Re: Walker at PF?

["Jaime Castillo, Jr." <jaims@info.com.ph>]

Excuse me for butting in Mr. Murphy.  I only joined the "walker pF or SF?"
discussion to say my opinion...I didn't say it's a Walker Bashing
discussion...

I only said that "i used to join the walker bashing" (and Pitino) whenever I
feel like participating in the list and it's been a while that i've joined
in a different discussion.  So please, that reply was not to get on and cuss
any player or anybody but just to express what i feel and think about the
said topic.  Is that a bad thing to do???


----- Original Message -----
From: "Thomas Murphy" <tfmiii@worldnet.att.net>
To: "Jaime Castillo, Jr." <jaims@info.com.ph>; "Celtic list"
<celtics@igtc.com>
Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2001 2:10 AM
Subject: Re: Walker at PF?


> Why do you bother to respond if you can't be bothered to read the original
> post? THIS is what I find annoying on this list, NOT someone who honestly
> disagrees. (Feel free to take notes, Anonymous).
>
> If you actually read the post it is not a bash on Walker but (put most
> simply) it is an attempt to figure out how to better help Walker ON THE
> COURT. I advocate giving him a bigger, taller supporting cast rather than
> the current shorter, smaller one.
>
> Is that so difficult to understand? Now do you see the point of the
> discussion? If so then please explain to me how such a discussion
represents
> a 'bashing'?
>
> Since in your words Walker 'does everything' then some of those smaller
> players may actually be redundant. How do you think Larry Brown unlocked
> Iverson's potential, discovered Eric Snow and Aaron McKie or revitalized
> George Lynch? He tried different combinations (in Iverson and Snow's case
a
> combination that ran counter to 'common sense') to find what worked and in
> the process worked to instill confidence in what had previously been
> marginal players. That's precisely what we have not done here in Boston.
(As
> was commented on earlier - when was the Twon at SF experiment conducted?)
> We've got a roster of 'marginal players' whose confidence is shot and at
> least one star player who has yet to find his defensive niche. Are we
asking
> so much when we ask that Twon get some help not in bringing the ball up
the
> court etc but rather in keeping opposing big men off the glass etc? What
> better time to experiment with Twon at PG (for example) since that
position
> is currently manned by CBA refugees? Again, why is this 'bashing'?
>
> cheers -TomM
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Jaime Castillo, Jr. <jaims@info.com.ph>
> To: Thomas Murphy <tfmiii@worldnet.att.net>; Celtic list
<celtics@igtc.com>
> Sent: Monday, March 12, 2001 5:34 PM
> Subject: Re: Walker at PF?
>
>
> > I used to get into the mix on bashing Walker re: his out of position
> playing
> > and role inside the court.  He's around 6'10 and has bulk(not much
muscles
>
> > though) to be a PF...but instead he chose to shoot long jumpers and now
> has
> > fallen in love with the 3pt shot.
> >
> > Now, I just sit back and let him do his stuff because i guess he's
really
> > more comfortable doin it.  And more effective at that, instead of
getting
> > blocked all the time inside the paint.
> >
> > I just don't get the importance of debating or arguing if he should be a
> PF
> > or a SF...  Why should we really care what position he should be in,
when
> HE
> > DOES EVERYTHING for the team.  He top scores, he tops in rebounding, he
> tops
> > in assists(please correct me if i'm wrong)....so what's the problem???
> > Maybe i just really can't get the point of the discussion and I'm sorry
> for
> > that, but in my opinion, Walker despite some deficiencies he's our top
> man!
> > Pierce is also great but only because Walker also does the rebounding
and
> > assisting.
> >
> > For now, why don't we just let these guys play with their talent and
> > abilities and just evaluate in the off season what the team needs...a
shot
> > blocking and rebounding force in the middle, a defensive point guard, a
> 3rd
> > scorer (2 guard).  Whatever they may be, Walker, IMO, has really no true
> > position because he's proven he can do most things effectively.
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Thomas Murphy" <tfmiii@worldnet.att.net>
> > To: "Celtic list" <celtics@igtc.com>
> > Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2001 1:53 AM
> > Subject: Walker at PF?
> >
> >
> > > CALLING Walker a SF will do nothing just as calling him a PF when in
> > reality
> > > he performs most of the duties of a PG does nothing - particularly
> against
> > > the other teams PFs. What is needed is another big body up front
because
> > > whether by design or default Walker isn't giving us the things you
need
> > from
> > > a PF (which is not to say he isn't giving us things we do need).
> > >
> > > Let's examine the quote raised by Mishra "There is a very memorable
> quote
> > > from Don Nelson when he was coaching the Warriors: Webber in his
rookie
> > year
> > > didn't want to play center and so he requested that he be moved to PF.
> > > Nellie told him, I don't care whether you call yourself PF, SF or PG
but
> > > somebody needs to guard the opposing center."
> > >
> > > You'll note that the quote addresses who the player will guard. Well,
> who
> > > DOES Walker guard? If the other team has a tough PF (say Karl Malone)
he
> > > 'guards' the center (Ostertag) and vice versa. Unfortunately he
doesn't
> > > succeed very well in either instance - this is a large part of the
> reason
> > > there are calls for him to 'guard' someone else. After all, we have to
> > > remember that by not playing Walker at PF we are not benching Walker,
we
> > are
> > > instead redistributing playing time from SF/PGs to C/PFs. Given the
> > > production we've received from SG/PG I'd say that this could be a
> valuable
> > > move given our difficulties rebounding and defending opposing big
men -
> > > particularly since Twon performs most of the duties of a SG/PG
already.
> > >
> > > Now, regarding the attempt to prove - through the aid of statistics -
> > beyond
> > > a doubt that Walker and Cliff Robinson are not one and the same person
I
> > > have to say "congratulations!". Gee, that was tough to figure out.
> Another
> > > strawman bites the dust! Just for sake of clarity: when I said that I
> Twon
> > > reminds me of Cliff I wasn't saying Twon WAS Cliff or that they were
> twins
> > > separated at birth or that their stats would be identical. These
> > > 'interpretations' betray a lack of communicative imagination that is
> > > typically fatal for any understanding. Now let's discuss what I did
try
> to
> > > say.
> > >
> > > Others have compared Twon to Webber or Coleman. These comparisons have
> > been
> > > criticized (rightly in my opinion) because Webber's problems were
always
> > > off-court (very different from Twon) whereas Coleman's problems relate
> to
> > > his cancerous lack of heart (again, thankfully, very different from
> Twon).
> > > In any case both Webber and Coleman seem to play a style much more
> > > compatible with traditional views of a PF. In my view Twon's game
> reminds
> > me
> > > of Cliff because they both have a style of play that makes them 'play'
a
> > lot
> > > smaller on the court than an objective measurement of their size would
> > > indicate, kind of the opposite of a player like Adrian Dantley. This
is
> > not
> > > meant as a criticism, merely an observation. I do think that Twon is
> more
> > > talented, but I think the initial comparison remains valid.
(Comparisons
> > are
> > > often used to indicate similarity and difference - NOT identity.)
> > >
> > > (BTW the simple-minded use of stats to 'prove' that Cliff is the
> > inferior -
> > > and antithesis - of Twon is flawed for the simple reason that Cliff
has
> > > always played with a superior cast of teammates. How many assists do
you
> > > think Twon would rack up if he played with Jason Kidd? How many
minutes
> do
> > > you think a 'young Twon' would have logged if he played with Clyde
> > Drexler's
> > > Trailblazers? Is it a coincidence that Donyell Marshall is having a
> career
> > > year in Utah DESPITE the fact that his stats have dropped in virtually
> > every
> > > major category? The lack of nuance in the employment of stats rivals
the
> > > shallowness and lack of perception that Anonymous brings to each of
his
> > > trolling ventures. But then what else would you expect from someone
who
> > > responded to Cecil's mild attempt at sarcasm with a vitriolic outburst
> > that
> > > betrayed an utter lack of comprehension of one of the simplest forms
of
> > > verbal play. Heaven forgive us if we decide to use a metaphor!)
> > >
> > >
> >
>
>