Re: Celtics Projected To Take Dooling (fwd)

[Elgin W Booth <ewbooth@cisunix.unh.edu>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2000 15:29:58 -0400
From: Elgin W Booth <ewbooth@hypatia.unh.edu>
To: Way Of The Ray <wayray@ix.netcom.com>
Newsgroups: alt.sports.basketball.nba.boston-celtics
Subject: Re: Celtics Projected To Take Dooling

I have seen Speedy Claxton play twice in person vs. my college (New
Hampshire and Hofstra play in the same conference). He is an incredible
athlete and tough defender, but come on, he is 5-10 without much of an
outside shot. The guy is not going to make much of impact in the NBA. He
does not have the perimeter game to really make it and is more of a
scoring mentality than a distributor. I don't think he's a first round
pick, I can't believe people are rating him that high. In the games I have
seen, he took it to the hole very nicely and threw down an incredible
two-handed alley-oop dunk, but his shot was all over the place. He
definitely wasn't dominating the game, even against my school. I would
only rate him the 6th or 7th best point in the draft IMHO.

 Say no to Mateen. I think Speedy
> Claxton could turn out to be the best point guard in the
> draft, and my point guard sleepers are Shaheen Holloway and Matt
> Santangelo.

Mihm is going to be a good NBA player. Comparisons to Travis Knight are
absolutely ridiculous. Have you seen him play? I have seen him on TV 4 or
5 times over the past two years and he is very solid. He is extremely
coordinated for a big man and shoots with either hand. He has a very nice
jump shot which will really help him. He is not going to dominate games in
the NBA, but I think he will be able to average 14-15 points a game and
get a lot of rebounds. He is 7 feet and pretty strong, with the frame to 
add more muscle. He would be a definite upgrade from Vitaly. I think
he is a definite top 5 pick if he comes out, and he is much more developed
than Pryzbilla at this point.
 
> > I think you're far out in left field on Mihm - He's similar to Divac 
> and that's good enough for me, but not for the Celtics apparently,
> to judge by the comments uttered by Leo Papile, who was much higher on 
> Stromile Swift than Mihm.
> Ray 

Swift will be very good, I am very glad he is staying in college another
year. That should really help him and allow him to become a big-time
player in college before he enters the draft.

