re: Sick of it already...

[wayray@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Who cares about the 6 - 12 players.  They really have minimal influence
in determining which team is better. It's the top 2 - 5 players that determine 
game outcomes.

For instance: Lakers vs. Celtics:

Shaq > Pierce
Kobe > Walker
Payton & Malone > Banks, Battie, Baker, rest of team

Slam dunk for LA.

For Orlando:
McGready > Pierce
Gooden greater than or equal to Walker.
Howard > What's left on the Celtics.

Edge Orlando.  You're severely underestimating the impact Gooden will have, 
a player Coach Roy said had talent almost equivalent to Pierce. 
To compare him to Battie is amusing.
Is Battie going to come off the IR to battle Gooden? 
 Ray


> ** Original Subject: Sick of it already...
> ** Original Sender: Mark Piotrowski <markp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> ** Original Date: Tue, 7 Oct 2003 11:24:18 -0700 (PDT)

> ** Original Message follows... 

>
> OK preseason is what 3 days old and i'm already sick of writers saying 
> (in some form or another -- either explicitly or by omission) that the 
> Magic are CLEARLY or SIGNIFICANTLY better than the Celtics (the latest: 
>   Hoopsworld picking the Magic to win the Atlantic).  At best the Magic 
> closed the gap a little, at worst the teams are even.
> 
> All these articles/opinions focus on the vastly upgraded Orlando 
> roster, but never really discuss that roster relative to any team -- 
> least of all the C's (who have had the better record for the last 2-3 
> years. AND who have actually made it past the 1st round!).  I would ask 
> these folks to account for the respective rosters before making such a 
> claim so solidly:
> 
> BOSTON vs. ORLANDO (rough position/talent comparison)
> 
> 1.  Pierce vs. McGrady -- we could argue till the cows come home, but 
> basically a wash (EVEN)
> 
> 2.  Walker vs. Howard -- For all his faults, Walker is a clearly 
> superior player.  I would have loved to add Howard as the 3rd option, 
> but on the Magic he's #2. (Advantage: BOSTON)
> 
> 3.  Battie vs. Gooden -- Closer than you'd think, given Gooden is 1st 
> Team All rookie and Battie is, well, Battie (and closer than the 
> Walker/Howard gap).  Even as the 2nd option in Orlando and in 4 more 
> mins/game, Gooden only avg 6 more points than (a hobbled) Battie (13 
> vs. 7).  Rebounds are even. (ORLANDO)
> 
> 4.  E. Williams vs. Giricek -- nearly identical numbers (Giricek 3 more 
> points, EWill 1.5  more reb.).  Giricek may be looking for his numbers 
> this year as he guns for a big contract, so I'd rather have EWill 
> (ORLANDO - barely)
> 
> 5.  Delk vs. Lue -- Say what you want about Delk not being a PG (or at 
> least a starting PG), but he's better than Lue (BOSTON)
> 
> 6.  McCarty vs. Garrity -- In 8 more Min/game Garrity could only muster 
> 4.5 more Pts/game than Waltah -- and got the same Rebs (3.5) , Assts 
> (1.4), Steals (.8) & Blocks (.3).  (EVEN - maybe even Boston by a hair 
> given the minutes disparity?)
> 
> 7.  Banks vs. Gaines -- Originally Gaines was going to be their 
> starter, now everything i read says the addition of Shammond Williams 
> will allow Orlando to bring him along slowly.  What does that say 
> considering the effect the addition Shammond Williams had on JR Bremer? 
>   I don't think I'm being a homer by saying that Banks is the more ready 
> player right now -- he may even be starting by the All Star Break 
> (BOSTON)
> 
> 8.  Blount vs. DeClercq -- DeClerq's my emotional favorite here (he led 
> the U of Florida to the Final Four when i was a student there), but 
> would he have been a Lottery Pick if he'd come out the year the C's 
> signed Blount?  Jokes aside, Blount was VASTLY superior in his 2nd tour 
> of duty and while their numbers were virtually identical last year (5 
> ppg, 4 rpg, .6 bpg, 17 mpg), I expect Blount to be the better backup 
> Center this year (EVEN)
> 
> 9.  Jones vs. Harvey -- While i would have prefered to add Harvey over 
> Jones (see again: U of Florida connection) and while their numbers from 
> last year are (again) nearly identical (Jones 2 more PPG, each = 5 rpg, 
> 1.3 spg), Jones has demonstrated his talent more consistently and at a 
> higher level (Finals w/ Philly) than Harvey in the battle of 
> SF-Additions-From-Horrible-Teams (tm) (BOSTON)
> 
> 10.  Baker vs. S. Hunter -- regardless of which camp you're in with 
> Baker (the Don't-Expect-a-Thing one or the 
> He-Can't-Be-Worse-Than-Last-Year/It-Can-Only-Get-Better one (where I'm 
> currently paying dues)), he's better than Hunter, who's numbers were 
> only slightly better than the 0 PPg, 0 RPG, 0 BPG the Dont-Expect camp 
> has Baker penciled in at.  If Baker can only repeat his horrid numbers 
> from last year, he's already better than Hunter -- and I'm confident 
> he's going to give us 7 & 7 this year (sorry i couldn't resist) (BOSTON 
> in a shocker)
> 
> 11.  Brown vs. Sasser -- Most would say Even here for the designater 
> dunkers based on last year's stats, but Sasser in all likelyhood won't 
> make it out of camp, while Kedrick's finally 100% (BOSTON)
> 
> 12. James vs. S. Williams -- Something old vs. something new.  Not to 
> sound like a broken record, but nearly identical numbers (8 ppg, 2 rpg, 
> 3 apg, 1 spg) but James sounds like the better locker room guy and 
> seems hungrier.  I'm glad we have who we have (EVEN)
> 
> 13. B. Hunter/Perkins/Cleaves vs. Johnsen/Pachulia/Bogans -- Only 
> Cleaves has played in a NBA game out of this sextet, while Pachulia & 
> Bogans are getting rave reviews, everyone does this time of year 
> (INCOMPLETE)
> 
> 
> So by my count thats 6 Boston advantages (Walker, Delk, Banks, Jones, 
> Baker, Brown), 2 Orlando (Gooden, Giricek) and 4 evens.  Comments 
> welcome.
> 
> - (the other) Mark
> Gainesville, FL

>** --------- End Original Message ----------- **