Re: JB's good point

[Jim Hill <jahill@leasingservice.com>]

Date: Sat, 05 May 2001 07:59:57 -0400 from Jim Metz,

>....The real problem seemed to be the ego battles between Pierce, Walker and
>Mercer, over who would get the shots. Acquiring a veteran all-star caliber
>player should make any changes in the pecking order a little smoother.
>    On the other hand, any team with Walker at point guard, might have
>exactly those kind of problems. Why are Palacio and Anderson able to get
>Vitaly 10-15 very efficient points, while Walker never looks for him?

While you may be asking a rhetorical question, my thoughts are I believe
that VP needs, like many big men, the pass in his somewhat narrow "comfort
zone" to have a better then 50% chanc e of catching it and going into his
shot effectively.

Walker is a wonderful passer but Palacio and Anderson have been thinking
like PG's for years.  IMO, Walker passes as a second option to take the ball
out of his own hands when he can't score, where a good PG will be thinking
pass as a first option and the PG will develop the play to get the pass to
the shooter in the comfort zone for each different teammate.

It will be a big shift to see Walker put the other shooters on the team as
the first option if they really try this Walker at PG experiment.

However one of the things that made Bird a true point forward was the fact
that he could develop the play for his teammates AND make the comfort zone
pass to help the man score.  Walker isn't that good yet.  This experiment
should help regardless if he becomes the PG or not.

I remember a story by a former Celtics player that was about Bird hitting a
teammate in the face/head with a pass under the basket when the player
wasn't watching where the ball was.  Bird made some remark about always be
prepared to catch the ball if Bird had the ball or take a seat.  He wasn't
going to waste another pass. I don't know if it is true or not but I like
the attitude.

<Jim