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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/basketball/heat/sfl-heatnote17may17,0,5959536.story?coll=sfla-sports-heat
Walker's metamorphosis: Scapegoat to catalyst
By Michael Cunningham
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Posted May 17 2006
[FONT=Verdana,Arial, Helvetica]Miami · A few weeks back, when Antoine Walker was chucking up shots and getting booed in his own arena, did anyone think coach Pat Riley would be saying this about him in May?
"We don't move on to the Eastern Conference finals without him."
[/FONT]
The Heat goes there with Walker as a catalyst. He scored 23 points against the Nets on Tuesday, including a key 3-pointer in the final two minutes, to help the Heat win 106-105 and close out New Jersey in five games.
That was after Walker scored 20 points against the Nets in Game 4. In both games, he was respectable if not sparkling on defense, too.
Walker was inconsistent as a reserve for most of the season and then as the starting small forward since April. Now Walker, a first or second scoring option previously in his career, finally seems to have discovered how to fit in with Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade as the main cogs.
"This is different for me," Walker said. "I am playing a different role. We have two main guys that are 75 percent of our offense, and everyone else has to fill in and make the most of their opportunities when they come.
"It is a different situation for me, but I have figured it out and learned to be aggressive when my opportunities come. It's good."
Walker was big in the second quarter Tuesday, when he had 12 points to pace the Heat comeback, and in the fourth, when he delivered his key 3-pointer.
With about two minutes left in the game, Wade ducked under a double team to find Walker open. The basket gave the Heat a 105-99 lead and just enough breathing room.
Doc Rivers, Walker's coach in Boston, was at the game as an analyst for TNT. He said Walker finally gets it.
"It's really tough for a guy like Antoine to go from being the guy with the ball in his hand a lot to being a catch-and-shoot player," Rivers said. "I don't think he's gotten comfortable with it until right now."
MOURNING BACK
O'Neal has been in foul trouble for six of 11 playoff games, including Tuesday, when he picked up his third in the second quarter. But Alonzo Mourning played 21 minutes and scored 11 points, both postseason highs, and is rounding into form after missing five weeks with a partially torn right calf muscle.
Mourning came back from the injury in Game 3 of the first round against the Bulls. He said he considered sitting out longer but is glad he came back when he did.
"There was a very small chance I could injure it again, but it was a matter of me getting my strength and conditioning," he said
CHECKING OUT?
Heat guard Gary Payton, 37 years old and with no contract for next season, said he's not thinking much about his future. But he said family considerations and how far the Heat advances in the playoffs would influence whether he ends his career after 16 seasons.
"Winning [a title] might be a little bit different, you know, because I probably accomplished what I've always wanted to accomplish," he said. "If we get to the [Finals] and we fail and add one or two more pieces, we might be able to get back to the situation [next season]."
Staff Writers Ira Winderman and Ethan J. Skolnick contributed to this report.
Michael Cunningham can be reached at mcunningham@sun-sentinel.com.
The Heat goes there with Walker as a catalyst. He scored 23 points against the Nets on Tuesday, including a key 3-pointer in the final two minutes, to help the Heat win 106-105 and close out New Jersey in five games.
That was after Walker scored 20 points against the Nets in Game 4. In both games, he was respectable if not sparkling on defense, too.
Walker was inconsistent as a reserve for most of the season and then as the starting small forward since April. Now Walker, a first or second scoring option previously in his career, finally seems to have discovered how to fit in with Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade as the main cogs.
"This is different for me," Walker said. "I am playing a different role. We have two main guys that are 75 percent of our offense, and everyone else has to fill in and make the most of their opportunities when they come.
"It is a different situation for me, but I have figured it out and learned to be aggressive when my opportunities come. It's good."
Walker was big in the second quarter Tuesday, when he had 12 points to pace the Heat comeback, and in the fourth, when he delivered his key 3-pointer.
With about two minutes left in the game, Wade ducked under a double team to find Walker open. The basket gave the Heat a 105-99 lead and just enough breathing room.
Doc Rivers, Walker's coach in Boston, was at the game as an analyst for TNT. He said Walker finally gets it.
"It's really tough for a guy like Antoine to go from being the guy with the ball in his hand a lot to being a catch-and-shoot player," Rivers said. "I don't think he's gotten comfortable with it until right now."
MOURNING BACK
O'Neal has been in foul trouble for six of 11 playoff games, including Tuesday, when he picked up his third in the second quarter. But Alonzo Mourning played 21 minutes and scored 11 points, both postseason highs, and is rounding into form after missing five weeks with a partially torn right calf muscle.
Mourning came back from the injury in Game 3 of the first round against the Bulls. He said he considered sitting out longer but is glad he came back when he did.
"There was a very small chance I could injure it again, but it was a matter of me getting my strength and conditioning," he said
CHECKING OUT?
Heat guard Gary Payton, 37 years old and with no contract for next season, said he's not thinking much about his future. But he said family considerations and how far the Heat advances in the playoffs would influence whether he ends his career after 16 seasons.
"Winning [a title] might be a little bit different, you know, because I probably accomplished what I've always wanted to accomplish," he said. "If we get to the [Finals] and we fail and add one or two more pieces, we might be able to get back to the situation [next season]."
Staff Writers Ira Winderman and Ethan J. Skolnick contributed to this report.
Michael Cunningham can be reached at mcunningham@sun-sentinel.com.
i dont like walker, how much of a role do you think he will play in the next series?
