Daily Links 5/6

Pierce & Telfair for Odom, Bynum & Walton ???? Frank, Frank……

yeah, I caught that too. May made it seem as though it is absurd that Rondo was even considered for Rookie of the Year. It’s not like Aldridge tore up the league this past season. If I remember correctly, he looked like a bust the first half of the season. I wonder what Brandon Roy’s season would have been like under Doc’s coaching.

Real interesting and original article in the Globe about “Hanging it up”. The following quote appears on page 3:
“But unlike what happens on the field, in many of these cases there is no clear right and wrong, no obvious heroes and villains.”—-From here it goes into people getting caught up in the game and making quick decisions. This gives us fans the chance to take individual situations and shade them according to our prejudices. The article goes on to show how some medical people are trying to gather scientific information so that judgments can be based more on science than being caught up in the moment. The problem here is that medicine is not an exact science. Al Jefferson’s situation last year is a good example. He said he was hurt, others doubted him. X-rays did not show any definitive findings till after the season and Al was eventually shown to be right. The problem can be there, but it often takes time before it will show up. In another example you can take the same x-ray, have two radiologists interpret it and come out with two different conclusions. In my own case this happened and to emphasize the point the same radiologist who made the original interpretation, when shown the same x-ray a week later made a different interpretation. This is just the way it is. So the moral of my story is that we shouldn’t be so quick to judge when these things happen to players on the teams that we support and feel strongly about.

As to the article in Loy’s Place on defense, I agree with it. We need to get better defensively as a team. The article mentions two teams for it’s defense, the Spurs and Pistons. Those two teams have had the same basic roster for years while bringing in a supportive player, usually a veteran to fill in gaps. The Celtics have not had this luxury. You can only teach so much at the same time. When building a team there is the argument of whether to start with offense or defense. It’s easier to start with offensive and this is the course the Celtics have taken. We are now at a point when our roster is becoming more continuous. Some changes are still needed. Once we get to that point we can really concentrate on the defense. I don’t think it’s a matter of coaching as much as it is a matter of choice and roster.

The SPEED at which a team builds both a defensive and an effective offensive capability is tied to their TALENT level as well as their BASKETBALL IQ. Until players understand the game, talent not intelligently focused is wasted talent.

Veteran presence presumes increased basketball IQ and thus is a much sought commodity. It makes coaches like Nellie look like saviors and it also can humble the Larry Browns when lacking.

Until the Gerald Greens study the secret of former All Stars and take an accelerated course in basketball FUNDAMENTALS, neither the Doc’s nor the Larry Browns will enjoy much success with this Celtic’s roster.