Meet the 2000-01 Celtics

[Francis Hsu <francis@ai.mit.edu>]

There's a new article on the Celtics WWW site titled
"Meet the 2000-01 Celtics":
http://www.nba.com/celtics/meet_000831.html

To be honest, the article tended to make me either laugh or want to hurl.
I really wonder who in the Celtics organization wrote this one.  Here's
some excerpts:

Kenny Anderson
Those who do not know what Kenny Anderson is capable of on the
hardwood should get of tape of the Celtics' game at Utah last
season. Or heck, just ask the Jazz themselves. They would certainly
remember. 

In Boston's first win in Salt Lake City since 1991-92, Anderson
carried Boston to its most impressive road win of the year, scoring a
season-high 33 points (including 19 in the fourth quarter) on a
blazing 12-of-15 shooting. 

That game sealed Head Coach Rick Pitino's faith in the point guard
[...]
With Pitino planning on reinstituting the running and pressing style
used in the 1997-98 season, Anderson will be a huge part in
distributing the basketball and running the break. 

Tony Battie
There are two sides to Tony Battie. 

One is a player who can compete against the other big men in the NBA,
shoot a good percentage from the field and eat up minutes. 

The other is a player can change the outcome of a game. 

"I think Tony has to set up for us to be successful this season," Head
Coach Rick Pitino said. "He is a bit of an enigma at times, and he has
to step and be a very good basketball player night in and night
out. He has so much untapped potential that needs to come out this
year." 

Calbert Cheaney
Celtics fans did not get to enough of the smooth style of play that
made Cheaney a prized free agent last summer.

Walter McCarty
It is unclear what role Walter McCarty will play for the Celtics this
season. But if McCarty has showed one thing in his four-year career,
it is that he is versatile.

If Head Coach Rick Pitino plans on bringing back the running and
pressing style played during his first year in Boston, then McCarty
will most certainly fins himself on the court. With his long 6-10
frame and his ability to run the floor better than many guards,
McCarty has been a favorite under Pitino since their days at the
University of Kentucky. 

He can shoot the ball, too. Last season on opening night, McCarty sunk
all six of his three-point attempts, tying a Celtics' team record, en
route to a 20-point night. 

Vitaly Potapekno
Potapenko continued his tireless workout routine throughout the
offseason, quickening his footwork while still adding even more size
to an already brawny frame. If he can continue to harness the ferocity
in which he possessed throughout a stretch last season, the Celtics
will be a extremely tough team to control around the rim in 2000-01.

Antoine Walker
But Walker has also been here for several losing streaks, and at
times, has received sharp criticism that he is not maximizing his
potential. As the franchise's star player, he has carried much of the
burden. 

"It s very hard to answer echoes," said Rick Pitino, he has coached
Walker since he enrolled at the University of Kentucky as a freshman
in 1994. "In terms of Antoine Walker, I don't think I could tell you
whether someone reaches his potential. That remains to be seen with
Antoine. He could become one of the premier players in the league, or
he can stay where he is at right now. No one is going to be able to
answer that question but Antoine himself." 

Eric Williams
With his now sleek 6-8, 220 pound frame, the five-year veteran from
Providence College has made a habit of beating both bigger and smaller
players of the dribble, forcing defenders to either let him in for an
uncontested lay up or foul him.