics@igtc.com
	Subject:	Billups

	Billups does indeed have pretty rare size for a point guard.
He's listed
	at 6'3" and 202 lbs and I would guess the 202 lbs is an
important aspect.
	Here are the sizes of the NBA's assist leaders, which roughly
include=20
	the best point guards in the league. (I've excluded Grant Hill):
	1. Rod Strickland, 	6'3", 185 lbs, 11.3 apg
	2. Gary Payton, 	6'4", 180 lbs, 9.9 apg
	3. Jason Kidd, 		6'4", 212 lbs, 9.6 apg
	4. Damon Stoudamire, 	5'10", 171 lbs, 8.9 apg
	5. Tim Hardaway, 	6'0", 195 lbs, 8.4 apg
	6. Stephon Marbury, 	6'2", 180 lbs, 8.4 apg
	7. Brevin Knight, 	5'10", 173 lbs, 8.3 apg
	8. Mark Jackson, 	6'3", 185 lbs, 7.9 apg
	10. Allen Iverson, 	6'0", 165 lbs, 7.6 apg
	11. Sam Cassell, 	6'3", 185 lbs, 7.4 apg
	12. David Wesley, 	6'1", 202 lbs, 7.2 apg
	13. Terrell Brandon, 	5'11", 171 lbs, 6.8 apg
	14. Mookie Blaylock, 	6'1", 185 lbs, 6.9 apg
	(Inj.) John Stockton,	6'1", 175 lbs, ---=20
	Also, some guys from recent trade rumors:
	Bobby Jackson, 		6'1", 185 lbs, 4.5 apg
	Steve Nash,		6'3", 195 lbs, 2.8 apg

	So height is typically measured in sneakers which inflates
things. But=20
	It looks like Kidd is the only bigger point guard than Billups.=20

	In any case, Pitino has about 2 more years before he would
really be=20
	forced to consider trading Billups. The question is, what is
Billups
	attitude like nowadays? If he is still working hard and willing
to
	listen to Pitino and improve, then he should stay. If not,
Pitino=20
	should move him. But none of us can really know what the case
is.

	Alex