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Michael Holley Explains Where Antoine Is And Other Celtics Mysteries
Okay, mea culpas. I guess the 'Toine has a legitimate excuse....
[The Boston Globe Online][Boston.com]
[Boston Globe Online / Sports]
In case you're wondering...
Some answers to lockout questions
By Michael Holley, Globe Staff, 01/15/99
The NBA ended its lockout nine days ago, meaning people no longer
have to ask if there will be a season before October 1999. But
that's only one answered question. There are several post-lockout questions
still in need of answers. Here are eight of them.
Question 1: Where's Antoine?
A week ago, Antoine Walker said he would be in Boston Tuesday. Today is
Friday. Walker is not in Boston. Many have wondered if the third-year
Celtics forward plans to ride into the North End from Chicago via horseback.
There has also been speculation that the Celtics do not know of his
whereabouts and are unhappy with his absence from the team's voluntary
strength and conditioning program.
Answer: Walker is in Chicago. The Celtics know this because they have talked
with him several times this week. The talks have not been acrimonious. No
one is disappointed or angry with anyone else. Walker was originally booked
on an American Airlines flight from Chicago to Boston Monday. His original
flight and several later ones were canceled. The next day, he began taking
care of some personal and family business which would keep him in Chicago
until the end of the week. He called Rick Pitino and told him that; the
coach said it was OK.
''I'm not worried about Antoine,'' Pitino said yesterday. ''I know he's just
not at home doing nothing. I know he's in shape. He's a basketball junkie.
Some guys play golf for their enjoyment. Not Antoine. His enjoyment is
playing basketball, watching basketball, and talking about basketball.''
Question 2: Why isn't Pitino angry at Walker, the team captain, for not
being here?
Answer: The coach has known Walker long enough to know that he keeps himself
in shape. He works out for three hours each day. And since the coach is also
an author, he is familiar with dictionaries. In them, he has come across the
word ''voluntary'' and learned its meaning.
Question 3: Where's Dontae?
Dontae Jones, a man who truly knows the art of watching a game, has not been
spotted yet. Jones knows how to watch because, of a possible 164 games he
could have played in his career, he has appeared in 15. And in those 15, he
averaged six minutes. And in those six minutes, he found a way to take only
five fewer 3-pointers than Ron Mercer. Jones is loved by his teammates
because of his wit. He tends to annoy his coaches because of his sense of
time (he set a Knicks record with more than $80,000 in fines in 1996-97).
Answer: Well, let's just say the Celtics aren't looking for him. He will
most likely be a Celtic because they will not be able to find many teams
willing to trade for him, unless it is part of a larger package. But when -
or if - he does come here, he will go back to watching. Paul Pierce, Walter
McCarty, Bruce Bowen, Mercer, and Greg Minor will take any minutes he could
receive.
Question 4: What's up with the schedule?
You may be wondering when Larry Bird and the Pacers are coming to the
FleetCenter. You may be wondering when you can buy a single-game ticket for
a night of watching Knicks, Nets, or Cavaliers. You may be wondering because
the NBA schedule has not been released.
Answer: Word is that the schedule will be complete Tuesday. At that time,
teams could put their tickets on sale. Pitino and the Celtics are not
eagerly anticipating the schedule's release.
''It's going to be a bad schedule,'' the coach predicted.
Since the FleetCenter is booked for most of February, the Celtics will
almost certainly spend most of the month on the road.
Question 5: Why do players and coaches talk about Shaun Brown with such
reverence?
Brown is the team's strength and conditioning coach. He and trainer Ed
Lacerte have supervised the team's voluntary workouts at Brandeis.
Answer: Brown may be the most important Celtic in the first few weeks of the
season. Everyone acknowledges that conditioning will be a factor early. So
Brown is the man trying to make sure the Celtics have conditioning as an
advantage. Long before the lockout, he gave the players a workout plan to
follow.
''Whatever you ask him to do, he finds a way to make it happen,'' Pitino
said. ''I've seen him take 100 pounds off [current 76er] Nazr Mohammed and
help him keep it off. I've seen him put 30 pounds on Walter McCarty.''
Question 6: McCarty has a thimble-thin body and has trouble keeping on
weight. How did he gain 30 pounds?
Answer: Brown put him on an amazing 12,000-calorie diet.
Question 7: Will the Celtics be able to sign Popeye Jones or anyone else?
Answer: Going strictly by the numbers, the Celtics have a one-in-six chance
of adding the 6-foot-8-inch Jones, an above-average rebounder. That's how
many teams, at least, are in pursuit. The number could be as high as 12. If
Jones does not stay, the Celtics still have options for bringing in decent
big men. They have a little more than $1 million to use if Pervis Ellison is
out for the season. They can also use an additional $1.7 million exception
as a starting point for another free agent. That won't be enough to get Matt
Geiger, but it can lure some big men to the parquet.
Question 8: Antoine Walker wears No. 8. Where is he again?
Answer: In Chicago. En route to Boston. Via airplane.
This story ran on page E04 of the Boston Globe on 01/15/99.
© Copyright 1999 Globe Newspaper Company.