 > "Robert Tukey Jr." wrote:
> > 
> > RJ wrote:
> > >
> > > On Wed, 26 Apr 2000, Way Of The Ray wrote:
> > >
> > > }Dooling: I'm having Chauncey flashbacks - I think they may go for
> > > }the sporty foreign model: Oyedeji or Tsakalidis...
> > > }
> > > }Top slot now  2000 Mock Draft
> > > }By: John Thompson
> > > }Date: 04/25/2000
> > > }Kenyon Martin or Chris Mihm? Well at this moment officially only Martin
> > > }is the choice, but if Mihm or rather when Mihm declares, it will start a
> > > }huge debate on which player is likely the top pick of the draft. Number
> > > }three, well...
> > > }
> > > }
> > > }
> > > }Seniors and Current Declared Underclassmen
> > > }First Round
> > > }1. Los Angeles Clippers - Kenyon Martin, 6-10, Power Forward
> > > }With Martin, they shore up the fact that Taylor may leave and is likely
> > > }to go. Kenyon is also the frontrunner for the rookie of they year award
> > > }if he can come back from his injury. If Mihm comes out, He will end up
> > > }being the top pick, but the Clippers are not likely to pick here, as
> > > }they don't really need a point guard. If the lottery gives them the
> > > }pick, look for them to trade it, as Mihm is just too good of a center to
> > > }pass up at number one. He is better than Olowokandi, which means they
> > > }may even trade the Kandi man for a mid-to-late first round pick or good
> > > }starting caliber point guard.
> > >
> > > If Martin is healthy enough to be tested by the combines, he is the
> > > #1.  If he is still recovering, I'd try to trade down or into next
> > > year's draft.  If Mihm is available, take him.
> > >
> > 
> > I'm not in the least sold on Mihm--he reminds me too much of Travis
> > Knight and not, say, Mike Doleac or Brad Miller, guys who have skills
> > *and* toughness. I consider Mihm in the top-10 a wasted pick.
> > 
> > > }3. Orlando Magic - Jerome Moiso, 6-10, Power Forward
> > > }Orlando has good guards, even though Mercer is a free agent, so they
> > > }want to take care of the inside and Moiso is the best athlete among the
> > > }power forwards and would fit in well in the Magic system. They would
> > > }take Stromile Swift, if he came out. If Moiso indeed changes his mind
> > > }and stays in school, which isn't likely at this moment, they would be
> > > }happy with Marcus Fizer or picking up one of the shooting guards. They
> > > }are likely just to take the best available player no matter of position.
> > >
> > > Now this is the team for Alexander.  Doc Rivers should be able to
> > > help complete the young man's game and help turn him into the
> > > off-guard that Penny Hardaway was supposed to be.
> > >
> > It makes more sense than the Bulls. I realize you draft talent first,
> > position second, but I don't see a clear-cut #1 this year--the top 5 or
> > so look to be similar in talent and potential, so Alexander wouldn't be
> > a bad pick-up here, especially since, with Artest there, the Bulls would
> > have to consider Alexander somewhat redundant.
> > > }
> > > }6. Chicago Bulls - Joel Pryzbilla, 7-1, Center
> > > }Chicago's second pick is going to be one of the most interesting in the
> > > }draft. They need so much and in so many areas, they go draft anyone with
> > > }this pick. If they can't get Mihm, they are sure going to try to get
> > > }Pryzbilla or to relieve some pressure against Brand. They still hope for
> > > }Duncan, but will need a back up plan. This pick could go to Washington,
> > > }if they get the luck of the bounding ball and get into the top three.
> > >
> > > Nope.  Again, too many character questions for Krause & Co.  Mo
> > > Peterson looks to be  the pick here.
> > >
> > The Bulls may look at him and decide it's worth the risk. I'm not going
> > to pretend I know enough about him to say one way or the other, but the
> > Nuggets took a risk on Keon Clark and it may yet pay off (he made some
> > marked improvement this year). This kid sounds talented, and Brand would
> > have a true center playing alongside him instead of a pseudo-pivot guy
> > like Anstey. Peterson may yet be the guy taken, though--he can certainly
> > shoot.
> > 
> > > }10. Boston Celtics - Keyon Dooling, 6-3, Point Guard
> > > }Although the point guard spot isn't needed badly for Boston, but Kenny
> > > }Anderson may be on his way out. Just like the Nets, the Celtics are
> > > }having chemistry problems at times. Dooling isn't ready to start right
> > > }away, but playing a year behind Anderson or maybe getting in another vet
> > > }to play ahead of him for a year or two would be great for Dooling and he
> > > }could become a star in a few years. The Celts could also look to go
> > > }inside and shore up the center spot.
> > >
> > > Okay, if I'm the Celtics I dive on Mateen Cleaves if he is
> > > here.  Yes, others are faster, stronger, younger,
> > > whatever.  Cleaves, however, has shown the determination and work
> > > ethic to make a team a _winner_.  This guy would be a great
> > > influence on Toine and others.
> > >
> > He seems to have the Tim Hardaway/Dennis Johnson mentality--his teams
> > just win. He hates losing. I do like that kind of player on my team.
> > Alongside Griffin, he could add a voice to get the more lethargic/less
> > intelligent players moving.
> > 
> > > Take him!
> > >
> > I think I would. He has a will to win--something a few guys on this team
> > seem to be missing or to have misdirected.
> > 
> > > }Chicago will need a point guard out of this draft, B.J. has retired,
> > > }Randy Brown isn't a pure point and that is pretty much it for them. They
> > > }will never make the playoffs without a point guard that can play 35
> > > }minutes of the game. The Bulls would like to get Cleaves, Penn, or
> > > }Claxton if they fall, but are likely to settle with the second tier.
> > > }A.J. Guyton is another player that could be picked up by them here.
> > >
> > > I agree with the assessment.  Cleaves would be a very good fit for
> > > the team.  See if they can get him.
> > 
> > Won't be easy unless they take him #7 (assuming the picks fall as
> > expected). Fred Hoiberg may be the starting PG there next year if they
> > believe he can stay healthy a full season.
> > 
> > --
> > Robert Tukey
> > rtukey@us.ibm.com
> > "Logic is the systematic method of arriving at the wrong conclusion
> >        with confidence." -- Murphy's Law Postulate
>