another botched game...

[Ryan.Lee@parexel.com (Ryan Lee)]

     Granted the C's did not have Mercer (flu), they had a legitamite 
     chance to win at Charlotte.  Walker made his usual poor shot 
     selections (8-23 from the floor) but overall it was the whole teams 
     lack of offensive execution that did them in.  Noone really shot well, 
     lots of shots were being forced, and the shot clock was not being used 
     correctly.  People were putting up 3's with 15 seconds left on the 
     clock.  I did not particularly like how Walker tried to tie the game 
     with the 3 immediately after Vernon Maxwell hit one on the Celtics.  
     There was a minute and 20 on the clock and instead of making it a free 
     throw contest, Walker takes that boneheaded shot.  I do realize that 
     Walker is only a senior in college (21 years old) and hopefully in 
     time his game will mature.  He is passing more out of the double team 
     but he still needs to improve his shot selection.  Billups had another 
     terrible game.  It seems like he can only take on guards who are 
     generally smaller than him.  He's scored on Avery Johnson, Mookie 
     Blaylock, and Chris Childs at will but none of these guards have the 
     muscle that David Wesley put on Chauncey.  I think if Chauncey can 
     reduce his foul trouble, his offensive game will flow better.  The big 
     men were pretty ineffective (although Declerq had a few nice rebounds 
     and blocks) and they were unable to box out Geiger and Mason.  Rice 
     actually was a nonfactor, Matt Geiger scored 22 or 23 points which is 
     a very big problem since he's not a premiere center.  Would Mercer 
     have made the difference?  Possibly, he is a much bigger defensive 
     threat for Glenn Rice than Dee Brown.  Also Vernon Maxwell does not 
     have the size to stop Mercer.  Oh well, another close game to a 
     winning team the C's should have won.  
     
     Trade bait (my opinion): Dee Brown ( getting major minutes the last 
     few games, Pitino is definitely showcasing Dee's skills or lack 
     thereof.)
     Greg Minor (still being played but has no real role on the Celtics)
     Roy Rogers, Tyus Edney will be bonus incentives to the trade deal.     
     I hesitate to say Dontae Jones will be traded because he has alot of 
     potential and he hasn't been healthy enough to be evaluated yet.  
     Pervis will not be traded because he is another big body that the C's 
     need.