RE: See Basketballnews.com's comments on Stith

[Kenneth Bikoff <KBikoff@primediasi.com>]

Kevin,
Thank you for your letter. The Celtics and the Nuggets before them both felt
that Stith didn't work hard enough on the boards and that he didn't possess
the quickness to stop opponents from penetrating. Stith prides himself on
being a good defender and considers himself as such, and he did post a solid
steals per game average (1.19) last season. However, he didn't contain
opponents on the perimeter and didn't respond to the coaching staff's call
to work harder in practice to improve his defense. What I probably should
have wrote was that he wasn't a great defender instead of wording it as I
did, but the fact remains that Stith hasn't been willing to do what it takes
to become a true stopper on D.

I hope this clears things up, and I'm sorry for the confusion. Thanks again
for your letter, and feel free to write me any time.

Sincerely,
Ken Bikoff
Associate editor
Basketball News

> ----------
> From: 	kevin
> Sent: 	Wednesday, August 15, 2001 11:51 PM
> To: 	kbikoff@primediasi.com; Celtic_Pride@yahoogroups.com;
> celtics@igtc.com
> Subject: 	Re: See Basketballnews.com's comments on Stith
> 
> Dear Mr Bikoff,
> 
> truly enjoyed your daily takes on the NBA scence. I read your latest
> spin (below) but was surprised you mentioned Stith as "he lacked a
> solid work ethic and didn't care much  about defense".
> 
> me being in Singapore, I didn't get to see the Celtics much, but I
> followed them by the net mostly. And by most accounts, Stith (with the
> Celtics) was about defense and work ethic.
> 
> could you elaborate more your view? thanks and cheers
> kevin
> 
> 
> kevin <bostonceltics17@yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
> >
> >I am surprised at what this editor said about Stith's defense and work
> >ethic.  I am asking him next.
> >
> >==================================
> >http://basketballnews.com/content/nba/nba_set.asp?main=spin_081501.asp
> >Cleveland signs Bryant Stith
> >Free-agent Bryant Stith, who has averaged 10.7 points a game in nine
> >NBA seasons, has  signed a contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The
> >6-5 guard averaged 9.7 points in 78  games with Boston last season.
> >Denver drafted him in 1992 and he played with the Nuggets for eight
> >seasons, including two seasons when John Lucas, now the Cleveland head
> >coach, was a Nuggets assistant.
> >
> >Q: How will Stith fit in Cleveland?
> >Bikoff: The Nuggets were always high on Stith and hoped he would
> >become a star in the Mile High City, but they felt that he lacked a
> >solid work ethic and didn't care much  about defense. The same
> >criticisms followed him to Boston, but Lucas has a way of
> >motivating players, and he should be able to get more out of Stith as
> >a head coach than he did as an assistant. Stith also has a solid
> >outside jumper, so he should provide a spark
> >from the perimeter for the Cavs.
> >
> >Editor's note: You can e-mail associate editor Ken Bikoff at
> >kbikoff@primediasi.com