Re: Kedrick Brown

[Eggcentric@xxxxxxx]

< A few days back there was conjecture on this list that Kedrick 
Brown was in Obie's dog house. I just want to set the record straight 
that was not, and is not, true.  Kedrick is still physically getting 
into the season.  If he plays too many minutes too soon he might 
get injured again.  Expect him to be into the rotation by late 
January or February. >  - Dorine

Your scenario is comforting, Dorine, so I hope you are right.
However, I can understand how one might gather from the 
following excerpt (Boston Herald, Dec. 24) that Obie is more 
concerned with Kedrick's  HEAD and HEART than with his TOE.  

So am I.

< According to O'Brien, uneven defense - especially from the 
Celtics reserves - is to blame for the team's slow starts.

Asked about the development of second-year guard Kedrick Brown, 
O'Brien immediately turned to the subject of team defense.

``Our starters, and Shammond (Williams) and Walter (McCarty), 
play at a defensive standard that's hard for the others to 
match,'' he said. 

``And to earn quality minutes, you have to match that standard.

``It comes down to working extremely hard in practice, and 
playing at a level in practice that's frenetic.'' >  
- Mark Murphy

So who are the guilty parties here?  Obie made a point to 
exonerate his starting five plus Shammond and Walter.  Bruno,
JR, and Wolko cannot be blamed for our  "slow starts " since 
they barely see playing time.

Guilty by reason of exclusion: VIN and KEDRICK.  

Eggy

----------------------
Pierce: NBA too soft on hard fouls

by Mark Murphy
Tuesday, December 24, 2002

Celtics notes

The Celtics went through an hourlong videotape session, followed 
by an hour of practice focusing almost exclusively on defense.

According to O'Brien, uneven defense - especially from the 
Celtics reserves - is to blame for the team's slow starts.

Asked about the development of second-year guard Kedrick Brown, 
O'Brien immediately turned to the subject of team defense.

``Our starters, and Shammond (Williams) and Walter (McCarty), 
play at a defensive standard that's hard for the others to 
match,'' he said. 

``And to earn quality minutes, you have to match that standard.

``We need 12 people matching that standard for us to be a 
contender, and that's not happening right now,'' O'Brien said. 

``Maybe we're not supposed to be at that level by 
Christmastime. Last year that didn't happen until later in 
the year.

``It comes down to working extremely hard in practice, and 
playing at a level in practice that's frenetic.''

Said Pierce: ``It has to come from everybody. When you have 
a good defensive rhythm, it's a different game for us. But I 
think when Eric (Williams) or one of the other starters goes 
off, it changes.

``We need the other guys on the same page,'' he said. ``They 
have to talk to each other and help out, and we don't always 
get that consistency from everyone. But it has to be a 
continuous emphasis.

``It has to come from within. Unless you put it on yourself, 
nothing is going to work.'' . . .

One stat that gave the players a deep sense of accomplishment 
yesterday was their 7-4 road record - second best in the NBA 
behind Dallas' 10-3 mark.

The Celtics are one of only three Eastern Conference teams - 
Indiana and Detroit are the others - over .500 on the road 
this season, and one of only seven NBA teams overall. . . .

Wednesday night's game against New Jersey has given Vin Baker's 
Hartford-based clan cause for a rather hearty Christmas road 
trip. Baker expects approximately 100 friends and family 
members to be on hand for the game, and no, he is not hosting 
a huge holiday feast back at the hotel.

``Oh no,'' he said with a laugh. ``It will be strictly room 
service.''