Fwd: ? on Walker

[JB <jimmetz@xxxxxxx>]

> On Saturday, December 7, 2002, at 04:55  PM, Tammo29@AOL.com wrote:
>
>> So the question is if 16 shots are too many in your mind and "only" 8
>> assists in 34 minutes is not good enough, what would make you happy?  
>> You
>> seemed to be extremely happy with Antoine's line of 7-24 fag, 9 re, 7 
>> as and
>> 6 t/o in 43 min against Philly.  Why do you label one with being 
>> selfish and
>> the other with trying his hardest to win a game?  Is it possible they 
>> are
>> both trying their hardest to win games?
>>
>>
>> TAM
>> ******************************
> 	I did not  say that Paul took too many shots, only that I wished he 
> had kept passing, because I loved the easy baskets and the balanced 
> scoring.
> 	If you say he only took seven shots in the second half, I'll believe 
> you, but as you rightly said: { "I'd like to point out that passing 
> doesn't always equal assists and lack of assists doesn't always point 
> toward selfish play."} it also conversely can mean that lack of shots 
> doesn't make one unselfish.
> 	There had to be several occasions where Paul passed up the passing 
> option, to open teammates,  as did Walker, where he was finding them 
> early in the game. Perhaps there were some blocked shots, turnovers, 
> foul attempts that didn't get registered as shots taken? Anyway, it's 
> just my perception that both of  them turned inward, to the extent 
> that the rest of the team  started to  stand around and watch, instead 
> of bothering to cut to the basket and/or look for open floor.
> 	You certainly are putting words in my mouth, if you think I  said 
> Paul was not trying his  hardest to win games. I've reinserted my 
> original post, below your response, in case you want to re-read it.
> 	As for other posts, on other days, like this Phily reference you 
> mentioned, bring it out and I'll debate  it. I meant what I wrote, 
> when I wrote it, that's  all I can say for sure, having no idea what 
> you are talking about.
> 	Like the surfer, looking for the perfect wave, I'm looking for the 
> perfect team. Unselfishness can mean a lot of things to  a lot of 
> people. It is true, that it's hard to measure statistically. It's one 
> of those "I know it when I see it," things, but I do applaud Paul, 
> taking over the team's assist leadership (shame on Antoine) and he has 
> been the leading rebounder most of the season, which gives us two of 
> the most well rounded players in the game.
> 	On most nights, I'd like to see them both pass more often and take 
> about five shots less, each.
>
> 	JB
>
> 	Unchain My Heart !
> *********************************************
>
> From: Tammo29@AOL.com
> Date: Sat Dec 7, 2002  4:55:22  PM US/Eastern
> To: celtics@igtc.com
> Subject: Re:? on Walker
>
> JB,
>   Vin's play last night was not indicative of how he has been playing 
> up to
> this point.  Last night he was actually making himself available on the
> blocks.  He was actually going to the basket, not running away from 
> it.  He
> was actually powering the ball to the hoop, not bringing it down so he 
> could
> be blocked by the smallest guy on the court.  Good for him.  Maybe the
> Callahan article did give him the kick in the pants he needed.
> For the record I never called him washed up.  In fact, I made a point 
> to say
> I thought he probably still had better offensive skills than Battie.  
> But he
> was playing like crap and no one could deny that, not even Baker 
> himself.  I
> don't recall seeing Antoine ignore Baker in the post.  Not saying it 
> didn't
> happen, but I didn't see it so I couldn't comment.  But Antoine has 
> given
> Baker the ball many times, and many times with poor results.  I think 
> last
> night Antoine felt he had match up advantages.  A couple of times he 
> even
> found Houston on him.  I'm sure he was drooling at the prospect of 
> taking him
> to the basket and maybe he was too focused on his own mismatches than 
> Baker.
>   As for assists and passing, I'd like to point out that passing 
> doesn't
> always equal assists and lack of assists doesn't always point toward 
> selfish
> play.
> Paul took all of 7 shots in the second half.  One of those was a 
> layup.  One
> was a shot clock beater.  Two were off offensive rebounds, one being a 
> tip
> in.  That leaves three shots you could possibly be critical of.  
> Having been
> a big reason the team was ahead by 20 points, you would think he would 
> be
> allowed 3 shots without criticism.  He was still passing the ball and 
> Antoine
> was too.  Part of the problem was Walter, Eric, and Shammond were a 
> combined
> 1 of 12 for the game and Delk while 6 of 10 did miss two layups that 
> should
> have been assists.  Also Baker did let a perfect pass go off his 
> fingertips
> which would have been another.
>   So the question is if 16 shots are too many in your mind and "only" 8
> assists in 34 minutes is not good enough, what would make you happy?  
> You
> seemed to be extremely happy with Antoine's line of 7-24 fag, 9 re, 7 
> as and
> 6 t/o in 43 min against Philly.  Why do you label one with being 
> selfish and
> the other with trying his hardest to win a game?  Is it possible they 
> are
> both trying their hardest to win games?
>
>
> TAM
>
> Aside from his  obvious work over the summer, on his dribbling/ball 
> handling, this is the other marked improvement in Walker's game.
> 	Tommy H., has pleaded for years, for some head and shoulder/up fakes; 
> we are now seeing the effectiveness, of same, as well as some crossing 
> under the basket moves, which deny the defensive player access to the 
> ball.
> 	With his dribbling improvement, he is often able to beat the first 
> man, before throwing the fakes on the second one.
> 	Could it be that Joe Gallagher: "Mr. Post Game," is there to earn a 
> paycheck, not as a payback, for favors  offered to a young Mr. O'Brien 
> during his early coaching career?
> 	While we're looking towards the post, I was watching for some plays 
> to Mr. Baker last night and while I should have learned, never to 
> contradict Tammo and I've only seen a hand full of games, it seems 
> that Antoine, particularly, will not throw the pass to Vin, 
> underneath, even if he is wide open. Is this a difficult pass? Dennis 
> Johnson made a living at it for a few years here, with no other 
> apparent point guard skills.
> 	I saw Baker,  last night, way down on the block, all alone and Walker 
> just stared at him, as if he wasn't there.
> 	Paul and Antoine control the ball and who sees it. When they feel 
> like shooting, as they did in the second half last night, they often 
> pass up open team mates, to play one-on-one. Maybe that's why he is 
> coming out to throw his picks? At least he's being productive and not 
> sulking, about his 2-3 touches a game.
> 	All those who say he is washed up and has lost his skills, look no 
> farther than his block on Sprewell, last night. As the announcer said, 
> he was up to the middle of the glass.
> 	Someone mentioned that the All-star game coming up in January would 
> change the way the captains were playing. Interestingly, as that 
> deadline approaches, Walker's assists  keep falling and Pierce's keep 
> rising. Guess who, as of this AM, is leading the Celtics in assists ?
> 	The most effective offense last night? Delk, to Walker, just over the 
> half court arc; Walker to Pierce halfway between the arc and the lane 
> and Paul driving to attract a crowd and finding the open man under the 
> hoop, or on the perimeter, if the inside option was not there.
> 	I wish he had kept it up. He might have had twenty assists instead of 
> only eight. This would seem to be what o'Brien is talking about, in 
> regard to Pierce's game and unselfishness. If this is going to become 
> a trend, we will be a tough team to beat, because the minute the 
> defense sags off Pierce, he will make them pay and his shooting % will 
>  be higher than it's ever been.
> 	
> 		JB
>
> 	Unchain My Heart !