Re: Mutombo anyone?

["Berry, Mark S" <berrym@BATTELLE.ORG>]

 Arguments like this are why I hate pointing to stats. Sure, project
Vitaly's stats out over 48 minutes, and they look good. Same for Fortson.
But watch the games and you see the difference in a Fortson and a McDyess or
a Vitaly and a Mutombo. There's no comparison. There's usually a reason guys
don't play 48 minutes-they foul too much, they can't defend (something you
can't measure with any stat, but true of both Fortson and Vitaly), or the
team just doesn't perform with them on the floor. Now, Vitaly is a valuable
player, but if the Celts could somehow land Mutombo without giving up Walker
or Pierce (and I don't see how they could, but...), they'd be crazy not to
do it. Mutombo is a huge difference-maker. Those Denver teams he led to the
playoffs used Laphonzo Ellis as a go-to guy. Bryant Stith played a lot of
minutes. I mean, we're talking terrible, terrible talent-but competitive
because of Dikembe. Judging him by his scoring numbers is a huge mistake.

Mark