Eddie House is often defined by what he is not. He is not a "true" point guard. He is not a starter. He is not very versatile. He is not a defensive stopper. For the moment let us stop and appreciate what he is. A lethal shooter.
He's also a back breaker with those shots. They typically come in bunches and they often come right when we need them. Not only does it deflate the air out of the other team, but it pumps up the Celtics. And when those runs come at home, the crowd goes nuts.
He's got the perfect shooter's mentality. He's never afraid to shoot, he's always confident that it is going in, and when it doesn't forgets about it instantly.
He's also in the perfect role. By coming off the bench, he can attack the 2nd string defenders and give new life to the C's starters still on the floor. He's surrounded by stars and playmakers, so he can focus on his role.
Eddie actually started off pretty cold from the field last year, but made up for it later in the year. John Hollinger seems to think that House will trail off next year.
House is unlikely to keep his True Shooting Percentage (TS%) at the lofty heights of a year ago, especially without any layups or free throws to supplement the jump shots. But as long as his 3-point percentage stays around 40, he'll be a valuable contributor with his scoring and floor-spacing ability off the bench.
So we're all agreed that he is very valuable when his shot is falling. Right?
This is where I go back to what he is not. He's not a point guard.
Ainge went to great lengths to praise Daniels for his versatility. Sheed is valuable because he can play both the 4 and the 5. Even Big Baby can play some center.
When we were first introduced to Eddie, we heard that he wasn't really a point guard but he bristled at that kind of talk and the Celtics were comfortable enough to use him there a lot. But over time, everyone seems to have come to the same conclusion. Eddie can play point guard in a pinch, but he's really much more valuable playing off the ball.
Doc admitted this. Danny admitted this. This is why we've brought in point guards halfway through the last two seasons. So why try the same routine again?
To be fair, it sounds like the Celtics are talking about letting Daniels bring up the ball with House handling the PG defensive matchups. That solution works better (if not completely ideal) than what we've tried before.
Now I fear that this topic has already been beaten 6 feet into the ground, so I'm going to just leave it at that. I'm perfectly content to appreciate Eddie for the weapon that he is. I think the coaching staff is well aware of how he's best utilized and they are going to do their best to get the most out of him.
More Player Articles: Kevin Garnett | Ray Allen | Paul Pierce | Rajon Rondo | Kendrick Perkins | Rasheed Wallace | Brian Scalabrine | Bill Walker | Lester Hudson