new bskball.com column

["Josh Ozersky" <jozersky1@nyc.rr.com>]

Reader Peter Byron writes:
"I think it is time that you simply stop writing about Kenny Anderson...it
is obvious that you can't come to grips with the reality that somehow he has
had a rebirth and has become a capable point guard." Reality and I have
historically had a stormy relationship, admittedly, but I can hardly be
blamed for pointing out the obvious: that Kenny seemed to have lost a step,
and was no longer penetrating fertile defenses the way he had been. Last
night proved Kenny still has his moxie, and I'm glad I was wrong. Kenny is
surely too proud a player to want any sugar-coating from the crowd. I can
even hear him say it: "Kenny Anderson doesn't need sugar-coating."

Another thought that struck me during our 19th win is the growing reality of
our position in the Eastern Conference. Over the last few years, I've
approached the playoffs with assumption that a .500 record or thereabouts
would suffice to get us in. This year it might be less. But given that we
have 19 wins, consider this.

ONE: say we get six wins before the all-star break, out of a possible
nineteen. It's a worst-case scenario, and unlikely given the number of home
games, and the team's success against good Eastern teams. (We won't say
anything here about our success against bad eastern teams.)

TWO: that would be 25 wins, requiring only that we pick up 16 more, out of a
possible 41, to get us to .500 and a likely playoff berth.

Now, it's still premature to think about the playoffs, but it won't be in a
month or two. Because it's more likely that the Celtics will win ten or more
of their next 19 games, and at least half of their games in the second half,
or near to it. Soon, we're going to have to think about playoff position,
and getting out of the east. That will mean epic battles of the kind waged
in days of old. The same teams, too: the Bucks, the Pistons, the Sixers. The
Pacers are a great threat too, as are the Nets. (The old-school aspect of
this might become too eerie entirely, if Nets center Todd McCullouch
continues to morph into Mike Gminski before our eyes.) Anyway, if we're
going to go to war against these teams, we're going need Paul and Antoine
well-rested and healthy. O'Brien needs to take his foot off the pedal a
little bit, and let the team develop. It wouldn't be the worst thing in the
world if Pierce sat out a few games, for example, and let JJ and Kedrick
Brown take some legit scoring opportunities, instead of crumbs. Kenny and
Eric could be doing more as well. Antoine likewise could play a few minutes
less a night. We're going to need our "supporting cast" to take it up to
that other level when May rolls around, and this strategy of maxing out our
main men won't work any better in 2002 than it did in 1987. (Reggie Lewis
was as good as Joe Johnson on that team, but barely saw the light of day.)

Coach O'Brien clearly feels that he has to keep the team focused on defense,
and has proven his point by having been able to turn a team of athletically
limited offensive players into blood-hungry defensive hawks. But the offense
can't just be left on automatic, milking the two-man game. Playoff teams
can't afford that luxury.