David Thorpe, hating on the Celtics again...

[Change]

Who is David Thorpe?.............NEXT!

[winsomme]

Courtesy of Celtics Hub:





David Thorpe's opinion means nothing.  I just think it's funny that he's still hating on the Celtics, like he's been hating on them ever since they cut Thorpe's client, Orien Greene.

the only way to shut this garbage down is to retool the bench, get everyone healthy and then go win another Title...

that's the only way. otherwise we are going to be subjected to this indefinitely.

[Edgar]

I'm not surprised at this. I'm more surprised to find you reading David Thorpe. I learned a long time ago that the guy is an idiot.

Haha.  I don't read David Thorpe.  I do read Celtics Hub, though, which posted the pics.  They're a great blog.

Roy Hobbs reads other blogs,..
I feel cheated.
 

[guava_wrench]

Courtesy of Celtics Hub:





David Thorpe's opinion means nothing.  I just think it's funny that he's still hating on the Celtics, like he's been hating on them ever since they cut Thorpe's client, Orien Greene.

I agree with Thorpe in the first comment.  That was just whining.  In the playoffs EVERYONE is playing with injuries.  If you are actually playing with it, it is no longer an excuse.  However, the second comment is laughable.  I don't think the Magic (even with Nelson) would stand a chance against the C's with a healthy Garnett and Powe.

Agree 100%.  Complaining about nicks and bruises at this point simply is whining.  On Thorpe's second point, well he is just an idiot.

Some injuries really do limit your effectiveness. I don't get the "If you are actually playing with it, it is no longer an excuse" comment. It seems you are against players playing through injuries.

All NBA bodies are a bit worn at this point in the season, but not equally.

[Fafnir]

I'm not surprised at this. I'm more surprised to find you reading David Thorpe. I learned a long time ago that the guy is an idiot.

Haha.  I don't read David Thorpe.  I do read Celtics Hub, though, which posted the pics.  They're a great blog.

Roy Hobbs reads other blogs,..
I feel cheated.
 

Roy is a shamless hussy, always reading around.

[clover]

Who knows?  Maybe it was just Doc trying to preserve value for Danny's trading options.  Likewise, he may be talking Rondo down somewhat both because that's what he as a coach thinks Rondo needs to hear--and because they want to get an extension done at a reasonable price and so they're setting expectations for his agent.

[coco]

I stopped taking Thorpe seriously when he ranked the Cs 6th in the East right after the addition of KG/Posey in the summer of 2007.  After that, I realized that I know more about the NBA than he does.

He shouldn't be allowed to comment beyon draft pick stuff....

[QuinielaBox]

There are a considerable number of Celtic haters out there in the media that finally have their day to "shine". They can kiss me where the sun don't shine 

[Hoyo de Monterrey]

I'm not surprised at this. I'm more surprised to find you reading David Thorpe. I learned a long time ago that the guy is an idiot.

Haha.  I don't read David Thorpe.  I do read Celtics Hub, though, which posted the pics.  They're a great blog.

Roy Hobbs reads other blogs,..
I feel cheated.
 

Roy is a shamless hussy, always reading around.

Roy you gotta be careful man, you go to other blogs, you go to every blog that blog has ever been with.

[nickagneta]

While Thorpe's first answer was probably more on the mark than off, if Doc said nothing and suddenly through other sources it was revealed that Perk and Pierce had surgery and that Allen was undergoing extensive therapy for a pulled hammy, just about anyone who heard that news would come to the conclusion that those were the reasons the Celtics faltered against the Magic.

It's one thing to whine and it's completely another to report on the physical health of one's team, which as far as I am concerned, is what Doc was doing. He wasn't making excuses. He answered Felger's question about what surgeries could be expected in the off season. He said at the start of the interview that all injuries aside they played terrible and that's why they lost. Here's the link to the interview:

http://audio.weei.com/m/22320673/doc-rivers-celtics-head-coach.htm

Thorpe is twisting what Doc was doing by reporting the injuries.

[huzy]

I strongly and respectfully disagree with the criticisms of David Thorpe as a basketball resource.

I generally read all of the ESPN analyst and Thorpe is my favorite. What I think you have to keep in mind is that he is not  a credible resource on the following:
-Basketball Economics (Understanding of each team's salary cap standing)
-Inside resources (This is Chad Ford and Mark Stein's department. They are reporters, Thorpe is not)
-Team assesemts (Thorpe watches players, not teams. I think there's a big difference)

Thorpe is a trainer. His role is to help individual players improve their games. Therefore, I don't expect to hear strong insight from him in assessing team performance. With that being said, he is the most detailed, entertaining and honest analyst of individual basketball talent that I've read.

He has written several pieces analyzing the strengths and flaws of individual players such as the decline of Shaq's productivity and an assessment of how Kobe has evolved from a slasher to a perimeter jump shooter.

Thorpe's ability to disect the flaws in player's games and provide insightful commentary on how to develop these skills is a rare commentary in the basketball journalistic world.

Again, any assesment that Thorpe makes to a "team", I take with a gain of salt. I think he views the game differently than most. He analyzes individual players, which can distort his assement of the game as a whole. Think about a college scout watching a high school game. Most probably couldn't tell you what happened the last two possessions of a one point game because they're watching "their guy" off the ball. However, when it comes to his commentary on indidual players, I find his writing priceless and unique.

If Chad Ford, Ian Thompson, JA Adande, Chris Sheridan, or Chris Broussard ciriticized the Celtics, I would be more inclined to take their statement at face value. In regards to Thorpe, I don't view him as a commentator of the league as a whole. More so as an analyst of skill set and potential.

By the way, he makes a concerted effort not to distinguish himself as a basketabll writer. He refers to himself as a trainer and a coach, which again, makes me take his team commentary with less validity.