down 3-2

["Thomas Murphy" <tfmiii@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Lots of things to mention, let me just start by saying the Cs have given us
more than we could have possibly hoped for this season  - my hat is off to
each and every one, players and management alike.

Secondly, for those of you who in the heat of the moment are questioning the
mental toughness of Pierce, it's time for your meds. No one needs to make
excuses for Pierce. The fact is he is finally being defended the way he
deserves and the way I think most of us would have anticipated if we had
taken a moment to consider. Unlike when Jordan reigned the rules do not
accommodate but rather make it easier to defend him. He's going through a
period of adjustment given the intensity of playoff defense, could use some
help from teammates and the coaching staff (which he hasn't received for the
most part), and is battling the zebras all at once. (I'm convinced it was
the refs offensive foul calls in game one that got into his head and sent
him into the brief slump because he was trying to be less aggressive for the
sake of staying on the court.) He's young, this is his first taste of the
playoffs and he'll be fine. Remember, he's been through a lot worse.

Unfortunately, I think the team is finally paying a price for the laissez
faire attitude towards running the offense. One-on-one couldn't get it done
with Dr J and his cast of all-stars and it won't work now for Pierce and
Walker. The best way to stop a fast-breaking team like NJ (which depends on
the break even if they don't get an immediate hoop because of the mismatches
and missed assignments produced by the quick tempo) is to have an efficient
offense. Hard to break when you're pulling the ball out of the hoop. We need
an offensive guru  analogous to Dick Harter on D for next year. Any kind of
movement on offense would be an improvement at this point. I think with
Sacto and NJ we may be seeing the changing of the guard in the NBA with
fat-breaking TEAM offense becoming a much larger factor in determining who
advances.

As for this year however I think we need some changes and quick. I read that
Eric Williams can't even straighten his broken pinkie on his shooting hand
anymore - could this be a factor in our first quarter deficits? - you bet!
Time to plug someone else into the starting line-up whether it is Strickland
(love how he harasses Kidd) or heaven forbid Kedrick. BTW great to see
Strick exhumed from the morgue last night, like many of the other folks I
love his tenacity and especially his physical toughness. This is something
that Boston currently lacks, we don't have an 'enforcer' who can help
balance the physical play out there. We really are being roughed up (Kidd,
K-Mart, Aaron W, even that sloth MacC) and have no one to counteract it. It
would also help to have a player above the height of 6'10" - it really hurts
to play hard-nosed D and see 2nd and 3rd chances for the other team -  but
then we all realize that.

Another quick change that can be made is one I think someone else
suggested - add by subtracting Delk. I don't like his game and he really
hurts us out on the floor. He can't run the point PERIOD, is soft (his D
seems more predicated on quick hands than bodying-up) and his shot seems to
be easy to rattle. (Why couldn't Rogers be the one with the 4 yr contract!?)
Time to through Kedrick out there and see if his high energy can help off
the boards on the break and on D. Long past the time for the coach to make
adjustments both with personnel and with the plays. Hope they work on how to
break down the 2-3 zone today because they didn't solve it last night.

I'll be cheering Friday - it's still not too late but there have to be some
changes. Pierce and Walker are doing the best they can, now its time for the
coach and other players to help them out a bit. GO GREEN!!