Hello, old friend (and some Celtics thoughts)

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

Can't believe the list conked out during the best Western trip in at least
10 years. What are the odds?

Thoughts...


... This trip is the first time this season I've believed the team might be
good enough to advance to the conference finals again. They're playing
playoff-type defense more consistently (but still not at last year's level),
and they're making the key plays at the ends of games. I'm not going to
worry too much about blowing the big leads. That's what happens in the NBA.

... How good is Paul Pierce right now? Wow. The guy was running on fumes a
month ago and seemingly without a clue of when to pass and when to shoot.
Now he's making great decisions and once again is the efficient scorer this
inefficient team needs.

... They're doing it without great play from Antoine. He has been OK. Pretty
good at times. But he hasn't been great. I think it's a great sign that
they're playing this well without superhuman efforts from both Pierce and
Walker. By the same token, they're doing this without a healthy Battie!

... Bremer is on a roll, but I hope they don't turn him into just another
3-point shooter. He seems to be attacking the basket less and less and
settling for the jumper more and more. That's great when you shoot 6-for-8
from 3-point range, but that's not going to happen often. The thing he was
doing so much better than Delk or Shammond was driving to the basket and
either finishing or creating. Please, Obie, don't make this guy another
victim of your gimmicky offense.

... Heaven help me, I love Walter! Whatever they ask him to do, he does.
Play center? Fine. Shooting guard? No problem. Either forward spot? Piece of
cake. Start? OK. Come of the bench? OK. How valuable has he been?

Now a few gripes...

... No Battie and who rises to the occasion? Walter. Thanks, Vin.

... Am I the only one who thinks Kedrick is history after this season? I
think they try to package him with one or both first-round picks, hoping
someone still believes he can play. Kedrick had his chance and proved once
and for all that he isn't going to make it. Not here, anyway.

... How good would Kenny's expiring contract look this week?

... Ruben is waived and heads to Spain. And the team says they're not adding
another player. Where's the outrage now? Is this an edict from the new
owners? Is this a choice? Does this mean they won't be paying the luxury tax
after all?

... I wish the Mark Blount stuff would just go away. How many big stiffs can
one team keep on the roster? Vin and Bruno already have been eclipsed by
Grant Long. Would Blount do anything more than give Vin another couple of
shoulders his size to cry on? Seriously, this move sounds just awful. Are
they really fooled by Blount's numbers on a truly terrible Denver team? They
had this guy here for two seasons and saw up close how incompetent he was.
And now they're willing to give up a guy who, while No. 3 on the depth chart
at point guard, still is contributing to the team's success? I'd explore
Shammond trades, too, but not for Mark Blount. What a joke. Of course Denver
is asking for a first-round pick. They know a pigeon when they see one.

... Finally, I know I'll get killed for it, but I'm so sick of Mike and
Tommy and the team's bitching about officiating that I could scream. Every
time there's a call that goes against the C's, you have Tommy and Mike
saying "Let's take a look at this one... " Every time. The players complain
too much, Obie complains too much, and Tommy and Mike complain too much. Get
over it! Pierce leads the entire league in free throw attempts. Trying to
argue that they're getting screwed all the time sounds silly, and the
constant referee grousing is taking away from the game. I no longer expect
any real analysis from Tommy, other than "Run!" and "You gotta be kidding
me!" I've come to appreciate it when I get the opposing broadcast team on
the League Pass games.

That's it. Really positive stuff going on right now. I'm excited about the
immediate future. The long-term future? That's another story, but we'll
worry about that later...

Mark