Charlotte Observer: Pierce Deals With March Slide

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

                          [Oreck]

 [charlotte.com]

 ---------------------------------------------------------
 Published Tuesday, March 30, 1999

 Pierce deals with lengthy March slide

                       By JOE BURRIS
                       Boston Globe

 BOSTON -- It happens all too often in the NBA. A newcomer
 gets off to an exceptional start, making himself an early
 candidate for rookie of the year. Then comes the initial
 setback.

 Celtics rookie Paul Pierce is trying to overcome a March
 filled with setbacks, which followed a February in which
 he earned rookie of the month honors and was considered
 among the leading candidates for rookie of the year.

 In Boston's 101-93 loss to Indiana Sunday, Pierce had his
 best game in weeks, scoring 18 points on 5-for-11
 shooting. He scored more points in the second half (12)
 than any of his single-game totals over the previous five
 contests.

 ``For the last five to six games, I haven't been
 aggressive on offense. Hopefully, I can get back in the
 right direction now,'' said Pierce, the 10th pick out of
 Kansas in last summer's draft. ``(Sunday) was the best
 I've played for a while.

 Pierce entered Sunday's contest tops among NBA rookies in
 rebounding, second in points per game, steals, and
 three-point field goal percentage, and third in blocked
 shots. His averages of 20.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.7
 steals in February earned him the league's rookie honor.

 Then came March 1, when Pierce missed two free throws in
 the closing seconds of Boston's 99-97 loss to New Jersey.
 Though he denied reports on Sunday that coach Rick Pitino
 criticized him for costing the team the game, Pierce did
 admit the misfires damaged his confidence.

 On March 9 against Charlotte, he sprained his right ankle
 in the first half and did not return. He missed the next
 two games. In his first game back from the injury, Pierce
 scored 15 points on 5-for-8 shooting against Indiana.

 But then he began struggling. He said since the ankle
 injury he has been hesitant to drive to the hoop, and
 added the opposition is working harder to shut down his
 game, playing him more aggressively and often
 double-teaming him.

 ``I'm still trying to get my head back to where it was at
 the beginning of the season,'' said Pierce, who said the
 ankle is no longer a problem.

 Pierce said he believes the adjustments will make him a
 smarter player, one who could last after other newcomers
 have faded.

 ``It's a learning process for me. I think I'm going to be
 in this league a long time, so it's something I have to
 adjust to, especially during the first couple of years.''