RE: Before Everyone Gets Too Excited

["Ravi Singh" <kelticsfan@home.com>]

Yes, it is early and definitely the schedule has been in Boston's favor.
However, there are certain things to get excited about.

This team is playing much better defense, the achilles heal of last year's
team.  This team is rebounding and passing better.

In no way should Indiana have been tired in the fourth quarter last night.
O'Neal didn't play the previous night and showed no ill effects from
whatever was ailing him; Miller hardly played the first half; and the Pacers
have depth at key positions.  Travis Best who has torched the Celtics in the
past was a non factor, as was Croshere and that can partly be attributed to
defense.  The key to the game last night was O'Brien finally sitting Kenny
in the fourth quarter, replacing him with Strickland who played incredible
deny defense on Miller.  Miller couldn't get a shot off.  He may have
claimed to be tired from back to backs, but if anything he was tired of
watching JJ beat him on offense and Strickland get in his face on defense.

With respect to O'Neal and his ability to light up opposing teams.  I would
suspect  that occurs when he has a clear quickness advantage over his
opponent.  He doesn't have that advantage over Battie.  He is not going to
push Battie off the block and his quickness is neutralized so he is at no
clear advantage.

Joe Johnson is not just going to be a quality shooting guard.  He is going
to be one of the better players in the league in 4-5 years.  He is so
intellectually superior (court wise) to many of his peers.  That combined
with decent athletic ability and outstanding all around skills make him a
potential all-star player for years to come.

Yes, the Celtics need an above average big man.  Hopefully they can snag one
over the next couple of years.  Maybe with these other pieces in place,
Duncan will come this way.  I doubt it, but you never know.  In any event, I
have faith that Wallace will find one.

Granted this team is in no way ready for championship level basketball, and
may not be ready for playoff basketball, but I think the majority of fans
are excited because they are seeing improvement in the areas the Celtics
desperately needed improvement in.
That combined with some promising young talent and the continued maturity of
the two captains bodes well for the future.  I think finally, when Red says
Boston is only two players away from Championship level basketball, those
two players don't have to be MJ and Shaq and that alone is something to get
excited about.

Ravi


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-celtics@igtc.com [mailto:owner-celtics@igtc.com]On Behalf Of
Way Of The Ray
Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2001 8:26 AM
To: celtics@igtc.com
Subject: Before Everyone Gets Too Excited


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