my thoughts on the game

[Kestutis.Kveraga@xxxxxxxxxxxxx (Kestutis Kveraga)]

1. I still can't believe we won, given what went on in the 3rd and 4th. It was
a classic, textbook  momentum shift. After the bricklaying competition in the
first half of the 3rd quarter, Seattle figured out that the Celtics can't score
without Pierce, so they might as well try to win the game. At that point, they
regained their confidence and suddenly all kinds of garbage started to go in,
and with it came the calls. I've seen this psychological switch many times, but
it still amazes me how a simple realization of "hey, we can win this one" turns
card-carrying members of the bricklayers' union into Jimmy Chitwoods.

2. Walker is getting the message, despite his stubborn refusal to acknowledge
it. He only had two or three "bad" 3-point attempts. At least two of his 8
attempts were of the shotclock-beating variety. He passed up the three many
times to drive to the hoop or to post up. Not coincidentally, he shot 50% on
his 2-pointers, and that's with Seattle's defense focusing almost exclusively
on him in the second half. The question is, how long will it last? It's games
like these that show how valuable he could be if he only improved his shot
selection. Thursday's game against the big Portland frontline, potentially
without Pierce, will give us some indication. 

3. I'm glad that Obie didn't play Kedrick - not because Kedrick doesn't deserve
to play, but because Obie showed Walker is not yet in complete control of the
team. Also, did I hear Walker say in the post-game interview that Obie yelled
at him to STOP shooting the 3 and go post up? Or was it just a wishful
hallucination?

4. Baker looked a lot better than I expected him to in this game. He reacted
well to the chorus of boos and was more assertive than I've seen him in a long
time. Also, he looked positively sprightly, more like a nimble deer than a
lumbering moose :) , and made some medium range Js. This again suggests that
there's nothing physically wrong with him, other than what's induced by his
mental state. Btw, I think that his symptoms in this latest episode -  a racing
heart, shortness of breath, "lightheadedness" -  are consistent with an anxiety
attack. But then again, I'm not an MD, I just play one on this list :>  
Anyway, I really hope that his performance in this game represents a mental
breakthrough, because, instead of running away and hiding, this time he faced
the hostile crowd and played pretty well. His teammates also seemed to support
him very strongly. I know I shouldn't be suckered into having false hopes by
the likes of Vinnie, but I'm grasping at straws here...The only negative if he
turned it around would be that the BDT would surely get to stay on. 
That said, I bet Obie really didn't appreciate Vinnie's latest hijinks. If he
were allowed to express his opinion, it would probably make Frank Hughes look
like an FOB (friend of Baker).  He's definitely not into coddling players,
especially if he can get away with it (i.e., they're not Walker or Pierce). 
And you can't blame him - unlike me, he can't afford to be suckered into
trusting Vinnie to be there when he needs him. 

5. I thought I was hilarious when Mike Gorman was going on and on about about
how much people love Vinnie in Seattle and how he has seen no indication of
their hatred for Vinnie, when you just KNEW that, as soon as Baker checked into
the game, the boos would rain on him in sheets. Just as Mike was saying "but we
will withold judgment until Vin checks into the game", he did, and it started.
Come on, Mike, get a clue.  They've had years of this in Seattle, and we're
only starting our excruciating journey. 

6. I'm afraid Pierce will not be the same again this season. Remember Delk last
year? He couldn't hit the broad side of a barn and attributed it mostly to a
lingering groin pull. And he's mostly a jumpshooter, whereas Pierce's main
strength is driving to the hoop. They need to keep him out as long as
necessary, even if we go 1 for whatever on this trip. Oh yeah, and it's OK to
give Kedrick some playing time now, Obie. Any two of Shammond/Delk/Bremer in
the backcourt won't cut it for long. 

Kestas