Re: One more thing

[Cecil <cecil@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

This post is a great segue into something I almost posted last night but I
thought I should sleep on it.

Is there any evidence that Paul Pierce will embrace a running game?  I love
what he can do offensively...and he has been rebounding very well, not that
we would have a chance if he didn't since the rotations were so bizarre at
times.  But a commitment to the fastbreaking style many of us yearn for will
require Paul to expend a great deal more energy than I have seen out of him
recently.

I think back to the playoff games vs Jersey the past few years.  Often
times, when he got a rebound, he wanted to bring it up himself in a manner
that none of us would term fastbreaking.  Even this year, we have seen him
get a rebound and resist the outlet pass to one of the guards at times.

I am wondering what the rest of you think of this.  I'm not bashing the
guy...just wondering if that is the style he is willing to play.

Cecil

----- Original Message -----
From: Berry, Mark S <berrym@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <celtics@xxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2004 10:00 AM
Subject: One more thing


> Something I completely forgot in my "first things I'd do as new coach"
> item in my first post:
>
>
>
> Get the ball out of Pierce's hands. Tell him to roam the baseline and
> wings. Run him off picks. Have him setting picks. Put him in position to
> make two-dribble drives to the basket. Let him think about scoring, not
> about creating for the rest of the team. This goes hand in hand with
> more time for Marcus Banks at point. He's not there yet, but Banks is a
> better bet to run the team and penetrate in the halfcourt than James.
> We've also seen Banks do a good job (in summer league) of penetrating
> and finding Hunter along the baseline.
>
>
>
> Anyway, I feel very strongly about a change in Pierce's role with the
> team. He's playing terrible. The one thing I thought was dead-on in
> Ryan's column this morning was his statement that Pierce doesn't belong
> in the All-Star Game. He doesn't. He's playing terrible this season. 40
> percent shooting and leading the league in turnovers aren't all-star
> stats. But we know he can be better than that. Like Antoine, he'll be
> better when he limits his game. But Obie wouldn't do that. He didn't
> with Antoine and he wasn't with Pierce. Obie is a "give it to your best
> player as soon as possible and let him create" kind of coach. That's not
> what Pierce needs. He needs to let someone else create, while he finds
> openings and angles. I just hope it's not too late to teach him that.
>
>
>
> Mark