Re: The Boston Celtics Mailing List Digest V9 #251

[GuyClinch@xxxxxxx]

> The Verdict
> 

My verdict:
Your column is biased wishful thinking. Like alot of fans you downgrade other 
teams talent and the talent you lost, and see our talent through rose colored 
glasses.

> 
> 
> But the good news is: they are still not the better team.
> Let's look on both sides of the court, starting with offense.
> 
> I am a big believer in difference-making players. Players that demand
> double teams; players who can create their own shot. We have two
> players like that, and the Nets have one. You need role players to keep
> defenses honest, but in the playoffs, you basically try to keep it close,
> and then let your stars decide the matter.
> 

Wishful thinking..
Your hear this double team concept passed about quite a bit..but careful
watching of game tape will show that lessor players can command doubles.

Players like Kenyon Martin and Richard Jefferson do command double teams
when they recieve the ball in the right position. Jason Kidd excels in doing 
this.
Moreover, its quite possible that Martin and Jefferson will develop into 
excellent players who will command these double teams more often. These guys 
are just starting out. 

Still doubt me..go watch the playoff series vs. Jersey. We had two 
"difference makers" last year didnt we?

 In any event, that is what> 
> usually happens. Though Jason Kidd is a one-man wrecking crew, and
> an MVP-type talent, he really doesn't have any help. Mutumbo is actually
> worse than Todd McCulloch on offense, and Rodney, despite his great
> size and athleticism, isn't really that effective except as a spot-up 
> shooter.
> He knows how to play, and will fill lanes and post up smaller players.
> 

Err you downgrade Rodney...but then admit he is more then a spot up shooter.
A guy who takes bigger players to the outside and shoots jumpshots, posts 
smaller players, and fills the lane is a complete ball player and is doing 
just what he SHOULD do.  

 But
> his role is basically the same as Dana Barros.

I never seen Dana Barros play small forward, power Forward or Center..
Again..wishful thinking on your part. To say oh Rodney is just a spot up 
shooter is quite foolish. By the same token you could say that Walker or 
Pierce are just spot up shooters. They also shoot alot of shots from the 
outside.  Both of them will post up on occasion, and well try to fill the 
lane on the break. Sounds a bit like the description of Rodney Rodgers. 



Van Horn gave them a good
> 
> three point shooter too. What the Nets really needed was another quick
> scoring guard who could create his own shot. Kittles, Harris, Martin,
> Jefferson
> - -- all the Nets' good players are basically opportunistic scorers, who 
> might
> make a big shot now and again, but can't be depended on to make anything
> happen.

Lucious Harris and Jefferson showed pretty consistent output off the bench.
Can you really quantify this "can't be depended on to make anything happen" 
stuff?
This strikes me as wishful thinking. Every player has good nights and bad 
nights...

I say prove it: What statistics do you have to back up the idea that these 
players are not dependable? I bet you have none. I think these players are no 
less or more dependable then other quality NBA players. Jefferson and Harris 
can certaintly create some shots. Harris seems bloody dependable against the 
Celts..thats for sure.

> 
> On defense, the Nets have improved, but there are still some questions. The
> strategy that worked against Mutumbo last year, of drawing him out with
> quick, jumpshooting big men, should work fairly well this year as well. It
> doesn't matter if they put in Rogers; he can't defend anybody out on the
> perimeter either. (It's always on defense that tweeners hurt you.)


Damn..yeah Rogers sure killed  us up in the Philly series..
Get rid of those Tweeners ASAP. LOL.. Tweeners dominate the NBA.
See Kobe Bryant or Vince Carter in action sometime. Michael Jordan...Paull
Pierce the list goes on and on. 

> As I
> remember,
> even Vin Baker, whom one would think of as the Celtic most likely to be 
> shut
> down by Mutumbo, can shoot from 20 feet out. Antoine will likely eat a few
> shots when he beats his man inside, and finds the Ancient One there waiting
> for him. We can live with that. But they still don't have anyone to defend 
> him
> on the perimeter, and they can't match up Pierce anywhere.

Err..you did watch the series last year didn't you.
The Nets match up fine with Pierce. Richard Jefferson is exactly his size and 
as athletic if not moreso. How much more matched up can you be?

> 
> Celtics Offense
> Despite their no-name status and limited floor skills, I think you are 
> going
> to
> see a much more efficient offense with J.R. Bremer, Shammond Williams, Tony
> Delk

Now you really have to be kidding... We have seen Delk play the point..
and everyone on this damn list knows he can't. Its hard to imagine that one 
of these no name guys can play the point even half as well as Kenny...

