Re: I have another question; Which I answer because it's slow and hot.

[j.hironaka@unesco.org]

damekmo@teleport.com wrote:

>  I think it's certainly
> questionable whether Pierce lives up to the potential realized by players
> like Finley, Abdur-Rahim and, to be honest, Carter. Having said that, and
> if you agree, then Pierce for Odom is simply a no-brainer. You get more
> upside at two positions - Odom projects to be a better 3 and 2 than Pierce
> - for the same amount of money...you make it possible for Antoine to play
> the four and if not then you have Walker at his natural 3 and Odom - if
> Steve smith can do it, Odom can - at the 2. Odom could very well be
> Abdur-Rahim who can pass, put it on the floor, with a real outside game. I
> think Odom and Walker would suffice at the forwards. I also think that Odom
> would make it possible to win with less than a "great" point guard. If Odom
> has one proven flaw in his game, it's that he's "too" unselfish. If I'm
> Pitino....I'd do it...and I think the Clips would fall for it. Back to
> work.

Personally, I think it is fair right now to regard Odom as a multi-skill
finesse athlete with the guts/heart/talent to project as a Billy Owens, Hot
Plate Williams or Tim Thomas type of NBA ballplayer. Odom needs to show a lot
more fire if he wants to someday be a Celtic. FWIW, if I were going to build my
ideal Celtics team, I'd start with Tim Duncan and Paul Pierce (the two finest
"old school" ballplayers in the NBA).

IMO, Pierce is a terrific rebounder for his size, the best natural 3-point
shooter to come into the NBA since Reggie Miller, and he showed he can lead the
league in steals. Subtract the month of March, and his overall numbers are
preferable to those of the flashier Vince Carter. For God's sake Paul M., stop
bumming me out!

I was working in middle europe (Budapest) for the past three weeks so I missed
this draft completely (and I'm sure some great posts too). FWIW, it sounds like
we picked up two talented guards who can't hit from the perimeter (Turner and
Clack). I saw both of them play in the 1995 McDonald's All Star Game, and was
impressed by Clack's ability to raise his game to and even beyond the high
level of play. There was nothing wrong with his shooting form as far as I could
see (lots of elevation and a MJ-type stroke), nor did he force shots in that
game. Wait to you see him in exhibition games. The kid is a ridiculously
explosive leaper.

On paper Clack reminds me of Charles Bradley, another chunky 6-5 defensive
specialist that the Celtics drafted in the early 1980's out of Wyoming. That
guy also could dunk like nobody's business and had a clean enough shooting
stroke, yet he couldn't hit a jumper to save his life. Kris Clack is so gifted
going to and defending the rim and so consistently solid against All Star
competition that perhaps he hasn't refined the minimum skills he will
definitely need in order to grow into a Michael Cooper, Doc Rivers type of NBA
player. The only reason Clack might make the 1999-2000 Celtics roster is
because Pitino will no doubt keep 15 or 16 players as per usual.

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