Re: Shaky ground

[j.hironaka@unesco.org]

Gene Kirkpatrick wrote:

> I think a big difference between our hoped for success this season and
> the success others envision is the "key players" situation.  Most
> other teams have questions about their number 4 or 5 players or their
> bench.  We're concerned about the heart and soul of our
> lineup--Antoine.  And beyond that, we worry about our point guard.
> The middle level of our starting five may be solid--Pierce and VP--but
> we could have real problems if Antoine and Kenny don't get with the
> program.
>
> Add to that the unknown of Danny Fortson and whether he can work his
> game into our system.  It's our big name people who have to come
> through for us.  The Spurs know Duncan and Robinson will be solid.
> The Sixers know their top players will produce, and Milwaukee and the
> Pacers, etc.  Anyway, that's what is on my mind.  That's why we could
> be a 33 win team or a 53 win team.  Not many teams face such
> uncertainty.

Very well said, Gene. That sums it up for me too. I agree that the season
basically comes down to what our two highest paid players do. Mainly it
comes down to Antoine Walker getting his act together.

For most people, I think the big question is how much time it will take
for three young starters to adapt to a new NBA position (power forward,
small forward, shooting guard). The fear is that the team will fall below
.500 while undergoing growing pains in the opening 20 games of the season.
Hopefully their ability to for the first time compete on the boards and
draw fouls will keep them in some of those early games. Also, the Celts
finally have added NBA experience and depth on the bench with three vets
who have averaged 15ppg or more in recent seasons (Barros, Cheaney, E
Williams) to complement the athleticism of Battie and McCarty. Two years
ago, Pitino's bench was almost entirely made up of NBA castoffs comparable
to the unproven Adrian Griffin, Wayne Turner, Eric Washington and Kris
Clack on our present roster.

Cheers,

Joe

Below is an NBA.COM about Paul Pierce's goodwill trip to Asia.

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TAIPEI, TAIWAN, August 8 — Two of the NBA's rising young stars, Paul
Pierce of the Boston Celtics and Shareef Abdur-Rahim of the Vancouver
Grizzlies, thrilled thousands of hoop fans with an engaging display of
basketball skills at the third and last day of the 1999 Taiwan NBA Jam
Session on August 8.

The pair, both small forwards with their respective NBA teams, first
demonstrated basic skills such as dribbling and shooting, then challenged
the crowd to a variety of basketball games.  These interactive contests
included a 3-point shooting competition and two-on-two matches which
pitted the NBA players against pairs of lucky fans picked out of the
crowd.

The star players and fans also teamed up to delight the crowd with a
modified game of  H-O-R-S-E .  First Pierce and Shareef  performed
intricate slam dunks on the 10-foot rim on one end of the Jam Session's
Center Court, Taiwan fans were then asked to copy the professionals, but
using the 8-foot Slam Dunk rim at the other end of the Jam Session's
Center Court.

Both players revealed the secret of the success today; Pierce attributed
his achievements to date to hard work and competitiveness which he learned
from his mother, who also plays basketball herself, and who worked really
hard to rear three kids. Abdur-Rahim paid tribute to his father for
getting him started on basketball, who first put a basketball in his hand
when he was six, and for helping him get to where he is now.

"I am happy to be in Taiwan, to see a different culture and its great to
know that kids out here love basketball and the NBA," said Shareef
Abdur-Rahim. Paul Pierce echoed the same sentiment and was highly
impressed with the enthusiasm and the level of basketball skills of the
Taiwan fans in attendance......
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