Re: mysterious leprechauns

[Kim Malo <kmalo19@idt.net>]

At 02:34 PM 6/29/98 +0200, Joe Hironaka <j.hironaka@unesco.org> wrote:
>Hi list:
>
>    While I'm still wringing my hands over why the Celts's brass didn't
>give Paul Pierce at least a perfunctory interview and physical exam
>before the draft, I guess sometimes the leprechauns work in mysterious
>ways.

As someone pointed out on the Cs ng, their new coach has been spending a lot
of time with him and with Magic out west, and Pitino had seen him in
college. So it's not quite a blind faith choice.

>    While he is surely an upgrade over last year's starter (Greg Minor),
>the Celtics have in no way addressed the woeful rebounding and
>free-throw gap of last season.

This isn't strictly true. People compare Pierce to Mercer, but he's a much
better rebounder (one reason to put him at the 3 and Mercer stay at the 2),
with a reported 7'+ wingspan despite his mid range height. And the FT gap
has a whole lot more to do with the Cs shot selection and silly defensive
fouls to make up for missed assignments than anything else. Pierce is
another slasher (read foul generator) with reportedly a good understanding
of shot selection.

<snip>
>    In sum, I think Boston will have the league's most stylish and
>videogenic team but they are going to look a bit soft against
>playoff-calibre teams, and I HATE SOFT!!   Where have you gone, Larry
>Joe?

Well, the softness still has a lot to do with the hole in the middle, and
the options to fill that when they drafted weren't going to do as much for
them as Pierce is likely to. Even a talented rookie big man takes time to
develop, unless he's absolutely exceptional. It's still possible that some
of that hole can be filled with better play rather than just by personnel
changes. Half the reason for layup drills by other teams wasn't because of
pushing around the Cs defenders in the paint but because there was no one
there defending in the first place. And adding another outside option should
encourage AW to play more inside on offense, if he really felt *forced* to
take all those dumb outside shots, as his defenders claim. 

>    Sorry for this ambivalent post.

Why? Makes a welcome change from some of the blind ranting. 

-Kim
Kim Malo
kmalo19@idt.net