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Re: Up Tempo
I see your point, but none of us is criticizing Kenny
for not being able to defend Stephon Marbury, or for
being an above-average scorer. The point guard is
primarily a distributor and enabler, and that is all
mental. That Kenny has the skills to do it and
doesn't is unacceptable. If look at guys like Sherman
Douglas and Mark Jackson, and see how much better they
make their teammates, you can see how little
athleticism figures in to this discussion at all.
--- j.hironaka@unesco.org wrote:
> Before pushing send, I just read Jimbotron's fine
> post. Regardless, I will
> contradict him and post my own views in sympathy
> with TJL's earlier post.
>
> I relate to Theresa's post (don't have a heart
> attack, Greg Ode!). It's
> foolhardy for me to say, but this entire 1999 team
> has unfortunately grown on
> me (esp. PP & VP) and I hope they stick together
> (including KA). To start with,
> Kenny Anderson loves being a Boston Celtic and
> expressing his Celtic Pride. It
> doesn't sound phony when Kenny says good things,
> because it's obvious he wasn't
> born a smooth talker. I just wish the 1999-2000
> Boston Celtics could turn out
> like Jim O'Brien's OSU team this year (who went from
> last place all the way to
> the NCAA Final Four).
>
> If you ever wanted to defend or make excuse for KA,
> just watch him closely in
> games. Point guard is the toughest position to play
> and the easiest to
> criticize. All eyes naturally focus on the dribbler,
> and see his weaknesses and
> mistakes. Every spectator focuses a lot of their
> time on the point.
>
> Well does Kenny ever slack off on defense? Frankly,
> no. (His arms and feet are
> always on the move). Does Kenny throw ill-advised
> "hot dog" passes into
> traffic? Not when I'm watching. Does Kenny have an
> indecisive, hopeless
> jumpshot? Personally, I'd be willing to trade his
> overall offensive game for
> Tiny Archibalds in 1980-81. It's hard to tell the
> difference between those two,
> if you ignore how much suckier Kenny's teammates
> are.
>
> Compared to any other league, NBA point guards are
> mongoose quick. They glide
> around like water bugs, and they are cockier then we
> wish we were in our
> dreams. Of course these kids are going to expose
> your weaknesses/indecision and
> toast your sorry ass for it. It's the NBA.
>
> I doubt there is anything much harder for one of us
> to do than pitching a
> perfect game at the point guard position. Even the
> great ones like Jason Kidd
> make errors that KA makes relatively fewer of
> (foolish school yard passes,
> wide-open bricks etc.)
>
> Anyway, I somehow relate very well here to what
> other Celts fans may have felt
> watching the KA interview. If Homer were alive
> today, he would write the
> "Illiad" and "Odyssey" about the NBA. If you've
> actually tried to ever play
> basketball, then you instantly realize these guys we
> are watching are pretty
> much gods clashing against other gods (full at times
> with hubris and always
> relentlessly pursued by the furies).
>
>
> *****
>
> Theresa Lee wrote:
>
> > I watched a pregame interview with Kenny where he
> revealed how he felt
> > about this season and how he feels about next
> year. He kept saying that
> > playing this year was all about money...for him
> and for the league. At
> > first I couldn't beleive that he was talking that
> way, but when he related
> > it to making money for the league, I understood
> him better (no wonder Kenny
> > keeps sticking his foot in his mouth and being
> misunderstood!!). He was
> > disapointed with the season and how it went. He
> talked about the lack of
> > quality play and how it wasn't until maybe the
> last 20 games of the season
> > that teams looked at all good.
> >
> > Before the lockout he had been in shape, but then
> when the lockout came and
> > he thought there wouldn't be a season, he cut
> back. It hurt his game.
> >
> > When asked about next year and how to improve, he
> hestitated. He was asked
> > if he would be here and he again hesitated. He was
> reflecting on the fact
> > that he had been traded before and nothing was for
> certain.
> >
> > He seemed confused about his past (the analysis of
> it) and his future. It
> > was slightly sad, but also confusing. Is he the
> kind of guy that needs to
> > be constantly reassured about his status with the
> team? Has his moving
> > around the NBA produced an uncertain, confused
> player? Does that attitude
> > translate onto the court?
> >
> > We all know that as KA goes, so go the Celtics.
> However, I think RP has
> > shown another dimension to the team in KA's
> absence....the point-forward. I
> > guess Kenny is thinking about that possibility
> too.
> >
> > Theresa
> >
> > >You know, I never understood why a coach can't
> just
> > >say, "push it upcourt fast," and have the point
> guard
> > >do that. I mean, if he can't do it, as with
> Billups,
> > >that's one thing. But why can't Pitino just tell
> > >Kenny, "advance the ball as soon as you see a man
> up
> > >court." I know that Kenny went and asked Cooz
> what he
> > >should do, and Cousy told him to penetrate with
> an
> > >idea to passing. No shit! Why won't Kenny just
> do
> > >these things that any point guard with a tenth of
> his
> > >talent already knows. Why can't Pitino make him
> do
> > >it?
> > >
> > >Signed,
> > >
> > >Frustrated
> > >
> > >
> > >--- Way Of The Ray wrote:
> > >> Boston Herlad
> > >>
> > >> Celtics keep up with the Jones
> > >> by Mark Cofman
> > >> Monday, April 26, 1999
> > >> The Celtics announced before yesterday's
> game
> > >> against the Washington
> > >> Wizards at the FleetCenter they had
> re-signed
> > >> Damon Jones to a second
> > >> 10-day contract. That came as great news
> to
> > >> the 6-foot-3 point guard, who
> > >> promptly celebrated his good fortune with
> 15
> > >> points and six assists in the
> > >> Celtics' 113-84 victory.
> > >> Jones' point and assists were NBA career
> > >> highs, not overly significant
> > >> when considering his NBA resume consists
> of
> > >> just 19 games. What was
> > >> significant was the former University of
> > >> Houston star's overall standout
> > >> play, the latest in a string of strong
> > >> performances to help a team badly
> > >> in need of a late-season pick-me-up.
> > >> ``My opportunity came as a result of
> other
> > >> people's unlucky breaks,'' said
> > >> Jones, referring, of course, to the
> Celtics'
> > >> long list of injuries, most
> > >> notably the pulled right hamstring
> suffered by
> > >> fellow point guard Kenny
> > >> Anderson.
> > >> ``I wouldn't be here if the Celtics
> hadn't had
> > >> this run of injury problems
> > >> the last few weeks, but the only thing
> you can
> > >> do in that situation is
> > >> make the most of it,'' Jones added.
> > >> Jones has done just that, impressing
> Celtics
> > >> coach Rick Pitino during his
> > >> eight-game tenure in Boston.
>
=== message truncated ===
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