TSN/Peter May On the C's, Draft, and Stromile

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@ix.netcom.com>]

http://www.sportingnews.com
Boston Celtics
Team Report posted MAY 13, 2000       

By TSN correspondent
Peter May
Boston Globe


The Celtics will go back to work this week and try to find someone who
will give them some good luck in the lottery May 21. They have the 11th
pick in the draft, but will hope a new face can get them into the top
three picks. 

It has been a quiet week in Celtic Nation. Their focus will now shift to
the lottery and the draft. They won't be bringing in any players for
workouts in case they do get lucky and get one of the top three picks. .
. . 

The Celtics also will host some "voluntary" summer workout camps for
free agents and CBA players. They will be held prior to the team's
participation in two summer leagues in California and Boston. Among
those who may well show up are the team's two second-round draft picks,
Kris Clack, who was taken in 1999, and Ben Pepper, who was taken in
1997. Pepper has been playing professionally in Australia since being
drafted; Clack spent this past season playing in the International
Basketball League for San Diego. . . . 

General manager Chris Wallace, meanwhile, has been in contact with the
agent for Danny Fortson, the only free agent the Celtics are interested
in retaining. They are allowed to stay in touch with their own players
and talk dollars, but it hasn't gotten to that point yet. Fortson came
on strong at the end of the year, but wants a situation where he'll get
playing time. . . . 

The recent announcements by Chris Mihm and Stromile Swift that they will
enter the NBA draft only improves the Celtics' draft chances. Wallace is
a big Swift fan, but he won't be around at No. 11. The Celtics have a
future No. 1 from Denver to also offer should they so desire. . . . 

Celtics fans watching the Miami-New York series had to chuckle when
former Celtic Bruce Bowen knocked away the pass to Latrell Sprewell to
preserve Miami's controversial win in Game 3 of its playoff series.
Bowen cut his professional teeth in Boston, but was deemed expendable
after two seasons with the Celtics. Now, Rick Pitino is pining for a
defensive stopper, which, of course, is Bowen's forte. 

PLAYER ANALYSIS 

When you talk about hard workers, no one is in the gym more, or in the
weight room more, than center Vitaly Potapenko. He is a certifiable
workaholic and has shown improvement since coming to the Celtics during
the 1998-99 season. But he also has a ways to go if he's going to be a
force in the middle for Boston. 

Centers normally have to be intimidators or rebounders, and Potapenko is
not a shot blocker and only an average rebounder. He needs to work on
his rebounding -- shot-blocking doesn't seem to be a part of his game --
and his ballhandling around the basket. He tends to get stripped if he
puts the ball on the floor. Also, he has developed a decent perimeter
shot, particularly on pick-and-rolls with Kenny Anderson. He will
continue to work on that. He also needs to work on his defense; he tends
to get into foul trouble much too frequently. 

WHAT'S NEXT 

The Celtics will send a new face to Secaucus for the lottery; Wallace
hasn't had any luck in his two visits there. Once they determine where
they draft, they will then start arranging workouts for prospective
draftees. They will be looking big and tall, but Pitino would rather
have a veteran who does those things. A trade is not out of the
question, although most teams wouldn't jump at the No. 11 pick.