Re: Playoffs?????

[opi@unesco.org]

Gregory Hurst wrote:

> If we beat Detroit, I can see a six game winning streak, because there
> will be a revenge factor in the Golden Sate game.  Are we only three
> games out of the playoff race?  I personally have mixed emotions about
> making the playoffs.

Hi Greg:
I think Detroit is pretty inconsistent, but they are one of the most
exposive Eastern teams with two Y2K All Stars plus Jerome Williams etc.
Obviously, this would be a major win for the Celts but if they lose they
can and should put it behind them quickly. There are a lot more winnable
games down this homestretch.

I understand the mixed emotions, but by all means the Celts ideally have
to make the playoffs if they can, and hopefully demonstrate the talent to
win a home playoff game (or more) against Indiana or Miami. The biggest
psychological brick wall  barrier the Celts face is that their young stars
haven't had any postseason game experience and don't have the proof that
they are worthy of it. They'll probably need at least one brief taste of
the playoffs before they'll ever be able to confidently advance into the
postseason in coming years. So the sooner they make the playoffs, the
better.

Alternatively, if the Celts ended up with a high lottery position this
year, all it would prove in most people's minds is that the talent on the
present Celtics team is mediocre, overrated and lacking in substance.

So what good would one more lottery pick do unless it's a great center
draft? It's too early to tell if this is a good draft, although it
obviously is not a great one like 1995.

Nevertheless, the Celts can probably grab a second-tier, potential Brevin
Knight/Howard Eisley caliber 18-20 mpg hustling pointguard just outside of
the lottery range (e.g. Ed Cota, Scoonie Penn, AJ Guyton, Matt Santangelo,
Pepe Sanchez, Khalid El-Amin, Doug Gotleib) or possibly a center-forward
project like Jamaal Magliore or Ken Johnson. There are several Freshmen
and Sophomore class NBA prospects who haven't quite dominated yet at the
NCAA level (for example, DerMarr Johnson or Casey Jacobson), so perhaps
several monster prospects could fall into the middle of the first round if
they declare a year too soon for the draft (Minesota's Joel Pryzbilla has
a good chance to slip down after bashing his coach and quitting his team
mid-season). There's also reportedly a better high school Senior class at
both forward positions than typical years, although no 6-11 Kevin Garnett
wannabe types along the lines of a Jonathan Bender or Stromile Swift.

I believe the Celts have two second round picks (one from the Knicks), for
what that's worth.

****