Re: the Detroit game

[Kestutis.Kveraga@xxxxxxxxxxxxx (Kestutis Kveraga)]

--- You wrote:
But to leave the cookie box and get back to the point--quite literally--I 
don't see how, as a former PG himself, Obie could seriously object if two 
of the game's great players wanted to make his PG's play better.
--- end of quote ---

He might not, and the players may actually even listen, but it doesn't matter
that much. I could have Cooz, Stockton and Magic all telling me how to play the
PG position, but that isn't going to make me able to beat an NBA-style press
with the dribble, coolly pick out a teammate under the basket and zip a
behind-the-back pass to him through a maze of 7-foot bodies. Not to say that
Banks and James have as little ability as I do, but the point, telling someone
how to do it isn't really going to help you that much. I can tell you how to
ride a bike, how to ski, how to play the violin, how to shoot the basketball,
but unless you get endless reps in practicing these things, it isn't going to
do a damn thing for you. It has to become second nature. The question with any
player, especially one in a high skill position such as PG, is, has he gotten
enough reps in throughout his childhood, high school, and college playing days
to be close to what's needed at this level? If not, unless the kid is an
unbelievably quick learner, it isn't going to happen. 

A good example is Chauncey Billups. He was a scorer in college and arrived in
the NBA with good scoring and defending skills, and not much ability to play
the PG position properly. Six years later, he's gotten even better at scoring
and defending, and is a more reliable dribbler. But he's STILL not a real PG -
he doesn't throw it to the expensive seats as much anymore, and occassionally
even finds an open teammate, but the court vision and the ability to make your
teammates better that the real point guards have is not there and never will
be.  

I wouldn't be surprised if Marcus is an awesome penetrator and dribbler, a
tough defender, and very good at pushing the ball up the floor six years from
now. He should become an acceptable shooter (he better) and savvier at finding
an open teammate, but I don't see him becoming a Jason Kidd or even a Jason
Williams. The question is, is that enough from your "point guard of the
future"? Banks seems like a typical Wallace selection - the much-ballyhooed
"upside" first and foremost, the code word for outrageous athleticism (usually)
or great size with good athleticism (occassionally). Kedrick is an extreme
example of what Wallace looks for in prospects. Wallace is correct in that
athleticism and size are really important in today's NBA, but having never
seriously played the game, he underestimates how much learning these
"athaletes" have to do before they reach even the average NBA skill level.
Ainge, on the hand, seems to value skill and basketball smarts more (of course,
it could be Niednagel, in which case double his fee :)).  I think it's quicker
and easier to take *basketball players* and sign them up for "consultations" at
Balco (so that we can have a level playing field against the likes of Ben
Wallace), than to teach uberathletes to play basketball. OK, I'm officially
rambling...
Kestas