RE: Why they are playing better

[Trond Jacobsen <tjacobse@wpl-law.com>]

Following post seemed to have been lost in the ether.  Should the
earlier duplicate post make its way onto the list, my apologies for the
double dip:

I agree with several of the reasons DJessen33 gives for the C's improved

play.  Some he offers seem fairly marginal to me.  There a couple of
reasons I would give he/she did not:

"1) Eric Williams has improved his shooting, though let's wait to see if

it
sticks."

I think Williams is essentially irrelevent to the (all-too-brief)
turnaround.  Sure it helps, but I don't think it's that significant.  He

hasn't played much outside of garbage time.  Is there some sort of
stupidity defense in the league that allows certain contracts to be torn

up?  I know we "had to" take him to unload Mercer, but, for the love of
God find a way to dump this chump.

"2) No pressing."
I strongly agree.  I am one who thinks the press does work in certain
situations and against certain players, but in general, I think Pitino
initially overestimated the impact it could have.  We've all seen it
work wonders: both ways.

3) Playing Battie more at the power forward spot along with VP or
Fortson
(haven't I've been saying this for 2 years?)

One must admit that Battie is a bit of a mystery.  He goes games living
up the his El Busto label, and then...a double-double in limited minutes

with 5 blocks.  Go figure.  I hate to make it sound like Tony is a "key"

but given our teams strength's, and the weaknesses of our other big men
(basically, shotblocking and its associated intimidation factor), when
we get a game out of him even close to his Philly performance we are in
good shape.  Another thing while I am talking about Tony.  With both V
and Tony, I don't know why we don't take a page from the Russell Celtics

and RUN RUN RUN RUN.  With Tony we can get the shotblocking and
intimidation to initiate the fastbreak (you all saw the sweet block and
catch he made against the Sixers?) and with V we run slower centers into

the dust, assuming we have obtained the ball some other way since V
isn't going to block it.  I don't see a center in the east who can stay
with V or Tony.

"4) Walker is playing the veteran role that Pitino just announced that
this
team needed."

This is another key factor.  He is demonstrating superior on and off the

court leadership RIGHT NOW.  On the court, specifically, he is cutting
back on the worst of the trey attempts and taking his man INSIDE INSIDE
INSIDE.  I think for every time his shot is blocked, he makes 4-5 and
misses 2-3, at least one of which he or Danny or V or AG or somebody
gets the rebound.  When he shoots outside and misses, we never get the
rebound.  Walker has always talked the good talk one wants out of a
Captain.  I wonder why he is now living up to that label.  In reference
to my earlier comments about 'Reef and Walker, let me put an even finer
point on my attitude toward Walker: I like him.  I want to keep him (as
opposed to resigned to keep him).  I would not trade him for most
players.  I am not a Walker "basher" who sees only failure.  I just like

'Reef more.  A lot more.

"5) The team may have been thinking that Pitino was an outsider since he

is
always changing the team and saying they couldn't do it without Duncan.
When
Pitino lashed out at Boston fans last week (saying Bird etc weren't
going to
walk through the door and rescue them), he severed himself from the
Boston
past and tradition. He was now one of them, one of the Celtic players,
instead of one of the typical Boston fans or media who just keeps on
wishing
for the glory years. Now, this team is Pitino's team. He has exercised
the
ghosts of Celtic past. Now the players who had been tuning him out are
buying
into the coaches plan. If not, he will be gone after next year."

Getting those ghosts in shape, eh?
You might be on to something here.  Clearly the players had too little
respect for him as either a coach or a man.  If he can/has changed that,

then we are on our way.  All things considered, this may be the most
important single change, if it lasts

6) More Overton, less Dana. Even though Overton isn't hitting, he is
getting
the ball up quickly and passing quickly...."

I disagree.  I have a very low opinion of Dana.  And an even lower
opinion of Overton.  He may hold onto the ball a little better than
slippery-fingers Dana, but I fail to see where he gets the ball up
quicker than Dana.  Chalk it up to garbage time, but I saw Overton
taking a few shots he had no business taking, garbage time or no.

And the biggest non-personality factor in my judgement is the more
judicious use of double-teaming.  Maybe Pitino is learning how to better

employ this technique.  I dont know if he turned so strongly to this
tool to obscure a perceived weakness in man-to-man defense ability or
what (that is what he SAID), but the immediate double-teaming wasn't
working well enough (to say the least).  Make a player show he can own
his man a few times before going to the double team.  If you make the
decision to go to the double team, mix it up.  Sometimes yes sometimes
no.  Sometimes early, sometimes late.  Double from the side and from
behind to choke up rotations to the middle, for example.  Doulbe with
different folks.  Keep the intended target off balance as much as
possible.  Make it harder to plan the counter.

Not saying I could coach any better than RP's necktie, but I am entitled

to my opinions, no?

Loving the "streak."  A real gut-check tonight.  Not giving up on the
playoffs if/when they lose to Detroit.  If they can beat Detroit, break
out the tethers or I'm gonna fly away like a helium-filled balloon.

Trond Jacobsen