RE: Thoughts on Knicks/Sixers games (long)

[OzerskyJA <OzerskyJA@cmog.org>]

that sounds like a pretty good plan to me.  I would point out,
thought, that these last three games could easily have gone the
other way.  The team is as fragile, but if they can get a little win
streak going over the next two weeks, they may get to the point
where they can execute over the last minute or so.  That has been 
a big exercise in practice, and I think it will improve with game-time
experience and better conditioning.  FWIW, if they are not doubling
him, I want Paul Pierce to have the ball with the game on the line.

Josh Ozersky	
Marketing Communications Specialist 
Corning Museum of Glass

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Dan Forant [SMTP:dforant1@nycap.rr.com]
> Sent:	Monday, November 13, 2000 12:49 PM
> To:	celtics@igloo.igtc.com
> Subject:	Re: Thoughts on Knicks/Sixers games (long)
> 
> Well constructed post. The Celts at this point will be facing a negative
> attitude. It's psychological problem. Oh sure, on the floor they'll
> exhibit
> the usual ra ra stuff, but down deep they know there will be more losses
> than wins. The NBA is a 5 minute or less game. The 1st 43 are for the
> ticket holders. Most teams will let you hang around for awhile then turn
> up
> the heat considerably. We need at least for the near future another go to
> guy. Someone else has to make a contribution. The failure of Battie to
> comply is glaring. Pots just does as best he can with no more room for
> improvement. KA, I believe we lose the last few games with no contest. Who
> else is left? Moving KA for a front court player (a real one) will help
> solve our problems, and at least give us some hope for this season. Then
> wait for draft time for a point guard.
> 
> Dan
> 
> At 10:50 AM 11/13/00 -0500, you wrote:
> >I was discouraged Friday night. That's a game the Celtics have to win.
> >They're playing at home, the Knicks are without Sprewell, and Walker and
> >Pierce combine for 60 points. And they lost. I really was questioning
> just
> >how good this team is. 
> >
> >I felt better after the Philly game. I agree with everyone who was upset
> >with the officiating. The frustrating thing is that was a game the Celts
> >deserved to win. They played harder and better than the Sixers (except
> for
> >that brief stretch in the second half when they looked like the
> Washington
> >Generals). They came out aggressively, defended well, and executed pretty
> >well offensively against one of the best defensive teams in the league.
> They
> >deserved to win.
> >
> >I've thought about things since, and while there are arguments both ways,
> my
> >optimism about this team is fading.
> >
> >They're 2-4 with three 2-point losses. The optimists among us see a team
> >close to winning. I hope that's true. But the NBA is a league of
> two-point
> >games. Good teams win them, bad teams don't. You watch games around the
> >league and 90 percent of them are in doubt with five minutes to go. Good
> >teams finish the job. Bad teams don't. Right now, the Celtics fall in the
> >latter category.
> >
> >Why? They have two talented scorers, but they don't have a go-to guy. A
> >go-to guy gets the ball over and over down the stretch and either scores,
> >gets fouled, or creates an opportunity for another player. Walker and
> Pierce
> >try, but they aren't that kind of player yet. Pierce is being more
> >aggressive this year, which is great to see, but his next pass will be
> his
> >first. When he learns how to pass when the shot isn't there, the team
> will
> >improve. Walker just isn't playing as well as he did in the preseason.
> He's
> >forcing things, rather than letting it happen. That 18-foot jumper he
> used
> >so well in the preseason shows up just once a game. And late in the game,
> >he's firing up quick shots instead of smart shots. There was a lot of
> debate
> >on this list when Allan Houston's name came up in trade talk during the
> >offseason, but I think we all saw the difference between Houston and our
> >"stars" Friday night. Houston is a legit go-to guy down the stretch. He
> can
> >get a shot almost any time he wants. And when he gets it, he usually
> makes
> >it.
> >
> >The front line remains one of the worst in the league. Tony Battie has
> been
> >at his best so far this season, but comparisons to Camby based on body
> type
> >aren't fair to Camby. Batgirl never has had the impact on a game that
> Camby
> >had on the game Friday night. And Potapenko is what he is. Why Blount
> >doesn't see the light of day is a mystery to me.
> >
> >On an optimistic note: I liked most of what I saw from Herren Saturday.
> He
> >needs to be more assertive when teams turn up the pressure instead of
> >deferring to less skilled ballhandlers, but that can be corrected. He
> will
> >shoot better, and when he does, it will open things up for others. The
> team
> >was as energized as I can ever remember it being in the second half of a
> >back-to-back. I think Herren brought some of that. I, for one, do not
> miss
> >Kenny Anderson at all. It's easy to say "Kenny's out and we lost three
> >straight..." but his absence certainly wasn't the reason.
> >
> >Summarizing, I'm beginning to see this as a really flawed team that will
> >show flashes, but for the most part will remain in that 35-39-win area
> when
> >all is said and done. I hope I'm wrong, as I often am. But I think it's
> more
> >likely that this team gets discouraged by all the tough losses, quits on
> >Pitino, who turns one eye toward the job listings by midseason. If that
> >happens, it could turn ugly, because this team needs absolute effort to
> win.
> >
> >Sorry for the long post. Two tough games over the weekend really got me
> >thinking.
> >
> >Mark
> >
> >
> >