I'm an avid reader of Simmons "Page 2" columns on ESPN, and it seems that he never misses a chance to rip Scalabrine. I have to admit its really funny, but i'd never really seen Scalabrine play LIVE....Untill your Celtics visited Toronto last week. Scalabrine was awful. He was a foul machine....whenever the whistle blew, I just knew........"Foul on number 44, Brian Scalabrine." He's actually talking about how well PPierce is playing. "For the past five weeks, he's been the best player in the league. Nobody has played at a higher level, nobody has made basketball seem so easy, and nobody has been saddled with a worse supporting cast (not even Kobe). During an improbable 8-4 stretch over the past 12 games, Pierce practically pulled a Jimmy Chitwood playing alongside two veterans with bad knees (Wally Szczerbiak and Raef LaFrentz), two young starters with barely any experience (Delonte West and Ryan Gomes), two fringe youngsters who shouldn't be playing in an NBA nine-man rotation (Tony Allen and Orien Greene), one guy who shouldn't play basketball professionally for a living (Brian Scalabrine), one kid who was in high school last year (Gerald Green), and someone once described as "the human Ebola virus" (Michael Olowokandi). He's also saddled with a coach who has now played the Wizards three times this season without doubling Gilbert Arenas on Washington's final possession of those games, someone who had so much trouble sticking with a nine-man rotation that his general manager proactively sought a 4-for-2 trade to help him out. (Don't get me started.) Anyway, I thought I would give the link to the article. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story...=simmons/060310 Very good read.
Great article The thing about Simmons is that he's a homer, but he really knows his stuff. So he's telling the truth about Pierce. I've watched almost all of these games, and he's playing some of he best basketball I've ever seen. The Celts fans know this, but you have to see it to believe it. I agree. He really hates Scalabrine. So do I. He is very, very bad. That Raptors game was an exemplary performance by him. I can count the good plays he's made this year on one hand, and Doc still sends him out there. He also caned Doc, who's been coaching a little better recently. Maybe the light bulb has gone on?
GREAT article. Nice to see Pierce finally getting some love. Now if only bob ryan would start owning up. Simmons went on to say "Whether they miraculously sneak into the playoffs or not, Ainge's rebuilding plan will be shelved this summer, and only because you can't waste Pierce's prime when he's playing this well. That's the long-term effect: With a boatload of draft picks and two appealing young talents (Jefferson and Green), Ainge has enough assets to overpay for an All-Star -- whether it's KG, Jermaine O'Neal, Chris Bosh or whoever -- then compete with Pierce, Delonte, Gomes, Perk, Wally, All-Star X, Free Agent Signing X and whatever assets remain after that trade. If he decides on proceeding in any other direction, he's a moron. And I don't think Danny Ainge is a moron." Im not so sure Danny Ainge is going to do that.. Im not so sure he should unless he can get just the right guy. the question becomes though, who would that guy be? KG is great but thatd be an awful lot ogyour offense coming from midrange jumprs from pierce, wally, west, KG and Gomes sometimes. Jermaine O'neil could be the guy but he cant seem to stay healthy! Chris Bosh is great too but wed feel real stupid if we tradeed a package that included Al Jefferson and then Jefferson went on to become better than Bosh. The problem also becomes, how are you going to have enough money to pay Pierce, West, Gomes, Perk and "All Star X" enough to keep them around for a few years?
