Kobe

[Eggcentric at aol.com]

< Eggy, let's assume we get a healthy Pierce back with 28 games to go.   
Do you really think that Pierce plus the newly-seasoned kids would 
again go 10-18?    Since he went down, Gomes, Jefferson, and Allen 
blossomed, and West has become a much more consistent scorer.   
I sure don't think they'd go 20-8 over that stretch, but .500 at least. 
With Allen, I'd bet on 18-10. > - Douglas

Who knows how things will play out when Pierce returns. 
I have been told his minutes will be quite limited at first, and 
far from his customary 38 mpg for the remainder of the season.

It's not easy losing 13 in a row no matter what key player(s)
are out.   Even Charlotte and Philly and other lowly teams win 
now and then without any key vet on their roster.   This must be
especially disappointing to those who were convinced that
our youngs would actually play better without Paul ... an up-tempo, 
fast-break style instead of a bogged-down, half court, iso style.
Yet where is our running game with or without Pierce? 

Some of our kid's offensive stats and progress have been blown 
out of proportion since someone has to get the playing time and 
stats, and fans need something, anything to pin their hopes on. 
In many ways our kids have not improved/matured as much as
expected with increased playing time (including Allen who was 
looking freelance great while still unable to master the concepts of 
discipline, set rotations, and team play).   

Our perennially young just don't seem to comprehend the basics - 
rotations, pick & roll, pick & pop, how to make their teammates 
better, how to spread the court, how to play help defense,
how to win games, etc.   Unfortunately (and I'm sure I'll hear 
about this), the word "dunces" still comes to mind when judging
most of our young ath-a-letes.   Not all young NBA players 
keep forgetting what they have been taught over and over again. 
Nor do most seem quite as slow in catching on after two, three, 
or even four NBA seasons.   

As to your revisionist .500 at least or maybe even 18-10 (now 
14-10) with the improved play of our youngs,   I just don’t see it. 
Sans injuries, our team balance and chemistry just wasn’t/isn’t 
there. Way too many youngs, way too few vets.   Way too many 
smalls, way too few bigs. And mostly, way too much betting on 
bargain-basement future greats and overpaid injured vets such
as Wally and Theo who were brought here for the sole purpose
of ridding ourselves of previous Danny mistakes.

The injuries have simply played into Danny and Doc's and the 
owner's hands, as well as into those of the most loyal team 
apologists.   Just as inept CEO's shouldn't receive huge bonuses for 
Chapter 11 performances, badly managed teams shouldn't receive 
Oden-type bonuses. 

"Fraud!" cried the maddened thousand, and echo answered "Fraud!"

Egg