Denberg: Walker/Pierce Burned Out Likely

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Good wishes to Jeffrey Dernberg who recovered from brain cancer.....

Atlant Journal & Constitution
SPORTS TODAY  January 12, 2003

INSIDE THE NBA
Jeffrey Denberg - Staff
Sunday, January 12, 2003

Celtics top 2 likely burned out

What's wrong with the Boston Celtics? They have slumped since late
December, dropping seven of 10 before beating a New Orleans team that
missed 14 shots in a row.

The Celtics, who are home against the Hawks on Wednesday, arep walking a
perilous line, and the suspicion --- even within the organization --- is
that coach Jim O'Brien is guilty of putting too much wear and tear on
his prize pupils Antoine Walker (44.3 minutes per game) and Paul Pierce
(40.8 minutes).

"I talked to Antoine about it," O'Brien said. "My dilemma since I became
the head coach is without a doubt whether I have kept Antoine and Paul
on the court too long because I think we have a necessity to win
ballgames. And I'm going to have to find a way to win ballgames while
keeping his minutes more to the 40-minute mark instead of 42-43-44."

Asked the question, Walker said, "It's hard to say. As a player, when
you are out on the court, you don't even worry about it. I think
sometimes in the fourth quarter when you may have a shot you usually
make, sometimes you may not have those legs to make that shot, but right
now we are not a very deep team so we do what we have to do to compete
and win games."

Meanwhile, the Celtics have added former Piston Mikki Moore to the
roster after talking to ex-Hawks forward Grant Long.