Random conversation

[W <titans@ihug.com.au>]

Hello all, [sorry to those getting this twice - sent it to both incase
some people didn't get both lists]

I had a nice chat with a fellow list member, Juddy (Dorine) as I (we)
generally do during the week - shes a great person to chat to. I made
several points which I felt were worthy of being rewritten and submitted
for posting on the list. While I know many of you dont value my
contribution to this list, I feel that I have something worthwhile in
contributing.

I know a lot of you who saw the match will be down in the dumps and will
suggest that this is the worst performance by a Celtics team this
season, including the match in Toronto. I would agree with that
assessment. However, you also probably think that Antoine Walker and
everyone else played the very same way that they played last year in
these sort of matches. I'd agree again. However, this time I am not
upset nor am I angry about the way we played. I for one, believe that we
have so much more potential to rebound and play differently than we did
last year.

I do not blame Antoine Walker nor do I blame Paul Pierce for this loss.
The reason of this loss falls on the shoulders unfortunately of Chris
Herren. He certainly didn't come out the same way as he did the past two
games. However, I am not mad or upset with him for that. For such a
young player he is certainly being placed under a great deal of
pressure, pressure that not many players with multiple times the amount
of experience get asked to handle. Essentially, since hes been activated
hes had the pressure of winning or losing in his hands. Yes, Antoine and
Paul may be the franchise players, but in the end the responsibility of
winning and losing falls squarely on the shoulders of the primary
playmaker and that is Chris Herren.

For Chris Herren, we'll bypass his first outing, a screw job at the
hands of Philadelphia and give him the benefit of the doubt and say
"Everybody needs a game to get them going." So far his record is 2-1.
Thats a 66 percent winning percentage. Not bad for anybody and certainly
not bad for a Celtics point guard. I'm sure that with Herren carrying
the duties Rick Pitino would have said "If Herren can play two solid
games for every three that we play then I'd be happy with that."

Now why do I blame Chris Herren for the loss? Well, look at the effects
of what happens when we get solid teamplay from the point guard.

Antoine Walker and Paul Pierce play largely in control and do not have
to force many low percentage shots up while under double-teaming
pressure and with the clock running down. The complimentary players in
Tony Battie, Bryant Stith, Vitaly Potapenko, Chris Carr, Eric Williams,
et al are able to get into the game more, can find their offense and can
do what they do best - support Antoine and Paul Pierce.

When the point guard fails to deliver good team play - Walker and Pierce
are forced into putting up a lot of low percentage shots and the
complimentary players disappear and generally never (unless their on
fire, see Chris Carr tonight) play good basketball.

So as you can see, the playmaking from the point guard is absolutely
vital to the performance level of the Boston Celtics.

When Walker plays well it opens the game up for the likes of Vitaly
Potapenko, Tony Battie and Eric Williams, you simply have to look at the
last two months of the season to realise that. Tony Battie emerged
towards the end of the season, Eric Williams was able to add components
onto his game (namely shooting range) and Pot was unspectacular yet
solid.

When Paul Pierce plays good basketball it opens the game up for Bryant
Stith (see the Celts last two games) and the other swingmen on the team.

Tonights game saw Chris Herren have a relatively poor start which
immediately effected Antoine and Paul. Antoine began shooting low
percentage shots, he didn't look for his team-mates to score and he took
on far too much of the load while Paul Pierce became Mr Invisible like
many have suggested he is when hes playing poorly. Rick Brunson then
came into the game and played solidly (6 assists in 20 minutes - a good
stat by any point guard let alone our eventual third stringer), but it
was not enough to get either Paul or Antoine out of the funk that they
had gotten into early.

The reason that I'm not down on Chris Herren for the way that he
performed tonight is the fact that I've seen Kenny Anderson play much
the same way that Chris played tonight and to me thats a sign that Chris
Herren at his worst is at the level that Kenny Anderson typically plays
at when we lose (more than half the time last season). He also has time
to work on improving his worst and his best which I am sure he will and
at his best he already has produced two wins (out of three real games)
for the Celts.

For such an inexperienced young player the pressure being placed on
Chris Herren is enormous. Until he gets more experience we'll be seeing
games like tonight where nothing goes right for the ball club, but thats
to be expected and its a price that I and I hope Rick Pitino is willing
to make to get him to the next level which he is definitely capable of
getting to (and soon!). I also, like many others love Rick Brunson as a
third string point guard (behind Herren and Brown) and hope that we hang
onto him as he will be a major contributor in the future of this team.

What we lack as a team is not an inside player who can dominate the
boards and to add 15-20 points from the low post each game, their simply
isn't enough of the league to make that much of a difference, I like
Tony Battie and Vitaly Potapenko now (sure they could be upgraded, but
they are what they are and that is 'adequate') - what we do truly lack
is a point forward (and I dont mean Antoine Walker) who can carry the
Celtics ballhandling and playmaking duties on the nights that we're not
getting that from our point guards. This would give Antoine Walker and
Paul Pierce much greater freedom and less chance to be forced into
forcing their offense. I've also noticed that when Antoine and Paul are
on their game offensively their defensive intensity is also raised
another notch, but when their playing badly their defense seemingly
deteriorates into nothing, a void that cannot be avoided.