RE: random things make you say Hmmmm

["R. Singh" <keltsfan@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

To me, the Paul Pierce circa 2002-01 and the Paul Pierce of today are
the same player except for two details. This Paul Pierce can't shoot as
well and doesn't play defense nearly as well. Other than that, nothing
much has changed. Pierce is still a terrible ball-handler who is prone
to playing dumb basketball by forcing his dribble drive and forcing
shots thereby killing any offensive flow.  Look at his numbers the last
two years.  He's basically become another Antoine Walker.  While I agree
that Pierce played team ball at Kansas where the coach would have sat
his butt down if he didn't play proper, he now has had untold praise
heaped on him, feeding his ego to the point that I really wonder if this
jack can be put back in the box. 

I hope I'm wrong because he does possess skills that any championship
caliber team would love, but as Mr. Russell said, it's  team ego, not
individual ego, that ultimately wins championships. 

Ravi


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-celtics@xxxxxxxx [mailto:owner-celtics@xxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Berry, Mark S
Sent: Wednesday, March 17, 2004 7:32 AM
To: Celtics@xxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: random things make you say Hmmmm


Josh, you mention Roy Williams and that's exactly why I still have hope
that Pierce will turn it around. He was an unselfish team player at
Kansas, who fit into a system and excelled. So he CAN be that kind of
player. That we agree on.



Unfortunately, he's playing exactly like the guy you mentioned - Jerry
Stackhouse. It's not about what he CAN be. It's about what he is. Right
now, he's Stackhouse. He needs a strong coach - and a willingness to be
coached - to return to Paul Pierce, circa 2001-02.



I just think you're seeing him only as the guy from two seasons ago and
not recognizing that he hasn't been that guy for a while. We all know
he's capable of it. But at some point he has to do it. If he isn't
willing, then, like Ravi said, he has to go. You don't build your team
around Jerry Stackhouse.



Mark





--- --- ---



Josh wrote:



I don't know where you and Mark get the idea that
Pierce is a ball-hogging offense killer.  He does
do that without a coach, but so would any top-flight
scorer.  If anything, Pierce's flaw is in being too comfortable as
another cog in the machine.  The guy was schooled well by Roy Williams,
and knows what it means to play within a team context.  You're talking
about Jerry Stackhouse, not Paul Pierce.