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Isiah Thomas Analyzes The Celtics
[The Boston Globe Online][Boston.com]
[Boston Globe Online / Sports]
SPORTVIEW
Celtics fertile for analysis
By Howard Manly, Globe Staff, 03/28/99
Isiah Thomas has a way of getting
underneath Celtic pride. The NBC
analyst has read recent accounts of Rick
Pitino's public beatings and, quite
frankly, is a little taken aback.
''I wonder what they are saying about M.L.
now,'' Thomas quipped.
Ouch.
M.L. Carr was widely perceived as one of
the weakest coaches in Celtics history,
but it's interesting to note just how low
Pitino has dropped, especially considering
that he really is a stand-up guy.
Today the Celtics play the Indiana Pacers
at the FleetCenter at 12:30 p.m. An hour
earlier, ''The Rick Pitino Show,'' hosted
by Bob Lobel, airs on Channel 4. Lobel
said he asked the coach a range of
questions, starting with a deadpan, ''How
are things going?''
''I wasn't a jerk about it,'' Lobel said.
''I could have been confrontational, but
what's the point? This isn't Kosovo. It's
just losing basketball games.''
NBC's Peter Vescey also got a piece of
Pitino. Vescey interviewed him yesterday
for a segment that airs during NBC's ''NBA
Showtime'' at noon today.
At least Pitino isn't hiding.
Thomas said Pitino inherited basically an
expansion team that ''from a talent
standpoint was along the same line as
Toronto and Vancouver.''
''Pitino is being honest,'' Thomas said.
''Some people do not want to hear the
flat-out truth. But the system he is
trying to implement and the players he
needs to do that requires patience. He is
trying to build something. But people in
Boston are unaccustomed to Pitino's style
of play. They are used to having big guys,
starting with the Russell years and
through Bird, McHale, Parish, and
Walton.''
Thomas said the booing at the FleetCenter
is not necessarily a bad thing.
''Back in the old days, booing was the
ultimate sign of respect,'' Thomas said,
recalling his days with the Detroit
Pistons. ''That is why you have to respect
cities like Boston and New York. If the
team is winning, the fans support you like
crazy. If you lose, they are coming for
you. But I'd rather have fans come and boo
than not show up at all.''
But booing can be tough.
''It's like your first girlfriend telling
you that it's over,'' Thomas said.
Thomas has moved from game analyst to
studio analyst. He enjoys the new job more
because he is able to talk about a wide
range of issues.
He said Toronto's Vince Carter is on track
to be Rookie of the Year, and he likes the
way Allen Iverson is playing and Larry
Brown is coaching the Sixers.
But the Lakers are the story.
''It's the greatest show in the NBA,''
Thomas said, ''not because of the way they
are playing but because of all the
personalities. Going into the season, the
Lakers were one of the more stable teams
in the league. You would have thought that
Del Harris would have had more job
security than Chris Ford.''
The trade sending Eddie Jones and Elden
Campbell to Charlotte for Glen Rice and
J.R. Reid has left the Lakers dependent on
the undependable Dennis Rodman.
''When Shaq goes out of a game, the Lakers
become a very small team and not a good
defensive team,'' Thomas said.
But defense in general is a mystery to
Thomas.
''How is it that summer pro league teams
average 130 points a game, and when the
season starts teams are scoring only 70
points?'' he said. ''You can't tell me
that the defense is that good. It doesn't
make sense. Nor can I accept the theory
that the low scoring is the fault of only
the players.''
Thomas said the burden falls on the
coaches.
''The defense just ain't that good in the
league,'' Thomas said. <snip>
This story ran on page C05 of the Boston
Globe on 03/28/99.
© Copyright 1999 Globe Newspaper Company.