Ricky is killing us again!!!

[Kevin.Lok@outokumpu.com]

3 no.1s for Jermaine O'neal and now Pitino wants AW to play Point. BSG was
right, Ricky P wants to win now - to save his ass.

Please somebody take Pitino out!

Celtics take Moiso in NBA draft after pitch for Jermaine O'Neal
By Jimmy Golen, Associated Press, 6/28/2000 22:16
WALTHAM, Mass. (AP) The guy the Boston Celtics really wanted wasn't in the
draft at all.
The Celtics selected UCLA forward Jerome Moiso with the 11th pick in
Wednesday's draft after failing to make a trade with Portland for forward
Jermaine O'Neal, who was unhappy with his playing time last season and
asked to be traded.
''We're disappointed maybe we didn't get Jermaine O'Neal,'' Celtics coach
Rick Pitino said at the post-draft news conference at the team's practice
facility. ''But we were looking for athleticism and shot-blocking and we
got Jerome Moiso, so we're not disappointed there.''
The Celtics offered three first-round picks for O'Neal including one next
year that the team is owed by Denver but the Trail Blazers passed. That
left Boston with Moiso, a 6-foot-10 sophomore who averaged 13 points, 7.6
rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game last season.
''He'll give you a presence at both ends of the floor,'' UCLA coach Steve
Lavin said. ''He's probably the most gifted player I've had in my career.''
Moiso (pronounced moh-EE'-soh) is considered an athletic player with good
hands who can run well and contribute on offense and defense. Pitino said
he is the ideal forward for the Celtics' pressure defense.
''The one thing we wanted to do is get more athletic. Last year was the
least amount of pressing I've ever done,'' Pitino said. ''He's what we
need: a terrific athlete. This is a guy that can do things that most of our
guys cannot do.''
Pitino said conversations with owner Paul Gaston leading up to the draft
convinced him to make an extra effort to win sooner rather than later.
''Paul wants us to be very aggressive in doing things to make our team
better,'' Pitino said. ''He wants to bring the fans a winner. He's been an
owner for 5-6 years, and he wants to turn things around.''
Another wrinkle Pitino revealed Wednesday night was that Antoine Walker
will play at point guard at times next season in an effort to create
mismatches. Pitino said Walker, a power forward, finds it easier to play at
point guard than at small forward.
''We think he can do it,'' Pitino said. ''In order to do that, he has to be
in the greatest shape of his life.''
Moiso grew up in Paris and the West Indies and went to prep school at
Milford (Conn.) Academy in an effort to take the SATs in English. He is
considering playing for the French Olympic team, if it's OK with Pitino.
In the meantime, he will try to add 15 pounds to his playing weight of 230
in order to get ready for the rigors of the NBA.
''I think I need to get bigger, stronger,'' he said. ''I think I need to
get acclimated to the system and the way they play defense, But I think I
can help out.''