Bulpett:C-Notes

[Hironaka <j.hironaka@unesco.org>]

-Moiso will miss opening exhibition game against Bucks (visa problems).
Pitino is not that happy.
-John Havlicek was a guest at camp.
-Rod Elliot and MJ to get a lot of minutes tonight. Pitino won't go to a
set rotation until the last four exhibition games, in order to try
different combinations first.


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Moiso can't go without his visa
Celtics Notebook/by Steve Bulpett
Wednesday, October 11, 2000

Rookie Jerome Moiso was absent from training camp yesterday and as the
Celtics went through two sessions, many of them probably wanted to be
where he was.

``Jerome is in Barbados getting a visa,'' said coach Rick Pitino,
offering the basic fact before switching on the sarcasm.

``His agents did a wonderful job. He had no time in the summer to get
it, so he just waited for now. All I know is he had the whole summer. I
don't know if his agents were in Barbados relaxing and forgot to direct
the man that he needed to get his visa.''

Asked when Moiso would be returning, Pitino cracked: ``After he fires
his agents.''

Moiso, the club's top draft pick, is represented by Arn Tellem and SFX.
According to Pitino, he will miss this evening's preseason opener at the
FleetCenter against Milwaukee.

``His country of origin is Guadeloupe, but I'm not sure how it all works
with territories and all that,'' general manager Chris Wallace said of
Moiso's visa problem. ``He originally got his visa in Barbados.
Barbados, I think, handles Guadeloupe, but I'm not totally sure about
all that.''

Too early to tango

After eight days of practice, Pitino is still not looking forward to an
exhibition game.

``I'm not anxious at all,'' he said. ``I think in professional
basketball it happens too quick.''

The Celtic plan for tonight is simple.

``I want to give (rookie free agents) Rodney Elliott and Michael Jordan
a good long look, because they've worked very hard in camp,'' Pitino
said. ``And certainly we want to work on the things offensively and
defensively, execution-wise, that we've been trying to do.

``I feel the first four games you want to play a lot of people and just
watch a few things. Then the last four games you want to try and win.''

Pitino does see a value to the games, especially for his younger
players.

``You see them in game situations with the fans and how they react to
the pressure of a basketball game,'' he said. ``You certainly want to
see that. I just think it happens quickly. We don't have nearly
everything in that we want to put in.''

Pierce: Thanks for support

Paul Pierce expressed appreciation for the notes that came his way of
late.

``It feels great and those are the type of things you need when you're
trying to get better and you're trying to recuperate,'' he said. ``You
need that family support, friends, teammates, and even from around the
world I've gotten flowers and e-mails. It feels great and that really
helps you on the road to recovery, being that you have all the support
behind you and you feel a lot of love.''

Pitino is pleased with what Pierce has shown on the floor in very
limited work the last couple of days, saying: ``We'll probably bring him
back around Friday. He looks great, feels great. He's a little winded,
but everything else I think is almost normal. I think he's just about
ready to do anything right now.

``He's a quick healer. But we're being overly cautious and when we're
positive he's 100 percent ready to come back he will come back. . . .
We'll take every precaution right now until he feels comfortable.''

Asked if it hurt Pierce to shoot, Pitino said: ``The ball keeps going
in, so I wouldn't imagine so.''

Bill Russell, who joked with Pierce and Antoine Walker on the sideline,
and John Havlicek were guests at practice. Russell was back to work with
the team.

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Celtics taking steps to protect their star
by Steve Bulpett
Wednesday, October 11, 2000

In light of the severity of the recent attack on him and general
concerns about this violent age, Paul Pierce and the Celtics are
undertaking a comprehensive security plan. In the most simple terms,
Pierce will have a full-time presence to accompany him.

``Me and coach (Rick Pitino) talked about it and I think that'll be the
best idea for right now,'' Pierce said last night. ``I think it'll be
different, being that I'm a private guy and now I'm going to have
somebody around. I guess it'll be tough at first, but it's something
I've got to get used to for a while.''

Having made it through his formative years in the tough Los Angeles
suburb of Inglewood, the need for security caught Pierce somewhat off
guard.

``It's a tough situation, being that I've never needed anybody or had
anybody just to watch over me and make sure nothing happens,'' he said.
``But at this point, it's just something that I have to do for my safety
so I can feel good just going anywhere. I just think it's the necessary
measures that have to be taken at this point.''

The police have detailed a history of problems with those targeted for
the attack, leaving lingering concern on the Celtics' part.

``I'm not afraid of going on with my life,'' Pierce said. ``I'm still a
young kid. I still like to go out and have fun. I just think that right
now you've got to take extra precautions with a lot of things you do.
Even when I go out now, people are going to be like, that's the guy who
got stabbed and I'm going to be looked at even more. So there's
definitely going to be extra precautions. But that's just the price you
pay.

``These are people that I have to take precautions on. When I go out, I
understand that there are some dangerous people in Boston and in the
world.''

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