excellent post

[Josh Ozersky <josh_ozersky@yahoo.com>]

This is by far the most intelligent post I have read on here in the
past week.  The bottom line is nobody knows what's going on.  I for
one am baffled by why neither Peter May, Rick Pitino, Steve Bulpett,
or anyone else thinks that rebounding or pivot play is what is causing
this.  The team's problem is that its offense is stuck in neutral. 
Last year's team, in late season form, would be killing most of the
team's we played.  Hell, Washington only scored 86 points on us! 
Adding Paul Pierce should make us man-eater-uppers on the offensive
end, and Eric Riley  is a significant upgrade over Andrew and bananna
boy defensively, I don't care what anybody says.  I wish Rick would
stop pulling him everytime he gets a couple of fouls.  On paper we
should be dominating.  But guys are out of shape.  The more I play
myself at the Y, the more I understand why Kenny looks so bad.  When
guys are cutting and moving, you can lead them to the hoop, run the
pick and roll, whatever.  When guys are standing around, there's
nothing for it but to drive and either kick or score.  That's what's
going on with Kenny, but he's lost some speed from being out of shape
and putting on muscle.  And his handle isn't where it should be. 
Those pickup games must be real shitbird sessions.  Pitino must be
pulling his hair out.  I expect him the prepare the team very well for
the game against Orlando.  Look for a win on Wednesday.  If we do get
beat, it won't be by Bo Outlaw and Nick Anderson.  And if Penny beats
us, he'll have to earn it.  I want to see us make them respond to
Antoine.  Jim's point is incredibly to the point here -- Antoine needs
to get his post moves under control.  He could take a page out of
Pierce's book there, or Terry Cumming's for that matter.





---Jim Meninno  wrote:
>
> OK, something's wrong with the Celtics.  But what?  3-5 wouldn't be
so 
> bad considering the schedule, if two of the three wins weren't so 
> unconvincing.  They're playing pretty poor ball, there's no doubt
about 
> it.  I guess we could all just pin it all on Pitino's inability to
coach 
> at the pro level and be done with it.  Of course, then we'd all slit
our 
> wrists and there'd be no one left to carry on these engrossing 
> discussions.  So, here are my thoughts on a few problem areas.
> 
> Antoine Walker:  Claims about his ego causing problems this year seem 
> totally groundless to me.  He seems to be deliberately taking a
lesser 
> role in the offense and that's the way it has to be.  I also don't
think 
> there's anything to the claims that Kenny's not trying to get him the 
> ball as much as the others.  With the addition of Paul Pierce,
Antoine 
> seems to be taking far fewer outside shots.  If Pierce were a 6'11" 
> inside player, Antoine would have probably moved outside more. 
That's 
> the great thing about him, he has so many options.  The problem I
see, 
> though, is that his inside moves have been awful this year.  His
shot's 
> getting blocked far too often.  Someone on the list said a while ago, 
> "it's called a fake, Antoine, try using one".  His inside game is
based 
> on speed.  He hasn't learned that, once his speed gets him by the
guy, 
> he needs to take his time.  He's either taking the ball up too
quickly 
> and getting blocked, or rushing wide open shots and blowing layups.  
> Also, at times I believe he's the only player in the league that gets 
> called for travelling.  Antoine needs to spend every waking moment 
> becoming more comfortable with his post up moves.  Instead of a
shooting 
> coach, this team needs a big man coach to teach back to the basket 
> moves.  With Pierce's range and ability to drive, there's no reason
he 
> and 'Toine couldn't run an awesome half court 2 man game.  And, with 
> Mercer waiting on the weak side to punish the double teams, forget
about 
> it.
> 
> Kenny Anderson:  Out of shape?  Being asked to think more about
defense 
> than ever?  Just plain rusty?  I'll believe any of these.
> 
> Center:  They all suck, we know that.  But they sucked last year too, 
> and the team managed to put together some decent games.  This is a 
> problem that needs to be addressed, but it is not the cause of their 
> current poor play.
> 
> Chemistry:  I think there's been a greater change to the overall team 
> than was evident at first.  Paul Pierce is a terrific player, but he
has 
> changed the entire teams offense.  Unfortunately that means the team 
> needs to figure out how to use each other effectively again. 
Remember 
> how bad they played in the stretch after opening night last year? 
> 
> If I were Pitino:  I'd try starting Bowen and Anderson together, with 
> Mercer giving the bench some scoring punch.  I'd think about resting 
> some bench players for whole games, especially once Walter gets back. 
> I'd start looking for college points with some size and a decent shot 
> and let them come along slowly behind Kenny.  I'd stockpile second
round 
> draft picks and draft every foreign player over 6'10" I could find. 
> 
> Jim
> 
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