Our own Ray of Sunshine

["Lance Jacobson" <lancejacob@xxxxxxxxx>]

  I would hope that this is just a temporary thing, as Baker's fragile
        psyche is sure to be tested if he's coming off the bench....

        What, exactly, do you hope is temporary, Ray?  That the Celts have
brought this guy in and            asked him to participate?  Baker coming off
the bench may be just fine.  It doesn't matter as             long as he's
getting minutes and he knows his rep from Seattle's a setback that he has to
work         and perform to overcome.  He's even holding off going into Boston
and walking the streets until         he's contributed.

I hope that's a PERMANENT thing.  Give the guy a chance, will ya?>>Ray

Baker gets cooking

He seems to have all the ingredients

By Shira Springer, Globe Staff, 10/2/2002

WALTHAM - Before the start of Celtics training camp, coach Jim O'Brien
called Vin Baker into his office overlooking the practice floor at
HealthPoint. O'Brien gave Baker a four-minute pep talk, reminding the
power forward/center to forget about the inevitable high expectations
that come with being the new maximum-contract player in town. O'Brien
closed the conversation by wishing Baker good luck and telling him to
work hard. It was a small gesture that spoke volumes to Baker and left
one of the newest Celtics so encouraged that he called his father to
reiterate how eager he was for the start of the season.



But that doesn't mean Baker could avoid the pressure that has been
mounting since he was traded to Boston in late July. He will enter the
2002-03 season with a lot to prove, a lot of doubters to win over, a lot
of bad memories from Seattle to erase. His first practice with the
Celtics yesterday was just the beginning.

''It's almost impossible not to put pressure on myself,'' said Baker.
''I'm going to put more pressure on myself than anybody else is going to
put on me to play well and do well.''

Case in point No. 1: With a half-hour left in the morning workout, Baker
was going in to box out when he bumped into Eric Williams. Then Baker
heard a series of crunching sounds coming from his left hand and felt a
surge of pain in his pinky finger.

Trainer Ed Lacerte suggested Baker get an X-ray right away, but he
instead iced his hand for 20 minutes and rejoined the team for layup and
defensive drills. X-rays taken after the workout were negative, and
Baker was diagnosed with a sprain. He taped up the finger for the
evening session and practiced as if nothing had happened. His new
teammates were pleased with his desire to get right back on the floor.

''When Ed said, `We want to get an X-ray,' guys were out there
playing,'' said Baker. ''I just had to get back out there. I just wanted
to be a part of it. I don't want any setbacks. We've been working too
hard the last two months.''

Case in point No. 2: Baker was a summertime fixture at the training
facility. Assistant coach Lester Conner and strength and conditioning
coach Shaun Brown became fast friends with Baker as they guided him
through drill work and weightlifting. The offseason emphasis was on
speed, footwork, conditioning, and shooting. Between basketball and
cardiovascular/strength work, the offseason sessions lasted about 21/2
hours a day. Baker took up residence at the Westin in Waltham to
conserve time and energy for basketball.

''I've haven't been to Boston at all yet,'' said Baker. ''I had one
dinner down there and that's it. I haven't been out too much. I've been
here at the gym and back at the hotel. I'm going to wait until I get a
couple 20-[point] and 10-[rebound games] under my belt, then I'll walk
around the city a little bit. But I'm tired of the clam chowder over
there [at the hotel], I can tell you that much.''

The prospect of a fresh start prompted Baker to get an
earlier-than-usual start on his offseason training. Once the deal was
done, Baker arrived at training camp weighing 255 pounds and figures he
will lose about another 8 over the course of preseason, though he is fit
to play right now.

''We had a conversation before we started, and he was very good about
being here on time and putting out,'' said Conner. ''He did everything
that I asked him to do, did everything that Shaun Brown asked him to do
in the weight room. Never did he try to duck out of workouts, which was
one of the things that we had heard about him.

''Coming into a new situation, you want to get off to a good start. I
told him that our guys know what winning takes right now: working hard.
So to be accepted very easily would be to fit into our work ethic as a
team, coming in and putting out and matching the intensity of Eric
Williams, Walter McCarty, Tony Delk, Antoine [Walker], and Paul
[Pierce].''

The first day of camp came as something of a relief to Baker, who had
tired of shooting by himself. He was eager to make a good impression on
his teammates, and, by all accounts, he did.

O'Brien appreciates Baker's basketball intelligence, his skills,

and the fact that he came to camp in good shape, though the coach has
given no indication as to whether he has Tony Battie or Baker in mind
for starting center. The coach also values Baker's nine years of NBA
experience (the most of any Celtic) - the fact that he has seen every
offense in the league and knows every way to play defense. Still, in
yesterday's morning session, Baker was on the second team, while Battie,
Walker, Pierce, Delk, and Eric Williams made up the first team. The
second team was made up of the new additions, plus Kedrick Brown and
McCarty. O'Brien said nothing should be read into the divisions.

According to Baker, it doesn't matter which unit he plays with, as long
as he gets his minutes.

''I don't know much about what kind of lineups they had last year, but I
came to help the team win and that means any way I can do it,'' said
Baker. ''They went to the Eastern Conference finals last year and I know
their goal is to get to the Finals. Any way I can help a team do that,
I'm going to do it.

''I'm going to work hard, 110 percent. I'm going to help my teammates.
I'm going to help Eric. I'm going to help Tony Battie. I'm going to push
Paul and push Antoine, so that we can reach the same things we did last
year.''

This story ran on page F1 of the Boston Globe on 10/2/2002.