Was "Credit Pitino with loss"

[opi@unesco.org]

Kestus wrote:
Random thoughts:
+ I don't know if anyone keeps such stats, but Walker has got to be the
most
stuffed player in the NBA.

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Blocking Antoine's shot is so commonplace that it isn't even treated as
an achievement worthy of celebration or congratulations. The ball never
even leaves Antoine's hand before it is stuffed, which is rather unusual
to say the least. He's certainly the only player I've seen get blocked
by several different guys at the same time (do they get credited with
1/2 a block each?)  Part of this is that opponents know they can touch
foul Antoine without any hesitation, but unfortunately that's not the
whole story.

Bob Cousy says it best when he notes what a difference it makes each
time Toine takes a simple "one count" before he releases his shot (Couz
somehow makes sense here, doesn't he?). The funny thing about any
contested shots around the rim is that a lot of the old masters like
Maxwell (not to mention J or MJ) shot the ball as often on the way down
as on the way up. I use Maxwell as an example because he shows that you
don't have to have "hang time" to "hang". I remember he'd draw 3-point
plays off defenders wherein he'd commit a borderline "up-and-down"
violation before finally releasing the shot.

By contrast, Toine lobs the ball up even before he reaches the peak of
his jump trajectory, which is almost unique in the NBA (reminds me of
NBA bust Walter Berry years ago). Toine also doesn't use his final two
steps before the shot attempt in any kind of a productive way (either to
find daylight or to add some lift to his jump).

Having had a chance to catch up on some of my Celts game videos, my
frank impression is that big things are still missing from Antoine's
game but overall it is shocking how good he still looks to me at times,
even if the stats clearly don't support this view.

In the three games I watched in rapid succession last night, Antoine did
the old Magic Johnson "rebound + coast-to-coast layup" routine three
times, and the stunner was he'd power-dribble the entire distance
left-handed twice.

I've never seen a big forward with that much knee bend and control on
the dribble. Never. He's got swivel hips like an NFL cornerback, yet
he's got a naturally wide strong body. Is he a better dribbler than
Pierce? Absolutely and by far (Pierce is called a better "slasher"
because he knows how to finish). There is a totally different cadence
and power to their respective dribbling ability. Part of it is that
Toine is built  like a normal-sized human being, on a much larger scale.
His arms seem "short" for a 6-10 pituitary case, which may explain why
he's not as gangly on the dribble as Pierce or any big forward I can
think of, period.

This unfortunately may partly explain why Toine can't get his shot off
inside as easily as a McHale, although, again, it comes down mostly to
poor technique and to what the refs allow. Put another way, I've never
seen a mid-air block of an Antoine shot. Opponents slam the ball down
before it is even five inches above his forehead. These aren't
necessarily always fouls, but opponents are allowed to be aggressive
with Antoine without even a minor risk that a foul will be called.

But overall, I believe (based on what little I've seen so far) that Jim
Mennino is on target about Antoine not being as bad as his stats clearly
suggest. The strange thing with Toine this year is that he's lost his
nose for where caroms will land. For some dumb reason, I always thought
he had a special intelligence for moving to where rebounds drop in his
lap (like Moses Malone). I still see him roaming to a spot in the paint
in anticipation of a defensive board, but time and again the missed
shots refuse to land anywhere near him. It's as though Antoine's body
has been taken over by John Malkovich. This is very disappointing to
see.

Prior to watching the game videos, I was all prepared to claim that
Antoine has lost some of his fury and aggression on the backboards in
the process of trying to rein in the rest of his game. But in fact,
there doesn't seem to be quite that easy an answer. Either Toine was an
incredibly lucky player to finish ahead of all but one NBA player in
double doubles back in 1998, or he's lost his mojo as a rebounder and
may not recover it this year.

To sum up, there are two big things missing or still missing from
Antoine this year: the ability to take a breath and think before he
shoots and the ability to be a bad-ass rebounder again. BTW, I never
felt Antoine was much of a leaper even before this year, so I wouldn't
blame that at all (nor do I think there is any evidence that jumping
ability and rebounding somehow correlate). Additionally, I don't think
the "he's not yet in shape" rationale hold much hope. I wish it weren't
true, but Toine does already look in shape to me...in fact he has a
reasonably "high workrate" (as soccer scouts like to say out here with
regard to very active, scrappy players).

There are two quasi "nice" things  I'd say about Toine (which I believe
are factually accurate). First, he probably sets more screens than any
other Celtic player this year, and second he probably passes the ball
off more than any other Celtic player including Kenny Anderson.On the
second point, I'm still not sure that very many good has come (thus far)
from Pitino having Antoine camp out at the top of the key to start
virtually every Celts offensive series, but without question it does is
improve his "pass to shot ratio", even if most of the passes are
ineffectual handoff passes 25-feet from the basket.

Still I'd argue that there is always a lagtime between people's
perceptions and the reality. You'd have to have a nasty anti-Toine bias
to say he is playing particularly selfishly or not looking for his
teammates. After watching some games, I'm much more hopeful than before
that Antoine can benefit the Celtics or any other club as a more
productive overall team player than most other players of his age,
mindset and ability.

I do wish certain of his career worst stats would improve over the
second half (notably, his 7.0 rebounding and his 2.3-3.0
assists-to-turnover ratio). He is obviously at a career low in every
meaningful statistical category (sometimes off by as much as 50%) other
that FT% (.725). Talk about "one step forward, five steps back". As
erratic and objectionable his game was in the past, his stats never sank
to anywhere near this across-the-board "just another player" level. This
year he has gift-wrapped for his critics every right to say "I told you
so."

Joe
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