Writer roundup: Has the balance of power shifted in the East?

Wed Aug 1 22:23:23 CDT 2007

Phil Maymin wrote:
> Sarunas was disappointing in Indiana and buried in GS, that's true,
> but we have the advantage of Doc Rivers instead of Rick Carlisle, plus
> minutes available.
>
>   
He can certainly shoot and, as Phil correctly notes, is a creative, 
improvisational PG. His major problem is his lack of speed, especially 
on D. So he's sort of the opposite of Rondo, in that his strengths are 
Rondo's weaknesses and vice versa. Perhaps having KG guarding the paint  
and playing a zone part of the time would compensate for those 
weaknesses, as they presumably would for Ray Allen, another soft 
defender. But it looks like Ainge is going in another direction, getting 
minimum wage (i.e., barely counts against the cap), but perhaps still 
quite serviceable, veterans.
I was expecting Troy Hudson to sign after the wink-wink buyout, but 
perhaps House is it. A contender needs to carry three competent PGs; I 
don't know if they're counting on Pruitt to be the third.
Kestas

> (Sure, Rick's a better coach in general, but not for soft-D,
> improvisational players... for those, Doc is great. Seriously.)
>
> Phil
>
> On 8/1/07, John Lyell <jlyell at verizon.net> wrote:
>   
>> Sarunas ws very disappointing with the Pacers. I still expect to see Troy Hudson
>>
>> Hoopshype has a rumor of Gomes getting released and resigning. Boy wouldn't that have Stern and others fuming
>>
>>  Mutombo, Maybe we can get Malone out of retirement! He is probably in better condition than a lot of players
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----
>> From: Phil Maymin <phil at maymin.com>
>> To: The Boston Celtics Mailing List <celtics at igtc.com>
>> Sent: Wednesday, August 1, 2007 7:18:19 PM
>> Subject: Re: Writer roundup: Has the balance of power shifted in the East?
>>
>>
>> I would love to get Sarunas and Wang Zhizhi! Wang's a free agent and
>> would probably agree to short money but to trade for Sarunas and his
>> expiring contract we'd have to give up Scal and Powe. Would GS take
>> that? Would we do it?
>>
>> Phil
>>
>> On 8/1/07, BDodgers at aol.com <BDodgers at aol.com> wrote:
>>     
>>> Writer roundup: Has the balance of power shifted in the East?
>>>
>>> ESPN.com
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in Boston. Zach Randolph in New York. Rashard
>>> Lewis in Orlando. Say what you want about the weak Eastern Conference, but it has
>>> definitely improved this summer. So, has the balance of power shifted in the
>>> East? Our experts chime in with their early thoughts:
>>> 1. Does the addition of KG and Ray Allen make the Celtics a postseason lock?
>>> Henry Abbott, TrueHoop: Yes, which is really just a comment on the weak
>>> Eastern Conference. Rajon Rondo might prove me wrong, but I think they're a bona
>>> fide point guard away from being a truly important team. I assume Chicago,
>>> Detroit, Boston, Cleveland, Miami, Toronto, and probably New Jersey will make the
>>> postseason, barring injury or unpredictable bizarreness.
>>> John Hollinger, ESPN.com: I hesitate to use the word "lock" because injuries
>>> can ravage almost any team out of the blue, especially one as thin as the
>>> Celts. But under reasonable scenarios, yes, they're a lock.
>>> Marc Stein, ESPN.com: C'mon. They're a lock for 50-plus wins and my favorites
>>> to win the East. I know a lot of folks are comparing this trio to the
>>> ill-fated Atlanta triumvirate in the late 1980s (Dominique Wilkins, Moses Malone and
>>> Reggie Theus) or Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley and Scottie Pippen in
>>> Houston. But those comparisons overlook the fact that the East of today is insanely
>>> weak.
>>> David Thorpe, Scouts Inc.: Lock? No, they are now so thin that any injury to
>>> one of the big three spells doom. It is more than likely that they make it in,
>>> but far from definite unless a few more additions are made.
>>> Ric Bucher, ESPN The Magazine: In a conference where one All-Star can get you
>>> to the Finals, having 2 1/2 certainly assures a playoff berth and a shot at
>>> the Finals.
>>>
>>> ____________________________________
>>> 2. Any particular player(s) you think the Celtics should target to fill the
>>> roster?
>>> Abbott: It's tough because they are over the cap, can't be in the mood to
>>> move a lot of draft picks, and need someone who is ready to win now. They'll have
>>> to gamble on someone else's rejects. I'm sure they're looking at all kinds of
>>> free agents who have been playing in Europe, the CBA and the D-League.
>>> Hollinger: Wang Zhizhi. Don't laugh. The C's need minimum wage guys who can
>>> make open shots. Wang has shot 38.5 percent on 3s for his career and averages
>>> nearly a point every two minutes. I really don't understand why he's not in the
>>> NBA, and he'd be perfect on this team.
>>> Stein: Everything I'm hearing suggests that the Celtics are targeting only
>>> minimum-salary guys at this stage because KG, Allen and Pierce will cost more
>>> than $56 million alone. So they probably can't get Brevin Knight or any of the
>>> top remaining free agents.
>>> Thorpe: I like Sarunas Jasikevicius from a personnel standpoint. He is a born
>>> leader who excels at passing and shooting (and winning).
>>> Bucher: It's a little late in the game for finding a veteran point guard,
>>> which they desperately need, but both Austin Croshere and P.J. Brown would help
>>> fill out the front line and can contribute without needing touches -- which
>>> will be in short supply.
>>>
>>> ____________________________________
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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