Celtics Mailbag: Mike Gorman Answers more questions

[Tammo29@xxxxxxx]

Celtics Mailbag: Mike Gorman Answers more questions

1. Mr. Gorman- 

Do you agree with Danny Ainge when he talks about Antoine Walker having a 
"grasp" on the team in terms of player development? 

James 

MG: Antoine was a very powerful personality and he dominated the team in a 
number of ways on and off the court. Suffice to say his influence was too strong 
from Danny's position, and, if you have just been hired as the head of 
basketball operations, it is understandable you want your voice to be the the 
strongest in the room. 

2. Mike, 

My question is this. If Ainge had held onto Walker this year, don't you think 
this team would be much better now that Baker has rejuvenated himself? Or do 
you think that he wouldn't even be playing as much? 

Thanks, 

Todd 

MG: I don't think the team would necessarily be better if Antoine were still 
around. Vin Baker would not have received the minutes he has gotten as he and 
Antoine play the same position. Also, there would be no Jiri Welsch who 
I think is going to be an above average to very good NBA player. Let's wait 
till we see what the Celtics get with Dallas's pick as well as what they do 
with the cap room they get from Chris Mills at the end of the year before we 
make any final judgments on the trade. I think time is going to make this 
deal look very good. 


3. Mr. Gorman, 

Any reason in particular why Marcus Banks got his first DNP-CD against Utah? 
Also, do you feel that if the Celtics are playing for the future, should Banks 
be "thrown into the fire" and play 30 minutes per game? 

Dave 


MG: Marcus didn't play in Utah mainly because the club wanted to get a 
prolonged look at Jiri Welsch running the team. Not a bad decision in retrospect. 
Marcus is going to have to be patient. This team is building for the future but 
they are not going to ignore the present. I believe they have as good a shot 
as anybody in the Atlantic Division to win that race, and with it a #2 seed in 
the Eastern Playoffs. That goal is very visible on Jim 
O'Brien's radar. 

4. Mr. Gorman, 

I love the work you do as a play-by-play announcer. Do the national networks 
ever contact you to do work for other games, like on ESPN, TNT, or ABC? 

Wayne 

MG: Thanks for the kind words. I have worked at various times in my career 
for ESPN, NBC, and CBS. Right now though I am very happy being the voice of the 
Boston Celtics. I grew up a Celtics fan in Dorchester and broadcasting every 
single game doesn't allow time for much else. Thanks again though for the 
compliments. 

5. Mr. Gorman- 

I am an angry Celtics fan. I see this team constantly blowing huge leads 
(that game against Phoenix was truly awful). I watch Antoine Walker on NBA League 
Pass grabbing tons of rebounds in Dallas and becoming one of 
their best players. I see Raef LaFrentz being shelved for the year due to a 
knee injury that Ainge knew about before the trade was made. I am tired of this 
inept coaching by Jim O'Brien. Am I crazy? I don't think so, but I think 
Ainge could have got a lot more in return for a superstar like Antoine. 

Thanks for your time, 

Barry 

MG: Barry. Don't know where to begin. I believe Jim O'Brien is one of the top 
five coaches working in this league so I guess we don't have much to talk 
about there. As for the blown leads, the team is still getting a grip on who they 
are and what they are/are not capable of. Barring a major injury, I'm 
convinced they will get appreciably better as the year goes on. As for the 
trade, as I stated above, it's a deal Celtic fans are going to like a whole 
lot better one year from now. Relax Barry, enjoy the holidays and the fact your 
Celtics are in first place in the Atlantic Division. You're not crazy, 
you're just a Celtic's fan, we need more of you. 

Mike Gorman on the Ricky Davis trade: 

As for the latest trade. Am very impressed in the early going with Chris 
Mimm. He is playing with a passion I had not seen before. Ricky Davis is a prove 
it to me player at the moment. He's a great talent with baggage. If he 
can shed the latter, Boston will be a very difficult team to guard the second 
half of this year. 

Happy Holidays. 

Jason (and questions to Mike) can be reached at jayo10@xxxxxxxxxxx 
http://celtics.realgm.com/showarticle.php?artid=243