推 takasi03:Walker像這樣少投3分就對啦~ 04/14 00:13
→ ak47gene:遇到活賽不投三分=濫投 04/15 03:11
When given a shot, Walker shows he can light up scoreboard
By Ira Winderman
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
The Heat certainly learned something about Antoine Walker's game in Tuesday's
victory over Toronto.
Now it has to decide whether the lesson can be made relevant.
After Walker hit a variety of jump shots, runners and layups in a season-high
32-point performance, Shaquille O'Neal sought one more facet.
"Now," the Heat center said, "we just need him to develop some type of
consistency."
Playing with the ball in his hands is the easy part for Walker. It's what
allowed the 6-foot-9 forward to average more than 20 points in five seasons
with the Celtics.
But in continual deference to O'Neal and Dwyane Wade, Walker has been reduced
to a twice-a-month scoring presence. Tuesday was just his ninth 20-point
performance of the season.
Walker's experience has been similar to those shared by several members of
the Heat's next opponent, the 76ers, who play Friday at AmericanAirlines
Arena.
With Allen Iverson and Chris Webber dominating the ball in Philadelphia,
rarely is the opportunity for a breakout night afforded to Andre Iguodala,
Kyle Korver or John Salmons.
As has been the case after some of Walker's other breakthrough performances,
coach Pat Riley said the Heat can't afford to allow Tuesday's moment to
become the exception.
"If he's put in that role every single night, he'd average 20 points per
game," Riley said of a player who instead had not had a 20-point game since
scoring 26 on Feb. 15 in Orlando. "You sort of forget a little bit how good
he can be when he gets a number of good opportunities."
By Friday, Wade is expected back from the flu that sidelined him Tuesday. And
by the April 22 start of the playoffs, small forward James Posey, with his
more reliable 3-point stroke, should be back from Achilles' tendinitis and in
the starting lineup.
That means for Walker to make himself as relevant in the postseason as he was
Tuesday, he'll have to do it off the bench, with far fewer attempts than the
season-high 26 he took against Toronto.
That doesn't mean the role will be any less significant. In recent weeks,
opponents have displayed near contempt for the Heat's supporting cast,
massing defenses toward O'Neal and Wade. That figures to become more
pronounced in the postseason.
"When the playoffs come they are going to double-team Shaq and D. Wade and we
are going to have to loosen it up for them," Walker said.
What the Heat would like to see is Walker softening those opposing defenses
with shots other than 3-pointers.
Nearly as significant as Walker's scoring Tuesday was that 18 of his attempts
were not 3-pointers. Of Walker's 848 shots this season, 43 percent have come
from behind the arc.
"With Antoine," Riley said, "it's all about selection, it really is, and
efficiency."
It's also about the ongoing struggle to settle into a supporting role, an
assignment that runs counter to his frenetic approach.
"This is the first time I've had to do this in my career," he said. "I've got
a week and a half before it needs to be just about perfect."
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