Hornets game

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

The Celts won every game like this last season. They made the tough stops,
got good shots when it mattered and got the crucial rebounds. Last night,
they didn't. That has been the case a lot this season. They don't defend
consistently well, they don't get the tough rebounds, and the offense is
spotty at best (and downright awful at worst).

The good: Bremer was strong. He got to the basket, kept the defense
honest... Pierce was on (but I'm guessing he contributed to Mash's 30-point
night)... Battie was active... 

The bad: EWill was a factor offensively, but had no answer for Mashburn...
Antoine was wild. Really not very good at all... Delk looked like last
year's version... The bench is pathetic... my wife could block Baker's shot.

The indifferent: What is the excuse going to be for Kedrick's 4-minute stint
this time? Matchups? You mean our "defensive stopper" couldn't help against
Mashburn when Mash is going for 30? Couldn't he handle Wesley? What a joke.
Kedrick got four minutes in a game that Shammond got a DNP and Walter only
played five minutes. Of course, you might have missed Kedrick while he was
in there... 

I've enjoyed Cedric Maxwell's analysis. It has been a nice break from
Tommy's moaning about the officials all the time. Tommy has even rubbed off
on Gorman, who now questions EVERY call. I hate that crap. The Celtics worry
about it too much also. They all complain too much and don't spend enough
time concentrating on the game.

Finally, I don't know if everyone reads Josh's column every week at
hoopsworld.com, but check out his latest. He makes a great point that I
tried to make last week. He articulates it much better than I did. He talks
about the need for Pierce and Walker to make their teammates better. He's
right, but the entire organization is feeding the Pierce and Walker machine.
Pierce and Walker are not the Celtics. The Celtics are bigger than them.
They were bigger than Russell, Cousy, Havlicek, Cowens, Bird and McHale. At
no point did the Celtics ever decide "Bird and McHale are the team and let's
just fill in around them with guys who don't mind standing around and
watching." And Bird and McHale were far better players than Pierce and
Walker. You could make an argument back then that Parish or DJ were the most
important, indispensable members of that team. You have to build a TEAM. And
the BDT has failed miserably at that. Everyone needs to be involved.
Everyone needs to be valued. Instead, they just feed the Pierce/Walker
machine, and Pierce and Walker continue to dominate every aspect of the
team. The Kings are more than Webber and Stojakovic. The Mavs are more than
Nash and Nowitzki. The Nets are more than Kidd and Martin. The Spurs are
more than Duncan and Robinson. These are TEAMS. Everyone is involved. The
Celtics aren't. Not consistently, anyway. Guys have their moments, but
that's all. Just moments. 

Anyway, I've again done a poor job articulating this. Check out Josh's
column.

Mark