One last gloat -- bskball.com column

["Ozersky, Joshua A" <OzerskyJA@corning.com>]

Running Wild

Celtics Fans endured many indignities leading up to this day.  As I write this, the Celtics are two and oh, having dispatched the Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards in successive nights, in successive blowouts, using all the tools which we loyalists said they would.  There was the old passing synergy, which even our enemies have hailed as practically a franchise trademark; there is commitment on defense from everybody, a selective and thus surprising use of the press, intense and varying contributions from everybody on the team, and collectively, a big screw-you to mssrs. Peter May, Dave D'allesandro, Peter Vescey, and all the other highly paid prognosticators who summarily dumped on the celtics during the offseason and in unanimous previews.  

Nobody thought the Celtics would be any good. And you know what?  The Celtics may not be any good.  They may lose a dozen games in a row.  But at this moment, the people who bleed green hold the reality card.  NOW - not in 1986, not in 1991 - but NOW, the Celtics are a force to be reckoned with.  They are deep, and talented, and playing with a chemistry not easily found by most professionals, and not easily lost, either.  Without the services of Danny Fortson, the league's best per-minute rebounder, they have outrebounded the highly-praised frontcourts of Toronto and Washington.  Charles Oakley and Kevin Willis, who together helped to despoil the home opener of last year's freakish season, had only 8 rebounds between them.  Without Dana Barros, the team's best outside shooter, and the point guard many thought more effective running the uptempo game than Kenny Anderson, we have scored 103 and 112 points respectively.  This is Y2K celtic basketball as we all thought it could be, and though the celtics are in 

Player Profiles:

PG:  Kenny Anderson.  Kenny is the poster boy for the Celtics renniansance.  Such pessimistic seers as Professor Robert McChesney of the University of Illinois and the University of Wisconsin have been dogging Kenny for years, saying that he is spoiled, fat, a bad egg, and that his skills have hopelessly deteriorated.  Wake up, Bob!  Kenny is playing not only like the Kenny of two years ago, the dervish whose judicious shooting, ultradextrous penetrating, and breathtaking passing turned the team upside down; he's actually playing better!  Now Kenny is working hard on defense, diving after loose balls, bounching chests with his teammates, and playing like the team leader he never was.   Three of the highlights of the Washington victory were  his long bounce pass in traffic to a cutting Paul Pierce, for a layup; a lookaway, shoulder high flick to Vitaly Potapenko, for a primoridal three point play; and a three point shot of his own to break the morale of the Wizards in the 3rd quarter.  Most importantly, he i

SG:  Paul Pierce.  Well, what can you say about Pierce?  He's as good as his best of last year, and better.  He has clearly arrived.  He made Vince Carter bite the pillow against Toronto, and seems to be able to get around or overpower every person in his path.  He is a man eater upper who will soon be demanding double teams, and a passing player who will find open men when they come.  Paul really is "the truth," which is his new nickname, or should be.  And when he's not hitting, his steals, blocks, rebounds, assists, and putbacks make things happen for other players.  Clearly a player who has arrived.  I would say he is about equal with Vince Carter as an offensive player, and much better on defense.  The truth!

SF:  Adrian Griffin.  The real surprise story.  This guy was supposed to be a tenth or 12th man, but he couldn't be held back.  He is a true starter, a guy who sets the tone for his teammates and contributes every which way, from his smooth and strong low post moves to his ability to kick out to the open man, his amazing knack for slapping the ball out of people's hands, and his tough post up defense.  What's  not to love?  This guy's stat line looks like Scottie Pippin's, except for the scoring.  He might have the highest basketball IQ in the division, although that's not saying much.  And to think last year he was in the CBA.  Where's the props to Coach Pitino and his staff for picking up this guy?  He was cut from a guaranteed contract by Miami last year.  Miami paid 100,000 dollars to be rid of him.  And we're a bad organization?

PF:  Antoine Walker.  Antoine was supposed to be a three this year, and when Danny Fortson comes back that might end up happening.  But the truth is that whereever he plays his game, at least on offense, will be utterly complete and well rounded.  The amazing thing about this year is that in spite of being able to do anything he wants, Antoine isn't trying.  He is letting the game come to him.  He is actually playing the Oscar Roberts role Pitino had called for, and only occasionally mixing in his own electrifying dribble-drive moves, low-post wizardry, set stroke three pointers, and gorgeous passes.  He isn't rebounding quite as much, but his game right now is so mature and selfless that there is hardly anything to criticize.  He has even turned into one of the team's best free-throw shooters.  This is real goo-shoot stuff if you are a Celtics fan.

C:  Vitaly Potapenko.  Everyone said what bad hands Vitaly had, and how slow he was, and how he was undersized (because he's not seven feet tall.)  Well guess what?  Vitaly is one of the main reasons we are winning.  We are not getting hurt by opposing power forwards and centers.  He is also showing a real ability to put the ball on the floor and take it to the hoop to draw a foul; he can outrun most any player of comparable size; and he is a dependable jump shot option in the offense, though I still believe he is being misused until the team starts running the offense through him on the block which is his natural home.  He is also our resident enforcer and tough guy until Fortson comes back, and keeps the celtics from being manhandled by league goons.  His hands are a little stiff, but when you get him the ball anywhere near the basket, you have a chance of a three point play simply because he is so strong that it's hard for most defenders to stop his lay ups.  And unlike Shaq, he can hit his free throws. 

Bench:  Eric Williams got a DNP against Toronto, cheered his teammates in the locker room afterwards, and then went out and got himself 18 points against Washington the next night.  Walter McCarty is now a dangerous scorer, as he announced when he went six for six on 3s vs. Toronto, and then made some drives and short jumpers against Washington.  Wayne Turner has been a little disappointing; he is a good enough defender, but his passing isn't anything special yet, and his ballhandling is really bad for a point guard; Calbert Cheaney still looks out of it, but he should come on soon.  His stroke is really beautiful.  He's a head case, but being on a winning team should cover that up.  Tony Battie is blocking shots left and right; I believe he had four in a backup role against Washington.

I know, I know, it's only two games.  But if we had lost two games, all you would hear is how much Pitino overcoaches, how he never should have left Kentucky, how selfish Antoine Walker is, and blah blah blah.  Celtics fans everywhere should seize the chance to let the critics toss our salad.  For now, anyway.  As for me, I'm keeping to my prediction.  44 wins and the second round of the playoffs.