Kenny points to Nets

[Tammo29@xxxxxxx]

>>"The only decent ball the C's played  last season, when Anderson was on the 
>>bench, was when Erick Strickland was hot."

There is no question that Anderson was the best ball handler on the team and 
because of that the team ran much more smoothly when he was in. BUT running 
smoothly does not always mean winning and we did win without him (5-1...the 
one loss being Dallas).  
It's my contention that any competent point guard could take Kenny's place 
and we would continue to win.  I thought maybe the Celtics organization felt 
the same way when the Baker trade went down.  But considering the fact they 
didn't even bother to bring in a "competent" point guard, maybe they held 
even less regard for Kenny then I did. 
This worries me.  Not because of the loss of Anderson, but because we didn't 
even try to replace him.
I predicted last season that we would see more teams try to take advantage of 
the new 8 second rule.  For what ever reason that didn't happen.  But coaches 
now have to look at our lack of ball handling and salivate.  If not, this 
league is full of coaches dumber than doorknobs.


> "There are many of you who were so down on Anderson before last season, 
that >you can't face the reality that he was so important to the team  last 
year. In my >opinion, without him, we would not have been even .500. It was  
reported  a few >weeks ago that Kenny led the team in +/-. Not Walker, not 
Pierce; Anderson."

And that reporter (Bulpett I believe) was wrong.  Pierce led the team in +/-. 
 Anderson led the team in per minute +/-.  Saying Anderson led the team in 
+/- is like saying Battie led the team in rebounding.  His per minute 
rebounding was top 15 in the league, Antoine's was #66.  But Antoine was 
still our leading rebounder because the league doesn't deal in hypothetical.


> You want to vilify him for saying that the C's don't appreciate point guard 
play? >For all the time he was here, he had to sublimate his play making 
game, which he >felt could help the team, for the ego of one; Antoine Walker. 
Disagree with him, but >don't begrudge his right to speak his mind.  He spoke 
in general terms, not bashing >the coach, GM, or any teammate by name, but he 
spoke from the heart and this is >still a free country. Kenny's first three 
weeks were a revelation. Walker, Mercer and >McCarty ran the wings and  Kenny 
passed and we scored lots of easy baskets. >When Walker refused to move off 
the three point line, is when Pitino lost control  of  >the team. So many of 
you were ready to argue last fall,  that we didn't really need a >point 
guard. Just get the ball to Antoine. Well, it's started again and my best >
perceptions tell me, that unless this team can get several players involved 
in the >offense, we  won't have any playoff celebrations next spring and 
without a real point >>guard (perhaps two), we will be watching the hideous, 
hand  the baby to  Walker >>routine, but, unlike the expectant father in the 
birthing room, he won't give it back, >>while everyone stands around, waiting 
for him to start nursing the bawling infant." 
>>JB


JB, you and I always saw eye to eye on the importance of a good 
'distributing' point guard.  In fact I think I brought up Sanchez, among 
others, as a possibility the year he entered the draft, and you've been 
running with him ever since. 

Kenny was never that guy.  You can't look to a couple weeks at the end of a 
season when he felt he had something to prove and say that was the real 
Kenny. 
You have to look at what he did for the four full seasons he had here.  
 When the guys biggest supporter admits that even he see's him purposely not 
passing the ball to the teams best scorer, you have a problem. 
 When the team goes on a road trip and leaves their point guard behind, you 
have a problem.
 When a guy gets yanked from a game and sits on the floor scowling at his own 
teammates, you have a problem.
When teammates get into verbal confrontations during a game that carries on 
to the team plane, you have a problem.
I admit that because of some things I've been told in confidence, I may have 
somewhat of a prejudice against Anderson.  But everything I mentioned here is 
common knowledge.
I'm also willing to admit that Anderson changed his attititude between the 
'01 and '02 seasons.  But lots of players who look down the road and see 
their game dropping off and their contract getting ready to expire get a 
sudden desire to "work at their game" that somehow seems to leave them once 
they feel secure again.  What in Anderson's past would make me believe this 
was not the case with him? 
What I'm not willing to do is to give the guy a free pass because he decided 
to finally get into shape and do what he was asked for one season after 3 
years of doing neither.
And the fact still remains that it was Anderson that was being left totally 
unguarded during the majority of the playoffs last season, not to mention the 
regular season, and the only team that he made pay for it was Detroit.

Yes, Kenny has a right to say whatever he wants.  So does everyone on this 
list.
But it wouldn't think it would be too smart for Anderson to be burning any 
bridges, from the heart or not, at this time in his career.