T*E*A*M

[JBMetzEA@aol.com]

    As we go into the exhibition season, one nagging question sits with me. 
Can and will we play as a team? This is the story tonight and for the next 
several weeks. Will Kenny Anderson get the ball up-court? Will Antoine run 
the wing? Will the team defense concept and rebounding efforts get thrown out 
the window by the players after the first hard loss?
    There are so many big men injured in the Eastern Conference: Mourning, 
Geiger, Feick, Coleman and with Ewing and Smitts(and Dale Davis) gone, we 
could be up there with the big boys, fighting for home court, if we hold 
together with the team concepts that Bill Russell was brought in to reinforce.
    Although we wont see our whole team tonight, or in the near 
future(Herren, Stith, Moiso, Brown and Pierce are out), we will get to see 
the spirit of the team. 
    We enter preseason upgraded: at point guard; where Brown and Herren give 
us some depth (Dana was a negative factor), at center; by the loss of 
Pervis(Blount has to be more help) and the added year of experience and 
maturity for Vitaly and Battie. We also should get more scoring from Carr and 
Stith than Cheaney.
    It may be difficult to replace the efforts of Fortson though. The whole 
team, especially Antoine, will have to concentrate on hitting the boards. 
Pierce and Griffen are above average rebounders at their positions also, but 
the real efforts will have to come from Battie and Vitaly. Both can score and 
both can rebound, if they work at it. The area that most posters point to as 
our weakness may turn out to be our biggest strength.
JB