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Theo who? 

Ever hear of Theo Ratliff? If not, get used to seeing the name bandied
about in New England in a couple of months. Ratliff, a 6-foot-10-inch
center, led the 76ers with a career-high 27 points, 11 rebounds, and 3
blocked shots. Word is that the Celtics will be very interested July 1 when
Ratliff becomes a free agent. Right now, the thin center from Wyoming makes
$950,000 per season. He would be of interest to the Celtics for a couple of
reasons. One is that he probably won't demand a $60-$70 million contract,
which is apparently what Hornets center Matt Geiger will be looking for in
the summer. Another is that Ratliff is only 25 and has shown tremendous
improvement since leaving the Pistons (he and former coach Doug Collins did
not click). 


Finally from yesterday's Globe:   A very insightful look at the team as we
near the end of the year.


Celtics treading on proving ground 

By Michael Holley, Globe Staff, 03/21/98 

Sixteen games remain in their season. Even the most focused Celtic can tell
you that. You can say that pro athletes are paid very well to play every
game as if it were their last, but the fact is that this is the time of
year when many people begin to think about cookouts in the backyard and
trips to Martha's Vineyard or Cape Cod. The Celtics are no exception. 

That's why Rick Pitino had a chat with his players earlier this week and
reminded them that they are still playing for something, even if that
''something'' is abstract (read: no playoffs in 1997-98). You can look at
the team's active roster and find that every man on it has something to
prove and/or something on which to improve for 1998-99. So, in a sense, the
remaining 16 games are an extended prep course for next season's Celtics. 

Player: Kenny Anderson What he has to prove: That he can play a full season
of PitinoBall. Anderson has never been known for his defense, but he will
be asked to play it more now than at any other time in his career. He will
also be hearing a lot from a Mr. Shaun Brown this summer. The Celtics'
strength and conditioning coach will have a workout plan for Anderson. It
will be a plan unlike any the point guard had during training camp in New
Jersey or Portland. Pitino believes Anderson's current left knee soreness
is caused by a lack of proper conditioning for the Celtics' style of play.
Anderson isn't so sure. But everyone knows that by this time next season,
no one will be talking about Anderson not being in shape. 

Player: Dana Barros What he has to prove: That he has the balance of a
point guard. Everyone in New England is watching Barros learn a new job
after nine seasons in the NBA. Pitino has asked him to be a point guard
only three years after then 76ers coach John Lucas told him, ''Take the
ball and get us at least 20 points.'' But that's not what point guards do.
They regulate the pace first and set themselves up afterward. Barros has
handled his new job well. Sometimes too well. There have been times when he
passes up his shot because he is so intent on distributing the ball. But
the trick is to distribute and still remember that you are a 40 percent
shooter from 3-point range. 

Player: Bruce Bowen What he has to prove: That he is not related to Rodney
Dangerfield. Many Celtics often tease Bowen that if officials aren't sure
whom to whistle for a foul, they naturally point out No. 12. Bowen is a
very good defender with one thing going against him: He played 30 seconds
last season for the Heat. So to officials, he is a rookie. And the unspoken
code is that rookies get no respect until they have done their time. Bowen
also has to work on his jumper, which he has done considerably since
training camp. 

Player: Andrew DeClercq What he has to prove: That he is more than a
bruiser. ''When I first got here, I didn't really think he could play,''
Anderson said. But now Anderson respects his teammate and says, ''He needs
confidence.'' Enough confidence, for example, to take a 15-foot jumper when
he is wide open. He did that against the Rockets and half the arena nearly
fainted. He made the shot, too. ''Andrew DeClercq is one of the most
valuable players on this team,'' Pitino said. ''If I could, I'd give him a
raise. I'd give him a raise if it wasn't against the [salary cap] rules.
I'll probably give him some of my own money.''

Player: Tyus Edney What he has to prove: That he can run an NBA team.
Pitino may have called Edney the team's best point guard in November, but
the fact is that he is now backing up Barros, who is playing his first full
year as a point man. The problem for Edney is getting a chance to prove
himself. Once Anderson and Barros get their minutes, only a couple - if any
- remain for Edney. 

Player: Dontae Jones What he has to prove: That he belongs. These are tough
times for the 6-foot-8-inch forward. Consider that he could enter his third
season in the league next season with fewer than 20 games' experience.
Jones has played 10 games all season. It would probably help everyone if he
got a few starts before April 18. 

Player: Travis Knight What he has to prove: That he can play on the East
Coast. In defense of Knight, he is only doing this season what the Lakers
asked him to do in 1996-97. One difference: The Celtics don't have a
300-pounder in the middle. Knight has to begin to prove that he is not all
finesse and can indeed play inside. If the Celtics don't deal Knight before
next season, you can find the 7-footer in a Waltham weight room. 

Player: Walter McCarty What he has to prove: That his 40 percent shooting
from the field is a fluke. McCarty is 6-10 and quicker than most men who
guard him. For those reasons alone, his shooting percentage should be at
least 45. Pitino has mentioned lower-body weight work for the forward. That
will inevitably make McCarty more of a medium-range player than a perimeter
one (he has taken 30 fewer 3-pointers than Barros). 

Player: Ron Mercer What he has to prove: That he can start and maintain.
That is, start a game and maintain his energy for at least 40 minutes. He
did that in Texas and had two of his best games of the season. Chris
Wallace and Pitino talked about developing three All-Stars when they took
over the Celtics. Don't be surprised if Mercer jumps from being a
first-team All-Rookie selection this year to an All-Star reserve in 1999. 

Player: Greg Minor What he has to prove: That he realizes there is always
tomorrow in the NBA. Minor's trend is to go with whatever the last game
produced. This pattern may be difficult for Minor to break in the Pitino
system because he's a rhythmic player who needs minutes. He is averaging 14
minutes per game, and that probably won't improve since he is often behind
Mercer, McCarty, and Bowen. 

Player: Zan Tabak What he has to prove: That he has something inside him
that will make Pitino and Wallace say, ''Stay.'' The Celtics need big men.
Tabak is a 7-footer. But the team will most likely part ways with its free
agent unless he shows 14-point and 9-rebound potential over the final 16
games. One statistic makes that unlikely: 16 minutes. That's the length of
Tabak's on-court Celtics career. 

Player: Antoine Walker What he has to prove: That he can be a diplomat.
Walker can use these 16 games to perform damage control. He has 28
technical fouls in his two-season career and would probably be doing
himself a favor if he went into next season with 28. Officials are
obviously watching him closely now. So a pat on the back side rather than
an admonishment after a bad call could get him to the free throw line an
extra two or three times per game. And about that free throw shooting. He
has improved to 66 percent, but if he wants more fouls called, he'll have
to get his percentage to 75 to make all the pleading worth his energy.