Re: Is it all worth it? and a question

[HMURDOCH@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 2/21/04 12:14:40 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
ubiquitous_am_i@xxxxxxxxx writes:


> I agree Douglas.  We've had about 55 games or so and
> all of a sudden Banks is a bust.  Come on.  I don't
> 

Regarding Banks being a bust (or not).  I was at the Clippers game at the end 
of the court where Banks received the flagrant foul in the last seconds of 
the game.  It was a high pressure situation with the Celts charging back from a 
double digit deficit and seconds to go.  Don't know if Marcus was really hurt, 
or just helping the refs make up their mind on the flagrant, but he took a 
while to get up.  He hit one of two freethrows and the Celts get the ball back.

What impressed me about Banks and whether he can be a player in the NBA in 
the future was what came next.  On the following pocession, he did one of his 
imediate changes of pace and turned on the jets and flashed down the free-throw 
lane so fast that he left his defender behind and droped in a lay-in before 
the rest of the Clips could react and block his shot (someone did make a good 
try at blocking his shot, but were inches late due to Marcus' speed).  That 
series of events and the extra 3 points put the Celts on the verge of winning a 
game that a few minutes earlier it seemed they were destined to lose. 

That really impressed me and finally made my mind up re Marcus as a real NBA 
point guard.  What I liked about it was that he took a hard foul, got up, and 
as a rookie in the spotlight with time running out in a close game, he wasn't 
intimidated by the situation.  He turned the hit into motivation to repay the 
other team not by complaining to the refs or talking trash to the other team 
or by trying to fade into the background, but instead used it for motivation to 
hurt the other team in the only way that counted - by turning it into 3 quick 
points for the Celts in a crucial situation.

Along with other signs from his play to date, that convinced me that he has 
the personality and attitude it will take to be a real NBA point guard, and 
depending on how his understanding of the game progresses, maybe a real leader on 
the team.  He certainly has the fiestiness (sp?).

I think the kid can make it.  As many others have posted, the PG spot is the 
hardest to learn, but I think Marcus has the heart and energy and certainly 
has the physical talents to do the job if he catches on to the knowledge bits.  
For anyone who wasn't at the game, go back and look at the tape of the moments 
above and check out Banks response to the situation.

Sorry for the long post - I think the team will straighten out soon, if not 
during the rest of this season, then after they've had a pre-season together 
and learn each others names ;-)

Hank M.