Hollinger on the Cs Kids

[MattD]

What skill does Walker possess that Giddens doesn't?

Walker seems to be a significantly better shooter at this point in their development.  Last year in the D-league, Walker shot 40% on 3pt shots to Giddens's 28%, and Walker's FT% was 80% compared to Giddens's 68%.  And anecdotally, in the summer league games this year, Walker showed a nice step-back mid-range jump shot a la Paul Pierce, while Giddens's game was still largely driving to the basket a la Tony Allen.

This is obviously based on just a small sample, but when you couple it with the fact that Walker is two years younger and that he plays about 2 inches taller than Giddens -- and that the C's brought him up rather than Giddens last year -- it's reasonable to see Walker as the better prospect.  (Which isn't to say he's perfect, or that Giddens isn't better in some areas: Walker needs to work on his handle, play defense with more intensity, and rebound a bit better.)

[PRIDE]

walker and giddens are about the same player...never will be stars or even important role players..as for shelden..if he plays defense and rebounds scores on garbage...that is all good for me

How are Giddens and Walker about the same player? I can understand you saying they wont ever be stars but how can you say they wont even be role players? Do you realize that Bill Walker should have been picked in the lotto? He is a true NBA prospect while Giddens will be lucky to stay in the league past this season.

[celticsclay]

sorry double post

[wdleehi]

I don't trust Hollinger's analysis; I don't believe he watches games.

I don't think there's much of a reason to say Walker is a prospect, and Giddens is terrible.

Agreed.

Not that Walker looked great in Summer League either, but if you guys were watching the same games i was i can't believe you can claim he'll ever be an NBA player.

I can see Walker playing 15 minutes a night or more in the NBA. Giddens? Not a chance.

Why?  What skill does Walker possess that Giddens doesn't?

They're both monster athletes.  Giddens is a better shooter, he's got better length, and he's a better defender.

Walker is tougher.

In terms of evaluating either as NBA prospects at this point, I just can't say that one can develop into a rotation player and the other can't.

Walker has a better name for Celtics?

[celticsclay]

whats the story with pruitt? Has he gotten a tryout anywhere or is he euro bound?

[guava_wrench]

Until Giddens shows something in games, he has no clear future in the NBA. At least Walker was brought into games before outcomes were already clear.

I wonder whether the Celtics will bother to pick up Giddens 3rd year.

At this point, Giddens has shown less than Pruitt after Pruitt's first season.

[Greenbean]

I hate to say this but Giddens has not shown that he can relax and let the game come to him. He has the physical tools and the make-up to be a great player but he never looks comfortable out there no matter what league he is competing in. Some guys just don't have it...maybe if he gets a shot to play somewhere with no pressure on him at all he could succeed, but not here.

[bucknersrevenge]

Until Giddens shows something in games, he has no clear future in the NBA. At least Walker was brought into games before outcomes were already clear.

I wonder whether the Celtics will bother to pick up Giddens 3rd year.

At this point, Giddens has shown less than Pruitt after Pruitt's first season.

Now that's blatently ridiculous.  Pruitt got no run his first year and and had to learn how to play point(something which he still hasn't learned yet). Pruitt went to the D-League. So did J.R. For what it's worth though, J.R. led the team to the D-League Finals. Don't revise history just because you have a grudge against Giddens.

[bucknersrevenge]

I hate to say this but Giddens has not shown that he can relax and let the game come to him. He has the physical tools and the make-up to be a great player but he never looks comfortable out there no matter what league he is competing in. Some guys just don't have it...maybe if he gets a shot to play somewhere with no pressure on him at all he could succeed, but not here.

Do you even know what that means??

[the_Bird]

I hate to say this but Giddens has not shown that he can relax and let the game come to him. He has the physical tools and the make-up to be a great player but he never looks comfortable out there no matter what league he is competing in. Some guys just don't have it...maybe if he gets a shot to play somewhere with no pressure on him at all he could succeed, but not here.

Do you even know what that means??

I know exactly what he means.  Giddens (and I'd say Walker, too) look like the game's still too fast for them.  They don't look comfortable out there, they seem to be forcing things, bad shots, quick shots; there's no smoothness to their game.  The hope I have is that the game will slow down for at least one of these guys this year so that they can contribute at least a few minutes on the defensive end; they've got the athleticism to match up on D, but the game just seems to move too fast for them right now.

