| 7.28.99 00:45:43
CELTICS Pitino's ship going all ahead full | ||
By KEVIN McNAMARA Journal Sports Writer BOSTON -- It's a running joke among Boston Celtic insiders this week that assistant coach Jim O'Brien could break down if his unbeaten summer league win streak is snapped. Then again, maybe it isn't a joke at all. It shouldn't be much of a surprise that the Celtics are now unbeaten in 10 summer league games. The latest was a 118-71 triumph over the German Select team last night at UMass-Boston in the Shaw's Pro Summer League. After all these are the Celtics and this is Rick Pitino's ship. That means hard work for everyone. ``I'm not surprised,'' said second-round pick Kris Clack. ``Rick Pitino is a work-a-holic. I knew we'd work real hard. He's won championships and wants all the players to work very hard.'' How serious are the Celtics taking this summer league stuff? Consider this. The Celts blitzed to a perfect 8-0 record at a league in Long Beach, Calif., wrapping up play last Tuesday. Just two days later, work for the Boston league began with Pitino and O'Brien leading many of the same players through intense two-a-day workouts at the team's practice facility in Waltham. The NBA has always run summer leagues but more teams are taking part now. The Celtics are using their two weeks of summer play mainly to get a little work in for some veterans, but mostly to fill up the end of the bench for next season's team. The Celtics currently have 12 players under contract for next season but it's a very `soft' 12. Pervis Ellison and Greg Minor have injuries that could keep them out for extended periods. Dwayne Schintzius is also under contract, but he could be bought out at a low price. ``We have two openings,'' is the way Pitino summarized his roster availability. ``We also could pull a trade off and get more openings. You have to be prepared for anything and that's what this is for.'' Towards that end, the Celtics think they've found a keeper for the end of their bench in ex-Seton Hall guard Adrian Griffin. The MVP of the Continental Basketball Association, Griffin isn't blessed with great athleticism but is a crafty lefty who knows when to pass, when to shoot and where to be on the floor at all times. In today's NBA, that a rarity. ``We found in Long Beach an Adrian Griffin who's a player who doesn't make a mistake, was the MVP of the CBA and a guy we now have a good chance to sign,'' Pitino said. Perhaps the summer's most important development came also came in Long Beach. The Celts made sure to play Paul Pierce at shooting guard in the games, a switch from the small forward spot he shined in as a rookie. He responded by pouring in a team-high 23.6 points. ``Now we know Paul can play two-guard. That's invaluable for us,'' Pitino said. That result could make it easier for Pitino to part with the team's regular shooting guard, Ron Mercer. Mercer is entering the third and final year on his contract and negotiations for an extension aren't going well. The Celtics like Mercer, but don't want to give him a long-term, big-money contract like the team showered on Antoine Walker. Mercer wants a big payday and feels he can get it somewhere else if Boston isn't willing to open the wallet. Towards that end, Pitino and Chris Wallace spent much of the afternoon on cell phones. They wouldn't say if any of the talk concerned trades but no player moves can be announced until Aug. 1. What no one wants to even breathe a word about is the chance for a player like Pierce, Walter McCarty or Tony Battie to suffer an injury in a summer league game. Off-seasons used to be about kicking back and getting ready for training camp. Now it's like training camp all the time. ``Guys can get hurt shooting in their driveways or at the pool in a resort,'' Wallace said. ``They have to stay in shape and this is as structured a setting as you can find.'' NOTES: It wasn't a very good day for PC alumns in the league. Knick guard God Shammgod didn't play a minute in the second half of a 85-78 loss to Seattle. He finished with three points, three assists and two turnovers in 13 minutes. . . . Washington edged New Jersey, 93-90. For the Nets, Eric Murdock scored six points and had seven assists in 22 minutes. Jamel Thomas hit 2 of 7 shots for six points in 14 minutes. . . . Play continues today. The teams are off tomorrow but then pick up for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. | ||
