Re: New stuff at Celticland

["Jim Meninno" <jim_meninno@hotmail.com>]

I was trying to say two things.  First that Pitino's defensive focus 
means that the team gives more effort on defense than other teams and 
players who previously have not paid much attention to their defensive 
responsibilities will have to under Pitino.  So, Kenny will be better 
defensively simply because he will be required to be.  Second, that it 
is not a defense based around one on one defensive skills, but rather a 
team defense concept.  Hopefully that helps a key player, like Kenny, 
with some defensive shortcomings.

Last year the team defense was hampered greatly by the lack of a shot 
blocking center.  I don't think the point guard is going to stop these 
lay up drills, no matter who we have.  Billups was a fine defender, but 
that didn't make much of a difference in the lay up parade.  On the 
other hand, if you added a Mutumbo to the team, the defense would be 
completely transformed.  

I think we've got a very good point guard in Kenny.  It's too bad our 
back up isn't bigger, so that he could come in if Kenny were getting 
abused in the post.  But this is all a secondary concern.  We could have 
DJ out there playing point and it wouldn't help us with the centers we 
have.  I don't really like any of the options that have been floating 
around for center, and I would hate to see any of our core four traded, 
but somethings got to give.  

That's enough rambling from me.  I guess I just think we've got bigger 
things to worry about than Kenny's D.  And, if we can get those taken 
care of, it won't be a problem.

Jim

>From: Shawn Roth <ufpdev!shawnr@uunet.uu.net>
>Subject: Re: New stuff at Celticland
>To: celtics@igtc.COM
>Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1998 12:15:05 -0500 (EDT)
>
>Hello,
>
>  I was just wondering about the statement that Pitino's defensive 
focus made
>  palyers better defenders.  If that is the case, then the Celts must 
of had
>  some really bad defenders.  Just one example was a Celts/Pistons game 
I
>  attended.  I think that Brian Williams (Pistons Center) must of had 
about 20
>  break away dunks.  The D was just missing in that game.  I don't see 
Pitino's
>  D making better defenders, I see Pitino's D making frustrated 
opponents.
>  Against great passing teams, with great ball handlers, his D shows it 
holes.
>
>  Anyway, just one view.  Please let me know what everyone else thinks.
>
>Shawn
>
>Originally from Jim Meninno:
>> 
>> I think there's two aspects to this.  One, is he physically capable 
of 
>> playing Pitino's tempo for 82 games plus playoffs.  We'll have to 
wait 
>> to find that out.  As far as his defensive abilities, I wouldn't be 
too 
>> quick to judge.  The team defense concept and Pitino's focus on 
defense 
>> will make players better defenders than they were in other systems.  
The 
>> same thing was said about Dana and others, but the system helps cover 
>> their weaknesses.  Of course it would all work much better with a 
>> Dikembe Mutumbo standing under the rim, but I doubt that'll happen.  
>> Wouldn't Robert Parish in his prime look great on this team, running 
the 
>> floor, blocking shots, grabbing boards?  Where can we get ourselves 
one 
>> of those?
>> 
>> Jim
>> 
>> >From: damekmo@teleport.com
>> >Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1998 11:18:02 -0800
>> >To: celtics@igtc.COM
>> >Subject: Re: New stuff at Celticland
>> >
>> >I like Anderson a lot, but you make a good point. It's no secret 
that 
>> when
>> >the trade was made a lot of people around the league doubted 
Anderson 
>> could
>> >play an entire season of Pitino's defense. The bottom -line is that
>> >Anderson is a miserable defender.
>> >
>> >Paul M
>> 
>> 
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>
>


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