When the Celtics signed Rasheed Wallace over the summer as their big offseason acquisition, they may have thought they were getting a big man who would stretch the floor with his three-point shooting, and one who would force the centers on the other contenders to come out of the paint to try and stop him.But 13 games into the Sheed experiment in Boston, Wallace's three-point shooting has hurt his new team far more than it has helped them. And Friday night's 0-for-8 performance from beyond the arc?
That one was so bad, it made history.
Check out this blurb from the folks at Elias regarding 'Sheed's shooting:
Rasheed Wallace shot 0-for-8 from three-point range in Boston's loss to Orlando Friday night. Only one other Celtic has shot 0-for-8 or worse from three-point range in a home game. Dana Barros was 0-for-9 from beyond the three-point line on January 12, 1996 at the FleetCenter.Now, many of these shots were wide open, and, supposedly, came within the flow of the offense. But Wallace finished the game by going just 4-for-19 from the field, and at some point, a player has to realize that maybe this isn't his night, and it's time to stop shooting -- no matter how open the looks are. Especially when only one other teammate took more shots, and that was Paul Pierce, who's supposed to do so.
The especially damning part of 'Sheed's high volume of three-pointers against the Magic is that, just a couple of days prior, Doc Rivers asked him to stop shooting them so much.
"I got on him, and I rarely do, about the threes,'' Rivers said of Wallace. "Because even though he was wide open, it's really tough. I mean, he was wide open and he took two, but we had just taken two quick ones."
Apparently, the message was not received.
Wallace has attempted 78 three-pointers on the season, for an average of six per game. That might not sound like a ton, but it's the sixth highest in the league right now. And for someone who's only hitting them at a mark of .282 on the year -- which doesn't place him in the top 100, by the way -- it's way too many.
What's more alarming, though, is how bad 'Sheed has been shooting from downtown more recently -- because even that not-so-stellar number of .282 is skewed by Wallace getting off to a hot start.
Through his first five games, Wallace connected on 15 of his 33 attempts, for a more-than-solid percentage of .455. But since his 6-for-8 outing against the Sixers, Wallace has made just seven of his last 45 attempts over the Celtics' last eight games.
Abysmal.
So, as you can see, the Celtics have a little problem on their hands. Their coach told Wallace to calm down on the three-point shooting, and the very next game, he jacks up eight from downtown -- which ties a personal season high for single-game attempts from beyond the arc.
It's way, way too early to say that Rasheed Wallace and the Celtics are a bad fit. But if the shots continue to go up without going in, and Doc Rivers' instructions continue to be ignored, then what is perhaps this Celtics team's last chance at a title may just go bouncing away -- right along with all of those missed three-pointers from Wallace.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Rasheed Wallace has never been very athletic. He's not quick or a major force inside. He's a slow, small forward in a very tall body. He gets his shot blocking from good posiitoning, great height and long arms, and his rebounds the same way. But once the other, younger, stronger players start to blow by you, and once the mileage starts to wear you down a bit, the slide comes quickly. Sheed's addition to Boston was merely insurance for Garnett, and perhaps a few points and rebounds off the bench. It is a long way short of Vinsanity's acquisition by Orlando. The Lakers had no trouble with Wallace in Portland, and except for their awful collapse against Detroit in 2004, where he played well, he's most likely to repeat his uselessness against the Lakers: he's no match for Gasol or Bynum. Say good night. Sheed.
Personally, I never like Wallace... I think he's a punk, he's always acted like a punk and I wish he had NEVER won a Ring since other players, who had more skills and class weren't able to (like Stockton and Malone...)
Having said THAT... I find it HILLARIOUS that everyone talked about Wallace as someone who could put Boston over the top... What a joke!!! Posey was always a team player and he came along at the right time in his career to help Boston... Wallace is washed up and Boston will get beat by Orlando, Cleveland or Atlanta and will NEVER make it out of the East to play the Laker's for the Championship... NO WAY!!!
