Vecsey first on the bandwagon

[Alex Wang <awang@mit.edu>]

It looks like Peter Vecsey is the first of the sportswriters on the
Celtics bandwagon. I bet a lot of them are feeling pretty foolish
right now with their highly ranked Nets and 76ers winless right now.
Here's the article:

CELTICS LOOK LIKE REAL DEAL 
By Peter Vecsey 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
EXCUSE me, but I couldn't help but notice myself staring at some startling
NBA performances and non-occurrences. 

[cut] 

And how can the Celtics be 3-0? Rick Pitino hasn't started a season this
clean since his schedule commenced with Athletes & Action. 

Before arriving in Boston, Pitino always turned around programs in his
second year. It happened with Providence, the Knicks and again in Kentucky. 

The Celtics, on the other hand, failed to make the playoffs his first
two seasons. Leading howling critics to denounce Pitino's judgment of
personnel and declare his frenetic defensive style outdated at the pro
level. One more participation in the lottery and it's back to college,
they conclude; under those circumstances, Celtic owner Paul Gaston
(already asking for Tubby Smith's phone number) wouldn't hesitate to
make a settlement on the remaining four years of Pitino's contract. 

I'm not about to condemn that notion as being far fetched. The higher
the expectations, the greater the dissatisfaction and intolerance when
they're unfulfilled, no matter whose fault it may be, or what the
complications. 

In Pitino's case, sympathizers blame the lockout for disfiguring his
track record, citing the Celtics' continued decline last season as an
abnormality. 

True, no team, other than the Pacers who practiced as a unit on their
own, had time to prepare properly. Still, few coaches suffered more
from their players' lack of condition than Pitino, because few, if any,
are so dependent on full-court defensive pressure to be competitive,
much less overcome. 

Agree or disagree, clearly the Celtics' mod squad (even Antoine Walker,
as long as his assignment, for the time being, is to guard forwards
his own size as opposed to chasing smaller, sleeker models off
screens) are in shape to press and cause stress for opponents instead
of Pitino. 

No longer does Kenny Anderson look as if he's playing at 39,000 feet
and in danger of not breathing unless an oxygen mask drops down from
the ceiling. Hearty and happy, he hasn't missed a single practice. 

No longer is Walker being unmercifully targeted by Celtics fans for
being fat and foolish. He may not have been getting a salary during
the lockout, but was sure spending his per diem. In fact, he's still
not at playoff weight (eight pounds away), and should be ashamed for
not taking better (as in closer) shots. 

No longer are skeptics wondering what possessed nine teams to pass on
Paul Pierce two drafts ago. At least half of 'em committed a critical
turnover. Obviously! Check out the 30 points he dropped on the Raptors
in Game 1 just to remind Vince Carter there was a battle for top rookie
honors before he got hurt. That's why Ron Mercer was expendable. He
didn't measure up to Pierce, and Gaston's budget specified only one of
them would get maximum money in their next contract. 

No longer can't the Celtics run, rebound and ruffle (as evidenced by
their success against the Raptors, Wizards and Hornets), and that's
minus accomplished board-buster Danny Fortson, on the injured list, in
all likelihood until Dec. 15. 

No longer is the second team unreliable and unproductive. Tony Battie,
Calbert Cheaney, Walter McCarty (suddenly capable of burying 3-pointers
in bunches), Eric Williams and Dana Barros not only maintain leads,
but create some of their own, utilizing aggressiveness and agitation. 

No longer is Pervis (Ellison) out of service; no doubt it's a
coincidence he showed up halfway healthy in the last year of his contract. 

"This is the most talent we've had since I've been here," Pitino stated
a couple days prior to the season opener. "We've got depth and strength,
and when Danny comes back we become physical." 

How many wins that translates into, and whether it'll be enough to
propel the Celtics into the playoffs isn't relevant at such a primitive
stage of the season. Though, I will admit, when Pitino was running down
his roster 10 days ago, I shrugged off his optimism as appropriate
propaganda between our professions. 

Then I saw the Nets and 76ers (both projected to be legit playoff teams)
each lose three games. And I watched the Celtics win three, two of 'em
against top teams in the Central Division. Now I'm starting to think
maybe Pitino was furnishing me with some straight info. 

One thing's for sure, Pitino wasn't feeding me any pap when lauding the
attitude and aptitude of Adrian Griffin. Someone I'd never heard of
until Pitino began talking about him as if he was his agent. 

I may be ignorant, but at least I have an alibi; because I don't have a
life outside the NBA, I don't get to check out the majority of college
players until they're rookies. What reasonable explanation do pro scouts
have for overlooking the undrafted Griffin when he played for Seton Hall?
Then 28 teams neglected to recognize his attributes again when the 6-5
small forward won the CBA's MVP award last season. 

Now Griffin is starting for the Celtics. Disturbing the enemy with
quickness, toughness and alertness. Delighting advocates with hunger and
hustle that manifests itself across the stats sheet. 

Against the Raptors, he assembled 14 points, 7 assists, 3 rebounds, and
took 6-11 Antonio Davis to the hoop on one fast break and abruptly dunked
over him. Against the Wizards, it was 9, 5 and 8. Against the Hornets,
it was 8, 6 and 10, icing the win by sneaking up from behind on Eddie
Jones for the steal, one of 11 he's accumulated so far. 

"You're going to love this kid," Pitino gushed. "He never stops trying
to improve his game. He's so humble and shy. What a pleasure to coach!" 

The first week of the 1999-2000 season doesn't get any more shocking
than that.