Mark Blount "Instrument" and other miscellaneous thoughts (long)

["Berry, Mark S" <berrym@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

After last night, doesn't Mark Blount need a nickname? The Instrument
(Blount Instrument)? How about "May I be" (May I be Blount?) ... Or my
personal favorite, "Where the hell did that come from?"



I knew we'd be discussing the absolute end-of-the-world importance of
keeping Blount around after last night's game. I think the Celtics
absolutely should try to keep him. But only at a reasonable price. If
someone goes crazy and offers him big money - and I mean even mid-level
exception money - then let him be their problem. Do not, under any
circumstances, overpay for the guy. Learn from Seattle's mistakes.



So, you have the expansion draft. My guess is they protect:



Pierce

Davis

Welsch

Perkins

Hunter

Banks

Mihm

Blount



That means they leave Atkins and Raef unprotected. Raef is a natural
choice. His contract will scare the Bobcats away. I suspect the same is
true of Atkins. There are two more seasons at $4 mill each left on his
deal. I don't see the Bobcats taking on that kind of contract for a
player whose greatest value is to a winning team. Just doesn't make
sense. No, I actually think the protected list is pretty easy. Banks
would be snatched up in a heartbeat. Same with Mihm or Blount (even if
it was just to allow them to walk and clear cap room for the Bobcats).



To tank or not to tank ... Like I said yesterday, I'm not advocating
actively trying to lose. You have to tell the guys to go out and play
hard and try to improve down the stretch of the season. Too many of
these guys are core pieces to the team that will take the floor next
season. You can't ask them to accept less than 100 percent effort from
everyone in the organization. But it really, really would be in the
team's long-term best interests to miss the playoffs.



Mark P., you have made some great posts lately, but I have to disagree
with the "instead of Nikoloz Tskitishvili (#5) or DaJuan Wagner (6) you
get Jiri Welsch (16)" argument. Sure, there are examples like that. But
that's like saying "instead of Kwame Brown (#1) you get Tony Parker
(29). Sure, that happens sometimes. But your odds of getting a better
player are much greater the higher you pick. And if you have 10 chances
at picking seventh in a draft, and 10 chances at picking 15th, I bet you
end up with the better player picking seventh something like 8 our of 10
times. This is a significant difference this season. If the Celtics were
on pace for 45 wins and battling for the eighth spot, I'd agree with
you. Playoffs would be better. But they're not. They're going nowhere
this season and that eighth playoff spot would just cost them a very
valuable draft pick - whether they use the pick or, as Ray points out,
package it in trade.



Anyway, I suspect the upcoming schedule will settle this. The March
schedule, after the Washington game, is brutal. The only question is
whether or not any of the other contenders for the final playoff spots
can make a move.



Other subjects ...



I can't believe how wrong I was about Chucky Atkins. What a find this
guy is. He's obviously a guy who gets better when he plays more minutes.
He's a real point guard. I'm stunned. Someone mentioned Blount's
improvement since Hunter started playing. That's true, but I think a big
factor is Chucky's arrival. He can really run the pick and roll, and
Blount has been the biggest beneficiary. Plus, Chucky pushes the ball up
the floor and actually knows how to set up the finish on the fast break
(although Blount again yesterday ran a break where he ran right beside
Chucky instead of flaring out to the wing; it allowed the one defender
on the 3-on-1 to defend all three guys and foul the Celtic who
eventually got the ball and tried to score). I love Chucky!
Unfortunately, he's being overshadowed a little by Huntermania.



Hunter was rock solid again. If he can get over his free throw problems,
he'll really be a force. I think Tommy actually has a point when he says
Brandon should start with the ball up around his shoulder and eliminate
all the extra motion. Hopefully he can work on it after the season.



Jiri's line wasn't great last night, but he really played well early in
the game. I think he's busting through that "rookie wall." He has the
spring back in his step.



Ricky Davis was fantastic last night. I don't think they ran a play for
him (why???), but he ran the floor, rebounded and created his own
opportunities. Just a great performance. And he absolutely locked down
McGrady at the beginning of the fourth. I'd love to see this guy with
the right coaching staff.



Pierce was much better last night. He had some lapses, but when he's
coming off screens and operating below the foul line within 20 feet of
the basket, he's trouble. He eliminated some of the over-dribbling and
didn't turn the ball over. A good sign.



Finally, all it took was three wins against lousy teams for the first
"they have to think about bringing Carroll back" post.
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
oooooo!!!!! Thankfully, there's not a chance in hell of that happening.



Mark