Last game

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

The last game of the Celtics season is tonight against Charlotte. It's a
shame to see our basketball season end, but this was a fun year and the
offseason won't likely be dull either.

A big win tonight puts Obie over .500 for the season at 26-24, something
probably less than 1 out of every 1,000 fans thought would have
predicted. A win would also put Boston over .500 at the Fleet Center
(they are just 20-20) and finally break Pitino's opening season 36-win
mark.

Paul Silas' Hornets will not roll over and play dead tonight. A win for
them, coupled with a Toronto loss, would flip-flop their playoff seeds
(currently 6th and 5th). A win would also put Charlotte ten games over
.500, a nice target to shoot for. This last game could be very
competitive and exciting, hopefully.

Boston will try to prevent an ignoble 4-0 sweep by Charlotte and deliver
a bit of revenge to longtime Boston nemeses PJ Brown, Jamal Mashburn and
David Wesley.

Jamal Mashburn (20.1 ppg 7.5 rpg and 5.4 apg) has emerged in his 9th pro
year. Statistically he is basically a clone of Toine. He is one of the
most dangerous ballplayers you'll ever find in the East, yet he is
shooting a mere 41.4% from the field and 42% for his career. What is it
with Kentucky alumni?

Baron Davis is probably the most valuable player for Charlotte in terms
of trade value, in light of his well-rounded 14.0 ppg, 7.3 apg, 5.0 rpg,
2.06 spg. It took a while, but he's finally stepped to the top of his
point guard draft class (which included Andre Miller and Jason Terry).

The Hornets rely on solid board work from 7-1 Elden Cambell and 6-11 PJ
Brown (17+ boards combined) and get a lot of offense from David Wesley
(17.3 ppg). These are all excellent, 30-something veterans.

The Celtics really have never had comparable players in the veteran,
30-something category (other than Randy Brown). Kenny and Bryant Stith
just turned 30 this season. Eric Williams is the next oldest at 28.
Chris Carr and Waltah entered their "prime" (27) this year, and Adrian
will also turn 27 this summer.

Obie might try a lineup tonight of guys born since the US 200th
bicentennial (1976): Battie, Moiso, Walker, Pierce and Palacio.
Actually, Miracle Milt, Pierce and Moiso will still be all of
23-years-old at the start of training camp next season. They will be
grizzled 23-year-old NBA veterans trying to break in a new class of
talented draft picks that might even include a couple of teenagers. With
a realistic amount of luck, we're going to own the middle part of this
decade. At worst we'll be at the level that Charlotte, Indiana and
Toronto are at now.

Go Celts