Peter May Mentions Will Perdue/Pierce's Intensity

[Mister Ghost <mister_ghost@yahoo.com>]

==
MG In Exile

_________________________________________________________
DO YOU YAHOO!?
Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com


                                [The Boston Globe Online][Boston.com]
                                [Boston Globe Online / Sports]

                           

                                CELTICS NOTEBOOK
                                Intensity the key for Pierce

                                By Peter May, Globe Staff, 03/09/99

                                CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Rick Pitino has a
                                simple request for Paul Pierce:
                                Don't lose the fire.

                                The Celtics coach saw a decidedly
                                ember-less Pierce Sunday in Toronto and
                                does not want to see one tonight against
                                the Hornets.

                                Pitino already has called on his trophy
                                rookie to be more active on offense in
                                terms of getting open, recognizing double
                                teams, and being less predictable. But all
                                of that boils down to one simple matter,
                                the coach said: Pierce is Pierce when the
                                fire is burning.

                                ''The key to Paul's greatness is his
                                intensity level,'' Pitino said yesterday
                                after a team workout at the Charlotte
                                Coliseum. ''Even in college, he had a
                                tendency to float a little. Paul has to be
                                intense. If he's intense, he's the best
                                rookie in the league and he's a future
                                great one. But if he loses his intensity,
                                he loses his game and he's not
                                extraordinary any longer.''

                                Pierce had only 7 points in the loss at
                                Toronto, his second single-digit output of
                                the season. He was outplayed and outscored
                                by Raptor frequent-flyer rookie Vince
                                Carter, who had 26 points. Pierce said he
                                knows he has to adjust to things that now
                                are being taken away from him, such as the
                                baseline drive, one of his favorites.

                                ''He has to learn to go middle instead of
                                baseline,'' Pitino said. ''And he has to
                                be like [ Ron] Mercer and catch the ball
                                in a triple-threat position [pass, shoot,
                                drive]. Now, he catches it standing up.''

                                And, if you've paid extra close attention,
                                you may have noticed that Pierce is
                                favoring underhand scoops when he drives
                                down the middle. Pitino would prefer that
                                Pierce keep the ball and go strong, just
                                like Carter.

                                Guarding Mercer

                                Pitino said there was nothing going on
                                with trade talk. Mercer continues to be
                                the most sought Celtic, but Pitino does
                                not want to even think about moving him.
                                ''I've got to be careful,'' he said. ''One
                                wrong move hurts what we have. If I make
                                the wrong move, we could be dead.'' That
                                must mean the Will Perdue rumors are just
                                that ... Charles Oakley, a longtime Pitino
                                favorite, had these kind words for the
                                Celtics after Toronto's win: ''We can't be
                                happy beating a team like that.'' ...
                                Pierce is wearing ''R.L. #45'' on his
                                sneakers in honor of injured former
                                teammate Raef LaFrentz... Eric Riley will
                                get a start at center tonight, and Pitino
                                said he's inclined to let the big guy stay
                                in the game and run the floor. Riley has
                                not played more than 12 minutes in any of
                                the last six games ... The Hornets haven't
                                played since Friday. Derrick Coleman, who
                                has a sprained right foot and missed the
                                loss to Washington that night, is listed
                                as questionable.

                                This story ran on page D03 of the Boston
                                Globe on 03/09/99.
                                © Copyright 1999 Globe Newspaper Company.