Houston, we have lift-off.

[JB <jbmetzea@yahoo.com>]

   Jimmy O'Brien for coach of the year. Jimmy O'Brien for the Sigmund Freud
honorarium.
   I won't make too much of the fact that we beat a horrible Orlando team,
without a live center (they have two dead ones, who stir occasionally) and
no Grant Hill, but I will mention that this was a playoff team last season
and in my mind, at least, I figured they had enough weapons to challenge us
and Detroit for the last playoff spot, this season. What was impressive, to
me, was that we had just come off the road (a trap game), with an ego
puncturing three losses and a few nagging injuries, to play a team fired up
from beating N.Y., in dramatic fashion, at M.S.G. and played, probably, the
most disciplined, fundamentally sound, basketball, that I've seen from this
franchise, since 1991.
   How many franchises have tanked for Duncan? Add Orlando. How much tougher
would this game have been, if they still had Ameachi and Outlaw? "There
ought to be a law!"
   "Meanwhile, Back in the Jungle:" Whatever Jimmy O'Brien is putting in the
Kool-Aid, two days of practice and counseling have righted this ship, in a
way, I never thought possible. Would you believe that Walker took one three
in the first half? It was the closing shot and it went down, as the clock
expired for a 66-50 lead and the best half this team may have ever played.
All of his points, I think there were 20 at that mark, were from inside the
paint, many, little, tweener, jumper/leaners from 4-6 feet out. A new aspect
of his game has emerged and he did it overnight, not taking a whole summer
to learn as someone (Lance?) had exhorted for him to do.
   Kenny Anderson controlled the offense, in that glorious first half. He
also managed 19 points and 7 assists to go with 4 steals and a few rebounds
(I'm talking first half here). Detractors go home. Kenny had a great game
and deservedly so. He came into this season, in shape, has worked hard every
minute (well, almost) on the floor and had tried very hard to compensate for
his lack of muscle and defensive instincts. While his shot has not fallen
like this, every night; game in and game out, the Celtics have outscored
their opponent, while he has been on the floor, with a dramatic difference,
to when he is on the bench. Also, game in and game out, very few, even of
the elite, point guards, have come after him, with any success. Make your
excuses, rationalize all you want, without Anderson, we are in the
shithouse, game after game. If they kept a +/- for the players, I doubt if
any, even Pierce, would have fared better, so far this season. A tribute to
Anderson, or the reality of our other point guards/Walker, as floor leader ?
Well, in the words of Aretha, with a little help from C.S.N.Y.; "Love the
One you're With."
   I saw Pierce force the ball twice in the first half and never again. The
ref's swallowed their whistles and Paul, unable to overcome that, kept his
game in check, like I've never seen him do. When he got an inch, he was like
a deadly assassin, nailing jumpers and slashing to the hoop, but he passed,
rebounded and played defense, anonamously, for most of the night. This sense
of team play, coupled with Walker's conversion, kept the defense off-balance
and made this game easy.
   Everyone else did their jobs. What more to say? Battie and Vitaly will
not often have as easy a time underneath, but so what. Of all the teams that
don't have centers, at least ours are working hard at it.
   
   
   
                 

              JB
                   
     
                   

                           Unchain My Heart!