Player evaluations so far in FILA summer league play

[HMURDOCH@aol.com]

These are just my player impressions from FILA summer league play to date.  
(Note : I haven't been hired to be a scout for anyone yet, so you get what 
you pay for ;-)  I'm sure other people who saw these games have different 
opinions, and I would welcome their views too, and from the people who get to 
watch the Boston summer games as well.  It will be fun to compare notes.  
(These comments are based on seeing 5 of the 6 Celts games through the game 
this Saturday against the Clippers.)

Wayne Turner.  Can take it coast-to-coast and score.  He can pass.  He can 
play good pressing defense.  Didn't see a lot of jumpers or long range shots. 
 But team moves well with him running the show.  Both Wayne and Kevin Ollie 
were very fast bringing the ball up court, and both would occasionally keep 
the defense off balance by actually continuing their drive past half court ! 
(Scoring even.  Kenny and Dana please take note !!)  Neither took a lot of 
shots far from the basket - although they may be able to - they just didn't 
do it a lot.  But then, maybe they were told to do other things.

Kevin Ollie.  Same as above except made some more creative or spectacular 
baskets in traffic near the basket.  Got to the free throw line more often as 
a result of his drives.  Bigger than WT.  Maybe slightly less sharp on 
pressing defense.  Had the impression he was slightly outplaying Wayne T. 
until I checked out the stats.

Looking at the stats from the first 4 games, I was surprised to see that 
Wayne actually took more shots than Kevin Ollie - though Ollie got to the 
line for FTs a lot more often.  But what didn't stand out watching the game 
live, but does in the stats, is that Turner had a few more assists with a lot 
less turnovers, a few more rebounds, and quite a few more steals.  Too few 
games to write the book on, but interesting.  It's easier to see why someone 
would like Turner as a point guard after seeing him play.

Bruce Bowen.  Still crazy after all these years - on defense.  And has 
definitely taken a more aggressive attitude on offense and actually scores 
some points.  Which makes it hard to just automatically swap him for one of 
the new players.

Marlon Garnett.  Plays hard, runs well, was shooting well from 3-pt range, 
but didn't attract attention to his play very often.  Similar in that way to :

Bryant Smith.  Didn't score a lot.  Mainly showed up on defense.  Very active 
there and had some good deflections, rebounds.  Seemed to be an unusually 
good rebounder for his size and very willing to mix it up in traffic to get 
the rbs.  More an impression as he didn't get a lot of minutes, so his stats 
per game aren't impressive.  Which is true of many other players.

Paul Pierce.  Best player on the floor for both teams for all the games he 
was in.  By a long stretch.  (After 4 games was not only Celts leader in 
points, but also in rebounds and blocks.)  Could have a future ;-) 

Adrian Griffin.  Seemed to me to be the most interesting player in terms of 
whether he might make the team, and who he might replace if he did.  Struck 
me as a natural threat more to Greg Minor than anyone else, that is, if we 
could move Minor or wanted to.  Greg actually played pretty well last year, 
especially showed a lot of toughness on defense, and is strong.  As is 
Griffin, which, along with size and possibly position, is what brings a 
comparison to mind.  On the other hand, Greg has a nice medium range jumper, 
which Adrian hasn't so far shown.  Where Griffin beats Minor, and maybe most 
of the other (non-starting) Celts, is in one-on-one moves close to the 
basket.  When he has been isolated one-on-one near the basket, I don't recall 
anyone (in this summer league series) who has been able to stop him.  (Or 
could just be a problem with my memory!)  That was particularly evident in 
the game against the Clippers, where the Celts isolated him often late in the 
game when they were making their run.  He showed a variety of really 
wonderful moves and ways of scoring.  It got so bad (for the unfortunate 
Clips guards), that the people around me would yell, "uh-oh, uh-oh" whenever 
AG got the ball.  Everyone knew what was going to happen, but the player 
guarding him didn't have a chance of stopping it.  "You can't stop him, you 
can only try to contain him".

The real question though, before signing him on, is  - can he hit jumpers, or 
shoot long range.  Or does he need to ?  (He did hit one 3-pointer unguarded 
beyond the 3 point line near the end of the game).  But definitely a player 
to watch.  He has been very smart and heady on defense, causing a good number 
of steals or deflections, has made a fair number of assists, generally plays 
a very aware and smart game.  Knows what needs to be done.

Tony Battie.  You really have to see how Tony is playing now.  Do not trade 
him for anyone but a major star.  If he can continue to improve, like his 
play now compared to when he played for Denver, or when he came to the Celts 
- he has a tremendous future.  And unlike a lot of "potentials", is showing 
improvement and a great attitude about raising his play to another level.  
Besides, he's great fun to watch.

Kris Clack.  Has had a couple of outstanding moments, but generally blends 
into the woodwork.  Seems to have the athleticism and a desire to play hard, 
but may be lacking in experience, or maybe it's just a rookie thing that will 
pass.  Hard to evaluate as a keeper at this point.  Maybe the East Coast 
camps will show if he has more to offer.

Antoine Hyman.  Actually plays a nice game at this level.  But again, blends 
in more than stands out.  Same comments as for Kris C.

Walter McCarty.  Clippers game was his first. Didn't look bad and got quite a 
few points.  But would have to see him in more games to evaluate.

Vitally Potapenko.  Looked pretty bad in the rout of the Lakers - dropping 
passes, dribbles, rebounds.  Much better against the Clips.  Moved better 
with the ball, caught passes better etc.  Still has a good shooting touch and 
a good variety of shots.  Has continued to show good understanding and 
enthusiasm for defense.  Getting called for a lot of fouls (more even than 
Eric "the human foul highlight" Riley so far), but then, it seems like the 
refs are calling fouls much more often in this series than in last year's 
regular season.  They aren't allowing the wrestling matches under the basket 
like they used to.  If they keep it up, VP will have to adjust his game (as 
will all the physical centers and power forwards). VP still moves laterally 
pretty well on defense, and certainly can put a body against anyone in this 
league.   If he can just consistently handle the ball well, he will be ok.

Hank M.