Re: Orlando

[j.hironaka@unesco.org]

Thanks for the observations, Jimbotron. I totally agree BTW with your
logic/warning. This was an example, obviously, of my interpreting a game
based only on the next morning's boxscore. :-)

It seems like a couple of people on this list have said that Mercer's stats
last night looked better than his actual play. Was that the consensus? It
sure looks good on paper. I hope it continues.

***

Jim Meninno wrote:

> Joe,
>
> I watched about half of the game last night and I don't really think you
> can say that Mercer was playing point guard.  When Barros wasn't in the
> game, the team was playing without a point guard, and Antoine brought
> the ball up the court most of the time, basically uncontested as his man
> was waiting for him at the foul line.  I only mention this because I
> worry that people will start suggesting that Kenny or Dana could be
> traded and Mercer and Pierce could be the regular backcourt.  That would
> leave them very susceptible to any fullcourt pressure.  Can you imagine
> Ron trying to bring it up against Mookie Blaylock or Gary Payton for a
> full game?  And, if you give a team a chance to prepare for this lineup,
> don't you think 'Toine might see some coverage in the backcourt?  Walter
> could be left unguarded and he'd turn it over 5 times.  Pierce handles
> it well for a forward, but below average for a guard.  I do get the
> feeling I missed a lot of Ron's better moments, though, because I
> thought he had a pretty poor first quarter, including a couple of blown
> layups and poor decisions.
>