Bill Walker - C's small forward defensive stopper?

by leothetiger on Nov 12, 2009 12:50 PM EST

Ok it was nice to see Walker on the bench last night and ready for game action, since I think the kid is very athletic, talented and has alot of upside .

The question now is what will Walker's role on the club be and how will Doc utilize him.

I think just like last years team the C's are in need of a another small forward who defend big, strong, quick, small forwards like a Lebron James and I believe Walker is physically built and has the talent to be the man for the job.

Though he is not very long ( he is 6'6"), he is very quick, is built like a tank and plays very aggressive physical defense which I think makes him possibly the best player on our roster aside from Pierce to defend big, strong scoring small forwards like Lebron James.

Daniels has the length to do the job, but not the muscle or bulk as Walker does, which is why I see/hope Doc gives Walker the role of defensive stopper against players like Lebron.

I think Walker will be a especially important player to match up against Lebron specifically, because of the following reason:.

Lebron gives the C's alot of trouble (the rest of the league also) with his very powerful, physical drives to the hoop and Walker is perfectly physically built to slow those drives to the hoop with his quickness and muscle.

Such a player will be a very useful to put on Lebron especially come playoff time when games get more physical.

I at least feel more comfortable knowing that if Pierce is hurt, in foul trouble or Lebron is giving Pierce trouble that we will have Walker sitting on the bench ready to come in and bang Lebron with his 6 fouls to slow him down.

Walker is also a strong slasher, finisher around the basket offensively and if he can develop a jumper will be very decent on the offense end also to have on the floor.

I think we really needed a player like that last year and do this year so I hope Walker is given a chance to do the job.

Be respectful and keep it clean. Thanks.

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Bill Walker wouldn’t come close to stopping Lebron James !
Walker would be star struck as to who he’s guarding for one and secondly James is a hall of fame player in any era of basketball, Walker is a no name in professional basketball now and later !
Walker has some skills but he’s not stopping Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, Carmello Anthony, and the list goes on. Walker is a decent NBA player but by no stretch of anyone’s imagination is he great at anything particular thing in the NBA !

by martin kenneth on Nov 12, 2009 3:01 PM EST reply actions

You don't go here do you -_-

by Tai on Nov 12, 2009 3:45 PM EST up reply actions

nobody 'comes close to stopping Lebron'

but that’s not what the OPs point is about.

If you can keep a body physically between James and the hoop, you at least can slow him down. You can force him to beat you with his outside shot – which while deadly, is nowhere near as deadly as when James drives and gets both a basket AND a foul.

The problem is few folks have the speed AND strength to stay between James and the hoop.

The OPs point is that Walker has the particular physical tools to possibly do this. He is fast and he is strong. James would probably shoot over him from the perimeter, but that would be considered a ‘win’, in that matchup.

And the OP is really talking about filler minutes when you don’t have Pierce in the game and Lebron is. That’s going to be 5-10 minutes in a typical game.

So chill with the rhetoric about how high and lordly his highness Kink LBJ is over the rest of the mortals.

by mmmmm on Nov 12, 2009 6:16 PM EST up reply actions

Maybe...

the reason you are blowing a gasket is because you fear Bill Walker can do a decent job on Lebron?

by fordescort on Nov 12, 2009 9:49 PM EST up reply actions

Walker does not fear Lebron......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iT3bY3oE4V4&feature=related

by celtics #1 on Nov 12, 2009 10:01 PM EST up reply actions

First, I like Walker and his offensive capabilities. Walker’s explosiveness in going to the basket is a big advantage and if he can be as effective in draining jumpers he can look forward into a long and productive career in the NBA.
Secondly, there is no doubt that physically he can match up with the other small forwards in the league even against Lebron but then his built is not just the factor to be a defensive stopper. He needs to be gifted with the talent as well to anticipate the offensive move of his opponents to stop them or at least limit their scoring and Boston needs to play him more for him to gain experience and develop his talents.
Hopefully, this season he’ll be given more chance to showcase what he is capable of, not just defensively, but on both sides of the floor.

by Wilbert on Nov 12, 2009 3:04 PM EST reply actions

All good points, but also

I have yet to really see Walker’s defensive skills. He just hasn’t had the NBA level minutes, and now this team is deeper than ever…just don’t see him getting minutes any time soon.

by Surferdad on Nov 12, 2009 7:12 PM EST reply actions

I agree

with you leothetiger that the Celtics need another small forward behind Pierce who can guard big strong small forwards like Lebron.

Daniels can play lightweight long small forwards, but not big, strong small forwards like Lebron.

I also agree that Walker has the physical tools and talent to guard these types of small forwards, since he is physically and mentally a very tough defender.

He is raw and young and will make mistakes (like last year when he would miss his rotation defensive assignments) but if he is given some time to mature he could become a effective player come playoff time.

by fordescort on Nov 12, 2009 9:56 PM EST reply actions

The kid is talented....

hopefully he comes back healthy & Doc gets him some minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sSsOtnku8M&feature=related
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1wM39T4PCE&feature=related

by celtics #1 on Nov 12, 2009 10:09 PM EST reply actions

SKY WALKER IS COMMING!!!!

Walker is truly a gifted player. If you will look at how the team is constructed there is no one else to back up PP but Walker. We do our little arm chair thing here but Danny and Doc did not bring in a player for that spot. It can not be Daniels because he can’t play every where. So Walker has to get floor time.

by tyquinton on Nov 13, 2009 12:08 AM EST reply actions

im not sure

what other people saw but last year i saw a bill walker that had no clue what he was doing on the floor. he could dunk hard and he could foul pretty hard too. but he could shoot, he was a hackmaster on defense(that is when he didn’t completely lose his man) and overall showed little feel for the game at either end. now he’s coming back from another injury hat put him behind even j.r. giddens. i think expecting(hoping) for anything out of this kid anytime soon is extremely wishful thinking.

by bucknersrevenge on Nov 13, 2009 10:53 AM EST reply actions

I do not think......

Celtic fans think that as of this moment Williams is a great player.

What I think most Celtic fans like myself are saying is that he is a young, raw athletic player with alot of physical tools and if Doc allows him to see some court time could potentially allow him to develop into a pretty good defender and offensive player.

I already said in my earlier comment (and agree with you) Walker does lose players on defensive assignments and must work on that, but that can easily be corrected if Walker gets more practice and real court playing time.
I disagree with you that Walker is a hacker defensively, I think that is just clean, hard nosed physical defense he is playing and is what makes him so good defensively.

Offensively as you say he is currently a strong around the rim finisher and I agree he has no outside shot.
But again with practice and playing time that also can be corrected and if so Walker will be pretty tough to player offensively since he would then be able to take the Jumper or take it strong to the hoop?

We must not judge the kid since he has not really had serious court minutes.
Lets just give the kid a chance and time will tell how good of a player he can turn into down the line.

by fordescort on Nov 13, 2009 6:28 PM EST up reply actions