Re: A Win?

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

Exactly Kestas! This is it exactly. It's called trusting your teammates. I
hate to keep using the same example, but it's funny how all those lousy
players in New Jersey suddenly pulled their games together at the same time
Jason Kidd arrived.

It's amazing what happens when a team is passing. Guys start running and
cutting and doing all the things the Celtics aren't. Why should they?
They're not going to get the ball. I'd even take the extreme... Jason
Williams. Remember the effect he had on Sacramento when he arrived? He was
wild and uncontrolled, and his passes sometimes ended up in the second deck,
but he made passing fun and cool. Suddenly Webber and Divac were whipping
behind-the-back and no-look passes. The team was running because they knew
Williams would get them the ball or knock out a kid in the front row while
trying.

I'm tired of the argument that selfish, one-on-one basketball from Pierce
and Walker is the only way for this team to win. If that's true, it would be
the first time in the history of basketball that good, unselfish, team play
didn't improve the performance of a collection of players. The Celtics were
what they were because of a history of playing unselfish, team basketball.
They had great players, but they also had players who played the game the
right way, and that made them better. These Celtics don't. Is it the system,
the coach, the players? I don't know, but we're on our second coach now and
I think we can see which way things are going. And don't tell me it's
today's NBA or anything like that. I don't buy it. If these players won't
play team-first basketball, get rid of them and find some who will. They're
out there, in places like Philly, San Antonio, Utah, Sacramento, Minnesota
and Indiana. If they're in Boston, it's time for them to show themselves.

Mark

P.S. I know the Celtics' supporting cast isn't great, but right now we're
putting them in the absolute worst position they can be in. We're not giving
them a chance to succeed. If the ball was moving, players were running and
cutting and finding the open man, we'd all be amazed at how their
performance would change. Is Tony Battie a good post-up player? No, but he's
fast and has pretty good hands. Shouldn't the Celts try to get him involved
running the floor and cutting to the basket off of penetration? Don't
Kedrick Brown and JJ seem like players who would make good finishers on the
break or on slashes to the basket? Why ask them to spot up outside the
3-point line and wait for a pass only when Pierce or Walker are shut down?
Try to put them in the best possible position for success. If the "stars"
won't play along, find different stars. Believe me, these guys aren't
irreplaceable. When we get someone who is, we'll know it.

--- --- ---

It works both ways, you know. If you don't give people the ball, they
become tentative, make more mistakes on offense, and shoot a lower
percentage. They can't be thinking that if they miss their first shot, they
won't see the ball again. I still think they should at least TRY to get
other people involved by getting them shots in their favorite spots early.
You can't tell me Pot isn't gonna make a 12-15 jumper reliably, given the
opportunity. Or that Battie isn't going to score a few baskets if given the
ball around the hoop. 
Now, if you post them above the 3-point line and expect them to create
their own shot, the results won't be pretty. Walker and Pierce have to
realize that getting others involved improves their own scoring
opportunities, not to mention team performance and chemistry.