AP Story, national coverage etc.

["hironaka@xxxxxxxxx"<hironaka@xxxxxxxxx>]

Did you guys read the AP story on the three guards 
(pasted below)? It has a few new quotes from Delk, 
Shammond, Chris Wallace etc. 

Also, have you noticed that the national sports press 
(CNN, CBS etc.)is taking a uniformly harsh view of 
Boston's chances? The CNNSI.Com preview even called 
Walker "a joke of an All Star".

Fears about Walker's total game are well-grounded, but 
don't be too tempted to scoff at the praise he gets 
either. He'll need to have a monster year this season 
passing the ball, judging from the role he has been given.

In the past two years, there have been only two forwards 
you can put in Antoine's class in guard/forward Jalen 
Rose (5.1 assists) and "Mr 20,10 and 5" Kevin Garnett 
(5.08). 

During that time, Antoine Walker has averaged 5.26 
assists (852 total), leading all NBA forwards. (Stats 
compiled using NBA.COM).

Even turnovers (your next question) are surprisingly 
heading in the same range...Rose averaged 3.2 TOs in 
Chicago, Garnett averaged 2.83 and Walker 3.1 all last 
year. 

As for steals over the last two seasons, Rose is 0.98, 
Garnett is 1.28 and Walker is 1.61 (among the league 
leaders). 

That's why Antoine Walker is an All Star starter (and 
Pierce may soon join him). The CNN writer isn't the first 
guy to discount Walker's game, but, in this case, the 
grass actually is greener in Boston. He's not only a 
fierce competitor, he's never said word one in complaint 
toward the press or fans. 

Anyway, the stats above are my math but go do it yourself 
if you doubt them. Grant Hill is another good playmaking 
forward I didn't include, but he hasn't played in two 
seasons.



Celtics have three point guards
Wednesday, October 2, 2002 -- (WALTHAM AP) - The Boston 
Celtics opened training camp with three point guards on 
the roster, and none of them will be handling the ball 
much when the game is on the line.
 
Instead, forward Antoine Walker will continue to fill 
that role. 

"You're not asking them to do the traditional point guard 
things," coach Jim O'Brien said Tuesday as the Celtics 
opened training camp. "It's nice to have the luxury of 
someone like Antoine." 

The Celtics went 49-33 last season to make the playoffs 
for the first time since 1995. They lost to the New 
Jersey Nets in the Eastern Conference finals, giving 
Boston hope that it could play for a title this season 
for the first time since the days of the Big Three. 

Given the chance to keep the team together over the 
summer by re-signing Rodney Rogers, though, the Celtics 
got spooked by the potential luxury tax and let Rogers 
leave. They replaced him by trading point guards Kenny 
Anderson and Joseph Forte to the Sonics along with Vitaly 
Potapenko for Vin Baker and Shammond Williams, who backed 
up Gary Payton at the point in Seattle. 

The Celtics also have Tony Delk and rookie free agent 
J.R. Bremer, fresh out of St. Bonaventure. None of the 
three has ever been a starting point guard in the NBA, 
but O'Brien is convinced they can do the job. 

"I think our point guard situation is going to be a lot 
stronger as a group," O'Brien said. "I don't anticipate 
this being anything but a strength for us." 

More important than chalking up a whole bunch of assists, 
O'Brien wants his point guards to be able to set screens 
and play defense. He also thinks his trio can push the 
offense by running up the floor instead of passing. 

If so, Walker can bring the ball up and hit them with the 
pass, instead of the other way around. 

"That makes this type of situation easier to pull off," 
general manager Chris Wallace said. 

Just because the Celtics' point guard won't be handling 
the ball as much doesn't mean he won't be a key part of 
the offense, though. In O'Brien's system, that means 
firing up 3-pointers - they took more than any other team 
in the league last year - and playing defense. 

"If your point guards can't shoot the ball, your offense 
is in big trouble," Wallace said. "These guys may not be 
pure point guards, but they can get it done in our 
offense." 

Williams was at first considered an afterthought in the 
Baker trade, but he will compete for playing time with 
Delk. Delk backed up Anderson after coming over from 
Phoenix in a midseason trade last season, but he is also 
more of a shooter than a ball-handler, averaging 9.5 
points and less than half an assist per game. 

Third on the depth chart is Bremer, who was fourth in the 
nation in scoring last year at St. Bonaventure. It was 
his school records of 223 career 3-pointers and 88 last 
year that caught the Celtics' attention. 

"Most of the point guards coming into the league now can 
score," Delk said. "I think they're getting away from 
thinking that point guard is only an assist guy. That's a 
good thing for me." 

And a good thing for the Celtics, if it works. 

"My thing is to help the team win," Williams 
said. "Whatever's missing at the time, that's what I need 
to do." 

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