Walker To Be The Small Forward; Marty Conlon ; Pitino Passes Blame About Wesley

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@ix.netcom.com>]

It's good to see Pitino coming to his senses on the small forward issue.
It will be interesting if Conlon, who was pretty angry at
Pitino (joining a large list of players) actually winds up with the
Celtics. And how about Pitino's comments on David Wesley?

      Boston Herald  

      Play pleases picky Pitino
      Celtics Notebook/by Steve Bulpett 
      Wednesday, October 20, 1999
      CHARLOTTE - The Celtics dropped a 120-117 overtime decision to the Hornets 
      last night and the club was told that Danny Fortson would be out some two 
      months with a stress fracture in his foot. But coach Rick Pitino found a 
      bright silver lining.
      ``That's probably the best the Boston Celtics have looked in three years 
      from an execution standpoint on offense,'' he said. ``We haven't even come 
      close to that type of passing and back door cutting. Even down the 
      stretch, that's the first time since I've been a coach that we've executed 
      every play down the stretch to perfection - except the shots didn't go 
      down.
      ``We had wide-open shots by our best shooters. I told them they can miss 
      the shots now if they make them in the regular season.''
      Antoine Walker had 22 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and five steals, 
      but he made just 1-of-2 free throws with 3.5 seconds left in regulation.
      Paul Pierce led the Celts with 27 points. The Hornets attempted 55 free 
      throws to the C's.
      Search on for help
      With Fortson on the shelf a while, the Celtics will look to add another 
      large body. If it's the one Pitino wants, Boston fans will be quite 
      pleased.
      ``If Marty Conlon's in shape to play, we'll try to bring him in,'' the 
      coach said.
      The club wanted to bring in the former Celtic for the summer league, but 
      an insurance issue got in the way.
      Tony Battie (sprained left knee) and Wayne Turner (bruised right foot) 
      missed the game. Kenny Anderson sustained a six-stitch cut on his upper 
      lip after running into David Wesley.
      Pressing the issue
      Pitino is putting the burden on Walker to make good on his desire to play 
      small forward, saying before the game: ``Antoine will play (small forward) 
      possibly or he'll come off the bench if he can't play the 3.''
      Afterward the coach was expressing much more confidence in Walker's 
      ability to handle the position.
      Eddie Jones led Charlotte with 31 points, but former Celtic Wesley had 16. 
      Pitino is well aware by now that he's going to get a handful from Wesley 
      and he was reminded when the former Celtic drilled a trey just 10 seconds 
      into last night's game.
      Asked after scoring 24 against the C's in the exhibition opener last week 
      if it was a message to new Charlotte point guard draftee Baron Davis, 
      Wesley said it was more a word to his former club. When Pitino took over, 
      the Celtics decided they were unable to retain Wesley as a free agent.
      ``It wasn't my decision,'' Pitino said. ``We came in and we couldn't offer 
      him what we wanted. There's certain things I can do and certain things I 
      can't do. If it was up to me, David Wesley would be on the Celtics. If we 
      could afford him, he'd be here. But it's not up to me. It's a budget. . . 
      . It's not that the Celtics didn't want him.''