Peter May hypes Cleveland

[opi@unesco.org]

Peter May is seriously hyping Cleveland's talent tonight. If the Cavs
somehow lose, he'll make excuses for them or blame it again on luck. He
does this so instinctively now that I'm not even sure he's aware of his
bias.

Naturally, May also compares the Potapenko-DeClerq trade, which he rubs
in as a "you make the call" no-brainer in favor of the Cavs. Last I
checked, DeClerq still weighs 15 pounds less than even Antoine Walker
(who some feel lacks the balast to even play power forward) and gives up
an additional 15 to 70 more pounds on any playoff center I can think of
(Alonzo lists at 261 pounds, Shaq at 315).

In any other contact sport (boxing, american football, you name it), a
difference in "weight class" of this magnitude would be very relevant.
Basketball post play is no different, as far as I can see. If Peter May
had ever worn a jockstrap, he'd know.

Joe

p.s. Someone earlier this week posted a day's worth of Mercer comments
from a Denver Nuggets mailing list. I hope I'm not the only one whose
immediate reaction was: "geez, it takes the Denver fans just 7 games to
figure out what the 'world's most intelligent basketball fans' literally
never did."

All's well that end's well. Imagine if trades were made by popular vote
in Boston?


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A scoring change : Celtics to face revved-up version of the Cavaliers
 By Peter May, Globe Staff, 11/17/99

The  Cleveland Cavaliers who are in town tonight to play the Celtics are
nothing like their namesakes from the last few years.

These guys run. They pass. They score. They're worth seeing.

They've averaged nearly 106 points a game over the last four games. Oh
yes, they're also 4-2. They can score inside and out and they still
defend.

 ''They're quick in transition and they hold opponents to 41 percent
shooting,'' Celtics coach Rick Pitino said yesterday. ''They are like
Miami in that they have changed their style.''

(...) Only five teams are holding opponents under 42 percent shooting.
The Cavs, despite the absence of big center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, are one
of them.

 ''They've adjusted to the [new] rules,'' Pitino said. ''They have three
guards who can push it. They have a lot of weapons and are very
difficult to guard. They have great shooters who can hurt you and
they're getting a lot of easy baskets in transition.''

 When hoop historians start chronicling the Pitino Years in Boston,
they'll notice an early, heavy Cleveland effect. One of the Ricktator's
first free agent signings was ex-Cav Chris Mills, who lasted less than a
24-second violation in Boston. There also was the Boston meltdown in
Gund Arena last year (113-86), which prompted Pitino to say that he'd
change his lineup (he didn't) and that the Globetrotters played better
defense (they did).

 Then there was last year's trade that sent backup center Andrew
DeClercq to the Cavs for backup center Vitaly Potapenko and Boston's
first-round pick.

 Pitino still likes the trade because he feels Potapenko is an upgrade
at the position. Entering tonight's game, both lads are starting,
DeClercq because of the foot injury to Ilgauskas, Potapenko by default.
DeClercq is averaging 11.2 points, 7 rebounds, and 1.17 blocks in 27.5
minutes. Potapenko is averaging 7.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 0.86
blocks in 26.9 minutes.

 The Cavs selected heady Utah point guard Andre Miller with Boston's
pick, which turned out to be eighth overall. Miller is averaging 8.8
points and 5 assists in only 19.2 minutes. He came in for Knight against
the Bucks last Saturday and had 13 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and a
steal in 25 minutes.

 It's premature (or post-mature?) to say what the Celtics would have
done with the pick. They didn't  interview anyone or bring in anyone for
a workout, but Miller is a possibility. So is Shawn Marion.

 The Cavs look at the Potapenko-DeClercq deal and see that they swapped
backup centers, got out of having to re-sign Potapenko while having
DeClercq locked in for three years at reasonable numbers, and got a No.
1 pick on top of it all. The Celtics look at the deal and see an
improvement in the position and a rookie named Adrian Griffin who's
cheaper, and, for now, better than a lot of players taken in the draft.