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Re: is there...

At 10:02 AM 11/8/2003, CeltsSteve@xxxxxxx wrote: 
In a message dated 11/7/03 11:42:26 PM Pacific Standard Time,
kimmalo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:

[snip]
However, when the break is NOT there, IMO they should run their half court
sets through Vin as the first option. Initiate the offense by working the ball
inside to him as he is a good passer who can find the cutter or open man or he
can also kick it back out to the PG and re-post again. The offense definitely
should be run inside/out in that type of scenario.

Which to a certain degree it has been, certainly more than before even if not enough. And it's not like it's being actively shunned in favor of too many 3s as before. Although last night probably wasn't the best example of not returning to bad habits. I don't often read Ray, but I was surprised to see the usual knee jerk about Obie insisting on 3s in a post of his yesterday, as if there were no indications otherwise. Ray usually has a lot more of a clue than that. It's not like we no longer have guys who can shoot it, but we don't even have anyone in the top 20 in 3 point attempts this season - Mike James is at #25. Er, Dallas has #11. Guess who, in slightly fewer MPG. Actually that list is almost more amusing to see how many ex recent Celtics are among the league leaders. Wonder if it was the GM who originally acquired them who was really the 3 point obsessed one...

But I absolutely agree with you that Kendrick needs to be getting PT. I think
that's why it is only a matter of time before Battie is gone. Kendrick is
making what -- $678K -- vs Battie's $4.4M salary? If Battie can be moved for an
expiring contract and a draft pick to find PT and accelerate the development of
Kendrick, I view that as a correct move.

Actually I wasn't facetious enough then, because I didn't mean that. I can go down some of the reasons I've no problem with Kendrick not getting many minutes right now that I've offered before, but they come down to the fact that more PT vs practice time is not always the most productive way to develop a very young very raw player, especially in light of the effect on his psyche being set up for inevitable continual failures after always dominating. More so on a team that's not yet jelled into stable role veterans in a good position to help him more than hinder him or worry about him hindering them. It's a fact that gets recognized regularly in other sports, but rarely in basketball anymore. I've no doubt he will get PT, but we seem to forget the consensus that he was drafted as a couple year project. While I seem to see more of the rawness to go with the skills than most people here do, on top of worrying about the possible effect on his psyche of getting regularly eaten alive. People seem to understand that better with Marcus, with talk of a veteran PG to take minutes while he learns.

Anyway, still wish they'd bring in Chief to mentor Kendrick. No slam on Russ, who can certainly offer him a lot when he's around the team, but Russ never pretended to be an offensive force, while Kendrick has the potential, and some of Kendrick's spin moves around the post reminded me of a very raw Robert.

Kim