[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Re: Kenny Anderson Healthy For A Change
The one thing that bothers me about this article is
that Kenny seems to think that it was injuries, and
not his own ball-hogging, that caused the problems
last year. Also, as we all know, the team played
BETTER when he and twon went down.
--- Way Of The Ray <wayray@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>
>
> [The Boston Globe
> Online][Boston.com]
> [Boston Globe Online
> / Sports]
>
>
> Anderson healthy,
> hopeful
>
> By Peter May, Globe
> Staff, 10/07/99
>
> WALTHAM - Kenny
> Anderson is staying
> away from black
> cats, ladders, and
> anything else that
> might be construed as
> bad luck. Who can
> blame him? In his mind,
> that embodiment of
> good will, the
> leprechaun, has even
> turned on him.
>
> Injuries were a
> small part of Anderson's
> resume when he
> arrived in Boston during
> the 1997-98 season.
> Almost instantly, they
> became a constant.
>
> ''The leprechaun
> wasn't good for me,'' he
> said.
>
> There was the left
> knee bone bruise after
> an encouraging start
> following his
> acquisition from
> Toronto. Last year, there
> was a strained right
> hamstring. In both
> seasons, the
> injuries came at the end of
> the year.
>
> Only once before,
> when he fractured his
> wrist in his second
> season, has an injury
> sidelined Anderson
> for any significant
> period of time. He's
> determined to make
> this season as
> ailment-free as possible,
> while recognizing
> there are things he
> simply cannot
> control.
>
> Toward that end,
> Anderson worked with a
> trainer over the
> summer in Atlanta, a man
> whose specialty is
> track and field. He
> lifted weights and
> did sprints. But the
> main area of
> concentration was, as
> Anderson put it
> yesterday, ''My bones. I
> worked on my bones
> so they won't break
> down. I know I'm
> never going to be this
> huge, physical
> specimen. I just have to
> work on my bones.
> That's all I did.''
>
> He's convinced that
> if he can simply stay
> on the court, he and
> the Celtics will
> benefit. In his
> first stretch with Boston,
> there was a notable
> improvement in both
> the team's
> performance and that of Antoine
> Walker when Anderson
> was running the show.
> Last year, the team
> started to play better
> until he and Walker
> both went down with
> injuries.
>
> In the last two
> years, Anderson has
> averaged 12.2 points
> a game, 3 below his
> career average. He
> did, however, shoot a
> career-high 45
> percent from the field last
> season and led the
> team in assists and
> free-throw
> percentage. The knock on him
> has always been his
> defense and, since his
> arrival here, his
> durability. One has to
> be fit to play
> Pitino Ball. In addition to
> the injury, Anderson
> also suffered the
> indignity of being
> left home from a game
> for disciplinary
> reasons.
>
> ''I let a lot of
> distractions last year
> affect me,'' he
> said. ''Being mature, I
> shouldn't have let
> that happen. I was a
> little disappointed
> in myself. A lot of
> people were playing
> under pressure last
> year because of the
> lockout. There was so
> much going on. This
> year, I'm going in
> with a clean slate.
> I think everyone is.
>
> ''I'm feeling much
> better now than last
> year, when it was a
> real rush,'' he went
> on. ''And you can
> see coach and the staff
> are more relaxed
> because they have more
> time to put things
> in. With a young team,
> it's real important
> to take your time. We
> have a lot of talent
> to really work with
> instead of rushing
> into things. It's good
> for everyone.''
>
> Anderson said the
> last time he was in such
> good shape was after
> signing with Portland
> as a free agent.
> Perhaps not
> coincidentally, he
> played in all 82 games
> and enjoyed one of
> his most productive
> seasons, leading the
> Blazers in scoring,
> assists, and steals
> while averaging more
> than 37 minutes a
> game.
>
> But differences with
> coach Mike Dunleavy -
> and the availability
> of Damon Stoudamire -
> conspired to send
> him packing. He says now
> he feels he's in an
> ideal system for his
> game, adding, ''I
> don't think anyone is
> disappointed in my
> play. If you put me in
> a great environment,
> I'll blossom. But I
> have to stay
> healthy.''
>
> That, of course, is
> the issue. Is he the
>
=== message truncated ===
=====
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com