Re: Billups & Walker

[jtoney@erols.com]

Meninno, James A. wrote:
> 
> Well, I just about recovered from all the criticism of Antoine when I read this
> about Chauncey Billups. " He has trouble dribbling, passing and seeing the
> court, plus his shooting is awful."
> I wonder if these comments are based on watching the games or if they come from
> looking at a box score.  Chauncey is having trouble seeing the court.  I think
> that is to be expected.

Why would you expect that the first point guard taken in a draft, 3rd
pick overall, would have trouble seeing the floor, hmmm you must have
lower expectations then I do for such a high draft pick.  Oh well I will
give you the benefit of the doubt and continue.

> His dribbling is, however, superb and his shot is the
> sweetest on the team.

"Sweetest" hmmmm what is your idea of sweet?  Billups is shooting 37%
from the field right now.  Thats not to "sweet" in my book.  You goto
Harvard right?  Maybe I am just missunderstanding, I will continue.  

> He has excellent range on his jumper, looking very
> comfortable out beyond the arc.  

He may "look comfortable" to you and I can't argue with what you feel,
heck I can't even understand it.  But, looking at Billup's three point
percentage,  hmm, let me see, ahh there it is, it reads 33%.  Now I
wouldn't call that "excellent" it's more like adequate. 

>And his shot, including free throws, stays
> composed at critical times of the game.

hmmm I agree with you, at less the part about the free throws.  Billups
is an excellent free throw shooter, 2nd on the team with 84.5%

> His turnovers and poor shooting
> percentage come entirely from the seeing the court.  He gets in trouble on
> penetration and either throws up a prayer or turns it over.

Ahh now I see it.  You "feel" that he has the "sweetest" shot, but
because he doesn't see the floor well his field goal percentage is low. 
Again the first point guard taken and the 3th pick overall shouldn't
have such severe problems seeing the floor.
>  More respected
> veterans in the league would draw a foul in that situation.  He will learn.
> He is not a shooting guard trying to become a point, in my opinion, he is a
> point trying to make a very big adjustment in the level of his competition.  If
> he can do it we will have a point with scoring ability.  And these are very
> rare and dangerous.

He has a   L      O     N      G   way to go.