Bulpett: Walker game left off, off Broadway

[opi@unesco.org]

Steve Bulpett reports that Kenny's hamstring was wrapped up before the
flight home, but no prognosis as to whether he can play in the return
match against Sacramento and Jason Williams.

Kenny was better off sitting out the second half in my opinion,
regardless of it being a winnable game at the half. Pitino really needs
to swallow his pride and sign a useful backup, even a developmental
player of a Damon Jones caliber. I wish Pitino would shed more light on
why he cut Wayne Turner so quickly after he got injured in the
preseason. It's really baffling, all things considered.

The Celts got what they needed out of the tough back-to-back (a win
against Cleveland) so I don't fault Pitino for giving 40+ minutes to his
starters on the front end of the two games, even if they inevitably
seemed to wilt in the 4Q and also probably came out a little tight in
the 1Q at MSG. Tough loss but at least they hung in despite the poor
shooting of our forwards (11-37 from Walker, Griffin, Battie and
Williams) and a career game from Allan "Houston, we have a problem".

The Knicks have won 9 of 12 and they really are an intimidating looking
team physically, with San Antonio-size shotblocking and Lakers-level
slasher/scorers. LJ and Houston are two of the scariest looking
weight-room warriors I have ever seen. They have biceps the size of
Woody Allen's butt cheeks.

I'm surprised all that upper body mass doesn't take a toll on lateral
and vertical speed, not to mention the knees. As far as I understand it,
soccer players, cyclists and other athletes who depend on their lower
body strength (except sprinters) are trained to rarely lift weights for
the upper body. The same should probably hold true for basketball
players (for one thing it probably throws off your shot accuracy a lot
if you lift heavily for your upper body during a season).

In any case, it certainly looks intimidating. The NY Knicks look almost
like a cast of comic book superheroes/arch-villains (Mason's gone but
they at least got Spree to replace him). BTW, I saw Woody Allen and
Soon-yi on New Year's Eve eating at the Ritz Hotel's restaurant in
Paris. My sister was surprised he wasn't spending the millennium in his
beloved Manhatten or watching his Knicks with Spike Lee and friends.

The Celts really haven't upset a top-tier team in quite some time. With
several practices to prepare, I say we really MUST go out on Friday and
prevent the Sacramento season sweep. The Kings are actually below .500
on the road, I believe, plus they will be playing a road back-to-back
(in Toronto on Thursday). The more this season progresses, the more I
respect how the 80s Celtics won around 75% of their regular season games
for the entire decade. It's got to be tough for any team no matter how
talented to win so many back-to-backs and maintain concentration,
especially with everyone gunning for you.

Incidentally, the Bulpett article below also pins a lot of blame on
Antoine Walker for taking the Celts out of there game plan:


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Walker game left off, off Broadway
Celtics Notebook/by Steve Bulpett
Wednesday, January 5, 2000

NEW YORK - Antoine Walker's performances have gotten great reviews of
late, but he was worthy of nothing but pans when he hit Broadway.

Walker ventured away from the post for part of the night and failed to
wait for proper clearance (from ball movement) before driving in the
Celtics' 96-88 loss. That meant the Knicks were massed and waiting for
him.

Asked if there had been a change in plan and Walker had been told to
start his move from so far afield, Rick Pitino said, ``I think you know
the answer to that.''

 On the night following a brilliant 32-point, 13-rebound, six-assist
effort, Walker made just 6-of-22 shots on the way to 13 points and added
but six rebounds and one assist. After attempting double figures in free
throws the last three games, he took just two last night and made one.
Worse yet, he launched five treys and missed them all.

Then, with 1:15 left in the game and the Knicks still within reach,
Walker lost it. He missed twice on one possession with the Celtics
trying to get within five. Then he latched onto Larry Johnson and was
called for his sixth foul. Getting in ref Leon Wood's face earned him a
technical as the game slipped further away.

``I didn't think it was a foul after what they were doing at the other
end of the floor,'' said Walker.

``I was driving, but I wasn't getting any calls.''

O'Brien had shot at 'Cats

While discussing the current football coaching soap opera, Pitino
revealed last night that Celtic assistant Jim O'Brien had the chance to
succeed him at Kentucky in 1997.

Pitino was saying that coaches who have been fired are careful before
taking the plunge again. The reference is also to Bill Belichick, who
was let go by Cleveland (O'Brien had been fired as Dayton's head coach
before rejoining Pitino in Kentucky).

``I think when you're fired and you know you're going to be a head coach
again, you're extremely cautious about your next move,'' Pitino  said.
``A prime example is Jim O'Brien. He was offered the Kentucky job. He
had a great team coming back and so on. And because he's been fired - if
it wasn't for the fact he's been through that trauma -  he probably
takes it.

``But instead he says, `It's not a priority right now. I'm going to be
head coach, so let me be a head coach at the right time with the right
job.' ''

Anderson ails

Kenny Anderson strained his left hamstring in the second quarter and had
it wrapped before the flight back to Boston. He played 18 minutes  in
the second half, finishing with 22 points and four assists.