Re: Kentucky Fetish? WHAT Kentucky Fetish?

[Michael Gooen <callmebogie@yahoo.com>]

<<a larger issue IMHO is whether it is productive for Rick Pitino to
continue seeking out Kentucky-style
players (guys who jack up three-pointers like
Mashburn, Rodney Rodgers and Dontae Jones)>>

Not sure I'd classify Rogers (I don't think he spells it with a "d" -
he shouldn't, since he doesn't tend to play any) or Dontae' (MUSTN'T
FORGET THAT APOSTROPHE!) as "Kentucky-style" players.  According to
nba.com, Rodney's attempted only 40 3s in 30 games.  That doesn't put
him in Mercer-land, but it hardly qualifies him as a chucker.  Dontae',
on the other hand, was nothing BUT a chucker.  Don't see how that makes
him "Kentucky-style".  Of course, Mashburn is Kentucky-style, but I'll
repeat my question -- where's the evidence that Pitino has tried to get
Mashburn?


<<improving on his perceived NBA coaching
weaknesses (sticking with and developing genuine low-post big men,
actually using said low-post guys in a half-court set offense,
effectively designing
and teaching more than a half-dozen offensive plays
etc.)>>

Completely agree with you here -- except that I'm not sure whether he
needs to teach more than a half-dozen offensive plays as long as
they're the right offensive plays.  For example, it was a revelation
watching Antoine against NJ in an otherwise horrendous game for the
Celtics.  Apart from one bad three, it seemed as if every shot he took
started out with a catch in the low post.  He showed almost McHale-like
efficiency.

Pitino and Walker should watch a tape of that game over and over until
they both realize that Antoine can take just about any NBA small
forward, most 4s and even some 5s if he stays on the block and gets the
ball with enough time on the shot clock.  The day he starts doing that
consistently (and making the free throws when he invariably gets fouled
the way he did against NJ), I will cheerfully accept whatever wiggling,
chest-puffing, whining and summering-in-Chicago Antoine cares to do.

 
<<I think one reason why our Celts sometimes carry
solid leads into the fourth quarter only to have quality opponents
calmly catch up and beat us
is because those teams wake up to the urgency of the
moment 1) by turning to bread and butter offensive options we don't
have;>>

Agreed. Bread & butter offensive options should be priority #1.

<<and 2) by figuring out after the first 40 minutes how to contain our
playground offensive antics,
just when our key guys have started to run out of
wind.>>

I'll take Pitino at his word (for once) that running out of wind won't
be a problem next season.


<<We can complain all we want about "youth versus
experience" and "wait 'til we get practice time" etc., but I'm quite
sure both Daly and Riley could
coach the young Celtics better than Rick Pitino could coach the frankly
mediocre on paper Orlando Magic or the injury-depleted Miami Heat.>>

Disagree there, since (i) the Orlando Magic are far from mediocre (on
paper or otherwise) -- their stars have been rejuvenated, their rookies
(contrary to popular expectations, including my own) are for real and
on paper they would have Bo Outlaw and (ii) there's no way Riley could
handle the Celtics.  He's allergic to any player under age 25 who isn't
named Earvin.  That's why he trades away draft picks at every
opportunity.  He's the George Allen of the NBA. He's also an overrated
coach -- an excellent (to the point of serious psychosis) motivator but
a lousy tactician.  Take away Magic and Kareem and he's nothing. 
Riley's 1994 Nix got into the Finals solely on the strength of a lousy
foul call against a Jordanless Bulls team.

Michael Gooen

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