Fortson in the second Q.

[Jim Hill <jahill@leasingservice.com>]

Did anyone see that play by Fortson in the 2nd Q?  It was just after taking
the charge at the other end of the floor.  He ran down the court and set up
up top.  I think it was Anderson who passed him the ball, who then moved to
the top of the key.  Fortson passed back, saw that it was going to be a shot
and took off for the hoop where he timed the rebound perfectly, caught it,
stuck it in.  

It was classic basketball.  His timing is perfect.  This could have been a
set play, I'm not sure, but perhaps it should be.
I'll never understand why Pitino, or any coach, allows the players to shoot
jump shots without any of his teams players under the hoop to rebound.  If
you consider that a 50% shooting night is considered super, and many of
those shots are layups to get to that %, to shoot without someone to rebound
doesn't make sense.
I am beginning to really like Fortson and what he brings.  Yes he is short,
relative to his position (Would make a great tight end with that size and
those hands however) and he is still foul prone, but getting better.  But he
understands rebounding in a natural way.  Probably as well as Walker.  I'd
like to see more of that when he is on the floor.  When VP is on the floor
with him and can box out underneath giving Fortson an area to move through
he can get those rebounds and the extra playing time is giving him more
confidence in putting it back up.  This would help the second team as far as
scoring goes quite a bit.  Let Chaney, Barros, Pierce etc shoot from outside
"bombs away" as long as the box out/rebound play is in motion.  If the other
team try's to break it up it will give more room to an outside shooter.  If
Fortson fouls out because of the offensive fouls he will create, so be it.
Not many people will stand below him more then a couple times anyway.

I really like the effort being put out on the floor these past few games.
It hasn't been consistent, yet, but it is what I expected from the beginning
of the season.  As far as being patient with this team, I can live, for now,
with the occasional during-the-game let downs like the two bad passes in the
4th Q that cost us this past game.  That is the sign of a "young" team.
Though Garnett is young also. So that "young' issue only goes so far.

The question becomes who stays, who goes, who can improve, who will go
backwards, what will the draft bring, will the coach design the
offense/defense around the players he has or try to turn the players into
the ones who will play his way?

Does anyone think that we can trade Anderson and Williams for another first
round pick under 15? Maybe add our pick next year as we have Denvers.  I'd
like a shot at one player 6'10 or so and a PG this year.  Then pick up D.
Anderson for the two and move Pierce back to the three as a starter.  I'll
take Barros/Overton as the starting PG for the beginning of the season with
D. Anderson, Walker, VP and Pierce on the floor together.  The second unit
would have Chaney, Griffin, Fortson, rookie 6' 10" guy and with the rookie
point in the beginning and Battie will have to work very hard for minutes as
will Walter.  The players could be interchangeable throughout the season
based on past minutes played, match ups and hot hand shooting.

This will give us a foundation without having to worry about the mid season
trade deadline.  Just let everyone play together.  At the end of the
season/beginning of the next season the rookie point should be ready to
start and Barros is off the team as a FA or back at short money.  Hopefully
the 6' 10" guy or Battie will be able to match up at the 5 with the bigger
guys in the league and VP will bang the heftier guys.  The new rookie that
year I would go after would be a 2-3 to grow with D.Anderson/Pierce.  That
makes it 3-4 years for a serious run (Assuming better drafting then what the
Celt's have done in the past 10 years overall) at a Title but in the
playoffs getting the experience for the next 2-3 years.

The team will be exciting to watch.  They will win a fair share of games.
The team will be older and hopefully more mature.  Importantly, mature
together. I don't see who that "veteran" player that Pitino wants, who is
going to add anything from a basketball sense, that we could possible get
with our cap position.  We don't have the money for a stud.  As long as
Walker is paid the most he will have to become the overall leader.  Any
veteran brought in now with the exception of maybe Mashburn, 1. Isn't going
to influence Walker.  2. Is going to be over-the-hill skill wise or getting
there soon.

The most important issue always, to me, comes back to Walker.  I love the
game he is capable of.  I don't care where he plays on the court (1, 2, 3,
4, 5) as long as he is on the blocks on offense.  But he is the one that
needs to step up the most.  He has been terrible the last two years in
comparison to what he could have been.  He is the most skilled player on
this team.  He may have the most heart as well.  If he shows up out of shape
again this coming preseason the team needs to really think if they want to
keep him around as the main building block of the future.  If he does show
up in shape and continues his current leadership/team basketball play, he
will be an all star again and that will carry over to Pierce, D. Anderson
etc...  It makes all the role players better as the other teams must double
team him giving the role players better, more open looks at the basket,
which frankly they need or they wouldn't be role players.  Then when Pierce
steps up, it keeps getting better.  When the next 3 rookies start to step up
then you have a team who can go deep.

Sorry for being so long winded.  I still find the team exciting to watch,
still enjoy most peoples posts, won't be distressed if we don't make the
playoffs as long as the intensity continues.  Looking forward to the draft
and what next year brings.  Looking forward to the remainder of this year
and the maturity lessons it can bring to these/our players.  Go Celt's!

<Jim