Re: Why Pierce Stunk

[Dan Forant <dforant1@nycap.rr.com>]

Some rough play should have been shown last year to begin with. If we're
going to depend on defense, let's act like a defensive team, and I don't
mean touch fouls. The Knick's got away with it for years. A message has to
be sent early this season. 

Dan

At 11:51 AM 11/6/00 -0500, you wrote:
>
>> Quickly... There seems to be some suggestion on the list and elsewhere
>> that Pierce played poorly Saturday because of some residual effect from
>> his injuries. I don't buy that. This isn't a knock on Pierce, because
>> everyone has bad games, but I just think he stunk. 
>
>The reason that Pierce played poorly against Cleveland is that in the
>first half on a drive to the hoop Ilgauskas grabbed Pierce's shoulders and
>slammed him down.  It had to hurt, even if he weren't recovering from near
>fatal stab wounds.  And the most frustrating part about it was that later
>on Vitale was joking around with Ilgauskas.  I realize that they are
>friends, but Vitale should have at leasted warned Ilgauskas.  And really
>Vitale should have retaliated.  If Vitale won't protect Pierce and Walker
>from hard fouls, he is absolutely useless.  The Celtics needed to send a
>message that hard fouls committed against our players will have
>consequences, but they did not to that.  If Pitino is afraid of physical
>play, then he should retire now because his coaching will only shorten
>Pierce's career.
>
>Jeremy
>
>
>