Did these guys watch the same game?

[Mike Dynon <mdynon@ix.netcom.com>]

Thanks to the Internet, we get to read various perspectives about the
Celtics.  Today is interesting.

When reporters write game coverage articles, they don't usually pay much
attention to what the referees did.  But with the incredible disparity
of the last two games, Michael Holley of the Globe couldn't ignore it.
He also included a lot about Walker's ejection in today's coverage
(Note: it was actually Armstrong, not Outlaw, who Walker stared at).

The Orlando writer, however, had a little different perspective.  He
apparently didn't notice the free throw totals (funny thing, the Seattle
reporter didn't mention it in his coverage of Friday's game, either).
There's also a different take on the "taunting," although Armstrong
didn't say exactly how Walker taunted.


Celtics stopped cold: Poor shooting, refs put Boston on ice

By Michael Holley, Globe Staff, 01/11/98 

ORLANDO, Fla. - If you take the officials' word for absolute truth, the
Celtics don't know how to keep their hands to themselves or stare in the
proper direction. Three men in stripes usually don't affect the outcome
of games. But they can hurt. 

The Celtics lost to the Magic last night, 90-82, at Orlando Arena. Take
away Steve Javie, Ron Olesiak, and Gary Benson and you could still argue
that the Magic win. When you shoot 38 percent from the field, score 7
points in the game's first eight minutes and make six of your first 23
shots, you don't win very often. 

But what do you say after two games in which your opponent attempts 73
more free throws than you? What do you say if you're Antoine Walker and
you're ejected for staring? 

''I don't know what he saw,'' Walker said of Javie, ''you have to ask
him.''

Walker got his first technical for telling Olesiak to make a call on
what he thought was goaltending on Bo Outlaw. That was in the third
quarter. In the fourth, Walker dunked, briefly hung on the rim, and
stared at Outlaw. Javie - who once called a technical on a mascot - felt
he stared too long. It was Walker's second technical, so he was escorted
away. Not many people are sure why. 

''I'll correct him when he's wrong,'' Pitino said of Walker, ''but all
he did was stare. That's not taunting. I see taunting in this league. He
stares at his man and you call that taunting?''

Pitino told Javie that the call was exaggerated, especially since it
came with 69 seconds to play and the Magic in control. But Javie and
Walker have a history. Last month in Detroit, the official gave Walker a
technical for taunting. Walker said nothing that time, either. 

The phantom taunting call on Walker symbolized the Celtics' lost
weekend. They lost two games to increase their losing streak to four. On
Friday, the Sonics outshot them from the free-throw line, 45-5. Last
night the count was 40-7. They lost the battle of the boards, 46-41. But
at least they won the Stare Wars, 1-0. 

''This is ridiculous,'' said Walker, who will be $2,000 poorer after
fines are collected from this game. ''You can't win games like that. I
don't know what's going on. Something needs to be done about this. We
can't play a 48-minute game and have free throws be that big of a
differential.''

What about the staring? 

''I guess you get techs for staring in this league,'' Walker said. ''If
he's got something against me - I don't know - I got nothing against
him. It doesn't bother me, but it's hurting our team. If I'm not saying
anything to you, why does it bother you? I should be able to look where
I want to look and how I want to look. Why does that bother him? That's
no way to treat a pro basketball player.''

Officials are not permitted to speak with the media unless there is an
unusual circumstance. This was not unusual if you consider the Celtics'
recent luck with fouling. 

''I can't comment on the officiating,'' Pitino said. 

But Pitino could comment on the shooting. It was doubly frustrating
because the Celtics were playing a team not much better than them, if
better at all. Rony Seikaly, a solid pro, had 19 points and 12 rebounds.
But Outlaw, not known for his shooting, had 15 points, 10 rebounds, and
5 blocks. Plus, this was the perfect night for the Celtics to shoot just
OK and win. The Magic turned the ball over 27 times, including eight
from point guard Darrell Armstrong. But they were never in jeopardy of
losing (they led by as many as 18 in the second half). 

''We seemed to have it well in control, even at the end,'' Magic coach
Chuck Daly said. ''But to let it get that close bothers me.''

