Re: Mercer worth gamble Issel took in trade

[opi@unesco.org]

> Mercer worth gamble Issel took in trade
> By Mark Kiszla
> Denver Post Sports Columnist
>
> Oct. 10 - Don't be fooled by the unflappable hair and Italian suits worn by
> NBA coach Rick Pitino, who despite his $70 million contract with Boston has
> lost nearly 60 percent of his games for the Celtics. The man's obviously not
> as perfect as he looks.
>
> Obtaining Mercer just might be the biggest heist the Nuggets have pulled
> since they fleeced Portland for Fat Lever, Calvin Natt and Wayne Cooper more
> than a decade ago.

    Not to be snobbish, but what a LAME franchise history. I agree totally with
Kestas' assessment that Dan Issel and the McNuggets lack any institutional
knowledge of what elements make a winning NBA team. It seems almost unfair to rub
it in, when some shmuck boasts about a "heist" more than a decade ago that landed
Wayne Cooper in a Nuggets uniform. I don't even recall Lever and Natt leading the
Nougats into the playoffs (which basically proves Kestas' point).

    It also surprised me that Issel would describe Mercer as a slasher. Even if
you depend only on Mercer's "career" games (as Issel seemingly did with the
UK-Syracuse title game three years ago)  you STILL won't find evidence that
Mercer can challenge any defender with the dribble (Mercer only drives to the
rack if he already has a half-step on someone), much less go up tough and draw
fouls even if he successfully "slashes". I think Issel is way off track in his
view, even if just a cursory glance at Mercer's career stats (fouls drawn, etc)
didn't further back up this claim. If only all GM's were this retarded in their
player evaluations, we wouldn't need a clone of Red Auerbach in order to continue
winning championships down the road.

    IMO Denver basically has acquired in Mercer a thrilling highlight dunker who
needs all his teammate's help in order to score 90% of his (non-dunk) points,
more or less like Harold Minor but with a worse dribble. Because of a weakness at
creating his own shots, Mercer will likely be the sort of "go to" scorer whose
shooting percentage vs shots per game will be inversely proportional (the more he
shoots, the more he'll miss) in a half-court offense. Because of his lack of
innate vision for the pass (and/or an incredible lack of interest in passing),
any offense designed for him to score 20ppg will tend to stagnate, with players
standing around more than they should. And because he is ill-suited to defend NBA
small forwards (at 210 pounds, he was IMO the worst rebounder on the entire 1999
Celtics roster), I would predict mucho disappointment and resentment directed his
way as the long year wears on. Of course the fans might be happy with him (hey
Boston fans were too), but I'm talking more about his teammates. More
specifically, I predict some real loving moments this season between pointguard
"Nick the Dick" and Ron "Gimme the ball" Mercer.

    It's clear I should finally quit beating up on Ron Mercer (seriously, I've
been at it for two straight years as though it were some kind of obsession)
especially now that the era of soft, glittery, un-Celtic-like "fairy ball" is
finally over in Boston. I feel Pitino made the defining trade of his life this
summer: one that shows he at least understands how the Celtics won 16
championships in the first place (big rebounding differentials, fiercely
competitive athletes to set the team tone, and a deep bench). At least the first
two things (rebounding and toughness) are totally in the bag for us this year,
barring injuries. In fact, I can't imagine we'll ever have occasion of running
into a more fiery, game-face wearing, physical whup-ass delivering starting
frontcourt than VP, Fort and Walker.

    Fortson contributed a mind-blowing 32.5% of the McNugget's offensive boards
and 28.5% of overall team rebounds. That's staggering, in the sense that it's
hardly an exaggeration to call this level of production "Russell-esque".  We're
talking about 6-8 in sneakers, 23-years-old, and as mean as a rattlesnake (or
even a Dave Cowens)!  I still find it surprising that Pitino has added not one
but two "non-Pitino" style athletes (VP and Fort).

    I suggest this demonstrates that Pitino is 1) willing to adapt his gimicky
system (at least regarding the personnel on his new starting unit) in order to
try to win at a higher level, and 2) wily enough to take a  totally capped-out
team most of us had logically assumed was permanently stuck with soft, skinny,
unwanted or over-the-hill big men, and instead go out and discover two young guys
who bring 550 pounds of coordinated muscle and produced 18+ rebounds per game
between them last season, without missing  a single game. The big question is
whether Pitino is the appropriate coach for capitalizing on this style of
"old-school" talent. Another year of giving up easy layups on the excuse that his
players "lack conditioning" will drive me absolutely nuts.

Joe

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