Re: Walker over Mercer -Reply

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

There are many games won or lost at the free throw line.  The game vs the
Wiz last season when Toine went off for 49 points was one of them IIRC.
Free throw shooting is a HUGE part of the game, but especially in the 4th
quarter when comebacks are mounted.  Missing front ends of bonus situations
obviously is an aid to the trailing team.

My point was that if a player is a liability at the stripe, which Toine
certainly is at this point, he will be fouled on purpose and dared to make
them.  Mercer makes them.

As for the reference to Kerr, did you know that it took him until his 5th
season to shoot in the .900's from the line.  And he did it going 22/24 for
the season.  His 2 other seasons at that level saw him shoot 78/84 (95/96)
and 45/49 (97/98).
Mercer shot .839, 188/224 in his rookie season.  I have every confidence
that he too will shoot .900 and I'd say it won't take him 4 more years to do
it.

Cecil

-----Original Message-----
From: Joe Hironaka <j.hironaka@unesco.org>
To: Ryan Falcone <FalconeR@nvg.com>; celtics <celtics@igtc.com>
Date: Thursday, September 17, 1998 6:13 AM
Subject: Re: Walker over Mercer -Reply


>Ryan Falcone wrote:
>
>> (...) And as for Walker being an ostensibly perennial all-star, I
>> challenge you
>> to answer Cecil's question:  with 3 seconds on the clock and the
>> Celtics
>> down by a bucket, who would you rather have going to the line to shoot
>>
>> one-and-one?
>
>Well I guess I'd rather have Steve Kerr shoot the free throws... I mean
>what kind of "winning argument" is that, really? I don't remember the
>last time I saw a "one-and-one" decide an NBA game.
>
>But I agree that all the Celts starters (especially a Celts captain)
>should have the professional discipline to shoot at least 75% from the
>line. Good free-throw shooting is a distinct part of "Celtics
>tradition", and it wins championships against great teams.
>
>I think Pitino has zero-tolerance for poor free throw shooting. All his
>kids are gonna grow up soon. Dontworryaboutit...
>
>
>Cheers,
>
>JH
>
>
>Go Red Sox, Sammy and Mark....
>
>****
>
>
>