Re: Damn, is it good or bad

["Jim Meninno" <Jim_Meninno@hotmail.com>]

----- Original Message ----- From: R. Bentz Kirby <bocelts@usit.net>

> Well, if tonight is any indication, Larry Brown may be working
> miracles.  They destroyed the knicks who were soft with Camby being
> scored upon at will.  Surely they are not that bad.  Surely the 76ers
> are not that good?  But, is it good or bad.  We'll see.

Well, the Knicks played the 76'ers, and no one was killed or maimed, so
that's bad.  The biggest negative I came away with is that, if we're waiting
for Tony Battie to become Theo Ratliff, it's going to be a very long wait.
Ratliff is a shotblocker in a way that I don't think Battie will ever
become.  It's not about athleticism, it's about instincts and timing.
Ratliff waits much better, where Tony goes for almost every fake.
Offensively, Battie has better shooting and ball handling skills, but that's
not going to help him do what the Celtics want from him, i.e. to play
center.  Ratliff at least showed that, if he gets the ball in good position
down low, he's not completely lost.  This game also featured that other
player that compares to Battie, Marcus Camby.  Camby didn't have a very good
game, and looked at least as lost as Battie does defensively.  Actually,
Danny Ainge and John Thompson spent most of the game ragging on him.  At one
point, after Ratliff had been muscling Camby in the post, Kukoc came in and
Camby guarded him.  Kukoc alternatively drove around him and shot over him
repeatedly.  One of the color guys noted, "Camby couldn't guard Ratliff in
the post, he can't guard Kukoc outside, he's going to have to guard
*somebody*".

Jim