Re: I Hope You're Right Josh O

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

David A Wickerham wrote:
> 
> It may be true that Kenny, helter-skelter defense, and McCarty are going
> to be a problem for the C's this year, but you couldn't prove it from last
> nights game.  Kenny shot extremely well (and confidently) and had at least
> two brilliant assists that I remember. 

His defense was astounding too - kept David Wesley to only 24.

 The "helter-skelter" defense
> didn't yield any open dunks like last year, at least not in the three
> quarters of the game I watched. 

Charlotte was too busy hitting open shots.

 Walter came into the game and stuck 2 Js
> that looked much better than last year's shots.


Anything would be an improvement over last season for Walter.
 
> I'm not sold on the Celtics yet, but I'm tired of hearing people blame
> everything on Kenny.  The only player who was awful yesterday was Cheaney.

Kenny's part of the problem - the major problem is the lack of
shotblocking 
and interior defense - Until those two areas are fixed, having a point
guard who can't guard anyone makes the situation worse. If the C's had
a big shotblocking stud back there, then you could probably get by with 
Kenny's inability to defend anyone, because a Duncan/Mourning/Mutumbo
would 
erase many of the mistakes. But with a lack of perimeter defense and
interior defense, it's quite easy to score on the C's. Which is why
Pitino has to use his gimmicks. You're right about Cheaney.  It will
be interesting to see if Eric Washington is given a chance...
Ray  

 
> On Thu, 14 Oct 1999, Way Of The Ray wrote:
> 
> > I would like to see my comments turn out to be ludicrous and
> > intemperate, but until the C's get the point guard situation
> > straightened out -- as in remove Kenny -- and solve the major
> > problem with the club as defined by Mark E.:
> >
> >  "a team that plays helter-skelter P-Ball has to have a
> > shot blocking center to defend under the rim when the trap
> > is defeated."
> >
> > Until those two problems are solved, more losses are on the
> > way. Now, perhaps Battie can serve that function as the shot-blocking
> > center type since he'll be alongside two beefy guys in Fort and
> > Pot. Since it appears that both Pot and Fort are going to be in constant
> > foul trouble, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to play them
> > together,
> > rather they're probably best served as substitutes for one another. Of
> > course, Il Duce has to cooperate by keeping Toine at the 3 instead of
> > the 4.
> >
> > I suppose, when Pitino makes the inevitable trade, the C's could pick
> > up a shotblocker. I like Shawn Bradley, but the rest of you apparently
> > view him as Travis Knight on growth hormones. The two upcoming drafts
> > should have some potential defensive/shotblocking types available,
> > and you never know when the next Kelvin - 7 blocks and 11 rebounds in
> > twenty
> > minutes last night - Cato could arise.
> >
> > However Josh, you're out to lunch and way out in left field on McCarty.
> > I doubt if any other team would have given him more than the $1.1
> > million exception, cetainly not the 3 year, $8 million deal that the
> > C's are paying him. And as far as his defense goes, sure he's a pretty
> > good team/peripheral defender, but his man-to-man D is bad. And then
> > there's
> > the mistakes he makes and his horrible shooting percentage.
> > Ray
> >
> >
> 
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
>           Dave Wickerham
>           aw623@freenet.buffalo.edu
>           Saratoga Springs, NY