Walker Named To "Dog" Team

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McCallum (SI) Names Antoine Walker To His "Dog" Team

THE DOG TEAM

Antoine Walker, Forward, Dallas Mavericks: Early in the season, Walker blasted Boston general manager Danny Ainge for trading him. That's his prerogative. Later he criticized (albeit less harshly) Mavs coach Don Nelson for relegating him to the bench. His prerogative, also. But as the season has gone on, 'Toine's point production and rebounding have gone down, along with his good humor. As a volume 3-point shooter, he's made only 27 percent (lowest among the league's 50 top 3-point heavers) and, worse, hitting just 54 percent of his free throws, a number that is bound to hurt the Mavs in the postseason. In the two mega-deals that supposedly remade Dallas, Walker was penciled in as the solid starter and Antawn Jamison as the more volatile, off-the-bench guy. It hasn't worked out that way; Jamison is now outscoring Walker, despite taking far fewer shots.