Antoine and Me

[Josh Ozersky <josh_ozersky@yahoo.com>]

Me first:  Anyone who wants to hook up at the game at
halftime post a place to go in the Fleet Center.

Re Antoine:

No one has mentioned it yet, but Peter May to the
contrary, Antoine has not only been playing a more
mature, unselfish game, but he has finally started to
develop some bread and butter moves.  This has been a
rap on him for some time -- that he was too freaky and
playgroundy, and depended too much on improvising on
the box.  But this year he seems to have developed some
reliable moves.

1.  There is his spin toward the baseline on the left
side, in which he can usully lay the ball against the
backboard or get fouled;

2.  There is a little teardrop floater/leaner spinning
through the lane, a shot last seen as Mark Jackson's
weapon of choice, but infinitely more dangerous in the
hands of 6' 9" 1/2 Antoine.  I don't think he's missed
with it yet;

3.  A third, which I identified but now I've forgotten
about.

Finally, although Antoine still argues every call, he
no longer grimaces in disbelief, making a furious
rumplestiltskin of himself after ever whistle.  Now he
engages in a Clintonesque show of empathy, discussing
the call with the referee like a marriage counselor or
colleague.  That's something Peter May might have given
Twon some  props for.


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