Sporting News rates the NBA players (including Pierce and Walker- -interesting)

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

Don't know if anyone saw this from the Sporting News. They polled GMs and/or
personnel people from every team in the league and had them rate the
league's players. Very interesting. I'll post the link and the ratings of
the Celtics' two captains. I think the descriptions of these guys are so
accurate. Those of us on the list aren't the only ones disagreeing on Toine,
by the way.-Mark

Here's the link:
http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/articles/20020228/386709.html
<http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/articles/20020228/386709.html> 

And here are the ratings for Walker and Pierce:


13. Paul Pierce, SF, Celtics. Antoine Walker's onetime sidekick has become
the leading man in Boston. Capable of scoring five points in the first half
and 35 in the second, Pierce is one of the game's most dangerous streak
shooters and is an underrated defender.

24. Antoine Walker, PF, Celtics. Opinions on Walker vary as wildly as his
game, which features deadly post moves and passing skills that sometimes are
obscured by the inability to slow down his record-setting 3-point pace. Five
of those surveyed had Walker in the top 12. Seven voters didn't have him in
the top 30. Even with the Celtics winning, some aren't convinced Walker's
smarts match his skills.

Some notes:

General managers and personnel men were asked to rank the top 30 players,
and TSN ranked 50 players based on the voting. Only 10 players were ranked
in the top 30 on every ballot: Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan,
Kevin Garnett, Tracy McGrady, Allen Iverson, Vince Carter, Jason Kidd, Ray
Allen and Paul Pierce.

Eight top 50 players never have played in a playoff game. Pierce (Celtics)
is the highest-ranked of those players, at No. 13.