Misc.

["joe hironaka" <hironaka@hotmail.com>]

Hi:

I have a couple of random points:

1)I don't see a basis to get so excited about the 7-2 Greek center "Tsak" 
based on some Web site scouting report whose credibility is unclear. I'm 
sure the Celts will make a far more informed decision on "Tsak" than any of 
us could, but based on the information available we are talking about a guy 
of indeterminate age (he may be older than Antoine) who this season hit 
barely half his free throws, turned the ball over three times for every 
assist, does not score (9.2ppg) or rebound(7.0ppg)particularly well etc.

2)The only thing Fizer and Kenyon Martin share as players is that they both 
developed at a very slow rate before having dominant collegiate seasons this 
past year. Martin has a chance to be a future All Defensive performer, 
whereas Fizer has next to no chance. Martin (when healthy) can run and jump 
whereas Fizer has all the hops of Antoine. Martin is a plus rebounder and 
shotblocker, Fizer is an average rebounder (6 or 7 a game in college) and 
not a shotblocker.

3)Those who suggest trading Antoine for a "traditional" power forward like 
Fizer or Martin should bear in mind several things. One hard to overlook 
fact is that both Fizer (6-7 or 6-8) and Martin (6-8) are shorter than 
Antoine and also have a less solid natural frame. IMO, "traditional" young 
power forwards of that calibre (12-16ppg, 9-11 rpg types like Jerome 
Williams and Othella Harrington) couldn't help our team "get over the top" 
any more than they've ever helped their present teams to win games. If you 
blithely subtract Antoine from the mix by adding any of the above mentioned, 
IMO you'd be moving the franchise more in the direction of the Bulls than 
toward playoff contention. Dumping Antoine for any of the above legit 
talents in addition to solving our center needs with big Tsak would make the 
Celtics look on paper roughly equal in talent to the present Vancouver 
Grizzlies MINUS Abdur Rahim. Compare rosters and think about it. That's just 
not the way to go, if you ask me.

4) Although Antoine had some uneven games down the "playoff" stretch, his 
stats over March and April (26 games) included a promising .495 on 2-point 
FG attempts (180-364).

5) But what separates Antoine from "traditional" power forwards (in addition 
to his continuing bad habits) is that he also led the Celtics over that 
stretch in assists with 5.35 (Kenny was next at 4.96), steals with 1.96 
(beating out Paul Pierce's 1.77, despite the fact that Pierce was good 
enough to be 2nd overall in steals in the NBA last year) and naturally 
rebounds with 8.81 (Fortson next at 8.0). It might be safe to say that 
Antoine may have led all NBA forwards in steals and assists over that 
closing stretch. In any case, they exceeded Webber or Garnett's season 
averages. Sure Antoine didn't do it over the whole year (this is a 
legitimate criticism), but he did put up unselfish, amazingly well-rounded, 
highly productive numbers over by far the longest stretch of his career down 
the stretch, plus (icing on the cake) he only turns 24 this August.


p.s. I've got to admit, though, that if Kenyon Martin were an inch or two 
taller I would favor trading a lot to try to get him. When you are talking 
specifically about a true shotblocking defensive intimidator, 6-8 really is 
a bit below the cut-off point on the question of whether a player's 
collegiate production can transfer to the much bigger, stronger, more 
experienced NBA.

BTW, I really do think the Celtics can get a very good third scorer/athlete 
with the 11th pick. I think there will be one or two future NBA stars picked 
between 10 and 15.

Joe
(not my usual e-mail address)



________________________________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com