Re: [Celtics' Stuff Bret and Bart Maverick

[JB <jbmetzea@yahoo.com>]

on 10/30/01 7:26 AM, j.hironaka at j.hironaka@unesco.org wrote:

  Paul and Antoine need to step it up tonight in terms of their
intensity. We dominated key statistical categories against Cleveland last
week, and yet it was a close game even with Andre Miller held out. And they
blew us out once already in the pre-season. That was a humiliation.

        Cleveland without their starting center and power forward ("Z" and
Ty Hill) is one of the worst teams on paper in the East. The Celtics have
more talent, but Obie needs a better game plan to shut down Cleveland's
shooters again and to improve our FG efficiency.
            **************
   I'm not sure Cleveland is so untalented. There are players in this
league, like, like Skinner and Wesley Person, that have lots of talent, but
have been on a losing team, so long, that they just won't go after it, in
the same way as players on a team that expects to win.  John Lucas should
have a grace period here and if they ever get Ilgauskas in gear, look out.
   Saying that, I expect the game to be close. We need to pressure Miller.
Palacio can earn his spurs tonight by denying position to Andre. We also
need to capitalize on our inside strength. Antoine, Battie, Vitaly and
Blount need to pound those boards. Players like Mihm can be intimidated, but
if we let him get off, he can be trouble.
   One positive, both Walker and Pierce have started to accept the fact that
if they shoot less, some nights, our team scores more by hitting a higher %.
This is the danger to this team, that Walker and Pierce try to do it all by
themselves and both have an off night or two. All of the harmony and
brotherly love could go down the sewer in a hurry.

                 

                 JB

                   

                   
Unchain My Heart!