Pitino said the Celtics are settling for jump shots on their fast breaks
when ''we should be looking to the rim.''

The Celtics are 16-18 after missing a chance to tie the Magic for fifth
place in the Atlatic Division standings. Pitino said the team will be
fine, it just needs practice. He could have been talking about shooting.
Or he could have been commenting on the Celtics standing with their
hands at their sides, staring straight ahead. 

This story ran on page E01 of the Boston Globe on 01/11/98. 
                  © Copyright 1998 Globe Newspaper Company. 

********
Magic stay out of running

By L.C. Johnson of The Sentinel Staff 

Published in The Orlando Sentinel, January 10, 1998 

The Boston Celtics' defense is designed more to annoy opponents rather
than stifle them. The Orlando Magic were plenty annoyed Saturday night,
but that was because they had lost 10 of their previous 12 games. 

As for solving the Celtics' defensive pressure, that didn't cause too
much of a problem until the very end as the Magic rolled, 90-82, at
Orlando Arena.

Rony Seikaly led a balanced attack for the Magic (19-17) with 19 points
and 12 rebounds. Bo Outlaw also had a double-double with 15 points and
10 rebounds. Outlaw also had five blocks. 

``People always talk about the running (when playing the
full-court-pressing Celtics),'' Outlaw said. ``But I don't think it
affected us too much, except for the last two minutes. 

``If you look, we didn't have too many turnovers early on because of
their press. We knew the press was going to come, but we didn't know
when. We had the game plan set for it, and we stuck to it.'' 

For a change, the Magic jumped out to an early lead and led from the
start. Their advantage was as much as 18 points (87-69) late in the
fourth quarter until a rash of turnovers -- 11 in the final period --
nearly caught up to them. 

``For 44 minutes, we probably played about as well as we could play,''
Magic coach Chuck Daly said. ``Defensively, we really did an outstanding
job. But then, late in the game we just flat-out gave them the ball in
about six out of eight possessions to finish with 27 turnovers. But
that's what they're known for.'' 

The Celtics (16-18) were led by Antoine Walker, who finished with a
team-high 21 points and 12 rebounds. It turned out to be a bit of a
frustrating night for the 6-foot-9 Walker. He made 10 of 28 shots from
the field, including a blocked fast-break dunk attempt by 6-foot-1 point
guard Darrell Armstrong. 

Walker got a measure of revenge late by successfully getting a dunk over
Armstrong. But it came at a price. He was whistled for a technical foul
-- his second -- for taunting Armstrong, which led to his automatic
ejection with 1 minute, 9 seconds left in the game. 

``I got him once last year (with a blocked shot) when he tried to do a
finger roll,'' said Armstrong, who finished with 14 points, 7 rebounds
and 8 turnovers. ``This time he looked back and saw me coming and tried
to dunk, and I got him again. Then, the last time he finally got a dunk
on me, but I still got a piece of the ball. I guess he was so happy to
get one that he taunted me, and they threw him out of the game.'' 

Magic forward Horace Grant, who had been plagued by a migraine earlier
in the day, also had a solid night. He scored 10 points and pulled down
nine rebounds to go with a team-high five assists. 

``Horace did not feel well, but he gutted it out again tonight, and I
can't say enough about him,'' Daly said. ``He's had a magnificant year.
He's really kind of held us together. Even though we haven't won quite
as much as we would like, he's really been solid.'' 

Derek Harper had eight points and four assists for the Magic, giving
them one of their better offensive outputs in recent memory. Orlando
also welcomed back Mark Price, who scored 14 points off the bench after
having missed five games because of a hamstring injury. 

``Well, we shot 46 percent, and that's cause for celebration for us any
time we shoot over 40,'' Daly said. ``We are looking to shoot 50
(percent) one of these days, ... but we played hard. They played hard.
We seemed to have it well in control even at the end, but to let it get
that close bothers me.'' 

[Posted 01/10/98 11:49 PM EST] 
(c) 1998 Orlando Sentinel Online
-- 
Mike Dynon
North Kingstown, RI

********************************************************
Are you connected with women's college volleyball? Visit
this site for a look at a talented potential recruit:
	http://www.netcom.com/~mdynon/Diane1.html
********************************************************