Re: [Celtic_Pride] article from Globe

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

Don't want to get into a Toine-bashing thread, but this note from Sunday's
Globe pretty much sums up the frustration some of us feel with Walker.

"Walker, who said at the end of last season he would take fewer 3-pointers
this season, could well pass Dana Barros this afternoon to become the
franchise leader in 3-pointers made in a season. After canning six from
international waters Friday night against Utah, Walker has connected on 148
treys. Barros had 150 in the 1995-96 season. Walker already has set
franchise marks for most treys made in a game (9 against Sacramento Jan. 17)
and attempted in a season (396, already well past Barros's 368 from
1995-96). Walker also leads the NBA in 3-pointers, is second in attempts,
but is 44th in percentage."

Me again: 
Think about that. He's second in the league in attempts, but 44th in
percentage. Should someone who is so average from long range be taking so
many 3-pointers? I don't think he should abandon it completely, but the more
you take, the lower your percentage is going to be. Pick your spots and take
good ones. He's averaging about 10 a game since O'Brien took over. John
Lyell is right... Toine loves O'Brien because he lets him do whatever he
wants. Shoot as much as you want, wherever you want. Tommy Heinsohn
mentioned again yesterday, and he's absolutely right, that Toine is much
more valuable on the offensive boards than he is shooting 3-pointers. Amen!
He's a great, great offensive rebounder, but that's wasted when he hangs out
on the 3-point line all the time. He's taking the first easy shot he can
get. It's a sign that he's not working hard. I don't want to hear O'Brien's
spin that they're trapping, so they have to take the 3-pointers. I'm pretty
sure there are good basketball strategies to beat those double teams that
don't involve just stepping out 25 feet from the basket and shooting over
them. Pierce gets doubled, but he doesn't resort to hoisting 3-pointers all
the time. In fact, Pierce's game has drastically improved since he stopped
relying so much on the longball.

Toine is turning into the softest power forward in the league, and that will
kill a team. You have to be physical, offensively and defensively. And the
Celtics aren't. Toine could be a physical monster at small forward if
O'Brien or Pitino would get their head out of their backside long enough to
try it. Wouldn't you have liked to see Mashburn try to guard Toine
yesterday? Or Latrell Sprewell? Or George Lynch? Unfortunately, it looks
like that will never happen. I'll say it again... if they're convinced Toine
is only a power forward, they have to trade him. You cannot win with a soft,
undersized power forward. You just can't.

Mark