I liked what Charles Barkley said the other night after Gasol came back and the Laker's showed why they are easily the best team in the NBA... "I would like to see Kobe, Artest, Odom, Bynum and Gasol as the starting 5 for the Laker's!" "Who can match up with that length and skill?" "NOBODY! I smallest guy in that line up is 6'6" and that's Kobe and nobody can guard him anyway!" Hillarious... and TRUE!!!
Sit down and SHUT UP Boston beanheads... you're MAYBE the 4th best team in the East!!! (ROFLMAO)
They should fire Doc Rivers and hire Avery Johnson. Still, they won't beat the Lakers. Celtics are mainly old dudes past their brilliance. Kendrick Perkins is just plain bitter, no joy in that guy.
Wow, listen how quiet it suddenly got. All the preseason people who picked the Celts with the addition of Wallace and Daniels to be unbeatable. Hell even the Celts are saying this team is more talented than the 2008 championship team. The only people not impressed by the acquisition of Wallace were in Detroit, who knew better. Marquis Daniels is a stud and he has worked out great. Hell even Shelden Williams has been better than Sheed, at least he knows his limitations. And consider this, there is a big problem on the horizon when Big BaBy comes back He's going to need minutes. Sheed is already coming off the bench, what happens when BB takes his few minutes coming off the bench. Mix that in with a few more losses and bad games, along with Sheed's temper... can you say Blowup. Still early in the season and the Celts can resolve the situation. Trade him before he becomes a problem, or cut him outright, they owe him nothing he only came to get a ring and if he's playing major minutes, that ain't going to happen. Marquis Daniels, Big Baby and Shelden Williams can hold it down. Maybe try to get younger and more athletic. They need to move fast, Cleveland, Orlando and now Atlanta appear to be better than them and home court is everything in the playoffs. Experiment did'nt work, get rid of him and move on.
I'm not surprised. As a Pistons fan I watched his decline last season. The reason Wallace was so effective in the past was that he could take you down low and work in the post (usually with a prety decent fadeaway) or go out to three point land. But he fell in love with the three and stopped wanting to go in the post or do the dirty work down low. And he's always been an idiot on the court. I know those who played with him in both Portland and Detroit praise him as a teammate, but I just don't see it that way. He costs the team with his technicals. He threw a fit in the Playoffs and quit on the Pistons. And as said in the article, he's a complementary player that often forgets that when he shoots his own team out of a game. Whether it's Pierce/Garnett/Allen or Hamilton/Prince/Billups, he never should have seen himself as the go to guy, because he wasn't. Sadly his ego has always said otherwise.
Sheed a has been and ala Sam C.
is expecting a ring ???? NOT this year.
Wow! 13 games into the season and everyone rights of Boston.. There's basically a full season left. I have no doubt celtics will be at top come playoff time. You'll see.
November = NOTHING. They will get into the flow and show why they were favored. Just give it time. It not like LA or Clev ar tearing it up either
Lakers and Clev are starting to put it together. They're going the right direction and they can only get better. Boston has gone south with their team at full strengh. I dunno if this is a coaching issue or the chemistry with Sheed is an issue but they need to fix it fast.
hahaha...this is way too familiar for pistons fans. as much as I love sheed for putting us over the top for our '04 championship, he was wearing out his welcome in detroit. didn't take too long for boston! good luck, doc, trying to get him too stop jacking up shots. he's way too set in his ways to change now
Orlando got their number ( boston)
with Sheed and KG included but
not limited to;
What's the excuse now Bill ???
it is a long ways to go , yet
but so far so good, for Orlando
that is, we will see.
The only reason they lost credibility is due to the lack of production they have produced. I've always been a KG fan and his quick demise due to injury is hurting Boston and Sheed is just being Sheed. The first half of the Season should have been Boston as they have everyone at full strengh but injury due to age is an issue. Realisticly Boston needs KG to step up but his knee and durability is a liability for this team. I am still hoping for a LA vs Boston rematch.