Before Everyone Gets Too Excited

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

This early schedule of the Celtics is very conducent to making a
team look good. Not only are the Celtics playing at home, having
days off before games, but they're facing tired teams that
have played the night before, as they will once again with
the Hawks Friday night.

Label me midly-impressed, but I'd still like to see how the Celtics
perform on
a more even playing field, before I'm convinced that they'll make the
playoffs.

I also was somewhat puzzled by Indian's game agianst the Celtics.
It wasn't the same Pacers team that I expected from their fine earlier
performances.
I  thought both Tinsley and O'Neil would light up the C's. That is,
until I found
out that Tinsley was suffering from a hamstring injury and O'Neil was
iffy to
even play the game.

And as well as Joe Johnson is playing, the long term success of the
Celtics depends on their
ability to come up with a dominant Big Man. So, despite Johnson's
early accomplishments, I still would have traded up in the draft for a
Big Man.
It's easy to acquire a  quality shooting guard, much more difficult
finding a quality big man.
Ray