A Kingly Game

[bird <birdw@teleport.com>]

Well, that was a good game -- the only thing that could make it 
better would be the obvious thing.  I'm glad the players and Obie 
didn't talk about a "moral victory" or a "good loss" because such an 
animal doesn't exist; wins and losses matter.

But, coming off the Minny win and having seen the game, I was 
impressed.  The C's ran the floor, though they didn't always make the 
best decisions on the fast break, they were willing and able to break 
consistently.  They scrambled effectively on defense, making the 
Kings make mistakes, getting in the passing lanes, creating 
turnovers.  They took good shots, not always the first one unless the 
Sac-town defense wasn't set.  They attacked the basket and they (more 
or less) defended their own.  The Kings could be the best team in the 
NBA: Boston held their own for 47 minutes, and that ain't bad.  They 
shot over 50% -- the first time the Kings allowed that of an opponent 
this year.  The Kings only lost three games at home this year -- all 
in OT -- and the Celts, not a good road team, made it not only a 
game, but a good game: made big plays, made big shots; sure, they 
gave up big plays, too, but Sacto outclasses Boston by about three 
levels of performance in the league right now.

And then there was Walker.  47 points, 13 assists.  Franchise record 
9 three pointers.  I'm just glad Dee Brown doesn't still hold that 
record.  Taking good shots, passing to the open man, Walker might 
have had his best offensive game as a Celtic.  I always think C-Webb 
is going to maul Walker, since he is the better player, and Walker 
almost always rises to the occasion.  Sure, Walker couldn't stop 
Webber when he guarded him, either, but Walker got the best of it 
this time, and, if the last trey falls, maybe even wins the game, 
too.  (Btw, I saw Walker's head just swell to titanic proportions 
with each made trifecta -- it was damn near nine times as large as 
normal at the end of the game.)

If Pierce comes alive in the fourth quarter, maybe we win.  Maybe the 
extended bench time had something to do with it.  Anyone know why 
Obie chose to do that?  It didn't look like Williams and Stith were 
doing well enough to keep Pierce on the pine.

Somebody mentioned a little while ago that the NBA League Pass always 
uses the home announcers for the game; those who get the Pass noticed 
that Mike and Tommy did the game: I haven't detected any pattern as 
to which feed the Pass uses.  Games in Boston are always FSNE, but so 
are about 33% of the away games.  Go figure.  I'm glad, because I get 
enough ripping on the team here (I don't have to listen to the other 
team's announcers bash the players, thanks), and because Tommy was in 
rare form, screaming like a prophet when the C's would fast break. 
(Like any good prophet, Tommy is often wrong, too -- just to keep you 
honest.)

Regards,

Bill, Celtic "Tird"

P.S. Here's something to gnaw on: if Rick Pitino said that Eric 
Williams was the team's best defender (better than Stith, Griffin, or 
Randy Brown) he would have been lambasted.  Obie says it, and ... 
lookit, there's a tumbleweed rolling by ... .  I mean, Eric Williams? 
C'mon!  You don't need to come up with reasons to use him in games: 
good low-post threat, gets to the line and shoots well from there. 
He had better show some good consistent defense on the court before 
being knighted, is all.