Was Antoine Walker ever good?

[JR Giddens]

I was born in 94 so I don't remember any 90s Celtics but in Toine's second season he was avergaging a 22-10. I know it wasn't until 2000 when he was shooting over 600 3-pointers a season. Is that a record? Anyways was his game more balanced back in the 90s. What made him so good and why did he fall off?

Also I'm glad KG got suspended. The dudes ego is out of control. He went from the most respected player into the league into the most disrespectful. This one game suspension is great because I know with KGs attitude this year that he would have got in some big altercation later in the season where he woulda got suspended for like 10-15 games. Ever since the Atlanta series he's been making enemies like Pachulia, Calderon, Bogut, Lamar Odom, Al Horford,and others

[Donoghus]

If you're averaging 22/10 in a season and making the All Star team, I think that pretty much ends the argument asking if they were ever good.

[nickagneta]

Antoine was really good coming out of college and for a few years thereafter. But overall he and A C Green are probably two of the most over rated power forwards to ever live.

[wdleehi]

He was scorer, rebounder and a leader.



The thing that eventual finished him was the Celtics having him gain a little weight to be a PF instead of losing a little weight and be a SF.  Killed his legs.  




As for KG,


I must have missed the disrespectful part.  


As for enemies in the playoffs, that's just life in the NBA.  

[BballTim]

Antoine was really good coming out of college and for a few years thereafter. But overall he and A C Green are probably two of the most over rated power forwards to ever live.

 I never thought of AC Green as highly rated. Aren't the main things he's known for a long consecutive games streak and abstinence?

[JBcat]

Yes he was good.  He was asked to do so much for the Celtics at a very young age.  Before Paul really came on he was the number 1 option as well as being asked to do much of initiating the offense and acting as the point forward.  He was probably given too much responsibility for such a young player.   He was very tough in the sense he was an iron man rarely getting hurt averaging over 40 MPG for 3 straight years.   He never really was fully comfortable working in the low post as Tommy would endlessly preach him to get down there.  His lift or lack thereof along with the not the best shooting touch hurt him in the post but he made up for it often with exceptional quickness, good hands, and great handle for a big guy.  I remember early in T'oine's career he made a jaw dropping crossover on KG on a drive to the hoop.  He was the emotional leader of that young team even when some vets came on board such as Kenny Anderson he was still the undisputed leader.  An excellent passer but erratic at times.   He was a pretty good rebounder  but could have been ever better on the offensive end if he didn't float to the perimeter as much as he did.  His signature play with Paul that you would see almost every game would be Paul would post up sealing off his man facing the basket and T'oine would throw a picture perfect pass over the top of the defense for Paul to shoot a layup.   You seem to know about Walker's love affair with the 3's.   ML Carr gave Walker free reign as coach, Pitino was very hard on him, and Walker and the team flourished more when Jim O'Brien became coach.  Love him or hate him you can't deny he absolutely loved being a Celtic.

[Redz]

At his best and in his prime Antoine could post up anyone in the league on the box, put a spin move on them and use his body to make space for him to get an unblockable layup.  This move was fairly unstoppable.  Then Antoine discovered the ungodly pleasures of the 3-point shot and the rest is history...

Perhaps I'm oversimplifying that a bit, but that spin move was awesome.

[Truck Lewis]

Antoine was really good coming out of college and for a few years thereafter. But overall he and A C Green are probably two of the most over rated power forwards to ever live.

 I never thought of AC Green as highly rated. Aren't the main things he's known for a long consecutive games streak and abstinence?

hahah TP i agree those are most certainly the 2 things that come to mind about AC

As for Toine, he was really good until he fell in love with 3's around 02, but still had some good years.   And was solid in the Heats championship run. Second on the team in scoring in the finals and rebound numbers were solid

[Roy Hobbs]

I'm probably in the minority these days, but I don't think there was a time when he was in a Celtics uniform when Antoine *wasn't* a good player.

He was a very frustrating player, in that he took too many bad shots and didn't rebound like his talent suggested he should.  He didn't dedicate himself to staying in shape, and the "veteran all-star" bit rubbed a lot of people the wrong way.  Still, he was a very effective -- if inefficient -- player here for the most part.  I mean, he averaged 22 / 9 / 5 and helped lead his team to the Eastern Conference Finals, so the guy obviously did his job.  I think he suffered from 1) poor teammates around him (other than Paul) and 2) weak coaching.

Once he left Boston, Antoine became even lazier and out of control.  He lost a lot of his athleticism, and it was unacceptable to see the way his FT% declined.  He was a big contributor on the Heat championship team, but after he got his ring, his game just seemed to fall off all the way.  Once his athleticism declined, he was no longer the dynamic "point forward" of his early years, and simply became a poor shooting big man.

[Truck Lewis]

I'm with you Roy...I never thought Twizz was bad a player in Boston but I went the conservative road with my previous post in order to avoid having to defend Antoine to all the haters.

[JBcat]

Sorry for big block post earlier.   I got carried way  

For the youngsters out there check out a youtube clip like this one from Walker's early years if you don't remember him too well.   It finishes with a slight Walker wiggle.   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7gOPVFvif8

[moiso]

Nickagneta sums up my feelings.  Good for a few years.  It definitely became a detriment to the team when it's worst shooter took the most shots.

[Truck Lewis]

wow sick clip...

i forgot how mercer could really get up there.....check him out at the 44 second and 1:15 marks..

he had some crazy hops

[Roy Hobbs]

wow sick clip...

i forgot how mercer could really get up there.....check him out at the 44 second and 1:15 marks..

he had some crazy hops

Yeah, I used to love Mercer.  He never played much defense and didn't have a great outside shot, but he could still score.  Too bad injuries did him in.

[moiso]

Also like the old Marbury and Steve Francis and playeres like that, Antoines numbers were greatly inflated because he got to do whatever he wanted.  He played major minutes, took all the shots he wanted, got to dribble be a playmaker.