Re: Billups

["Cecil Wright" <cecil@hfx.andara.com>]

-----Original Message-----
From: R. Bentz Kirby <bocelts@scsn.net>
To: Celtics <celtics@igtc.COM>
Date: Saturday, March 07, 1998 4:18 PM
Subject: Billups


>Well, let's see, is it really fair to compare Billups and Anderson.  KA
>does have a little more experience than did CB.  Plus, this is supposed
>to be a team building for the future, not one that is going for it all
>today.  I would hope KA is a better point guard than CB today, as we
>really are bad off if not.
>
I think that a key point, which is constantly overlooked, is that Billups
was apparently drafted to play a position which he had no previous
experience at.  A position which demands that the player must function
almost as a coach on the floor.  It takes thousands of practice hours and
probably much humiliation at the hands of the coach before the superb point
guard emerges.

Chauncey did the best he could under very demanding conditions here in
Boston, but we should not be comparing him to Kenny Anderson.  It is
improper to compare a veteran point guard to a player who has been an off
guard through high school and college, and asked to make the transition his
first year as a pro.

Would Kenny be an equal to Chauncey if they both played at shooting guard?
I think we can lay all this stuff to rest now and pray that the C's can keep
up their good play.  I don't expect them to win the NBA Finals this year,
but I'd be pleased to see them continue to perform at a consistent level.
Then hope for help next year via free agency cuz I don't know that the draft
will bring us the player that we need.

BTW, count me as one who has been impressed by the rebounding ability of
Popeye Jones, prior to his injury.  If he can return, and be anywhere close
to the effective rebounder he has been in the past, that would allow us to
put $$$ in another direction.  But to whom?

Cecil