Buddy Thomas: Walker Not The Answer

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@ix.netcom.com>]

  New Bedford Standard Times
  3/25/99

  Not-so-super Walker isn't Celts' answer                  
  Buddy Thomas                                  
  senior sports editor/columnist                    
                                                           
  bthomas@s-t.com
                                                          
                                                            
  That's it. I've seen enough.

  Antoine Walker has to go.
                                                       
  Forget what he did or didn't do in last
  night's game against the Timberwolves. I've           
  already seen enough and there's nothing I like.             
  Athletic? I'll give you that.
                                                             
  Talented? In what way?
                                                              
  Leaping over opponents to grab a                  
  defensive rebound and proceeding to out-run them         
  up the floor is certainly athletic stuff. But         
  where's the talent when the vast majority of his
  long-range shots or driving, spinning scoops             
  clank off the rim?                                      
  [Image] Check the latest NBA stats and see how             
  many players with a similar shooting percentage
  and comparable playing time are labeled                     
  "talented."
  
  Is Walker good enough to play in the NBA?         
                                                            
  Certainly. But is he capable of carrying the
  label of "go-to" guy the Celtics apparently have          
  stamped him with? Clearly not.                              
  [Image] A "go-to" guy is a player you rely on to      
  carry your team through crunch time. Granted, the
  Celtics are young and inexperienced and crunch         
  times are few and far between. But when one         
  comes, Walker's the guy who always takes over.        
  Or, tries to.
  
  The question is why?
                                                          
  Yes, he has a knack for drawing fouls              
  with those spinning athletic moves to the basket.      
  But what good is getting fouled when he can't           
  shoot foul shots? That's like turning the ball               
  over which, incidentally, he's also quite              
  proficient at doing.
  
  If the Celtics need a "go-to" guy the           
  only choice is rookie Paul Pierce.
  
  Like Walker, he also can drive the lane            
  and draw fouls. But, unlike Walker, he makes the         
  majority of his free throws. Pierce also shoots
  better from the field and, like Walker, can            
  rebound and handle the ball. And, when the rookie         
  isn't on the floor, the next logical "go-to"             
  choice would be Ron Mercer.
  
  Either one is better that Walker.             
  
  Celtics' fans should have no illusions of
  their team making the playoffs this season. But,       
  neither should they expect the team to show               
  dramatic improvement with Walker running the
  floor show. 
                                             
  Hopefully, Rick Pitino will see the light      
  before he's blinded by it and trade the $71
  million not-so-superstar in the offseason. Send          
  him home to Chicago and point guard Kenny
  Anderson along with him for, say, Toni Kukoc and
  a No. 1 draft pick.
  
  The Celtics aren't going to be a serious
  contender until they solve three problems.
  They've got to plug the middle with a big
  body who can rebound, score a little and project
  a defensive presence; find a healthy point guard
  who passes more than he shoots and play something
  more than just token defense.
  
  The point guard could come in the draft
  (assuming the team can get their No. 1 pick back
  in a trade), the big man may come via free agency
  or trade (Vin Baker?) and the defense will come
  when Pitino realizes his college system needs
  revamping. <snip>
              

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