Stars steamed over lost weekend -Bulpett

[Eggcentric@xxxxxxx]

Excerpts - 

< Thomas said later that night that Pierce sat more because he wanted to 
give Michael Jordan the stage and that he thought Walker's sprained right 
knee was bothering him. >

Hey, Cecil, just what you and I discussed about Thomas and his potential 
spin on not giving Walker more minutes.  Walker and Pierce sure come 
off as Bonnie and Clyde, maybe even Hitler and Mussolini, to NBA 
coaches/refs/players and the national sports media.  Are we fans
missing something here?  

< ``I talked to Tony (Monday) night, and I anticipate him joining us (today)
 in Portland,'' said O'Brien. >

Surprise. Why not just admit that Battie was given a few bonus 
days off around the all-star break to rest his knee and/or reward 
him for being a good little boy?  Still didnbt help Baker's minutes.

< Regarding the veteran break (new league rule), O'Brien said flatly, 
``I hate that.  I guess that  was a concession made, but anything that 
legislates against practice is not something that I'm in favor of.''

Has any other NBA coach EVER given his team more days 
off from practice than Obie has this season?

< Anderson said his phone rang when the Celtics got whacked by 
36 on Christmas Day.  ``People were like, `Aw, they miss you,' '' he 
said. ``But I was like, man, maybe we would have lost by 15.'' >

Comic relief  - vintage Kenny

Egg

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Stars steamed over lost weekend 

Celtics Notebook/by Steve Bulpett 
Wednesday, February 12, 2003


SEATTLE - Sonics coach Nate McMillan answered a question about Vin Baker
 by saying he was more concerned about Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker
 being angry with their All-Star playing time.

McMillan was on target. Word is the two are very unhappy with Isiah Thomas 
after getting heavy pine time Sunday. Walker played just nine minutes - none 
after halftime - in the East's double-overtime win, while Pierce went just 
the 
second OT after halftime on the way to 18 total minutes.

The former didn't want to discuss it, but Pierce said, ``Yeah, I was a little 
upset. 
I was more upset for Antoine than myself. There's just nothing that you can 
do. 
He's coaching the team.''

While one teammate said, ``They're (expletive),'' Tony Delk offered more 
measure.  ``I don't know, but being competitors I know they wanted to get 
out there and play,'' he said. ``Those guys definitely earned it and should 
have probably got more
playing time.''

Thomas said later that night that Pierce sat more because he wanted to give
Michael Jordan the stage and that he thought Walker's sprained right knee 
was bothering him. Walker said he was fine, but Jim O'Brien said yesterday 
the knee is still a problem.

``His knee is sore,'' O'Brien said. ``That's just what he's going to 
experience for 
maybe the next three or four (games). 

``And, you know, a lot of people wouldn't be playing right now. I think 
Antoine
has tremendous guts and a high threshold of pain, and since he came back 
(four) games ago, he's given everything he could possibly give. And I think 
that's a real credit for him.''

Battie stays home
The Celtics were without Tony Battie last night. He had permission to remain 
home to deal with a family issue.
``I talked to Tony (Monday) night, and I anticipate him joining us (today) in 
Portland,'' said O'Brien.

Mixed review on changes
O'Brien had decidedly mixed feelings on the league's decisions to expand 
first-round playoff series from best-of-five to best-of-seven and give 
players 
a break by allowing four-year veterans to report three days late for training 
camp next season and five days late thereafter.

``I think that's great,'' he said on the first issue. ``I think all playoff 
series 
should be seven games. I think it's good for the fans. I think it gives a 
fair 
shot to both teams. You can't sneak up on anybody. I think the best team 
at that time generally wins.''

Regarding the veteran break, O'Brien said flatly, ``I hate that. I guess that 
 
was a concession made, but anything that legislates against practice is not 
something that I'm in favor of.'' Said Eric Williams, ``That's great. We do a 
lot of pounding in training camp. I guess it just puts it more on the players 
to come in in shape because now it's going to be shorter.''

Kenny meets old friends
It was like old times for Pierce and Kenny Anderson Monday. The former 
teammates sat beside each other on a flight from Atlanta and met for dinner 
that night after their respective practices.

The two talked over the paths their seasons have taken, and Anderson was a 
little concerned about the Celts' franchise-worst 52-point loss to the 
Pistons.

``I thought it was a misprint when they showed it on the bottom of the TV 
screen that night,'' he said. ``You know how sometimes they mess up the 
score? I had to wait up to see it again later on the highlights.''

Anderson said his phone rang when the Celtics got whacked by 36 on 
Christmas Day.

``People were like, `Aw, they miss you,' '' he said. ``But I was like, man, 
maybe we would have lost by 15.''