When's the last time you saw Paul Pierce make a desperation drive?  Times past, he could be counted on to make several desperation drives in traffic during the course of a game.   Sometimes he made it work, get a bucket, get fouled, but often, a turnover or charge ensued.  Now,  the Captain is picking his spots. And doing it with killer efficiency.  If he has a lane, he takes it, but he's just as apt to kill teams with pull-up jumpers and dagger threes, or hit the open man.  The process started several seasons ago under Doc, gathered steam with the arrival of KG and Ray, but really seems to up to full speed this season.  Dont have the numbers in from of me, but his shooting % seems to be up.  And while he has been scoring at critical points in the first 5 games, he isnt doing it by demanding the ball and forcing the issue, but by reading the situation and finding open space.  Relying on craft, he has become more efficient. As the Cavs and Hornets found out when Pierce turned on the guile down the stretch.

To recap: the (self-styled) superman goes public re wanting more touches. Classy.

Memo to Msr. Howard: more touches might be forthcoming if you developed your foot-work, post moves and spins so as to be a reliable option in the paint, worked on a step-back jumper to keep defenders honest and passed effectively out of the post.  Alas, the lad would appear to spends more time in the weight room than the hardwood.  We all know you can dunk son.  What else you got?

Memo to Orlando mngt.  Clifirod Ray. Remember him? Think he might have helped. ooops. Thank you.

Reading a list of top sixth men around the league, I noted no one off the Cavs bench made the list. Wally has been serviceable, at best, Gibson and Pavlovic, barley that. Of course, if you have a Lebron, that may not matter so much, but, if the annointed one is slowed down or has an off shooting night, it would be up to Lurch, Del and Mo to step up because there wont be much help coming from the pine.

Eddie House and his three-point shot did make the list for the Cs, and Marbury is starting to  bring quality minutes as well. Still, is going to be up to the starters of bottle up Leborn (well, put some anke weights on him) and harass their shooters.

http://schallertpr.alliancesports.com/content.asp?CID=939209

While there is nothing good about Leon Powe's injury, for him or the team, it does have an interesting ripple effect.  Doc has been forced to go with Davis, and, mercifully, BBD has responded.  No back and forth between Davis/Powe. One advantage of Davis is that he (and, now, Scal) provides the spacing that Pierce needs to do his thing. Also, Doc no longer has the option of playing Davis and Powe together.  That lineup seemed to give up too much length.  While Mikki Moore can never anywheres near near the force Leon has been, he did use hsi length to good use in game 3.   In the best of worlds, the C's would have Leon--and KG!-back, but they are finding ways to live in the world as it is. 

The consensus amongst Marbury  naysayers is that he is a me-firster on court.  Well, watching him play vs the Pacers, I thought, dang, he hit the open man well enough. Then, I  thought, gee, he played for Larry Brown, who can be, uhm, demanding on PGs.  Then I came across this piece by Charles Modian over at RealGM,who makes a case that "Marbury is the most mismanaged, miscoached, and misunderstood Knick talent that I have ever seen."  Have a look.  TenD.

http://www.realgm.com/src_feature_pieces/747/20090301/the_incredible_mismanagement_of_stephon_marbury/