Re: Ah well

[Peter Delevett <pdelevett@xxxxxxxxx>]

You were there and I wasn't, but he was only dinged
for one turnover in the box score, and he's averaging
only 1.3 t.o. per game, or fewer than Walker and
Pierce in comparable minutes. Especially considering
Milwaukee's interior defense, you might argue that not
dumping the ball inside to Vinny once or twice was a
"wasted possession." Two points is still two points.

Look, I know Baker isn't tough or hungry, but he also
outrebounds Walker, Pierce and E-Will on a per-minute
basis, so I wonder if some of this isn't perception -
on O'Brien's part as well as on ours. Yeah, it's a
very good point that we lost this game defending
guards, but again, why not try to even the scales a
bit by taking advantage of our size matchup? It's not
like Battie was keeping Milwaukee's guards out of the
lane by hobbling around out there.
 

>> Kim Malo wrote: 

He loses the ball whenever you pass it in to him. We
can't afford the wasted possessions and turnovers that
are damned near
automatic. While he won't get out of his own way to
move to catch a pass (and it's basketball 101 that you
want to feed him the ball
slightly away from the man guarding him to make it
harder to intercept) as Paul found out twice tonight
or to grab a rebound that
doesn't just fall in his hands for a putback. He HAS
gotten better. And FWIW, since he always had nice soft
hands (so it's not a
matter of vitalyism), I think the turnover thing can
be addressed over the summer with some targeted
strengthening and technique
drills. But I don't think it's just a matter of Obie
being pigheaded. And honestly, Walter matches up on
Kukoc better anyway. We
lost this game defending the guards, not at center.
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