Re: For those who got an oooooohhhh of pleasure watching the Pierce to Ricky alley oop

[Kim Malo <kimmalo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 12:11 AM 12/22/2003, Sean Giovanello wrote:
> I kept wondering why Philly did not go back to some pressure.  It really 
> was killing the Celts in the first half.  We would get the ball over 1/2 
> court and then look discombobulated.  I thought they would go back to it 
> with like 7 left in the 4th and that would be the deciding fact, but they 
> never really did.

Mmmm, they did keep up pressing in the backcourt through all 4 quarters, 
but not all the time. Might have been an energy conservation issue. 
Especially as we managed to look pretty discombobulated even when they 
didn't press. You have to expect some of it with all the changes, but 
doesn't make it any more amusing to watch.

> It appeared to me that the airballs plus double dribble plus booing from 
> the crowd really got to banks tonite - he looked pretty darn dejected.

Honestly, I think he's dejected and frustrated with himself over the 
mistakes per se and how much of an adjustment he's seeing in being a pro vs 
anything particular the crowd does. It undoubtedly stung at the moment, but 
I think he's smart enough to realize that those boos were really at the 
entire team, with him just creating an opportunity. I'd worry more about 
the effect on his psyche of coach and teammates vs the crowd reactions, 
especially so long as he keeps having enough good games like the Utah loss 
to offset the boos. And for all peoples' typical comments here about Obie, 
In the first game he played him significant minutes after putting him in 
the disciplinary doghouse for a bit, Obie literally went out of his way to 
give Banks a pat and say something supportive even as he was pulling him 
from a game for getting into stupid foul trouble. As to teammates - the 
Pierce jockers on the list aren't going to like it, but especially in light 
of the article earlier this year talking about how he made Kedrick and 
others whipping boys, I'd worry more about the effect of the times I've 
seen our captain and supposed team leader lace into him during a game, than 
the crowd boos, especially as some of those tirades seemed to have a lot 
less obvious justification than the boos. The overall problem is part of 
why I get frustrated with people who insist the only and best way to 
develop young players is a lot of PT. It doesn't occur in a vacuum or just 
in terms of dealing with the opposing player. There's a ripple effect with 
whoever you put on the court and Banks' mistakes affect the play of others, 
just as their play affects his. This isn't a settled veteran team where 
everyone knows and is comfortable in their roles, easing the insertion of a 
less sure rookie. The other thing is what I think you were talking about - 
the effect on a young player's psyche of repeated large and small failures 
in their usual comfort zone, since they're used to always being the best or 
one of the best on the court. Banks is a cocky kid, but in a good way, and 
I think he'll be fine once he makes it through the growing pains. And a lot 
of fun to watch down the line. Especially with him and Ricky etching speed 
burns into the court if we ever do turn into a real running team <g>

> At one point, Philly had Buckner, Dalembert, Korver, and Salmon on the 
> court within a 2 minute period.  The Big Dog looks like he ought to be put 
> to sleep.  I wish we had Eric Snow on the C's...

Yeah, I'd noticed that Big Dog was surprisingly invisible, given the vacuum 
created by no Iverson. A couple of nice hoops, but you'd have wanted him 
and expected him to step up and dominate. Especially given his physical game.

Snow is indeed a very nice player. Didn't realize how high he was on the 
the league assist hierarchy until they put it up on the jumbotron.

Kim