Re: Blame Jordan!

["Lance Jacobson" <lancejacob@xxxxxxxxx>]

I'm posting the following report from Rob Manning, a PAID BBall writer, excerpted from
HOOPSWORLD.  It's for those whose like Lurking Lucas, who don't contribute Jack but
think I'm irrational in beating on Paul Pierce, who a season ago was thought to bring
the Celts to the promised land, and since then has gotten incredible props and media
kisses.  Anybody see a negative report on PP before April 2002?  Now we've seen the
national guys hedging their bets.  I'll keep posting this stuff until Tammo
acknowledges that Pierce's ego has counteracted his improved scoring prowess.  From
the tone of this article, the real savvy bball guys know that PP's going in the wrong
direction, and has shown no signs of straightening out.  Sharing the ball, blaming
himself, not others, and refusing to sulk are high on the list for PP's next step, if
he wants the step to be UPWARD.

Pierce's Lessons

After losing three of the last four in international competition, Team USA and Paul
Pierce, the team's leading scorer, may finally be learning something. For Pierce, it
may be that leading scorer doesn't mean leader. While Pierce put up the best numbers
of any Team USA player, especially in games the Americans won, he failed in leading
the team to gold... and that ought to have Celtics' fans worried that a Pierce-led
team is unlikely to lead the team to an NBA title, either.

Pierce must learn:

#1: leaders make their teammates better: it may sound like a clichi, but there's a
huge difference made by players like Jason Kidd, who brought the best out of Kenyon
Martin and Keith Van Horn, or David Robinson, who enabled Tim Duncan to be a major
success right out of the gate, versus stars like Tracy McGrady and Paul Pierce, who
put up great numbers, but can't bring the best out of their teammates. The difference
is partially in age, and Celtics' fans can definitely look forward to a more mature
Pierce in years to come. So long as he grows up.

#2: leaders don't do it all: it took Larry Bird realizing how to get the ball to Kevin
McHale, it took Magic Johnson finding Abdul-Jabbar, and it took Michael Jordan relying
on Scottie Pippen. But with the latest version of the Celtics, it took at least three
players stepping forward and making their games do the talking - during much of the
Celtics' playoff run, it was Pierce, Antoine Walker, and Kenny Anderson. Pierce needs
to remember he can take charge in directing and leading, but he doesn't need to do all
the scoring to make things happen. Blame yourself for losses, but don't blame!
yourself for passing to a guy who had a better shot, and missed. - RM