Re: [Celtics' Stuff ] Ainge "...speak with forked tongue."-Herald

[JB <jimmetz@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

	Anyone tell me what Ainge said here? Is there one thread? Doesn't he
start out by saying it's not the coach, it's the talent and then
finishes by saying it's the coach and the players we have?
	What adjustments does O'Brien need to make? The players?
	Help me here:

	JB
_____
	" ...the Celtic troubles are not about Jim O'Brien. ...if you're
looking for a shakeup, don't look at O'Brien. ....our talent is not
sufficient,..."
	"I like the way our guy coaches. I like the way he prepares his team
and how hard he works at getting our guys ready. "
	"I think our team is prepared - our team plays hard - and we need some
guys to step up and play."

>  {Ainge added that he's not averse to a bold stroke with a coach if he
> thought it was part of the solution.}

> "I think Jim O'Brien would be the first one to tell you we should be
> better than (7-11)... But it's early. He's got to make some
> adjustments."

> "...are we winning as many games as I thought we'd win by now? No. But
> I don't really base everything on that.''

> "...what we need to do to win is more what Jim O'Brien and each player
> has to do."


On Dec 4, 2003, at 6:36 AM, JB wrote:

> Ainge not blaming O'Brien
> By Steve Bulpett
> Thursday, December 4, 2003
>
> TORONTO - The general progression for NBA followers is to look at
> teams below .500 and then take the temperature of the coach's seat.
>
>      But Danny Ainge said yesterday the Celtic troubles are not about
> Jim O'Brien. The heat, he believes, is in other chairs. Ainge isn't
> happy with the team's present state, but if you're looking for a
> shakeup, don't look at O'Brien.
>
>      ``What I'm doing right now is evaluating our talent, and our
> talent is not sufficient, period,'' the Celts director of basketball
> operations said prior to last night's 105-95 loss to the Toronto
> Raptors. ``It's that simple. I have no intention of changing anything
> with our coach. It's not even an issue to me. I think that sometimes a
> coaching change is needed, but in our situation, that's definitely not
> what's needed. Player changes need to be made well before any coaching
> (change) is even considered, because I like the way our guy coaches. I
> like the way he prepares his team and how hard he works at getting our
> guys ready.
>
>      ``I think Jim's doing an excellent job,'' Ainge added. ``I don't
> feel like our players are stepping up. That's my honest opinion. I
> think our team is prepared - our team plays hard - and we need some
> guys to step up and play. You see how much coaching is involved in
> some of these games when Toronto has its best game of the year
> (Tuesday) night without a full practice (following a six-player
> trade). It's a player's league. Coaches have an impact, but having
> good players is what wins you games.
>
>      Ainge said he is ``talking to teams constantly'' in search of a
> decent deal, and while he wouldn't get specific, league sources said
> the Celts were involved in discussions for Bonzi Wells and Donyell
> Marshall before each was dealt.
>
>      ``I don't feel like we're close to where we want to be, so I'm
> doing things every day to try to make moves that benefit us for the
> long run without taking us all the way to the bottom of the barrel,''
> he said. ``That's our game plan.''
>
>      Ainge added that he's not averse to a bold stroke with a coach if
> he thought it was part of the solution.
>
>      ``But usually it's just a simple response that people make that's
> a copout in some scenarios,'' he said. ``In some scenarios I think
> it's the right thing. I don't want to get into names, but I think some
> of the coaches that have been replaced needed to be replaced and that
> they weren't very good coaches. That's certainly not the case in
> Boston. We have a very good coach, a guy that's proven that he knows
> how to coach.
>
>      ``Right now we don't have enough talent to be an elite team,
> although I think Jim O'Brien would be the first one to tell you we
> should be better than (7-11). But it's early. He's got to make some
> adjustments. The players have to start stepping up. That's just the
> nature of the game. But I'm certainly not disappointed with my coach.
> I feel like our team has played well enough to be 10-7. I really feel
> like that is a number where we should be. So are we winning as many
> games as I thought we'd win by now? No. But I don't really base
> everything on that.''
>
>      While the Celtics have looked alternately strong and woozy in
> many of their games - building double-figure leads and squandering
> them meekly - Ainge is avoiding the emotional traps of the long and
> winding NBA season.
>
>      ``I don't get caught up in the short-term elements that are not
> perfect, such as Raef (LaFrentz)'s knee. I'm looking at everything
> from the big picture standpoint. At the same time, what we need to do
> to win is more what Jim O'Brien and each player has to do.
>
>      ``. . . I feel like we have a ways to go before we're the team
> that I envisioned being on the court. I felt that way when I got the
> job in May. I felt that way after we made the Antoine (Walker) trade.
> I still feel that way.''