[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
NBA Notes - Mark Murphy
< He's (Troy Murphy) the only player to improve his production by more
than five points and five boards since last season. He's also one of only
five players in the league averaging a double-double in points and
rebounds, joining Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Jermaine O'Neal and
Brian Grant in that group.
In other words, the second-year forward is rapidly approaching the
league's elite level of power forwards. > - Mark Murphy
Where's Toine?
----------------------------------
Mistakes come back to haunt C's
NBA Notes/by Mark Murphy
Sunday, March 30, 2003
On his way out the door just over two years ago, Rick Pitino left his
team and disaffected fans one last gift - a five-game losing streak
that, one game into Jim O'Brien's start as interim coach, extended to
six games.
The Celtics hadn't returned to this territory until last Wednesday's
loss to Golden State.
The defeat dropped them into a tie with Orlando for seventh place in
the Eastern Conference standings, and left them dangling four games
over .500.
The FleetCenter crowd roared through with a brand new disaffection,
booing the team throughout the fourth quarter, and specifically
targeting missed, hasty treys - three by Antoine Walker, one by
Walter McCarty and a turnover by JR Bremer.
Considering that the treys, in particular, drew fire, the boos were
almost like an indictment of O'Brien's system. The Celtics, after
all, are perhaps most renowned for the fact that they launch 3-
pointers the way that Queen Isabella launched ships.
That's unfortunate, for O'Brien - with last season's run to the
conference finals standing as his shining moment - has made the
most out of limited material, an injury situation that eclipsed last
season's aches, and a gaping hole on the depth chart.
That gaping hole has its root in front office mistakes, most notably
including the infamous decision to replace Rodney Rogers and Erick
Strickland with Vin Baker, which also meant parting with Kenny
Anderson.
Last season's acquisition of Rogers and Tony Delk played a vital role
in the Celtics' stretch run, when Anderson also played his best ball
as a Celtic. Though Rogers has since bottomed out on the Nets roster,
the Celtics have not replaced his value to last season's rotation.
With his signing of rookie Bremer the one exception, general manager
Chris Wallace has not been able to build the team back to last
season's level.
This team still lacks a solid offensive option beyond Paul Pierce and
Walker, thanks to a recent drafting strategy that was downright
Bobby Grier-like.
Joe Johnson and Kedrick Brown, taken with the 10th and 11th picks
of the 2001 draft - were supposed to add serious depth.
Instead, Brown still struggles to find his way offensively, and
Johnson, even with his move to Phoenix, continues to suffer from a
fragile makeup.
And so the parade of painful reminders continues, with the Warriors'
Troy Murphy (14th overall pick) and Gilbert Arenas (31st) the latest
passed over 2001 alumni to come in and torture the locals. You know
of the blossoming stars who were passed up - Richard Jefferson (Nets,
13th pick), Tony Parker (Spurs, 28th) and Jamaal Tinsley (Pacers,
27th). You could arguably also make a case for Brian Scalabrine
(Nets, 35th), Michael Bradley (Raptors, 17th), and Jason Collins
(Nets, 18th) as individuals who deserved a better look.
Thankfully for all concerned, then, Celtics ownership appears to be
a patient group on the basketball front.
``We don't intend to drive while looking in the rearview mirror,''
managing partner Wyc Grousbeck said of what he considers the
``woulda, coulda, shoulda'' school of thought so popular right now,
especially when Rogers' name is brought up.
So let's look ahead, then, to the two first-round picks the Celtics
have (their own and Philadelphia's) in the 2003 draft. Neither will
be particularly high. Both, however, take on a whole new degree of
importance.
And in the meantime, the playoffs beckon to a team now listing under
the weight of some bad front office mistakes. At least the men on the
floor understand how to make up for what isn't here.
``We have a lot of confidence in getting it back,'' said McCarty.
``It's not a life or death situation. It's very fixable. We have to
win - that's it.''
Murphy sparks Warriors
Murphy's emergence, in particular, has been a wonder to behold for
basketball fans in the Bay Area.
The power forward has jumped from averaging 5.9 points and 3.9
rebounds as a rookie to averaging a double-double of 11.6 points and
10.3 rebounds - the latter sixth best in the NBA.
He's the only player to improve his production by more than five
points and five boards since last season. He's also one of only five
players in the league averaging a double-double in points and
rebounds, joining Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Jermaine O'Neal and
Brian Grant in that group.
In other words, the second-year forward is rapidly approaching the
league's elite level of power forwards.
``He could be the most improved player in this league right now,''
said Golden State general manager Garry St. Jean. ``He's a great
example for young players at any level to follow.''
The difference, according to St. Jean, was Murphy's resolve to get
better at the end of his rookie season on virtually every front.
For starters, thanks to Murphy's work with strength trainer Mark
Grabow, the forward's body fat dropped from 16 percent to seven
percent.
``And he still gained 20 pounds,'' said St. Jean. ``He took three
days off at the end of the season, and then he was at our facility
six days a week all summer.''
He's now part of one of the most intriguing and youthful corps in the
league, also including Arenas, Jason Richardson and swingman Mike
Dunleavy.
Murphy, Arenas and Richardson, alone, joined the Warriors via the
2001 draft.
Antawn Jamison, in his fifth season, is the veteran leader of this
crew, everything considered.
And now they have surprised the league with a run at the Western
Conference's eighth and final playoff slot.
``The fans are back, and our image and perception is positive
again,'' said St. Jean, referring in particular to fallout from the
Latrell Sprewell era. ``We now have some really good young players.
It's been a very positive year.
``We've had some bumps in the road,'' he said. ``We led the league in
injuries for a couple of years, and then there was the Sprewell
situation. But we're past that.''
For better or worse
Never mind the historical collaboration between Karl Malone and John
Stockton.
Each player is now into his 15th season with head coach Jerry Sloan
as well. And at least for Malone, that relationship has taken on the
nature of a cranky marriage.
Sloan has been particularly critical of his team this season,
expressing dissatisfaction on a number of occasions when the team
was in the midst of a winning steak.
The latest critique came last week, after the Jazz beat the Clippers
by 15 points to extend a streak to three games. Sloan didn't like the
nature of the win, or the fact that he felt the team was playing
selfishly.
Malone, noting that he's heard it all before from Sloan, suggested
that the coach, ``try something different,'' and actually name names -
something that Sloan has never done.
Malone's own crankiness has added to speculation that the 39-year-old
forward will follow through on his oft-debated notions and retire at
the end of the season.
But Malone's Hamlet routine won't find much basis if sheer
performance is the ultimate deciding factor. As of late last week, he
was 20th in the league in scoring with a 20.9 average and rebounding
with 7.9 boards per game.
Just like the 41-year-old Stockton, fifth in the NBA in assists with
a 7.6 average, there may still be a few miles to go before this
particular game is over.
``If I had to guess, I'd say yeah, that he'll come back,'' said Utah
center Greg Ostertag. ``As long as everyone stays healthy, things
shouldn't change, but neither one of them is a spring chicken.
``But you have to look at the way (Malone) prepares himself. He is
constantly working out. He'll have some games left in him.''