Melon Boy

["j.hironaka" <j.hironaka@unesco.org>]

I wish one of Walker's close advisors (Michael Jordan?) could tell him that 
limiting himself to around 16-18 FG attempts per game would win him support 
from Boston fans and likely All Star nominations. This is not a reach at 
all, when you factor in that he's averaging 11.3 rebounds and 5.5 assists 
so far, and is second in the league in double doubles. Take away the ugly 
FG% and 25 shots a game and this guy is a perennial All Star. Its totally 
in his control if you ask me. I've never seen a player with such a glaring, 
yet addressable, shortcoming.

Sounds easy, but having said all that none of us can deny the fact that 
Toine's just going through a bonafide, old fashioned slump. A lot of people 
prescribe that he camps down low and takes higher percentage shots. The 
murkier reality is that Antoine is shooting a miserable 23% from 2-point 
range (14/60). Guys, this is nothing even close to the same old 
"Melonhead"......its incomparably worse than the same old Walker who shot 
an out-of-control 45% from inside the arc over the past 350+ NBA games or so.

Besides the high number of rebounds and assists, Walker's 3-point 
marksmanship thus far is unimpeachable (40%) despite being very heavily 
skewed by one horrible 2-11 game against the Nets. And he leads all 
starters with 78%FT shooting as well. If he were slumping to the tune of a 
mere 40% on his 2-point shots (27.5 ppg), we'd be talking about a guy 
putting up Iverson type MVP numbers to start out the season. And if he were 
at his par 45% rate inside the arc, he'd be one of the most talked about 
all-around players in the NBA right now. How does 30+ ppg, 11+ boards and 
5.5 assists sound coming from one of your two franchise players?

But for the sake of decency, and as the best rout to getting his FG% back 
up, he really needs to cut down his attempts over the coming home stand, 
and focus instead for a couple of triple doubles. I don't think he 
recognizes how easy it can be to win back the good graces of fans, if he 
just cut back on his one glaring flaw. If he played within himself, he'd be 
a natural 18ppg scorer and an All Star every year for the rest of his 
career. But with Antoine, you never know.

He's yet to break 40% shooting in any game, and you're damn right our 
Celtics should be 3-1 and in first place after all the effort and energy he 
and his teammates have shown so far. They have a wonderful schedule coming 
up to build confidence and put themselves near the top of the pack in the 
East. Antoine's got to show exactly the right kind of leadership during 
this run, starting with defense and passing.

****