> 
>  but Kenny absolutely killed us with his spotty mid-range shooting,

Uh huh. ...your gonna have to prove this nonsense as well.
This is more wishful thinking. Sure Kenny "killed" us with his outside 
shooting..right.
By the same token we could say Walker killed us with his outside shooting. 
Truth be told Kenny shot the ball decently from the outside. Look at the 
stats.

In addition, keep in mind that Kenny didn't shoot that much from the outside, 
about half his shots were layups... So how is it that Kenny killed us with 
outside shooting?
Answer is..umm he didn't. Thats just wishful thinking on your part.

> 
> We now have a legitimate post threat, who (in theory, anyway) will cause
> defenses
> to collapse, giving Paul and Antoine much more room to operate. Moreover,
> having a good player stationed near the basket means (again, in theory) 
> that
> you will get some strong-side rebounds, and not just what happens to come
> near the quick hands of Pierce, Walker, and Battie. I for one can't imagine
> what
> the Celtics offense will look like; but I have to think it will be much 
> more
> dangerous,
> even without the greater confidence and experience this past year has 
> afforded
> our two stars.

Yeah thats why Seattle was so anxious to trade Baker he was such a glorious 
"low post threat" who would open it up for Payton and Rashard Lewis and the 
like.

Fact of the matter, is that in the past Baker has killed fast breaks and been 
lazy on defense and on the boards. That more then negates the over rated low 
post effect.
This isn't the NBA of the 80's. Its 2002 ball complete with zone defenses 
that destroy
low post threats. 

> 
> And it's not like we were getting much in the way of smooth playmaking 
> before;
> people who think the Celtics will be hurt by the lack of a "true" playmaker
> must
> have a pretty impoverished view of point guard play. Kenny ran a decent 
> pick
> and roll,
> and was an impeccable ball handler, even under pressure. But that's about 
> it.

Well throw in the fact that he shot better then Walker, racked up a ton of 
steals,
came up with key clutch layups and led the team in assists...and yeah thats 
about it. LOL.

Heck Kenny ranked 9th in steals per game at 1.86 and 8th in assists/turnover 
ratio per game at 3.39. He led the teams in assists at 5.3. Hmm hmm..avoiding 
actually looking at those stats again eh? Let me see he shot  %42 percent 
from the field and pulled down a surprising 3.6 rebounds a game.

Impecabble ball handling is a BIG part of being a point guard... Most people
would consider it his number one job. Throw in the fact that he lead team in 
assists, was second in steals, rebounded well and played some defense to boot 
you have a very solid player in KA being shipped out



> 
> 
> All of the foregoing augury, of course, ignores the fact that we still hav 
> a
> roster
> spot open. The Celtics know that somebody good is going to be available for
> the
> minimum wage; they are waiting it out to see who it is. We've already read
> about
> several intriguing names: Travis Best, the brilliant, quicksilver combo 
> guard
> who
> played so well in the Finals a couple of years ago; Greg Anthony, one of 
> the
> elite
> defensive players in the league, and an able point; even the venerable 
> Mookie
> Blaylock, whom as late as 2000-2001 was one of the best all-around point
> guards
> in the league. And of course there is always the possibility of resigning
> Erick Strickland.
> 
> But the most interesting possibility of all, to me anyway, was last week's
> exclusive
> Hoopsworld rumor that the Celtics might be looking at Tim Hardaway, the
> tough-as-nails
> shooting/scoring combo guard who we all remember so fondly from his days in
> Golden
> State and Miami. The former crossover king's skills have been in steep
> decline, but he
> just may have something in the tank as a reserve. He averaged 4 assists a 
> game
> for
> Dallas last year, and ten points a game, with 34% accuracy from behind the
> line. He
> hands are still quick, and he's a natural leader. Given his friendship with
> Antoine Walker,
> it seems a natural. He's as game as Erick Strickland, and significantly 
> more
> talented on
> offense. Plus, you have to think it would be great to have a guy in the 
> locker
> room
> who says things like, "Antoine's an asshole. He knows it, and I know it" to
> reporters.
> 
> Chris Wallace has confirmed to me that Hardaway is one of the players the 
> team
> is
> looking at; but wouldn't go any further, saying that an actual signing 
> "could
> happen
> in a couple of days...or it could happen right before the season starts," 
> as
> with Erick
> Strickland last year. Whatever happens, it seems a pretty sure bet that a
> talented
> ballplayer will be doing some distributing for us next year.
> 

Gee..more rose colored glasses..
None of those guys out there are any good with the exception of Best. Thats 
why we aren't likely getting him. Its bad form to "hype" up potential 
Celtics...and the Celtics while downgrading non Celtics and ex Celtics. Thats 
basically what your entire column did.  I haven't read a more biased column 
in a long time.

Pete