Sportsline - inside the C's

[Kevin.Lok@outokumpu.com]

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Something from Sportsline for you guys.


GETTING INSIDE

When Rick Pitino said in preseason that he was truly impressed with Pervis
Ellison, there were those who thought the coach crazy.

When Pitino made Ellison one of the team captains on December 1, many more
thought he wasn't packing a full sea bag.

And put Pervis into a game for a lift at crunch time? You gotta be kiddin'.

But as the Celtics prepare to face the Bulls Tuesday -- after Ellison made
several critical plays down the stretch in Saturday's win at Milwaukee --
Pitino is decidedly delighted with his dread-locked dribbler.

"I think we're probably getting more out of Pervis on a per-minute basis
than anyone on the team," he said.

The naysayers, from whom Pitino heard loud and clear when he get the job,
will find it hard to muster a rebuttal. Ellison entered the Buck battle
with 5:20 left and the Celts trailing by a point. He had an authoritative
jam, three offensive rebounds and a key one at the other end of the floor,
and his block of a Tyrone Hill power move changed what would have been just
 a three-point Boston lead to a seven-point edge (instead of getting the
hoop, the Bucks were forced to foul Chauncey Billups).

It was a slice of the stuff from Ellison's resume that has looked so out of
 place the last several years. When is the last time he had such an effect
on a game at both ends of the court (before Friday's home win over
Minnesota, that is?

"I don't even try to reminisce on things like that," Ellison said. "I just
want to build on what I'm doing now. If I was to start thinking about 'what
 if?' I'd drive myself totally crazy."

Instead, he's making Pitino totally pleased.

"I can't be more happy for us as a team and for him as a player," the coach
 said. "He deserves to be captain. He's probably the best person I've
coached in professional basketball, and I've coached everyone from Patrick
Ewing to Mark Jackson to the wonderful people here. So I'm delighted for
him and what he's done."

And what he can do for the rebuilding Celtics.

"With Pervis in the game, we're a totally different basketball team,"
Pitino said. "He gives you everything Andrew (DeClercq) gives you, but he
gives you shot-blocking. He gives you the strong and the physical play,
then he changes shots and bothers (opponents) a lot."

The numbers from the last two games -- Ellison's first two back after
spending five games on the injured list to rest a sore left knee -- are
fairly declarative.

He went 22 minutes against the Timberwolves, producing eight points, nine
rebounds, two blocks and two steals (with two assists). In Milwaukee,
Ellison went 18 minutes and still managed two points, eight boards, two
blocks and two steals.

In his last three games, he has swatted seven shots. If you're looking for
scoring, well, Pervis isn't. He's taken down 79 rebounds while attempting
just 50 field goals.

"I just try to get in the game and give us something inside," Ellison said.
 "We've got plenty of guys on this team who can score. What I have to do is
 play tough defense and hit the boards."

And impress himself with his performances?

"It feels good that we're winning games," Ellison said. "That's what's
important."

NOTES, QUOTES, ANECDOTES

The Celts held an hour and a half workout Sunday in Chicago at Moody Bible
Institute, the site of the NBA's annual pre-draft camp. Dee Brown remained
back at the hotel. After hitting 102 degrees with a fever a few weeks ago,
he hit 101 yesterday.

Antoine Walker played 44 and 47 minutes in the back-to-back weekend games.
He had 27 points and 18 rebounds against Minnesota and 32 points and 10
boards against Milwaukee.

"I was afraid of playing him too many minutes," Pitino said of the latter
game. "But he was just having one of those nights and I didn't want him to
come out."

Bruce Bowen had his first scoreless game of the season Saturday, but he
credits the officials more than the Bucks' defense. Bowen was limited to
just 12 minutes of playing time by foul trouble.

"After a while," he said, "a Milwaukee guy would trip, and it seemed like
the officials were saying, 'OK, No. 12's in the area. We'll call it on
him.' "

The Celtics are now in possession of 16 victories and a profound belief
they shouldn't be impressed with that total.

