Profile Of New Celtic Adrian Griffin

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@ix.netcom.com>]

He's made the club.....

      Boston Herald       

      Celts savor play of CBA refugee
      by Mark COfman 
      Wednesday, July 28, 1999
      Fans attending Shaw's Pro Summer League games at UMass-Boston this week 
      will see their share of creative dunks, fancy crossover dribbles and 
      sky-walking blocked shots. That's fine for entertainment value.
      Likely to be lost in the shuffle of the show-stopping stuff, however, is a 
      steady but unspectacular floor game, a game predicated on quiet 
      efficiency, a game with a blue-collar edge.
      A game similar to that of Adrian Griffin, who hopes to earn a roster spot 
      with the Celtics when training camp begins in October.
      ``If I had to describe my game, I think the word I would use is 
      balanced,'' Griffin said before last night's game against the German 
      Select Team. ``What I've always tried to do as a player is maintain a 
      strong balance of skills and continue to work hard on my entire game - not 
      just the stuff that might look good on a stat sheet.
      ``I think one of the most important things for a player is to know his 
      strengths and limitations, then play to his strengths as much as possible. 
      For me that means taking advantage of my size, strength and my all-around 
      game.''
      His formula for success appears to be working. Among the non-roster 
      invitees playing for the Celtics this week, Griffin has emerged as the 
      favorite to stick around when the games count for real. The 6-foot-5 
      swingman has impressed Celtics management with his versatility, court 
      sense and a refreshing command of the fundamentals. Not exactly the stuff 
      of highlight reels, but effective nonetheless.
      ``He had been the MVP in the CBA (last season) and I had two people come 
      up to me to tell me about him,'' Celtics coach Rick Pitino said yesterday. 
      ``I asked them, `What exactly made him the MVP?'
      ``They told me to simply watch him for a week. They said if you watch him 
      for a week, you'll fall in love with him. That's exactly what happened.''
      Handing over the bench-coaching duties to assistant Jim O'Brien, Pitino 
      watched Griffin perform for the Celtics earlier this month at the Fila Pro 
      Summer League in Long Beach, Calif. O'Brien is coaching the team again 
      this week, leaving Pitino with the primary task of scouting his prospects.
      ``Adrian was with us for 11 days (in Long Beach) and made one mistake in 
      that time. I've never seen that,'' said Pitino. ``I really like him a lot. 
      He's a wonderful person with wonderful work habits, and he makes the team 
      better with his presence on the floor.''
      The Celtics could certainly use more of those types of players. They are 
      hoping to turn the tables on a disappointing 19-31 lockout-shortened 
      season by crashing the playoffs for the first time since 1995. Roster 
      openings do exist. And Griffin is doing all he can to nail one down before 
      the weather turns cold.
      ``I feel good about my chances of sticking here, but in my situation you 
      definitely take it one day at a time,'' he said. ``We won all eight games 
      out in Long Beach and the first game here, so a lot of guys who have 
      played for the Celtics this summer have done something positive to improve 
      their chances.
      ``So I won't get ahead of myself. I'm just going to go out there and do 
      the same things I've always done as a player and hope that's enough to 
      impress this organization. Obviously, I'd love to stay. It'd be a dream 
      come true.''