Re: Defense/Offense

["Cecil Wright" <cecil@hfx.eastlink.ca>]

I think part of the reason for the low percentage is that both of them are
too willing to settle for the first open look they see and more often than
not it is a long distance shot.  I would prefer to see them not attempt a 3
unless the clock was running down and there was no choice.  I would like to
see what the result would be if we did not attempt a 3 in a game, instead,
working for better position and a higher quality shot.

There are times when I ask myself if they are willing to make the sacrifices
for the sake of the team.  For example, late in a close game, are they in
the one upsmanship mentality?  Lately, it has been then that the mistakes
are glaring and I hope this is not the reason why.

We have shot a bit better from the line lately but still between Toine and
PP, they must do better.  They will take the majority of our freebies and a
higher percentage here will result in some wins.

I notice that Warwick posted a comment about Abdur-Rahim by a Vancouver fan
who had some negative things to say about him.  Like there wouldn't be any
negative remarks from Celtic fans about Toine?  HAH!!

Cecil







----- Original Message -----
From: "Berry, Mark S" <berrym@BATTELLE.ORG>
To: <Georgek27@aol.com>; <celtics@igtc.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 28, 2000 8:25 AM
Subject: Re: Defense/Offense


> The defense is improving, why aren't the Celts? You and Tommy are right,
> there's an offensive problem. It starts with Toine and Pierce. We get
> blinded by the big scoring numbers, but they are incredibly inefficient.
> Toine, for all the strides he has made, still is a 41 percent shooter.
> That's inexcusable. He's shooting 37 percent from 3-point range (and
> falling), but does anyone really believe that a third of his shots should
be
> threes? Should he be shooting 40 more threes than Pierce?
>
> Pierce is slightly more efficient, but still just a 43 percent shooter.
Even
> in today's NBA, when the idea of shooting 50 percent is laughable, 43
> percent is too low. At least Pierce gets to the line, however, having shot
> twice as many free throws as Toine.
>
> The low shooting percentages stem from taking bad shots. Both Toine and
> Pierce are guilty of forcing far too many bad shots. Granted, the
supporting
> cast isn't that great, but neither is the Lakers'. The difference is Shaq
> and Kobe tend to create easy opportunities for those fringe players,
whereas
> the Celtics' supporting players rarely get the same benefit from the
team's
> "stars."
>
> If Toine and Pierce could just redirect some of those bad shots into easy
> opportunities for the Stiths, Batties, VPs, Kennys and Randy Browns of the
> world, things would be fine. If a pig had wings...
>
> I still say the time has come for a massive shakeup. Toine is in his fifth
> season and shooting 41 percent. If you're satisfied with that and the
> occasional progress he shows in other areas, fine. But stop expecting him
to
> suddenly become a 45-48 percent shooter and show more consistency. This is
> his fifth season. What you see is what you get.
>
> Pierce may or may not come around. I still say if you can use him to
address
> the problems at center or point guard with a big-time player, or as part
of
> a package to land a legit superstar (Garnett, etc.), then you do it. 6-7
> swingmen who can score and don't defend just aren't that hard to find.
>
> Mark
>