Re: Infobeat's report C's loss to Pacers

[Dan Parker <danp@town.ipswich.ma.us>]

On 2 Feb 2000, Kestutis Kveraga wrote:

> * I think one reason for Kenny's excellent assist-to-turnover ratio
> (and his lowish assist average) is that unless it's a completely safe
> pass, he doesn't pass the ball  and prefers to take the shot himself.
> While it may not a bad thing sometimes, given Kenny's offensive talent
> and efficient scoring this year, it kind of kills the fastbreak more
> often than not. 

Which is a shame, because the Celtics should be a devastating fast break
team.  They've got the young legs, the athletes, and the rebounders, they
just don't have a point guard with the right mindset.


> * Potapenko's been playing excellent basketball lately - offensively,
> defensively, rebounding, even shotblocking. Is it just me, or is he
> jumping higher these days? He's been a tiger on the offensive boards and
> even dunked last night. 

Hooray!  Someone else has noticed how well Potapenko has been playing!
His stats are solid in limited minutes.  If he was getting 35-40 minutes
per game people would be raving about him.  A really great pickup by
Pitino.


> * Did Fortson ever slug an official or something? (I wouldn't blame him
> if he did.) There seems to be a contract out on him - they just won't
> allow him to play. 

I think the Celtics (and the local papers) have created the problem
themselves as much as anything, by constantly airing their concerns over
how the officials would react to Fortson under the "new rules".  Fortson
strikes me as a classic throwback basketball player.  I look at him and
see Paul Silas.  There's nothing dirty about him, and he's not a thug a la
Charles Oakley or Anthony Mason, and there's no reason for the officials
to be calling all of the fouls they have. It has been killing me he hasn't
been getting more minutes and I'll be really sorry (but wouldn't blame
him) if he leaves town at the end of the season.

I would be *really* interested in seeing Fortson start instead of 'Toine
and get 35 minutes a game and see what the effect is.  Although his game
is not as versitile as 'Toine's he is very consistent, provides attitude,
and other guys like playing with him -- particularly the shooters.  That's
not to say I don't like Antoine, but I'd be intrigued to see how the
Celtics played with a more "classic" PF such as Fortson.  It'll never
happen unless 'Toine gets injured though, which I'm not about to start 
rooting for...

Dan