Re: Things We Know About The Celtics After One Summer League Game

["Berry, Mark S" <berrym@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

We don't know anything about the Celtics after one summer league game. But
we do have a few impressions. Just looking at the game reports and box
scores, here are mine:

1.	I'm officially worried about Kedrick. We can spin it any way we
want, but the guy played 37 minutes last night and the coaches are BEGGING
him to dominate, and he still only attempted 10 shots and, according to all
reports, spent most of the time floating around the perimeter. You can say
he did it during the games last year because he was playing with Pierce and
Walker, but now he's doing it while playing with Joe Forte and Terquin Mott.
Like Gene said, those who have it find a way to show it. (I think of all the
really intelligent things we see on this board, this may have been the
simplest and smartest.) So far, Kedrick hasn't found a way to show it. I
know, I know, he's playing defense... I expect more from the 11th pick in
the draft who the Celtics' brass said was in their top 3 on the draft board.
I'm still not giving up, but I'm really starting to worry.
2.	Omar Cook... He can't shoot. Neither can Jason Kidd. Could Red win
with him? Forte can shoot, but I guarantee the team can't win with him at
point guard. The reviews from last night on Omar sound mixed, so I'm looking
forward to seeing him tonight. It's worth noting he was 4-for-7 from the
field and hit 1-of-2 from 3-point range. It's amazing to me that the Celtics
seem so concerned with a guy like Cook only hitting 38 percent from the
floor when he only shoots eight or nine times a game, yet completely look
away when Antoine shots 38 percent while firing up 23 shots a game. Again,
I'm not so sure the team appreciates a true point guard.
3.	Oliver Miller is interesting. Forget any thoughts about "if he's in
shape" because he won't be. He never has been for any length of time, and
now that he's older and has been out of the league for a while, there's no
reason to believe he will be. Still, he is a skilled big guy who can block
shots and rebound. Even out of shape, he could be a guy who could help in a
backup role.

Anyway, Kedrick needs to start showing more than a good vertical. That's the
one thing I want to see from the summer league. If Omar Cook can show he's a
legit backup PG this season with starting potential a year from now, great.
We can sort through the rest.

Mark

--- --- ---

Ray wrote:

- Where have all the foreign players gone? Free Demos Dikoudis. Get him
away
from the hot dogs and on to the court.

- The Bruno signing seems iffy at the moment. $650,000 for a 7-2
guy with potential. Bruno could make more back in Europe.
If all things are equal, Indiana resigns him. So, pony up some lucre
Pond.

- Oliver Miller will outplay and out-eat the entire Celtics frontcourt.

- Omar Cook, the anti-Jay Williams can't shoot. Don't be fooled by one
game.

- Kedrick Brown may be a "Pro" as Auerbach calls him, but Jefferson
looks like a Better Pro.
You can make a strong case that Richard Jefferson is better than both of
the
Celtics lottery picks from last year. Ah, the dangers of drafting
shooting guards.

- J. R. Bremer has NBA potential. It's just a matter of finding the
right team with the
right roster spot available. With the C's having Anderson, Delk, and
Forte all signed
to contracts and Cook in training, this isn't the place, unless the
Anderson - Croshere deal goes through.

- Songaila's another iffy as to whether he'll survive training camp with
a contract.
Probably depends on Rogers, Sundov, a rejuvenated Olive Miller (?),
Croshere....

- Why bother publishing summer league rosters since half the players
aren't there
or soon not to be there....