Pierce and the other guys... :>)

[snoopy1@xxxxxxx]

>     But if they must happen, I think Pierce's shot selection is better
>     than anyone else's on the team. >>Snoopy
>
>Your opinion's valued as much as anyone's but this has to have a bit of 
>humor to it,
>especially if you consider Battie or even Kedrick.  How many tripping, 
>stumbling shots
>did Pierce take and end up glaring at the ref for the non-call?

As many as needed after being fouled.  Since he's not known for being a 
klutz, I presume that at least occasionally, he's tripping and stumbling 
because he's getting fouled.  Yes, I know there's a bit of physical acting 
going on.  Let's not forget how New Jersey GOT some of those questionable 
calls...

As far as Kedrick Brown or Tony Battie, if their shot selection was so 
fine, they would have been scoring more consistently.  Yes, some nights 
they were great.  Other nights the hoop had nothing to worry about from them.

>And you think the kid's trying all the time?  Uh, check the tape.

I have.  I say he tries as hard as anyone, and definitely harder than 
anyone else on the US squad this summer.

>I'm certainly happy
>that he came back to play after the stabbing, but let's not put him in 
>Springfield
>yet.

Fair enough.  I said "I like him"--not, "He's the second coming of Larry 
Bird." Who do you think I AM--Tom "Hyperbole" Heinsohn?  :>)))


>  As to trending, Twan's certainly gone DOWN on his stupid shots. . .does it
>bother you at all that Paul's been forcing more and more?

"Gone down on stupid shots" is not exactly reassuring.  And yes, Paul does 
occasionally force them up.  But again, he is told--by his coach--to do 
exactly that.  While I may not like the idea, I can't blame Pierce for 
doing what he's told by his boss.  And as I said previously, I think Coach 
O'Brien will put the same effort into shaping up the offense this year that 
he did on defense last year.  They'll have more options as we move 
along.  Then, Pierce will be able to pass with confidence.

>Jumping over and through three guys tired him out in the NJ series.  Let's 
>hope he
>understands that he's got to make decisions that keep him healthy and 
>available for
>the whole season.

He played all 82 games last year.  How much more available does he have to 
be?  Of course, if some of the other guys would run up the floor to get the 
outlet pass instead of calmly trotting behind Pierce, it would mean less of 
that one-on-three sort of situation.

It's not like he gets a lot of options out there.  He did try to find the 
open man last year when he was doubled (or tripled)--but often, the 
recipient of the pass either dropped the ball, lost it to a steal, or 
missed the shot.  After a few trips down the court like that, it increases 
the chances that Pierce will just take it in himself.

It's a team sport.  I haven't heard anyone on the Celtics saying that 
Pierce never passes.  Maybe if they worked to bring their level up to where 
he is, there'd be some balanced scoring.  Of course, it might help if the 
PTB's in Boston refrained from screwing up the roster just to see how many 
people they can annoy.  :>)

Snoopy the Celtics Beagle
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