Re: random thoughts

[David A Wickerham <aw623@freenet.buffalo.edu>]

As to Pierce, yes the league has figured him out.  As soon as he sees the
ball, they are sending two or three men at him.  He either has to make his
move quicker or learn to pass out of the double-team a la Walker.  Of
course, our other guys have to step up and hit the shot.  Also, I don't
think its an accident that he has been shooting poorly from the outside
since roshure ran over him in India.  its hard to shhot a pure shot when
your back is inflamed (Ask Larry).  As far as the free throw shooting
goes, he has been falling off of his shot for the last two weeks.  I'm
sure that if he starts to think about standing still or leaning through on
the follow through, he'll go back to being a 75% shooter.  Most of shoting
FTs is mental, and he just needs to get back into a groove.

I totally disagree about getting a Richard Hamilton type player in the
draft.  He plays worse defense than Mercer and is always a liability when
the other team has the ball.  The only reason he wasn't torched on
Saturday is that the Cs were too busy torching Courtney Alsxander who was
helpless against Eric Williams.  I think we need a big point guard who can
defend the position, set up the offense, and hit open jump shots.  Milt
can back him up on the pressing and speed team.  I haven't followed
College Basketball enough to know if Tinsley or the kid from Illinois will
fill that bill.  I would also settle for a good all around forward
(Battier?) who can hit the boards when Antoine is playing point forward
but who has enough of a perimeter game to hit kick-out jump shots when
Antoine goes down to the box (I hope he does a lot more of that in 2001).

The C's don't really have a use for the third player.  Thus, a player and
a pick may be more useful in a trade than in hoping for help from the
draft.  Unlike some others on the list, I would take Kobe for Paul Pierce
and a pick, so long as his injuries will do no permanent damage to him.
we'd probably have to toss in Eric Williams as well in order to make the
cap work.  The only point guard who intrigues me is Mike Bibby, although
his failure in Vancouver must weigh against him.  

****dave

On Sun, 8 Apr 2001, Kestas wrote:

> So, has Pierce been figured out, is he in a slump, tired, or all of the
> above? The foul thing would indicate that he's just exhausted from
> carrrying the team for so long, but I think they're also defending him
> better. 
> 
> Last night's game had an "L" written all over it, if not for some
> fortuitous shooting by Eric and Herren. 
> 
> After a string of Mark Blount-like rebounding performances, Antoine finally
> remembered that he can, and should, rebound the ball. He would've had
> another triple-double, if not for some missed bunnies by his teammates. 
> 
> Speaking of missed bunnies, Pot probably  makes that foul-line J of his 19
> out of 20 times in practice, and 15 out of 20 times in games outside of
> crunch time. But when he absolutely HAS to make it, like in the last minute
> of the game last night, he's lucky to draw iron.   On the other hand,
> Herren's been clanging those treys all season, but swished them when it
> really mattered last night. 
> 
> What I like about Palacio is that he doesnt' try to do what he can't. He
> knows he's not a great jumpshooter, so he just takes it to the rack for a
> layup (I think all 7 of his baskets were layups). He's not a great passer,
> so he brings it up and gives it Walker. He's a limited, but efficient
> player, and could be a solid backup for years, especially if he ever
> develops a reliable jumpshot which with him seems only a matter of
> confidence - his shooting technique looks pretty good. 
> We need someone like Rip Hamilton for next season. Of course, that need
> probably comes after a real PF/C-type and a real PG. 
> Do you realize that if you extrapolate Pitino's and O'Brien's coaching
> records this season over a full season, Ricky would be on track for 29
> wins, and Obie, for 44? And Pitino had the easy part of the schedule... 
> Kestas
> 
> 

-----------------------------------------------------------------
	  Dave Wickerham
	  aw623@freenet.buffalo.edu
	  Saratoga Springs, NY