By surpassing the triumph total from last year's Titanic trip just 29 games
 into this season, the Celts have reached a goal they did not set.

"It really doesn't mean too much," Pitino said. "It means more that we're
playing good basketball and that we have a good record, because last year
was a debacle. I think there was more attention paid to getting in the
lottery than to winning. So we really don't want to use that as a measuring
 stick."

There are financial and prestige rewards for reaching the playoffs, but the
 Celtics will have an extra incentive for sneaking out a postseason berth.

It has been learned the Celts plan to return to U.S. Navy base near
Newport, R.I., for a few days of training.

Considering how far along the club will be by then, it's a good bet
Pitino's practice program won't have players lined up for intravenous
hook-ups, as his preseason camp there did.

The first quarter Saturday ended with Walker being assessed a technical
foul while teammate Dana Barros was headed to the free throw line.

When Rick Pitino saw ref Luis Grillo signal the T, he sought more
information.

"Who's it on?" Pitino asked.

"Antoine Walker," said Grillo.

"What'd he do?" the coach inquired.

"He cursed at Michael Curry twice," Grillo said. "The first one I pretended
 not to hear."

Pitino's substitution system may be going a bit too far ... like all the
way to the radio crew. The Celts have used 10 different starting lineups
this season, and with Saturday night's game they have now used four
different play-by-play announcers on their WEEI outlet. Doug Brown added
his name to the illustrious list that also includes Ted Sarandis, Sean
Grande and regular mike man Howard (Ripken) David. Meanwhile, color
commentator Cedric Maxwell has answered every bell.

David has missed five games due to NFL radio commitments. He was actually
at Saturday's game after flying in from the New England-Pittsburgh tilt,
but the tight timing caused WEEI to play it safe and send Brown to town.
David called Sunday's Green Bay-Tampa Bay playoff game.

Fred Roberts is now working as a scout for the Bucks.

BY THE NUMBERS: 1 -- The number of home dates the Celtics have in their
current run of seven games.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Antoine had his way with us all night long." -- Bucks coach
 Chris Ford after watching Walker go for 32 points and 10 rebounds.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

The Pitino "system" took another blow Saturday, as the Celts won at
Milwaukee with hardly a hint of the signature full court press. They won
with execution in their halfcourt offense.

The more people talk about the full court defense, it seems the less the
Celtics use it. It is mainly a situational tool.

"There are times to use it," Pitino said. "If a team is playing us in their
 fourth games in five nights, that's a perfect time."

Elsewhere, John Thomas has rejoined the club. He will be activated for the
game against the Bulls.

GAME MATCHUPS: Tuesday at Chicago -- The Celts and Bulls have split. Boston
 surprised the defending champs on opening night, but with both teams
having two days to prepare (and Boston proving it's not last year's club),
the C's won't be sneaking anything this time.

Wednesday at Washington -- If the Wizards can maintain possession of the
ball against the Celts' halfcourt trapping, they should find easy baskets
inside.

IN YOUR FACE: Tuesday at Chicago -- Antoine Walker seems to push a bit too
hard in these homecoming games.

Wednesday at Washington -- The Celts got the benefit in the first game of
the Wizards still bring out of sorts from the then-recent Rod
Strickland-Tracy Murray fight.

ROTATION: Starters -- Point guard Chauncey Billups (0-for-6 treys in last
three); Shooting guard Bruce Bowen (0-for-7 treys in last six); Small
forward Walter McCarty (career-high 19 points twice in last four); Power
forward Antoine Walker (20-plus FGs in last eight); Center Pervis Ellison
(17 rebounds in last two). Bench -- Guard Dana Barros (14-for-14 free
throws in last seven); Next guy Ron Mercer (no trey attempts in last
seven); Center Travis Knight (1-for-last-17 treys).

INJURY UPDATE: Tyus Edney (flu), Dontae' Jones (sore left groin), Greg
Minor (flu).

Reg
Kevin