A further team/game analysis

[Gregory Odegaard <grodeg@kalama.com>]

I got something close to my  8 hours of beauty sleep, and feel like the proverbial day after.  To answer one post, Mercer not only was very tired, but definitely shows the ongoing affect of his injury.  I believe we must find a way for all 3 "middle" players (AW, RM, PP) to get their 38+ minutes nearly every game.  I applaud  the concept Warwick presented that allows this to occur while also recognizing the truly amazing talent that Tony Battie can and should be.  He may be best suited at the 4 and AW may be suited at the 3, especially in light of his total offensive package.  He does remind one of Bird in his passing, but unfortunately not yet in you lack of control or leadership.  To be fair God is not going to put another Larry Bird on this planet, or least the odds aren't good he will come to Boston.  

Except that Paul Pierce is truly amazing.  My list friends, I am truly humbled to come to this realization so late in this early season, and I will be shopping soon for the right small dish that will allow me to see more Celtics games in my hick, back country back water home, because I cannot wait to watch PP play live again.  As a true fan of the team, I was a little emotional watching him perform.  We should feel as lucky as we have noted that he fell to 10.  Is PP a Larry Bird, well when the numbers were given out, he fell into the sequence of greatness, at 34, next to Bird, Reggie, and Mchale.

Battie could be an all-star too.  A stretch to some, and joke to many in Denver, but it will not be at center.  Warwick makes  a decent argument for shifting the starting line-up.  I do believe though we will not win a title without a classic PG, and I am mostly tired of this ongoing discussion, except to say Kenny may not be the one, and that I think this is where our draft pick will be best served this year.  Williams was had at 7 and he may be a once in an every 3 or 4 year find as well, but there is someone in this years bunch that could come close and we must key on this deal.  I appreciate the ongoing analysis of some list members to the PG draft class of 99.  There will not a starting center available, and we must not continue to make the limited minutes at the 2 and 3 spots a problem by drafting for talent here, unless Odom falls into our lap too, and then trade, trade, trade for a center.  Remember McCarty will return has a new long term deal and likely is here to stay, which is fine by me, as a 7th or 8th man.  I believe we must do everything possible to dump Minor even if it means eating the deal, like Radja and Jones, as he is taking up the space of a developing undrafted PG like a Garnett or whoever.  

Kenny definitely has the skills and is fun at times to watch.  He could be a star on the right team like Seattle where they need a scoring PG to not only lead the team, but the team in points as well.  Damon in Portland is another example of this.  Having not seen many actual games, I cannot understand myself what gives with his game.  I was at his first game a year old nearly to the day, in the big win in Seattle.  I reported at the time, that he was brilliant, and for all the true PG reasons.  We all preached late last year, even more so after he was hurt, about he made this young team better, especially Walker, with his shooting % rising accordingly, so what gives now?  I can truly hope that this will be priority #1 at every practice until it can move to #2, as we will stall at .500 ball until Kenny gets over the hump, or he moves on.

I won't go into anymore detail about Mercer and Antoine, I am clear on their roles and long term intentions. I can only hope that RP can fit them and Pierce, as noted into the right spots so they can stay together for 10 years.  We can win titles with these 3 in the middle of the line-up. 

Though the balance of the bench is serviceable, and when we do get to championship level play the rotation will never include more than 9 or 10 guys at the most, I see real weaknesses here as is clear.  Barros has talent, in a very limited role.  He can't really play back-up PG most nights, and we shouldn't kid ourselves that he can, he is a 15 minutes a game scorer and spot defender, PERIOD.  Now that is ok, but to force him into being more is not going to cut it ever.  Bowen is nice. He too plays a very limited role and can definitely be the real 10th man we need to succeed.  I am all for paying him fairly, never hyping his long term role, and be thankful he puts it all on the line with little problem every minute each night.  Popeye is a little bit of an unknown right now. As I mentioned in my report as did the Blazer radio dudes, he can be a starter if healthy and in the proper alignment.  He should not be a starting center, 9 nights out of 10, and how does he fit in with AW and Battie at PF?  I do believe he fits well as player number 9 on the bench, maybe 8.  I like DQ a lot too, but he is hard to define.  He fits well at the 8 or 9 bench spot, and I believe he should stay around.  Shinsplints shouldn't be around and won't once McCarty returns.  Nothing personal man, but your days are past, MAYBE he could be a cheap 12th man with 6 fouls to give, but this is a stretch on a very good team.  Riley, now one game does not an impression make, so be it. He did not belong on an NBA court last night.  In light on our developing status as a team, I say give him 10 minutes, but RP must have a short leash with this young and very smallish tall guy.  I have made my piece on Minor.

My current team goes like this:

PG: Anderson/Barros
SG: Mercer/Bowen/Minor
SF: Pierce/McCarty
PF: Walker/Popeye
C: Battie/DQ/Riley

I say move Minor to fit McCarty in and dump Shinsplints soon, to allow for a 3rd and true PG.

Next season either draft a future PG or go after one in the FA market with what coin we have, and of course figure out some miracle of a way to get a something closer to a true starting NBA center.  How I haven't a clue.  

I am starting to believe that RP is going to have to make this "system" start clicking (I believe to a degree this entire season should be an extended training camp) or he has to admit his mistake and move to a more traditional half court game, or he must be replaced.  I like him, think and know he can succeed, as he does have Celtic Pride, but come on Rick either use it or lose it.  We have too high expectations around to see an ongoing experiment.  I will not worry for this concept this year, but will have little patience for failure in the next season.

On a last note.  I came to a fork in the road last night.  I will never run down or bad mouth a list member, regardless of how pathetic they are, on the list again.  I don't have the time and patience, and too many of my "friends" here are probably sick of it and would rather I quit letting teenagers get to me so badly.  Life is short people. We got clearly bigger fish to fry, and more importantly I have to be above this drivel.  Thanks for even the one person who is still reading at this point, and also thanks for your patience in my ramblings oh these many years.  After doing a game report for real, I take this opportunity to be heard on this list too importantly to waste your time or trivialize it.

Thank you and have a great weekend, and here's to returning to Boston 4-4 after a win tomorrow in Washington,
Greg Odegaard