Re: more summer ramblings

[bird <bird@pixi.com>]

>From: "Alexander Wang" <alexander_c_wang@hotmail.com>
>
>Mark Blount: It really is weird how many contradictory reports
>on his weight there are [...] and Blount is at best a backup anyway,
>or even third string. It's probably too early to pencil him in front
>of Battie. Gotta be better than Pervis was though.

Sounds like he might actually play (in games!), so, yeah, I think 
he'll outshine Out of Service.  I'm actually getting excited about 
the upcoming season, and Blount might be a small reason why.  I 
thought he might be a 12th man, but what if he can make it into the 
rotation?  (With Pitino, that probably means just moving to 10th man, 
or even 11th.)  I'm begininng to believe he might just be decent.  I 
like to actually see him play a few times before annointing him, 
though.

>Paul Pierce the "3": ... Pierce showed
>that he could create some major mismatches against 2 guards. If he
>can pick it up on defense and work on his athleticism, he'll be
>an All-Star shooting guard.

Sounds a lot like our other major talent/tweener, except for the 
position.  For all the mismatches created by having Pierce at the 2 
or Walker at the 3 that go against us (and they do exist), there are 
ones that _we_ would create in our favor.  I say, take advantage of 
the fact that we have two good players who can play more than one 
position.  I'd like to see Pierce-3-Walker, 2-Pierce-Walker, and 
Pierce-Walker-4 kinds of lineups.  (Battie would make a nice 4, Wahad 
(or Cheaney, I guess) makes a good 2, Griffin has shown that he plays 
well with these guys, either as a 3 or maybe a 2, etc.)

>Ron Mercer: I wasn't a fan of his game after his first year, but
>for the exception, yes. The chemistry was so bad during the lockout
>though.

I was a fan of Mercer in his first year: I thought he could drive 
well (but not often enough) and had some good all-around skills. 
Seeing him explode for a then-career-high 28 points against Portland 
(this was the second or third game after Anderson joined the team) 
cemented my opinion that his was a superior jumper.

And I don't know what happened, whether it was Mercer's selfish 
"jacking-it-up-boss" mentality, or whatever, but his trade was 
virtually addition by subtraction.  (And he didn't look too good in 
the Denver/Orlando games I saw either.)  I'd take him at the 
exception, too -- though I think I'd rather have Wahad for this team 
(better defender).  You've gotta worry about the chemistry issues, 
though: that kind of year might cripple this team.

>Moiso: I recall reading a chat where I think he projected himself
>as a small forward at first, until he developed the strength to play
>PF. If he can play a Shawn Marion role, he won't need at outside
>shot at that position.

This is really intriguing.  Moiso as sort of a McCarty with skills. 
Since we aim to be playing more like the first year, why not think 
about a Pierce-Moiso-Walker 2-3-4?  Looks a bit like the starting 
lineup from that first year.  Only thing I worry about in this 
scenario is the effect of the system: I thought that in the Tao of 
Pitino, that the small forward is basically interchangable with the 2 
guard -- both hang out more on the perimeter and take more outside 
shots.  Isn't this one of the criticisms about trying Walker at the 
3?  So maybe Pitino isn't lilely to use Moiso at the 3 -- I don't 
know.  Unless it upsets the delicate balance, though, I'd certainly 
like to try a player like Moiso or Walker there.

Regards,

Bill
-- 
wm. l. bird
mailto:bird@pixi.com
"I'll tune me fiddle and I rosen me bow"