Re: Thoughts...

["Dan Forant" <dforant1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The playoffs will bring out the fire in the Celts. It may be one of those
fine cigar lighter torch types or just their breath. It will be impossible
to match last years success.

DanF

----- Original Message -----
From: "Berry, Mark S" <berrym@BATTELLE.ORG>
To: <celtics@igtc.com>
Sent: Friday, February 21, 2003 10:25 AM
Subject: Thoughts...


> Lots of things bouncing around...
>
> ... I hate this team's tendency to mail in games this season. You could
tell
> from the beginning last night that they were just going through the
motions.
> Three 40-plus point blowouts are evidence of this. It's that little piece
of
> mental toughness that separates this team from last season's. I'm not
sure,
> when it gets really, really tough in the playoffs, that this team has the
> same will power that last year's did.
>
> ... Remember when they drafted Kedrick and said they were looking for a
> Kobe-T-Mac-Vince type player? Now the guy can't get off the bench because
he
> can't hit a spot-up three-pointer. I don't think Kedrick "has it" but he
> isn't getting any help from his coach. What happened to putting players in
> position to succeed?
>
> ... Van Gundy's point about Obie stressing only 3-pointers or shots from
> within seven feet of the basket... That's a college philosophy. Watch the
> college game. That's they way they play. It's a little more understandable
> there because the 3-point shot is so close. There isn't a lot of room
> between that line and that 7-foot area. But in the NBA, there's a world of
> room. And this system wastes it.
>
> ... Stick a fork in Vin Baker. Can you believe we have three more seasons
> with this guy? He just got passed on the depth chart by Mark Blount (and
> Mark Bryant).
>
> ... Speaking of Blount, he was actively playing himself out of the
rotation
> even for that terrible Denver team. He averaged about 18 minutes per game
in
> November, but that steadily decreased to about 10 per game this month.
Don't
> ever forget how truly horrible he was in Boston. What a joke.
>
> ... The East, on paper, got tougher yesterday. Milwaukee is better with
> Payton and Mason. Mason is the real surprise in this deal. That guy can
> play. Now Milwaukee can mix and match with Payton, Cassell, Mason, Redd
and
> Tim Thomas around the perimeter. That's a pretty good group. And, assuming
> they re-sign Payton in the offseason, they suddenly have some pretty
> impressive pieces to deal for frontcourt help. They get Atlanta's
> first-round pick, too, unless that pick is in the top-three. If they make
> the right decisions, they could really be trouble in the next few years.
>
> ... Celts could have had Elden Campbell, a huge upgrade at center, and his
> expiring contract right now. Or Brian Grant. Or Eddie Jones. Instead, they
> have Vin Baker and his monstrous contract. Seriously, that was the dumbest
> trade in sports history.
>
> ... Celts aren't worried about point guard depth because (all together
now)
> "Antoine can play point guard!" Riiiight.
>
> Mark