Re: Billups

[Georgek27@AOL.com]

In a message dated 2/20/2002 2:42:56 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
Douglas342@AOL.com writes:


> Can 
> anyone tell us how Billups is doing?  Is he playing point?  I know he's 
> scoring.
>     I am interested because I have often harped on the Celtics picking up 
> good college 2 guards and trying to turn them into points.  It didn't work 
> with Dee Brown, and Pitino gave up on Billups.  Now we have Forte, and I 
> have 
> been assuming it would be another failed effort to convert a 2 to a 1.  
> Maybe, though, there is hope?  Maybe Forte can become a good point in a 
> year 
> or so?  Sure would be nice.
> 

In Brandon's absences Billups has been their point guard and, at least 
statistically, he has done the job. He certainly would be nice to have on the 
Celtics but that's water under the bridge. It does show that it really is 
possible to develop a shooting guard into a point guard and that provides 
hope that Forte or maybe even JJ can eventually make this transition.

I think one reason we haven't seen much of Forte this year is because he is 
strictly a practice time point guard who is not close to being ready for 
primetime and they don't want to use him at the 2 because they only want him 
to think like a 1. Will he learn? He's said to be a smart kid so he might. 
Only time will tell. As for JJ, he plays like a PG now! He's got a fine 
handle, he's quick to give up the ball and is very capable of penetrating and 
dishing. The biggest obstacle may be in his confidence which doesn't seem 
very solid at his natural position and could be reduced even more if thrust 
into a new position. However, if he's not going to be in the lineup anyway 
then it is certainly a worthwhile practice time experiment. Perhaps both JJ 
and Forte can be developed as point guards and be used at the same time in 
the backcourt when the time comes giving the team even greater versatility. 

Remember, after next season both Kenny's and EW's contracts are up and unless 
either are willing to take a big paycut they won't be back. Imagine if it 
actually works out -- Wallace would instantly change from idiot to genius 
although the real Wallace haters will point to Red's desire for Forte and 
label a PG shift for JJ as a move necessitated by his failure as a swingman.

Hey, it may never happen ... but it could.

George