Walker's metamorphosis: Scapegoat to catalyst
By Michael Cunningham
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Posted May 17 2006
[FONT=Verdana,Arial, Helvetica]Miami · A few weeks back, when Antoine Walker was chucking up shots and getting booed in his own arena, did anyone think coach Pat Riley would be saying this about him in May?
"We don't move on to the Eastern Conference finals without him."
[/FONT]
The Heat goes there with Walker as a catalyst. He scored 23 points against the Nets on Tuesday, including a key 3-pointer in the final two minutes, to help the Heat win 106-105 and close out New Jersey in five games.
That was after Walker scored 20 points against the Nets in Game 4. In both games, he was respectable if not sparkling on defense, too.
Walker was inconsistent as a reserve for most of the season and then as the starting small forward since April. Now Walker, a first or second scoring option previously in his career, finally seems to have discovered how to fit in with Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade as the main cogs.
"This is different for me," Walker said. "I am playing a different role. We have two main guys that are 75 percent of our offense, and everyone else has to fill in and make the most of their opportunities when they come.
"It is a different situation for me, but I have figured it out and learned to be aggressive when my opportunities come. It's good."
Walker was big in the second quarter Tuesday, when he had 12 points to pace the Heat comeback, and in the fourth, when he delivered his key 3-pointer.
With about two minutes left in the game, Wade ducked under a double team to find Walker open. The basket gave the Heat a 105-99 lead and just enough breathing room.
Doc Rivers, Walker's coach in Boston, was at the game as an analyst for TNT. He said Walker finally gets it.
"It's really tough for a guy like Antoine to go from being the guy with the ball in his hand a lot to being a catch-and-shoot player," Rivers said. "I don't think he's gotten comfortable with it until right now."
MOURNING BACK
O'Neal has been in foul trouble for six of 11 playoff games, including Tuesday, when he picked up his third in the second quarter. But Alonzo Mourning played 21 minutes and scored 11 points, both postseason highs, and is rounding into form after missing five weeks with a partially torn right calf muscle.
Mourning came back from the injury in Game 3 of the first round against the Bulls. He said he considered sitting out longer but is glad he came back when he did.
"There was a very small chance I could injure it again, but it was a matter of me getting my strength and conditioning," he said
CHECKING OUT?
Heat guard Gary Payton, 37 years old and with no contract for next season, said he's not thinking much about his future. But he said family considerations and how far the Heat advances in the playoffs would influence whether he ends his career after 16 seasons.
"Winning [a title] might be a little bit different, you know, because I probably accomplished what I've always wanted to accomplish," he said. "If we get to the [Finals] and we fail and add one or two more pieces, we might be able to get back to the situation [next season]."
Staff Writers Ira Winderman and Ethan J. Skolnick contributed to this report.
Michael Cunningham can be reached at mcunningham@sun-sentinel.com.
The Heat goes there with Walker as a catalyst. He scored 23 points against the Nets on Tuesday, including a key 3-pointer in the final two minutes, to help the Heat win 106-105 and close out New Jersey in five games.
That was after Walker scored 20 points against the Nets in Game 4. In both games, he was respectable if not sparkling on defense, too.
Walker was inconsistent as a reserve for most of the season and then as the starting small forward since April. Now Walker, a first or second scoring option previously in his career, finally seems to have discovered how to fit in with Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade as the main cogs.
"This is different for me," Walker said. "I am playing a different role. We have two main guys that are 75 percent of our offense, and everyone else has to fill in and make the most of their opportunities when they come.
"It is a different situation for me, but I have figured it out and learned to be aggressive when my opportunities come. It's good."
Walker was big in the second quarter Tuesday, when he had 12 points to pace the Heat comeback, and in the fourth, when he delivered his key 3-pointer.
With about two minutes left in the game, Wade ducked under a double team to find Walker open. The basket gave the Heat a 105-99 lead and just enough breathing room.
Doc Rivers, Walker's coach in Boston, was at the game as an analyst for TNT. He said Walker finally gets it.
"It's really tough for a guy like Antoine to go from being the guy with the ball in his hand a lot to being a catch-and-shoot player," Rivers said. "I don't think he's gotten comfortable with it until right now."
MOURNING BACK
O'Neal has been in foul trouble for six of 11 playoff games, including Tuesday, when he picked up his third in the second quarter. But Alonzo Mourning played 21 minutes and scored 11 points, both postseason highs, and is rounding into form after missing five weeks with a partially torn right calf muscle.
Mourning came back from the injury in Game 3 of the first round against the Bulls. He said he considered sitting out longer but is glad he came back when he did.
"There was a very small chance I could injure it again, but it was a matter of me getting my strength and conditioning," he said
CHECKING OUT?
Heat guard Gary Payton, 37 years old and with no contract for next season, said he's not thinking much about his future. But he said family considerations and how far the Heat advances in the playoffs would influence whether he ends his career after 16 seasons.
"Winning [a title] might be a little bit different, you know, because I probably accomplished what I've always wanted to accomplish," he said. "If we get to the [Finals] and we fail and add one or two more pieces, we might be able to get back to the situation [next season]."
Staff Writers Ira Winderman and Ethan J. Skolnick contributed to this report.
Michael Cunningham can be reached at mcunningham@sun-sentinel.com.
i dont like walker, how much of a role do you think he will play in the next series?
