Re: The Boston Celtics Mailing List Digest V7 #395

[JBMetzEA@aol.com]

In a message dated 10/21/00 1:21:27 PM, Celtics-Digest-Owner@igtc.com writes:

<< Why must we grasp for negatives all the time?  Yesterday, the Celtics play
precisely the game everyone on this list has been dying to see.  Yet, we are
worried that Antoine did not have any assists? >>
"Jonathan Brainin"
            **********************  
    I am not "grasping for negatives." I concur with all, that Antoine did 
what was needed last night. My post: ...... "Antoine played well, he was not 
the story of the game. Almost an afterthought, but he was productive. He got 
his offense off the flow of the game, but he got zero assists, which is 
alarming......." and of course; from another poster: "..a win is a win...." I 
was only querying why every season we start out playing unselfishly and 
then..... it breaks down and Antoine starts going 5 for 19 with a half a 
dozen or so turnovers. I just didn't want to get as ecstatic over last nights 
game as I did the last two years, after the team put on a few passing clinics 
in the preseason. Do you remember the game two years ago when Mercer got 29 
and we blew out Toronto? 
    To me Antoine has always been the one to be wary of in this regard. We 
only have to go back a few days to the game with San Antonio. Antoine scored 
22, shooting 8 for 19 (not the worst we've seen), and San Antonio is very 
tough, but, he had five turnovers and not a single assist. That's two games 
out of three, for one of the best passing forwards in the game, to have ZERO 
assists. To me, that's alarming.
    Believe me; I hope that Bill Russell's motto: "Team Ego" sinks in with 
Antoine. I have seen him make great strides in the last year and I have seen 
him fall back. When he is ready, this team can contend. I guess what I meant 
to say, has been said so many times, by us and by coach. "It's all in 
Antoine's hands."
JB