re:Globe on TB & VP

[j.hironaka@unesco.org]

I find the Globe article pasted below about Battie and Vitaly very
interesting and reassuring. Part of me still feels, however, that
Pitino's biggest "weakness" is his coaching of big men and knowing how
to effectively use them in games. RP's big guys rarely can count on
receiving feeds into the post, are constantly getting their butts yanked
out of games, and have no reason to be sure if they will get more than
24 minutes of playing time even when they are having an awesome game.

BTW, the fact that Battie is officially a forward again (according to
the article below) seems certain to have some implications for the rest
of the team (eg does this mean AW and PP will be playing a new position
next season?) I know one thing, the Celts could score a lot more
effectively if they have four above average rebounders out there
together.

Joe

p.s. Again I ask the legal experts out there, does Battie face any jail
time if convicted of  "assaulting a police officer with a deadly weapon
(the car)"?  I hope he is innocent, but I think it was stupid and
obnoxious for TB to turn up his music when the policeman asked him to
show his drivers licence. I'm sure Antoine had something to do with
this. :-)

---------

copyright the BosGlobe

(....)''I think when you're young and talented, what you need is
practice,'' Pitino explained. ''And I'm positive that we'll get the
necessary practice time and become a very good basketball team. I think
we have the necessary ingredients. Now, without [Tony] Battie and
[Vitaly] Potapenko, I wouldn't be quite as sure.''

Since arriving in Boston, Pitino has talked about the team's lack of
size. He has size now in the 6-foot-11-inch Battie and 6-10 Potapenko.
He likes Battie so much that he has considered having him guard smaller,
quicker players. He likes Potapenko, too. He will get a chance to tinker
with the center's game this summer, since he has already committed to
playing in the team's summer league.

''I think they've given us a new level rebounding-wise and a new level
from a physical standpoint,'' Pitino said. ''One is a big, physical guy
who will knock you on your ass. And the other is a shot blocker. Those
are the two necessary ingredients that we needed.''

Although Pitino did not wish for an injured team, he said his players'
ailments have helped him evaluate. Now he knows he likes Potapenko and
Battie together on the court. He also has found some things that may
surprise you.

''You want to know something? I almost made the move [Tuesday night]; I
almost put Tony Battie on Grant Hill,'' Pitino said. ''I think
eventually, if he was a year or two older, we could do that. He's quick
enough to guard a  smaller man and he would be the best guy to play
Grant Hill in that scenario - with another year of seasoning.''

The scenario Tuesday was the 6-8 Hill rarely had to look up when
posting  up a Celtic. He had nearly two inches on Paul Pierce, an inch
on Ron Mercer, and could go around Walter McCarty, who is 6-10. Pitino
insists that Battie, who went through a growth spurt his first year of
college (he had entered as a 6-7 freshman), has the footwork to stay
with Hill as well as the shot-blocking ability to discourage soft
turnarounds.

So, just to be sure, this will help make the Celtics a playoff team?
Some of the players certainly believe it.

''I think that not only will we be a playoff team,'' Pierce added after
practice, ''I think we'll be fighting for that top spot in the East.''

Pierce was reminded that NBA neighborhoods are similar to neighborhoods
across the country: If you do something, your nosy neighbor may try to
do it  better. The Cavaliers will most likely have two lottery picks.
Same story with the Raptors. Both of those teams are ahead of the
Celtics now. They may choose to keep the picks they have or trade them
for established players.

If the Celtics are going to make the playoffs in 2000 they had better be
ready to leap a few people.