Re: Calling All Walker Haters

[Michael Gooen <callmebogie@yahoo.com>]

--- "Berry, Mark  S" <berrym@BATTELLE.ORG> wrote:

<<Like others have said, I think this "Walker hater" stuff is ridiculous,
but I'm sure you're talking about me (among others). I think most of us
who
have been critical of Antoine have complimented him for his play last
night.  He was magnificent.>>

I think it's ridiculous too, Mark.  I certainly can't blame folks for
being critical of Antoine; Jordan certainly was and I don't disagree with
anything he said (other than that ridiculousness about Walker's being more
talented than Bird.  PLEASE!).  But I think that some of the criticism
Walker's borne has been disproportionate, and some of it has been
downright hateful.  I live in NJ and when Derrick Coleman played here he
didn't get this much crap from Nets fans -- either of them!  

I respect carefully reasoned arguments about Antoine's weaknesses as a
player -- including his shot selection, inconsistent defensive effort,
aggravating tendency to scream at officials and general tendency to try to
carry the entire team on his back even when he's not having a good night. 
I respect the views of folks who want to explore trading Antoine in an
effort to create better interior defense and team chemistry.   

I don't respect calling our team's captain "Melon Head".  

<<Having said that, one game doesn't prove anything has really changed.
Lorenzen Wright had a 30-point, 26-rebound night last week. That doesn't
mean he's going to do it again. Same with Antoine.>>

Interesting that you chose the guy picked right after Antoine in the 1996
draft.  Wright's usually good for one of those games a year.  Last night
may have been an unusually "cerebral" night for Antoine, but you can't say
that he's a stranger to the triple double.

<<I really hope this is some kind of watershed moment for Antoine, but
I'll be surprised if anything really changes. We've seen him play good
games before (never this good, however),>>

Oh, I don't know.  Last year's 2 triple doubles sandwiching the 49 point
effort were pretty special.

<< but then he plays too often as he did through the first four
games-terrible. Playing your "A" game once every two weeks won't cut it.
It has to happen consistently. Last night, he could have gone 5-for-15 and
still been the best player on the floor. He took good shots and made the
right decision almost every time. But we need to see it again, and again,
and again.>>

I completely agree.  But I think the key issue with Antoine is belief in
his teammates.  For the first 4 years of his career, I don't think he
believed in any of them.  Last year he came to believe in Paul Pierce and
more often than not accepted a complementary role -- which, when your 3rd
best scorer is Bryant Stith, means taking 20 shots instead of 30.  

Last night Antoine demonstrated trust in several of his teammates,
including Joe Johnson and Kenny Anderson (who, apart from those 2 free
throws, has really stepped up his game this year).  If they continue to 
earn respect, I think he'll give it, and then you'll see more games where
Antoine stays down in the box and passes--which, of course, is what we all
want him to do at least 75-80% of the time. 

<<I'm already a little discouraged because I haven't read a single quote
from our "braintrust" that suggests they recognize the fact that Walker
was
playing against a smaller player offensively and defensively. Just Obie
genuflecting and Wallace reading the box score and asking "how many
power forwards could do what he did?" Don't they realize he basically
played small forward last night?>>
 
Certainly it would be nice to see Antoine play like this against elite 4s.
 I'm eager to see him try.
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