Bulpett on Griffin & Pot

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

      Boston Herald 

      Griffin worth wait 
      Celtics Notebook/by 
      Friday, November 5, 1999
      While the wonder of Adrian Griffin seems to emerge more every day, Rick 
      Pitino isn't taking too much credit for discovering the now 25-year-old 
      rookie. He knows that, if not for the circumstances, the Celtics might 
      have let him slip through their hands, as well. 
      ``Miami paid him $100,000 and then cut him,'' Pitino said yesterday of 
      Griffin's try with the Heat last season. ``They guaranteed him $100,000 to 
      come in, and then they cut him.
      ``You need time with Adrian,'' said the coach, preparing for a tough 
      weekend against Charlotte at the FleetCenter tonight and the Pacers in 
      Indiana tomorrow. ``What happened in Miami could have happened with us. If 
      we had spent three or four days with him in a short camp, it could have 
      happened. You have to spend a lot of time with him, and each day that goes 
      by you appreciate his skills more and more. We had him in two summer 
      leagues, and that sold us on him. I guess the best way to put him is that 
      you can't judge a book by its cover.''
      In two games, the reigning CBA MVP is averaging 11.5 points, 5.5 rebounds 
      and six assists while playing strong defense.
      Said Pitino, looking at the stat sheet from Wednesday's win over 
      Washington, ``Eight rebounds, five assists, four steals, one turnover - I 
      mean, that's a real valuable player.
      ``Adrian wants to score, but he knows that Antoine (Walker) and Paul 
      (Pierce) are the men on this basketball team. They're the go-to guys. So 
      he fills in so well with them and fits in so well. He knows when to take 
      advantage of situations. He has an uncanny knack of slapping the ball out 
      of someone's hand on a rebound and he plays much bigger than his size. I 
      wondered if he'd be nervous stepping into the starting lineup, and I know 
      now the young man does not have nerves.''
      Fortson takes aim
      Danny Fortson watched practice from the sideline, his fractured right foot 
      in its protective cast. The Celtics aren't talking about a target date for 
      his return, but ``I set one for myself just for the hell of it,'' he said. 
      ``I'm saying hopefully Christmastime. They're just telling me to stay off 
      my foot, keep my conditioning and eat good. And stay positive.''
      Dana Barros was back practicing after missing the first two games because 
      of his grandmother's death. He was doing extra work on the treadmill 
      following the session.
      Crowd takes a pass
      FleetCenter fans might do well to ask Pitino to share part of his salary. 
      The coach, after all, admits the word from the seats is reinforcing his 
      ball movement directives.
      ``The one thing that's so evident is that the players feel the crowd's 
      appreciation for unselfishness and passing,'' Pitino said. ``And it was 
      the direct opposite last year. The crowd took its venom on selfish play 
      and bad shots. They're going the opposite way now: `This is great 
      basketball; we're going to applaud the hell out of you guys.' You get 
      rewarded for unselfish play and appreciated for unselfish play.''
      The effect is technical, as well, now that the Celts have better talent.
      ``A team sometimes looks at, for instance, New Jersey and says, `If we 
      stop Stephon Marbury and (Keith) Van Horn, we've got a great shot to win.' 
      Well,'' Pitino said, ``with our basketball team, the depth is so strong 
      that, if you stop (Paul) Pierce, you've got Griffin who's going to step 
      up. You've got (Kenny) Anderson who's going to step up. If you stop 
      (Antoine) Walker, you've got Pierce stepping up and (Vitaly) Potapenko who 
      can step up. Eric Williams could step up. That's what makes it tough to 
      defend - when you've got that type of team, when everybody's unselfish.
      ``Like Paul said (Wednesday) night, `They're playing good defense on me, 
      let me get my teammates shots.' ''











      Boston Herald 

      Griffin worth wait 
      Celtics Notebook/by 
      Friday, November 5, 1999
      While the wonder of Adrian Griffin seems to emerge more every day, Rick 
      Pitino isn't taking too much credit for discovering the now 25-year-old 
      rookie. He knows that, if not for the circumstances, the Celtics might 
      have let him slip through their hands, as well. 
      ``Miami paid him $100,000 and then cut him,'' Pitino said yesterday of 
      Griffin's try with the Heat last season. ``They guaranteed him $100,000 to 
      come in, and then they cut him.
      ``You need time with Adrian,'' said the coach, preparing for a tough 
      weekend against Charlotte at the FleetCenter tonight and the Pacers in 
      Indiana tomorrow. ``What happened in Miami could have happened with us. If 
      we had spent three or four days with him in a short camp, it could have 
      happened. You have to spend a lot of time with him, and each day that goes 
      by you appreciate his skills more and more. We had him in two summer 
      leagues, and that sold us on him. I guess the best way to put him is that 
      you can't judge a book by its cover.''
      In two games, the reigning CBA MVP is averaging 11.5 points, 5.5 rebounds 
      and six assists while playing strong defense.
      Said Pitino, looking at the stat sheet from Wednesday's win over 
      Washington, ``Eight rebounds, five assists, four steals, one turnover - I 
      mean, that's a real valuable player.
      ``Adrian wants to score, but he knows that Antoine (Walker) and Paul 
      (Pierce) are the men on this basketball team. They're the go-to guys. So 
      he fills in so well with them and fits in so well. He knows when to take 
      advantage of situations. He has an uncanny knack of slapping the ball out 
      of someone's hand on a rebound and he plays much bigger than his size. I 
      wondered if he'd be nervous stepping into the starting lineup, and I know 
      now the young man does not have nerves.''
      Fortson takes aim
      Danny Fortson watched practice from the sideline, his fractured right foot 
      in its protective cast. The Celtics aren't talking about a target date for 
      his return, but ``I set one for myself just for the hell of it,'' he said. 
      ``I'm saying hopefully Christmastime. They're just telling me to stay off 
      my foot, keep my conditioning and eat good. And stay positive.''
      Dana Barros was back practicing after missing the first two games because 
      of his grandmother's death. He was doing extra work on the treadmill 
      following the session.
      Crowd takes a pass
      FleetCenter fans might do well to ask Pitino to share part of his salary. 
      The coach, after all, admits the word from the seats is reinforcing his 
      ball movement directives.
      ``The one thing that's so evident is that the players feel the crowd's 
      appreciation for unselfishness and passing,'' Pitino said. ``And it was 
      the direct opposite last year. The crowd took its venom on selfish play 
      and bad shots. They're going the opposite way now: `This is great 
      basketball; we're going to applaud the hell out of you guys.' You get 
      rewarded for unselfish play and appreciated for unselfish play.''
      The effect is technical, as well, now that the Celts have better talent.
      ``A team sometimes looks at, for instance, New Jersey and says, `If we 
      stop Stephon Marbury and (Keith) Van Horn, we've got a great shot to win.' 
      Well,'' Pitino said, ``with our basketball team, the depth is so strong 
      that, if you stop (Paul) Pierce, you've got Griffin who's going to step 
      up. You've got (Kenny) Anderson who's going to step up. If you stop 
      (Antoine) Walker, you've got Pierce stepping up and (Vitaly) Potapenko who 
      can step up. Eric Williams could step up. That's what makes it tough to 
      defend - when you've got that type of team, when everybody's unselfish.
      ``Like Paul said (Wednesday) night, `They're playing good defense on me, 
      let me get my teammates shots.' ''