Sportstalk.com Profiles The Celtics

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@ix.netcom.com>]

http://www.sportstalk.com/nba/state/6717-Special---State-of-the-NBA.shtml

September 18, 2000
The State of the NBA
Boston Celtics

by special sportsTALK correspondant, Kelly Dwyer

TEAM: Boston Celtics
Coach: Rick Pitino
Record last year: 35-47
Key losses: Danny Fortson (7.6 points, 4.4 rpg); Dana Barros (7.2 ppg)
Key additions: Robert Pack (Dallas - 8.9 ppg; 5.8 apg); Randy Brown
(Chicago - 6.4 ppg, 3.4 apg); John "Hot Rod" Williams
Rookies: Jerome Moiso (UCLA -13.3 ppg; 7.6 rpg); Josip Sesar (Croatia)
Prediction: 36 wins, the playoff drought continues; Rick Pitino goes on
another college road trip and changes his motivational speaking topic
to: "How the Celtics would have won it all by now if we could have just
drafted Tim Duncan"

The Celtics are a frustrating crew, an embarrassing team that has
managed to squander all promise gained after the hiring of Rick Pitino
and the acquiring of youthful talent. On paper, the Celtics have it all:
talent, size, skills, shorts, jerseys, shoes; everything.

Once the whistle blows, their weaknesses come to a head. Enervated after
an attack of unrelieved nostalgia, the squad sheds it's outer skin and
stands revealed as a flighty, undisciplined bunch. Throw in a
penny-pinching front office and a cast of untradable commodities, you
can see why Pedro Martinez is getting a lot of attention these days.

To start, the Celtics have entrusted the franchise to two characters who
have quickly dimmed the rainbow emanating from their leprechaun's gold.
Kentucky products Rick Pitino and Antoine Walker have taken beating
after beating in the local press for several shared traits. Be it fickle
dedication, a rotating cast of attitudes, or a propensity to place the
foot in the proverbial mouth at any given chance; you can see where the
distrust comes from.

Pitino has issues with his own rotating crew of flavors of the month,
and I ain't talking about jam. His latest attempt to trade for Indiana
forward Austin Croshere typifies his fascination who whoever registers
the loudest beeps on the NBA radar. He complicates matters by verbally
building up each acquisition as the next great piece of Celtic lore
(remember Bruce Bowen in 1997? 'John Havlicek without the jumpshot').
These bold pronouncements have no choice but to ring in the ears of fans
who pay good money to see the next Hondo clang jumper after jumper, ride
half the season on the bench, and get traded for the next great thing
(this month, boysenberry).

Antoine Walker does his damage on an intangible, less-verbal manner.
Sure, he might have sent a squawk or two in Pitino's direction from the
bench this year, but by and large he's happy just to drop the numbas on
the boxscore and count his numbas in the bankroll. His rookie season was
an all-around marvel, playing on a team that won three times as many
games as positions Antoine played. Since then his fluctuating weight,
interest, and skill level has deteriorated a game that could have been
Bird-like and instead has remained Aguirre-esque.

The rest of the gang should be commended for playing in the shadow of
these two dubious distaffs, but the praise ain't picking up a playoff
spot. Kenny Anderson had his best year as a Celtic last season, but his
defense was still abhorrent and his stats were still under his career
averages of 15 points and seven assists. Adrian Griffin was a pleasant
rookie surprise, someone Pitino could sic on the opposing team's best
scoring threat on the wing, but he was only able to put up six or seven
points of his own.

Vitaly Potapenko still hasn't been able to develop the sort of offensive
game that forces his pivot counterpart to guard him, and is blithely
foul-prone on defense. He consistently gets his shot blocked and doesn't
have the perimeter game down yet. Calbert Cheaney was still offensively
inept, barely registering early on as the first guard off the Celtic
bench.

But, alas, all is not lost on the parquet floor.

Pitino and General Manager Chris Wallace have managed to surround this
underachieving bunch with a cast of players who should only get better.
Paul Pierce is the team's most important player now, a star capable of
getting his own shot at the end of the game and locking up his opponent
as the clock winds down. Number 34 (how'd that number slip through the
Celtic cracks?) is the only untouchable on the Boston roster.

Tony Battie still hasn't developed as quickly as the Celtics would have
liked, but he is the lone inside defensive presence on a team that is
actually counting on the contributions of Mark Blount next year. The
Celtics are counting on Battie to develop into a steady post presence on
both sides of the ball next year. His nifty little jump hook is simply
not enough; the Celtics have seen Walker force too many desperate ones
in the face of three big men.

For backcourt depth, the Celtics acquired Chicago stalwart Randy Brown,
and have seemingly put the wheels in motion to trade for Dallas
playmaker Robert Pack. Brown is an intense defender who put pressure on
his man in the press or in half-court. His offense? Truly offensive.
That's where Pack comes in, should he not injure himself in the lay-up
line. Again. The Celts will also pick up Hot Rod Williams, who will
probably retire before training camp.

Walter McCarty, once the key to the vaunted Kentucky press, is working
with Kiki Vandeweghe this offseason in hopes of adding an actual
offensive move to his repertoire. Offense is not a problem for Eric
Williams, who likes to put the ball in the hole. The scorer is
perpetually at odds with Rick Pitino over his score and/or die
mentality, and an unwieldy contract makes him hard to dump.

In Jerome Moiso, Boston's first round pick, the Celtics have a lanky
project intriguing enough to spend a lottery pick on. At nearly seven
feet tall, Moiso can run like a deer and jump like John Wilkes Booth.
Jerome, a left-hander, had a splendid summer league run, and will look
to develop his game and, in his words, 'get bigger and in shape.'

A promise the entire Celtic organization might want to think about
making.

Starters

C: Vitaly Potapenko – Rick Pitino had to be the only guy in the entire
league who thought Vitaly could be a starting center, and Rick happens
to pawn draft picks like a junkie treats stolen VCRs. A bad combination.

PF: Antoine Walker – You get the feeling that Boston would be willing to
retire the number eight just to get this guy off their salary cap.

SF: Paul Pierce – This cat won the Mitch Richmond Memorial Martyr Award
in only his second season.

SG: Adrian Griffin – He’s got a basketball brain to die for, but his
heart is nostalgic for the CBA. That’s how bad things are in Boston.

PG: Kenny Anderson - A fine wife, nice rides, a starting slot and a fat
contract— he wouldn’t trade any of them for a healthy knee.

Bench

Jerome Moiso – You know what they say about tall left-handers that speak
French.

Eric Williams – He’d fit in perfectly with a team like Denver. Wait,
didn’t he…

Randy Brown – Randy: “You see, Kenny, you have to move your feet.”
Kenny: “Move your what?”

Tony Battie – Why’d they go through all the trouble of drafting Billups
and Mercer when this was the stud they wanted all along?

Walter McCarty – Knicks fans still rue the day their team traded this
guy for the player that eventually brought them Latrell Sprewell. Live
and learn.

Robert Pack – Another Denver retread. Anytime the Celts and Nuggets
play, well, it’s downright incestuous.