Re: Mercer/Battie

[j.hironaka@unesco.org]

RSMALL@clarku.edu wrote:

> I beleive the C's should keep Mercer.  he may or may not be worth what he asks
> for but, how many of you would be in a hurry to give Antoine the max after
> this season?  Maybe the C's should have waited.  Lets not even get started on
> McCarty.
>
> Rich

Rich, good point on Antoine Walker actually. Still, if you use the 1986 Celtics as
a model for your ideal championship team (82 wins-18 losses), then all five Celts
starters MUST be able to pull their own weight in the critical non-scoring
statistics (rebounding, assists) like Antoine Walker does and Ron Mercer does not.
The 1986 Celts had something like a plus-10 rebounding deferential in no small
part because of the above average but unnoticed efforts of our guards (DJ and
Ainge). Imagine how much more effective the Pitino system would be if we had a
plus-10 rebounding differential, or even a plus-5?

One of these days, I'll get around to bashing Antoine Walker. Trust me. But while
he's getting booed regularly by nincompoops, I'll be on his side.