Who will start?

[Michael Joseph Byrnes <mbyrnes@leland.Stanford.EDU>]

Assuming that there are no more major personnel changes, I think that
there are only three players guaranteed to be in the starting lineup for
the Celtics: Kenny Anderson, Paul Pierce, and Antoine Walker.  And, while
Anderson will obviously be the point guard, it is too soon to say which
positions Pierce and Walker will start at.

The remaining two jobs will be up for grabs between Potapenko, Fortson,
Battie, Williams, and Cheaney, although Fortson probably has the inside
track for one of the two jobs.  

The more I think about the Celtics, the better I think they will be.  Here
are what I see as their biggest weaknesses:

1) Lack of depth at center/power forward.  The Celtics only have one true 
   center (Potapenko) and 2 power forwards who can fill in at center
   (Fortson, Battie).  But, this won't be a huge problem because most
   teams are not stocked with dominating big men.  Walker will probably
   get plenty of mintues at power forward, so depth up front shouldn't be
   a huge problem.  The Celtics lack of big men will only really be a
   problem if one of them gets injured, or if Potapenko and Fortson both 
   get into early foul trouble.  

2) Lack of a "true" 2 guard.  I haven't seen enough of Cheaney to know how
   well he plays the 2, but I do know that he was converted from small
   forward.  Can Pierce and Cheaney handle the ball well enough to play
   the 2?  Even if they can't, this doesn't have to be a huge problem
   because of Antoine Walker, who is about as good a ballhandling big man 
   as you're going to find.  

3) Which Kenny Anderson are we going to see?  The 1997-98 version, who 
   gave our struggling offense a huge jump start after he was acquired?
   Or last year's version, who often failed to push the tempo, and who
   let the offense be little more than "The One-on-One moves of Walker,
   Mercer, and Pierce".  I think that one of the reasons Pitino signed
   Wayne Turner was to send a message to Kenny Anderson.  

I think the Celtics will have a good year.  How good a year will depend on
Antoine Walker.  I tend to believe those who say that Walker "wants to
win".  His problem has been in understanding how to win.  Regardless of
how Walker plays, the Celtics should be able to finish over .500 this
year.  But, if Walker finally has matured, and is willing to take his
points in the flow of the offense, rather than forcing his offense, then the 
Celtics will be capable of a very good playoff run.  

Michael Byrnes
mbyrnes@stanford.edu