Re: In the hunt

[Eggcentric@xxxxxxx]

< Battie and Delk have not contributed since their injuries. They may
 have played some minutes, but they haven't been at the level they
 were, before they got hurt. > - JB 

Ibll concede Delk, but certainly not Battie. In our four games sans Walker, 
Battie has averaged 26 MPG, .556 FG%,, .750 FT%, 6 RPG,1 BPG, and 
9 PPG.  Most of these numbers are at least equal to if not superior to 
his season numbers.
 
<Without Bremer, Brown and yes, Walter, stepping up, the long stretch 
of bad basketball, would be continuing and we would not be inching back up, 
toward NJ, instead of worrying about the Wizards behind our backs.> -JB

You insist on including Brown but at least have stopped short of including 
Baker in the above sunny scenario.  We are now presently 5 games behind 
NJ and only 3 1/2 games ahead of eighth place Milwaukee.  And while Walter 
has stepped up and Bremer has evened out, how can you possibly still feel 
that Brown has stepped up?  In his big opportunity during the four games 
sans Walker he has averaged  -

17.8 MPG (32 in the 1st game down to 3 in the 4th game)
.263 FG% (5 -19)
.500 3P% (1 - 2) 
.000 FT% (0 -7)
4 RPG
.50 APG
.25 SPG
.25 TPG
.75 BPG
2.8 PPG

I know, these are only faulty little, non-representative stats.  But
Berry once again appears to be correct when he states  "Kedrick has had 
his opportunity, and seems to have played himself further out of the 
rotation."  If Obie has demonstrated so little confidence in Kedrick while 
AW was out, then it seems like Kedrick's future is written, at least while 
he is with the Celts.  Same for the non-productive Baker.   

These two players are not the only examples of the unpublicized battle-of-
the-wills between Obie and Wallace.  I do not blame Obie for not utilizing 
the 
square pegs with which Wallace has burdened him.  Meanwhile, Obie has 
subtly yet vindictively succeeded in making Wallace appear like the biggest 
idiot in the NBA by not digesting his groceries. Never the twain shall meet.

< A  few weeks ago, we couldn't beat anyone. Something turned this team
around, just as the injuries appeared. > JB

Yes, injuries forced Obie to add a few more guys to the rotation, Bremer 
had a couple of solid games, McCarty surprisingly hit a few threes, 
and Pierce excelled beyond our fondest hopes.  Still, we are but 2-2 in 
our last four games.  That's ok, but hardly the bright bulb you allude 
to as having suddenlyturned on over our heads.  

< My point, never to forgive Wallace for the signing, is that, as a
 back up center, Baker is doing fine. If they were earning the same
dollars, I'd take him over Potapenko, primarily for his defense and
his passing. > -JB

But they are NOT earning the same amount of dollars and therein
lies the rub.  I could list 20 NBA backup centers who at 10-20%
of Baker's cost could easily duplicate his miniscule contributions to 
our team.  I would not keep laboring this point if others didn't keep 
insisting that this trade is not only acceptable but might yet prove 
to be made of the right stuff.  Fun and games - all part of the 
tapestry of sports debate.   
     
< If we had a point guard, he (Baker) might even be scoring. > -JB 

He might - but speak to Obie about it, not to our PGbs.  Better yet, 
speak to Baker about why it is not happening. 

< This team has a lot of heart and since that win in New Orleans at the
start of the road trip from hell, on the heels of the worst stretch of
ball we'd seen since O'Brien took over, they have returned to their
level, as the third or fourth best team in the East.> -JB

Since that win in New Orleans we are 6-5... hardly the level to which
most of us would aspire.

<Most of us and the local and national press had assumed that the
honeymoon was over for O'Brien. > - JB

The honeymoon will never be over for either Obie or Wallace, albeit 
Bulpett's morning  btrue confessionb concerning the Baker trade.
During the dark days of the Pitino regime when the Boston sports 
writers en masse (including Holley, May, Jackie M., Bulpett, Gerry 
Callahan, McDonough, and Shaughnessy) were all freely advancing 
their case against Pitino, the powers to be at the Boston Globe 
and Herald saw their circulation numbers falling and counted the 
once proud Celt loyalists as among the disenfranchised.  The result - 
a directive to all Celt reporters:  bLet's try being positive for a 
change and see if we can attract more interest in the team and 
therefore more readers.b And thus was born the PR firm of
Springer, Bulpett et al who could no longer risk being responsible 
for declining Celtics' interest or newspaper circulation.  Even the 
Big Dig was originally written about in reassuring terms as well might 
be the first months of the coming seven-year, $300 billion war in Iraq.

< Under 40% shooting from two players who want 25 shots a game each 
is not going to do it, but the threat of triple doubles, any night, from
both of our "captains," would raise this team to the elite level. > -JB

True enough, JB.  But I think you also realize why Pierce and Walker shoot 
so much - because they and their insecure coach feel we do not have 
any other players able to do so with any consistency, especially in 
the waning moments of a close game.  Just look at what happened when 
Obie finally designated McCarty as our first option on the last play of 
the Detroit game.  

Egg

 < He (Baker) has helped us hold the fort when Tony (Battie's) been injured, 
and he's had some good games. So I think over and all, he's helped us with 
some depth and punch at the center position. He gives us an alternative 
there.'' > - Wallace

Punch?  


    
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