In last week's Ladder Challenge it was Bill Russell easily defeating his longtime coach, Red Auerbach, with 85% of the vote. The victory kept Russell's challenge record a perfect 2-1-0, while dealing Auerbach (3-1-0) his first loss . The win also enabled Russell to maintain his spot at #1, a position only he has ever held. This week another pair of Celtics greats collide, with the Ladder's #1 spot at stake. Sharp shooter Ray Allen looks to earn his spot on the Ladder by taking on Antoine Walker (#92). As invaluable as Raydiculous was to the 2008 title, my vote this week goes to 'Toine. I simply can't bring myself to vote the Celtics 4th leading scorer (points per game), and a player who brought excitement to a franchise that had none at the time, off the Ladder altogether. This is nothing against Allen, just showing support for a player I believe was unappreciated during his time in Boston. So who has your support in this week's battle? (and remember, the most votes in the comments section is the tie-breaker, so be sure to share your thoughts!)
Posts
10 comments:
ANTOINE WALKER
Ranked : 93
Started: 97
Challenge Record: 1-0-0
Beat: Don Nelson
Lost: None
Tied: None
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*Played 8 seasons (1996-2003, 2005) with Celtics.
*3-time NBA All Star (1998, 2002-03) with Boston.
*Named to 1st Team All-Rookie Team (1997).
*career regular season averages with Celtics: 20.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists, .413 FG%, .662 FT%.
*Career playoff averages with Celtics: 19.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists, .412 FG%, .701 FT%.
*Holds franchise single season records for 3-point Field Goals (222, 2002) and 3-point Field Goals Attempted (645, 2002).
*Top 10 in franchise history in: 3-PT FG (2). 3-PT FGA (2), Minutes per game (3), Points per game (4), Steals (4), Steals per game (7), Rebounds per game (9), Rebounds (10),
*Led league in: 3-PT FGA 3-times (2001-03), Minutes (2002), FGA (2002), 3-PT FG (2001).
*Served as team captain of the Celtics.
RAY ALLEN
Ranked : NR
Started: NR
Challenge Record: 0-0-0
Beat: None
Lost: None
Tied: None
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*Has played 4 seasons (2007-Present) with Celtics.
*Helped Celtics win the 2008 NBA Championship.
*3-time NBA All Star (2008-09, 2011) with Boston.
*career regular season averages with Celtics: 17.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, .473 FG%, .916 FT%.
*Career playoff averages with Celtics: 16.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, .423 FG%, .904 FT%.
*Holds franchise career record for FT% (.916).
*Also in Top 10 in franchise history in: 3-PT FG (3). 3-PT FG% (3), 3-PT FGA (4) and Minutes per game (9).
*Holds franchise single season record for FT% (.952, 2009).
*Currently on pace to break franchise single season record for 3-PT FG% (.452, 2011).
Walker kept me interested in the Celtics when they were perhaps the least interesting team in the NBA. This is an instance where I'm letting my personal experience dictate my vote.
After spending his first 7 seasons in Boston (he came back to Boston for an 8th in '05), Antoine ended up being involved in quite a few trades. The following players were all involved in trades that also included Walker....
RON MERCER, ERIC MONTROSS, SAMAKI WALKER, TONY DELK, RAEF LAFRENTZ, CHRIS MILLS, JIRI WELSCH, DELONTE WEST, TONY DELK (2), ALAN HENDERSON, JASON TERRY, TOM GUGLIOTTA, GARY PAYTON, MICHAEL STEWART, RAJON RONDO, ANDRE EMMETT, JAMES POSEY, JASON WILLIAMS, GREG OSTERTAG, QYNTEL WOODS, ALBERTO MIRALLES, EDIN BAVCIC, NIKOLA PEKOVIC, EDDIE JONES, RASUAL BUTLER, ROBERTO DUENAS, CURTIS BORCHARDT, RAUL LOPEZ, KIRK SNYDER, MICHAEL DOLEAC, WAYNE SIMIEN, TY LAWSON, MARK BLOUNT, RICKY DAVIS, GREG BUCKNER, MARKO JARIC, O.J. MAYO, BRIAN CARDINAL, JASON COLLINS, KEVIN LOVE & MIKE MILLER.
Yo! DK! I absolutely agree with you, 100 percent. I've been a Celtic fan all my life (I'm 30) and I used to proudly (stupidly?) wear the infamous #0 Eric Montross jersey. Yes, that's right. Living in central Illinois in Chicago Bulls' country (this was the mid-90's, remember), and with the Celtics being bad, I got a lot of "Montross sucks!" yells thrown my way. However, many, MANY less negative comments were ever said when I'd wear Antoine (or even Dee Brown for that matter). As a fan of the University of Kentucky, I was excited when my favorite pro team in any sport took my favorite college athlete in any sport. It seriously was a match made in heaven for me.
I don't care what he was, what he wasn't, what he failed to be or what he has become, I will ALWAYS have a soft spot in my heart for Employee No. 8. I was one of the only kids in central Illinois to bust out the Walker Shimmy on the pickup courts! (How I hated the Bulls and the Bulls' fans).
Kudos on you for taking what I would assume would be the unpopular move and voting against Ray Allen. As wonderful as he is, I still love 'Toine!
I've been a fan of the boston celtics ever since paul pierce joined the league but I defintley go for ray allen cause he made it possible for us to win the 2008 tile
I've been a fan of the boston celtics ever since paul pierce joined the league but I defintley go for ray allen cause he made it possible for us to win the 2008 tile
I've been a fan of the boston celtics ever since paul pierce joined the league but I defintley go for ray allen cause he made it possible for us to win the 2008 tile
I've been a fan of the boston celtics ever since paul pierce joined the league but I defintley go for ray allen cause he made it possible for us to win the 2008 tile
I've been a fan of the boston celtics ever since paul pierce joined the league but I defintley go for ray allen cause he made it possible for us to win the 2008 tile
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