Re: Piling On

[Alex Wang <awang@mit.edu>]

> Question: do you think the summer leagues with Griffin, McCarty,
> Turner, Battie, Pots and Pierce created the attitude and momentum that
> is being seen now?  I think it must have helped tremendously.

Great point by Gene here. I think that all the summer work has paid
off for a lot of the Celtics. We still have yet to see Battie really
shine, but I think that he might have lost some momentum due to
injury.

Cheaney has not looked good so far in the season but I think the
preseason showed us some of the things that he is capable of, if you
watched the games and not the box scores. First of all he blocks what
seems like an unusual number of shots for a swingman, because he
plays good fundamental defense on the opposing player's shooting hand.
When he fouls out, he's not getting most of the fouls on shooting fouls,
but on things like being too aggressive on the press and just bumping
into people on accident. So in general he plays pretty good man-to-man
defense.

He also shows good anticipation in making steals. He brings the
necessary energy level and quick hands to the press. He thinks pass
before shot, maybe even too much. If he just regained his confidence 
in his jump shot, he could end up being a better fit than Mercer.
Right now he is somewhat of a more offensively competent Bruce Bowen.
I think that he has not had the benefit of summer work, is coming
off a poor season, and entering a completely new environment, so 
his confidence isn't there. But that's the reason he was signed for 
3 years and not 10 days.

Alex