Re: patience and stability

["Berry, Mark S" <berrym@BATTELLE.ORG>]

I know there's been a lot of talk about this team underachieving, but I just
don't see it. Look at the eight teams in the playoffs. Only Orlando would
seem to have inferior talent, and what that team lacks in star power, it
makes up for in depth. The Magic don't have an Antoine Walker or Paul Pierce
(although Darrell Armstrong and Bo Outlaw aren't shabby), but the rest of
their roster is far superior to ours.

Anyway, I look at all those teams, along with Milwaukee, New Jersey and even
Atlanta and Cleveland, and I see teams with superior, or at least comparable
talent. Why should we believe our team, built around Antoine and Paul, will
progress any better than the Nets, built around Marbury and Van Horn? Or the
Bucks of Robinson, Allen and Cassell? 

I remember a quote from another GM a couple of years ago: "Pitino isn't
afraid to blow that team up to get what he wants." Looking back, I wish he
would have done that. I think he settled for what he had, even though the
personnel clearly didn't fit his style. Now, he has no one to blame for that
but himself, so if anyone wants to criticize him for that strategy and a
lack of foresight, that's perfectly reasonable. But I don't think Pitino,
Pat Riley, Larry Bird or Red himself could have done much better with this
group. I really don't.

Mark