Antoine vs. Shareef

[GuyClinch@xxxxxxx]

>  I don't believe Shareef brings as much to the table as Walker.  Has never 
> won anything.  Has never helped his team to the playoffs. 


I don't put much stock in the "What has he won" argument to judge a player. 
By that token Brian Shaw is a much better player then Shareef and Antoine.
It's this argument that seems destined to get a mediocre shortstop (Derek 
Jeter)
into the hall of fame. It's very easy to be a good player on a team of 
a-holes and still lose a great deal. See the Clips for a case in point.

Besides,
Antoine didn't win jack until PP arrived. Its PP that has won with the Celts 
not Walker.

(Shareef)
 Isn't as versatile.  Had a shotblocker to help him out in the middle.  Do 
you 
> seriously think that if we had Ratliff in our frontcourt, it would have no 
> impact on the stats of some of our guys?  
> 

See now ..I think this just speaks to a hometown bias. Twan had a shot 
blocker..Tony Battie. Tony might not be such a great shot blocker, but he is 
a better help defender. Moreover how does a shot blocker help Shareef's 
shooting percentages and rebounding? Seems to me its most useful on the 
defensive end.

I like Twan too but I think your just looking for a way to subjectively 
downgrade Shareef even if there is no real evidence by which to do so.


Wasn't it Ray who said that Atlanta was a team to watch this year and that 
they 
> were going to the playoffs mainly thanks to Shareef?  I've yet to see it.


Stick Shareef on the Celtics and we would win as many if not more games IMHO. 

So Shareef isn't a number one guy..either is Walker.

Lets talk stats:

We will ignore that Shareef shot a team leading .478 (much higher then Twan) 
from the field. Pulled down 8.4 rebounds (more then Twan). Blocked more shots 
then Twan. And get this...shot higher percentage from the three point line 
and from the free throw line! (I guess it was Ratliff's moral support that 
made him shoot better from the line then Twan.) 

But ignoring stats (and you had better if your a Twan supporter) I want to 
know what you see in him that makes him so much less valuable then Twan? You 
claimed he is more versatile...

This is Twan's selling point...with regards to the media. But I for one am 
not so convinced.

1) I don't think he is unusually versatile. He is undersized (in height and 
muscle power) for a PF so he should be more versatile. He is a smaller 
player. Other PF are also versatile as well..see Dirk Nitowitki and C-Webb. 

2) Unlike those versatile guys who use their versatility to their teams 
advantage I am of the opinion that Walker's versatility hurts the team. 
Instead of getting offensive rebounding he takes threes. Instead of letting 
Bremer bring the ball up or letting a point run the offense he has to do it. 

3) A bit too much is made of "versatility". It's more important that your 
good at what your supposed to be on the NBA level. Shaq might be "versatile" 
for a 400 pound guy.. but its the fact that he can push himself into 
position, catch the ball, and turn around and dunk that makes him great. Sure 
he can dribble..but that doesn't make him a great center. Who cares? Teams 
have point guards...and off guards..those guys can do most of the dribbling.

In short even Shareef is a better PF then Walker. Walker might be a better 
point guard or a better off guard..but Shareef is better at the position he 
plays. He scores more efficently and rebounds better.

 I think the X factor though is defense. A motivated Shareef would be a far 
better defender then Twan. Shareef is actually quick enough to play SF and a 
much better athlete then Twan. He would fit in fine and do better against 
O'neal and K-mart.

Pete