Peter May's Celts Notebook

[opi@unesco.org]

Peter May behaves as though he can hear his critics even as he types
away. It's odd that he felt compelled to blurt out the gratuitous part
below about Antoine Walker. As far as I can gather from this article,
there was no "talk" about Pierce deserving to make the team either. It's
such a stupid and pointless remark, in my opinion.

Joe

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CELTICS NOTEBOOK
Stars simply weren't in alignment for Pierce

By Peter May, Globe Staff, 2/2/2000

INDIANAPOLIS - Paul Pierce missed yesterday's morning shootaround with a
stomach bug. He learned later on that he also missed getting chosen as a
reserve by the Eastern Conference coaches for this month's All-Star
Game.

Pierce's chances were slim; the Celtics are not among the top eight
teams in the East, although they are 1-8 in games Pierce has missed.
There was no talk -  none - of Antoine Walker getting named to the team.
Pierce was Boston's best  hope.

 ''When I finally do make it, I don't want there to be any questions,''
Pierce said.  ''I want people to say, `He deserved to make it.'''

Questions?

''Most players are from teams in first or second place, teams with
winning records,'' he said. ''We're kind of in between. It should be an
award for the individual and the team.''

Coach Rick Pitino, who said he is paying no attention to these mundane
matters, nevertheless knew that no Eastern reserve came from a team with
a losing record. ''No Marbury, Van Horn. No Kemp,'' he said. (The West
had one: the ever-deserving Michael Finley of Dallas.)

 ''Down the road,'' Pitino said, ''we'll have people on it if they work
hard.''

Only one Celtic has made the All-Star team since Reggie Lewis was
selected in 1992. That was Walker, who made it in 1998. There was no
game last year because of the lockout.