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Michael Holley Gets To The Point, Commenting On Barros, Jones, and Anderson
[The Boston Globe Online][Boston.com]
[Boston Globe Online / Sports]
Pitino has to get to the point
By Michael Holley, Globe Staff, 05/01/99
It doesn't matter what his plans
call for this summer. It doesn't
matter if he vacations in the suburban
beauty of Waltham or the sun-dappled bliss
of Miami. Wherever Rick Pitino decides to
spend his time at the end of this season,
the coach can take a few Celtic-related
thoughts on the road with him.
Pitino has to think about next season's
playoffs, a place he has all but
guaranteed his young team will be. He has
to think about re-signing Ron Mercer, a
very interesting task when you consider
that Mercer also has to decide if Boston
is where he wants to play. And, most
important, Pitino has to think about his
point guards.
Pitino has maintained that he likes Kenny
Anderson ''as a player and as a person.''
He has said that any insecurity Anderson
has about keeping residence in the 781
area code is self- inflicted insecurity.
Yes, that's what the coach has said. But
his team's point guard situation is, at
the least, provocative.
Anderson missed 13 games last month: one
because of a disciplinary move before a
game in Orlando, Fla., and 12 others due
to a hamstring injury. In those games, the
Celtics went 7-6. But it's not just that
they went 7-6; it's how they did it.
Their starting point guard is now
5-foot-11-inch Dana Barros. Earlier this
week, Pistons coach Alvin Gentry talked
about Barros being one of the most
underrated players in the league. He said
it because most people think of 3-point
shooting when they talk about Barros, even
though he has shown an ability to do much
more than that. He is a Player of the Week
candidate based on two breathtaking games
he had against Rod Strickland (Washington)
and Tim Hardaway (Miami). The two-game
totals:
FG-FGA^FT-TA^3PT-3PA^Ast^To^Min
16-18 ^7-8 ^8-8 ^16 ^8 ^58
Even if those are only two-game totals,
they are numbers that would cause any
coach to pause and think. We are talking
about 88 percent shooting from the field,
100 percent from 3-point range, 87 percent
from the free-throw line, and two assists
for every turnover. Where do you see stats
like that, other than in a generous
Rotisserie League?
After forcing Hardaway into a very
un-Hardawayesque 10-assist, nine-turnover
night Thursday, the man with a ''3''
tattoo on his right biceps talked about
something for which he is not known. ''I
was just trying to play as much defense as
possible, hoping he would tire
offensively,'' Barros said. ''He had an
off night and I happened to have a good
night.''
Barros didn't mention that his work helped
make both possible.
When Barros needs a breather, the player
usually replacing him is a former member
of the CBA's Idaho Stampede. His name is
Damon Jones. He is another point guard who
might affect the way Pitino thinks this
summer. Jones certainly can improve his
defense, but a plus is that he likes to
play it. Although he is closer to 6-1 1/2
than the 6-3 listed on the Celtics' media
materials, Jones's size is something else
the team likes. He has shown an ability to
shoot with range and his teammates
absolutely love his enthusiasm. He is
friendly with the Magic's Darrell
Armstrong, who bounced around the United
States Basketball League and Spanish
League before becoming a Sixth Man of the
Year/Most Improved Player candidate in
Orlando. Obviously, the Celtics are hoping
they have a similar story in Jones.
What it all means is that someone is
expendable, especially since few teams
hold on to three productive point guards.
Out of the three, Anderson's contract
(four years, $31 million) is the toughest
to move. Jones will be a free agent at the
end of the season. Barros will go into
next season with two years remaining at
comparatively short money (a total of $7.2
million).
Pitino and general manager Chris Wallace
undoubtedly had an offseason plan before
the Celtics were stricken with injuries.
Now that the injuries have come and the
point guards have performed, there is also
not a doubt that the plan will be revised.
Greg Minor has a minimal posterior rim
fracture on his right hip (slight crack on
his hipbone). The guard injured himself
against Miami. He will remain in New
England Baptist Hospital for further
tests, according to the team, and probably
will not require surgery. He will miss the
season's final three games ... <snip>
This story ran on page G03 of the Boston
Globe on 05/01/99.
© Copyright 1999 Globe Newspaper Company.