Re:

[Mike Dynon <mdynon@ix.netcom.com>]

Just for the record, Mark Woodward (not I) made the statement about
being shocked with Walker. However, I did make the comment about the
team lacking half-court offense, and Peter you're right that there is no
excuse for it. For two seasons now, there's been no variety. The only
plays seem to be 1. a pattern where Walker has the ball on the left,
passes it to the center who pops out high right, then the ball is swung
back around to Toine posting up; and 2. Kenny pounding the dribble while
Mercer and Pierce curl off picks. The whole offense seems designed to
generate jump shots and one-on-one moves.

Last year, Billups was criticized for not getting the team into the
offense quickly, but in situation 2 he was just waiting for people to
get open. The same thing still happens with Kenny. Surely there must be
options they can try: pick and roll, two-man game, posting Pierce or
Mercer, using a high post, etc.  Mercer killed Denver with post-ups; can
he only do it against 6'1" opponents?

Pitino can't change the people now, and maybe he can't generate offense
now from the press, but someone among the squadron of coaches must be
able to think of a few new plays.
--
Mike Dynon
North Kingstown, RI


peter delevett wrote:
> 
> Mike Dynon <mdynon@ix.netcom.com>:
> >I was shocked to see {Walker} come down the floor on more than one occasion
> and immediately toss up a shot
> >from the outside.  First, he is clearly in the middle of a shooting slump, not
> >the best time to start taking any shot you can get.  Generally when the team
> >worked to create shots and move the ball around the floor there was no booing
> >even if the shot was missed.
> 
> I think AW and other players have this belief that if you're in a slump, you
> keep shooting until you shoot your way out of it. But a player of Walker's
> manifold talents needs the maturity to realize that if it's a night when the
> shots just aren't dropping, there are other things he can do -- passing,
> rebounding -- to help his team. It's not like he's the only guy on the team
> who can put the ball in the basket. [BTW, I just read in the new SI that on a
> per-minute basis, Walker is like 4th in the league inshot attempts. RP really
> should try to rein him in, given his shooting percentage and that fact that
> other guys need their touches too.]
> 
> >Even when the Celts play reasonable
> >"normal" defense, as they did last night (87 points allowed isn't bad),
> >they struggle offensively because they lack a half-court offense.
> 
> There is frankly no excuse for that with the kind of post-up threats they
> have. Back during Michael Jordan's first championship run, Chicago would
> nearly *always* come out at the beginning of the game and establish Bill
> Cartwright - get the ball in to him, let him put up several high-post jumpers
> in a row. Opponents knew they couldn't sag off the middle to triple team
> Jordan or Cartwright would make them pay. Now, one of the very best things
> Vitaly knows how to do is put the ball in the basket. Pitino should make much
> better use of this gift and create more opportunities for VP to post up inside.