Re: Signing Antoine or Pitino the big mistake?

[Kim Malo <kmalo19@idt.net>]

At 04:34 PM 4/26/98 -0800, Paul M wrote:
>>If they haven't seen enough of Walker to make the right decision they should
>>quit there job and watch the grass grow.
>>                                                                - Mishra
>
>Again, I absolutely agree. And one more thing. Gaston is paying Pitino how
>much? Look, let's be honest about this. The last time Pitino coached a pro
>team he got fired because the GM of the Knicks wasn't sold on "Pitino
>ball."

Er, more caught in the middle of an internal power struggle was what I
heard. Not necessarily much to so with liking or disliking Pitino Ball.

> You know what guys? Maybe he was right. You know what? Can anybody
>honestly say that Pitino's the guy you want devising and coaching a
>slow-down half-court offense? Everybody in the NBA says that the playoffs
>are about half-court / grinding / 24 sec. clock eating basketball.

Doesn't have to be, though. LA ran something called Showtime through the
playoffs in the 80s, as the Cs did for a considerably longer run before. I
agree that it usually *is* halfcourt, although that's not a necessity if you
have a team capable of forcing the pace the other way. And I'll even grant
you that I've been less than excited about the team's half court offense
this year, although it's an improvement over last year when they couldn't
even run a play. 

> George
>Karl makes a good point, I think, when he says that veterans win in the
>NBA, and that there aren't any veterans who are going to be able to play
>"Pitino ball" for a full season.

Depends upon how veteran and who he is. Havlicek ran in a way worthy of
Pitino ball until the day he retired. And also ignores to a degree the
effect of how in shape players are on their ability to do so. Again, go back
to the old Cs, where Red did a lot of the same things, and succeeded, as he
himself says, at least in part because the Cs were in so much better shape
than anyone else and able to handle it.

> And if it's true, where does that leave
>Pitino? Where does that leave the Celtics? And Pitino as a GM? Gaston gave
>this guy the franchise, for the next, what, seven years? That's not a risk?

Yup. But saying something else is a risk dosn't have anything to do with the
risk involved with Walker.

>Compared to signing Walker? Now, I know that Walker might be "immature,"
>but guys, the kid has undeniable talent, and a ton of it. People grow up.
>They mature and it's amazing how often it happens all over the world.

But it also doesn't happen, a lot of the time, and all over the world. And
if the Cs get this one wrong with Walker, with what he's demanding, it's not
just a matter of Gaston being out some major bucks, but thoroughly screwing
the franchise. 

> This
>isn't the NCAA. In the NBA talent wins.

Not always, Todd Day, Derrick Coleman, need me to keep going? It's a risk.
I'm not saying that Walker won't mature, but you really can't say that he
surely will.

<snip>
>Are we all sure about Pitino?

Nope. But the risks are different, with different consequences. And Pitino
has a track record of achieving ultimate success that Walker doesn't. Don;t
get me wrong, I'm not saying that Walker can;t or won't, just pointing out a
difference. If Baston was wrong in signing Pitino, he may not like it, but
he can eat the money, sign someone else, and the franchise can move on.
Making a similar mistake with Walker still hamstrings us because of things
like the salary cap.

-Kim
Kim Malo
kmalo19@idt.net