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NBA REPORT/Sam Smith
Eyes of dynasty-rebuilders
turn to Celtics' Walker
Web posted: Tuesday, January 6, 1998
Kevin Garnett is locked up, figuratively speaking at least, in
Minneapolis. And Antonio McDyess seems almost sure to sign in
Phoenix, which might short-circuit the Bulls' post-Michael Jordan
rebuilding plans.
But it's Boston's Antoine Walker who has emerged as perhaps the
elite young star in the NBA.
``He's one of the best players in the league,'' Minnesota's Garnett
said last week after the surprising Celtics defeated the
Timberwolves. ``Any time you have someone 6-foot-9 doing the things
he does, you have a special player.''
Walker had 27 points and 18 rebounds in that game, which is
becoming almost routine for him these days. He had 32 points and 10
rebounds the next game as the Celtics won in Milwaukee and had 28
points and 13 rebounds as the Celtics won on the road against the
Lakers, giving Boston as many road wins over winning teams as the
Bulls have.
Walker, averaging 22.2 points and 10.4 rebounds, is among the
league's top 10 in scoring, rebounding and steals. Sure, he shoots
a lot, but the Bulls are used to players like that. Walker, with
Scottie Pippen-like abilities to handle the ball, pass and play the
passing lanes on defense, is a versatile 6-9. He is averaging 27.2
points and 11.8 assists his last five games as the Celtics have
moved to 16-14 after winning 15 games all of last season.
And he's from Chicago and Mt. Carmel High School.
Who better to begin the next dynasty?
Sure, Walker played for Boston coach Rick Pitino at Kentucky. But
Pitino already has said Celtics ownership doesn't have the money to
give Walker a contract that rivals Garnett's.
Without Jordan, Bulls management does. And the Bulls have the arena
and season ticket base that almost demands they have a star at any
price.
Pitino is doing everything he can to cater to and cultivate Walker,
who can be a free agent after next season. But there's nothing like
being a hero in your home town. And everyone knows Pitino isn't
going to stay very long in Boston, no matter what he says.
Even last week as the Celtics enjoyed a successful road trip,
Pitino acknowledged that two years ago he was serious enough about
taking the Lakers' job to look at housing in the Los Angeles area.
And before talking to the Celtics he was serious about the Golden
State job, but backed off after examining their salary-cap
prospects.
All the while he was telling recruits he wasn't leaving Kentucky.
So Walker should be careful what promises he hears.
Better to hook on with the current dynasty than the ancient one.
``Is he going to be an All-Star?'' Garnett asked. ``He's already
one.''
Celtic pride: Their opponents shoot better--lots better--than they
do from the field and the free-throw line. They are being
outrebounded, they get fewer assists and blocks and they're being
outscored.
Yet the Celtics are two games above .500 and, amazingly, a
half-game out of the last playoff spot in the Eastern conference
going into Tuesday night's Bulls game.
``I don't know if the playoffs are a realistic goal,'' Pitino says,
``because there are like 10 teams that are really close. But what
I'd like to do is just stay in the hunt. If we're three or four
games out by midseason, that's in the hunt. That's a motivating
tool.''
And motivation is Pitino's main tool.
Heck, he made Mark Jackson an All-Star.
Pitino may not be the most brilliant general manager the way he has
tied up the Celtics with long-term contracts for marginal players,
but he is producing with one star, Walker, who is in just his
second season, two rookie starters plus journeyman Andrew DeClercq
at center.
That team should not be ahead of Milwaukee, Washington and Detroit.
Pitino will get strong support for coach of the year should the
Celtics remain in the race with their pressing, trapping defense
that has frustrated some coaches as well as players.
``If that was a good defense,'' Minnesota's Flip Saunders said
after losing to Boston last week, ``you'd have 29 teams playing
it.''
It's really not that good a defense--the Celtics give up more
layups than Mike Smrek.
But they don't press all the time. They mostly ``run'' teams who
are at the end of road trips or who have played the night before.
They're not likely to try it on the Bulls. But they do try, which
can count for a lot of victories these days in the NBA.
Pitino, meanwhile, better get credit while he can. ``I mean, as
soon as Antoine Walker gets his $17 million a year for seven years,
he's going to be the man,'' Suns coach Danny Ainge says. ``That's
part of the reality.''
Bucking a bad trend: One of the league's biggest disappointments
has been the Milwaukee Bucks, who finished a homestand with an
overtime victory over Dallas and a loss to Boston. The Bucks were
in Portland Monday to begin a stretch of eight games in their next
10 against teams with winning records, including five on the road.
Despite having former All-Stars at three positions, the Bucks are
14-17, having lost nine of 12, and rank 12th in the conference.
After shooting about 47 percent and holding opponents under 45
percent through mid-December, the Bucks are allowing opponents to
shoot better, their shooting percentage has declined and they're
being outrebounded. All signs of a sliding team.
``It's a tough situation,'' Armon Gilliam said. ``We just have to
go out on the road and play with confidence.''
LJ steps up: Forget the Bulls. The Knicks effectively have. Their
big game this week is Wednesday's revenge matchup
battle-of-New-York with the Nets.
The Knicks are depending on Larry Johnson in the post with Patrick
Ewing out. Johnson, an All-Star with Charlotte, is averaging 20
points on 60 percent shooting with Ewing out after averaging 11.8
on 46 percent shooting playing with Ewing.
``We took a step backward losing the big fella,'' Johnson said.
``But our season is not over yet.''
Florida follies: The Heat has dropped to third in the conference
behind the Bulls and Pacers and is said to have intensified efforts
to deal for Sacramento's Mitch Richmond, offering Isaac Austin and
Jamal Mashburn. . . . Another plummeting team is the injury-wracked
Magic, which has lost eight of nine. Rony Seikaly took treatments
Saturday in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to help promote healing of
a sprained ankle suffered Friday. He arrived an hour before
Saturday's game with the Knicks and scored 28, but the Magic lost
again. ``It's getting almost ludicrous,'' coach Chuck Daly said.
``I don't know how much deeper (into the bench) we can go trying to
score enough points.''
Sam Smith covers pro basketball for the Tribune.
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