Re: All Stars Pierce and Walker

[Kestutis.Kveraga@xxxxxxxxxxxxx (Kestutis Kveraga)]

--- You wrote:
Its quirky to see both Zydrunas and Brad Miller make the 
team, since Jermaine and Ben Wallace can handle center 
duties for that one game. Put another way, if Vin Baker 
had matched last year's career-low Seattle numbers, he'd 
be as good a bet as any to make this Eastern All Star 
team. 
--- end of quote ---

No way. Numbers aren't everything, modest as they were in Baker's case (14  & 
6.4).  I wasn't paying much attention to him then, but judging by how badly
Seattle wanted him out of there, and by the remarks of those who *were*
watching him, his numbers belie his true contribution, and not in a positive
way. As for the Eastern reserves, Ilgauskas is the only real center in the
East, averaging 18, 8, and 2 bpg, and Brad Miller is a smart, effective center
on a conference-leading team. Wallace is a bulked-up, sane version of Dennis
Rodman, getting the job done at center for a good team while being woefully
undersized at 6-7 or whatever his real height is. And "The Other O'Neal" is
averaging 20, 10, and 2 for a conference leader.  
Baker was none of these, and I really doubt he would have been last year, had
he been here. He's more like a softer version of Travis Knight with Pot's hands
and Mark Blount's basketball intelligence and rebounding ability.  There are
players who make a difference that doesn't get reflected in the stat sheet.
Baker is not one of these; in fact,  he's quite the opposite. 
K.