Celtics player thoughts



Snoopy the Celtics Beagle snoopy at celticsbeagle.net
Wed Dec 5 16:21:41 CST 2007


I'll admit, I hadn't seen a whole lot of Ray Allen before he arrived 
here.  However, I've noticed something and wonder if those who HAVE 
seen him play more often can tell me if I'm correct or not.

Based on what I'm told of his abilities, I don't think he's shooting 
all that well here.  First, I thought he was just having a slump, 
then someone mentioned he'd hurt his ankle (APART from the surgery 
over the summer).

But I had another thought.  When he played elsewhere, he was largely, 
like Garnett and Pierce, "the man", in that the style of play 
literally revolved around him.  Not only in how they played, but how 
fast, etc.  Suddenly, he's on a team where the pace and style are NOT 
specifically geared to him, and I think he's having some trouble 
adjusting.  I know he can score a lot of points, but I just don't 
have the feeling they're as "easy" as they might be sometimes.

I think Garnett might have the same trouble to a lesser extent but 
his intensity (which makes me wonder if he's going to pop a blood 
vessel) seems to be compensating.  Plus, he has more of an inside 
game than Allen, which makes for higher percentage shots.

If anything, Paul Pierce seems to be benefiting most out of the 
arrival of Garnett and Allen (with Perk running a close 
second).   The team is geared to his style of play, it's a matter of 
incorporating Garnett and Allen into it.  I wonder if it might not be 
a good idea for the C's to specifically take a page or two from the 
old playbooks of Seattle and Minnesota so that their newest guys can 
make the adjustments a little easier.

It's probably a non-issue, but it just seems to me that Ray is having 
a little more trouble than I expected him to.

I like Glen "Big Beagle" Davis (the guy deserves SOME respect).  He's 
wide, and faster than I'd expect.  But if he doesn't learn to play 
above the rim, he won't last long.  Right now, he gets fouled a lot 
under the hoop by players who don't realize he can't jump up that 
high.  He has great energy, but I suspect that like Al Jefferson, 
he'll be even better once he sheds some more weight.

Rajon Rondo is a better PG than I expected, though I grant you, I 
wasn't expecting MUCH.  But he definitely needs to remember that the 
minute they break up this frontcourt, he should retire. He's never 
going to really be as good as he'll look playing with these 
guys.  Boston still needs a veteran PG, though I'm not sure who right 
now.  I think Kidd might help, but there's no way he'd take a back 
seat to Rondo...nor should he, necessarily.  Though he might want to 
get in on the Ring Thing that the Celtics appear headed toward.

And yes, the Celtics WILL win it all this year.

Snoopy the Celtics Beagle
Please visit the <http://www.celticsbeagle.net/>Celtics Beagle Website 


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