[bucknersrevenge]

walker and giddens are about the same player...never will be stars or even important role players..as for shelden..if he plays defense and rebounds scores on garbage...that is all good for me

How are Giddens and Walker about the same player? I can understand you saying they wont ever be stars but how can you say they wont even be role players? Do you realize that Bill Walker should have been picked in the lotto? He is a true NBA prospect while Giddens will be lucky to stay in the league past this season.

You do realize that your "true" NBA prospect was so true that he was passed by multiple teams more than twice that wanted nothing to do with him? He was essentially traded right after he was drafted for what amounts to a bag of basketballs. Shoulda, coulda, woulda. Fact is, Walker looks downright groggy on defense. He can dunk and he can foul like nobody's business. Beyond that is there anything that sepaprates him from Kedrick Brown right now?

[MrTripleDouble10]

I don't trust Hollinger's analysis; I don't believe he watches games.

I don't think there's much of a reason to say Walker is a prospect, and Giddens is terrible.

I agree 100% about him not watching games.  Anyone who puts that much time and stock into such advanced statistical analysis for basketball has little credibility in my opinion.  This isn't baseball.

[bucknersrevenge]

I hate to say this but Giddens has not shown that he can relax and let the game come to him. He has the physical tools and the make-up to be a great player but he never looks comfortable out there no matter what league he is competing in. Some guys just don't have it...maybe if he gets a shot to play somewhere with no pressure on him at all he could succeed, but not here.

Do you even know what that means??

I know exactly what he means.  Giddens (and I'd say Walker, too) look like the game's still too fast for them.  They don't look comfortable out there, they seem to be forcing things, bad shots, quick shots; there's no smoothness to their game.  The hope I have is that the game will slow down for at least one of these guys this year so that they can contribute at least a few minutes on the defensive end; they've got the athleticism to match up on D, but the game just seems to move too fast for them right now.

You've just described almost every rookie that has come into the league. It's always too fast for them. Because college pace isn't as fast as the NBA pace. The point you made went without saying. Not that it makes Walker better than Giddens.

[guava_wrench]

Until Giddens shows something in games, he has no clear future in the NBA. At least Walker was brought into games before outcomes were already clear.

I wonder whether the Celtics will bother to pick up Giddens 3rd year.

At this point, Giddens has shown less than Pruitt after Pruitt's first season.

Now that's blatently ridiculous.  Pruitt got no run his first year and and had to learn how to play point(something which he still hasn't learned yet). Pruitt went to the D-League. So did J.R. For what it's worth though, J.R. led the team to the D-League Finals. Don't revise history just because you have a grudge against Giddens.

This is ridiculous! Haha. Dude, check the stats! You have no idea what you are talking about!

Pruitt played over 90 minutes in his rookie season, Giddens played 8. Pruitt played 9 or more minutes in 6 games. Giddens didn't even have 9 minutes the entire season!

Why would I have a grudge against Giddens? D-league finals? That is an accomplishment? That just means he wasn't good enough to contribute in the NBA.

[BudweiserCeltic]

Until Giddens shows something in games, he has no clear future in the NBA. At least Walker was brought into games before outcomes were already clear.

I wonder whether the Celtics will bother to pick up Giddens 3rd year.

At this point, Giddens has shown less than Pruitt after Pruitt's first season.

Now that's blatently ridiculous.  Pruitt got no run his first year and and had to learn how to play point(something which he still hasn't learned yet). Pruitt went to the D-League. So did J.R. For what it's worth though, J.R. led the team to the D-League Finals. Don't revise history just because you have a grudge against Giddens.

This is ridiculous! Haha. Dude, check the stats! You have no idea what you are talking about!

Pruitt played over 90 minutes in his rookie season, Giddens played 8. Pruitt played 9 or more minutes in 6 games. Giddens didn't even have 9 minutes the entire season!

Why would I have a grudge against Giddens? D-league finals? That is an accomplishment? That just means he wasn't good enough to contribute in the NBA.

No. It simply means he didn't get a chance to play in the NBA. Wether he was good enough to contribute in the NBA or not, we can't really tell though I'm positive that he could've contributed to some degree, more so than Walker. But hey, Doc took a liking to Walker over Giddens early on... that much was evident, I'm quite convinced that's the main reason Walker was giving the chance over Giddens last year. To me, it has been quite evident that Gidden was/is the more complete player at the moment and more ready to contribute.