Re: They aren't the only ones!

["Dan Forant" <dforant1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

This team is tired. Physically and mentally. The mental part is most
disturbing, brought on by management. Even if these guys don't get inside
info, the media is always available for sobering thoughts. My guess is as
good as anyone's but I don't see the Celts getting back to winning form this
season.

DanF

----- Original Message -----
From: "Stephen Beauregard" <sb@maine.rr.com>
To: <celtics@igtc.com>
Sent: Monday, March 24, 2003 7:54 AM
Subject: They aren't the only ones!


> Celtics growing tired -- of losing
>
>
> By Shira Springer, Globe Staff, 3/24/2003
>
> ENVER -- Following the loss to the Lakers Friday night, Antoine Walker and
> Eric Williams sat in a corner of the visitors' locker room discussing the
> Celtics' remaining games. Despite a string of recent losses, the
conversation
> was filled with optimism. They figured the team would turn around its
fortunes
> in Denver. They had confidence that the Celtics still could make a strong
> final push for the playoffs.
>
>
>
> But after the Celtics lost to the Nuggets, 90-80, Saturday night at the
Pepsi
> Center, the Boston locker room was somber, almost silent. Walker sat in a
> corner without any answers for what ailed the team or what it needed to
do.
>
> The Celtics will try to end their four-game losing streak tonight against
> Utah. They will try to avoid losing any more ground in the Eastern
Conference.
> And they will try to eliminate the mental lapses that cost them in Denver.
>
> ''It's all mental, pretty much,'' said Paul Pierce. ''We just have to
decide
> as a group to [win]. It can't just be one person. Everybody in the league
is
> tired. We all play the same amount of games. If we don't get the job done
> mentally, then we're not going to get it done.''
>
> Reviewing the game tape from Saturday night was a painful process. Before
a
> workout yesterday at Metro State College that focused on defensive
drillwork,
> the Celtics watched the loss to the Nuggets. After Boston built a 9-point
lead
> with 8:53 remaining in the second quarter, there were hardly any
highlights.
> The Celtics missed 31 of 46 shots within 17 feet of the basket. As if that
> weren't tough enough, the players also saw missed opportunities to attack
the
> rim. And they watched an out-of-synch halfcourt defense appear to be in
slow
> motion as it allowed the Nuggets to shoot 47.3 percent from the floor.
>
> The third quarter again proved the Celtics' downfall, on both ends of the
> court. Boston shot just 15.8 percent (3 for 19), while Denver shot 66.7
> percent. As a result, the Nuggets stretched their 41-38 halftime lead into
a
> double-digit advantage. Both teams shot poorly in the fourth, though
Denver
> extended its lead to 20 points before Boston closed within 7 with 1:17 to
go.
> But the Celtics did not have a fourth-quarter rally in them.
>
> After the game, coach Jim O'Brien said his team looked tired. In recent
games,
> the Celtics clearly have lacked energy late. A team that once prided
itself on
> the ability to stage fourth-quarter comebacks has been falling flat in the
> final period. Still, the Celtics were not about to use fatigue as an
excuse.
> According to O'Brien, it's a matter of more practice, not more rest.
>
> When asked if mistakes in key games over the last week were fixable,
O'Brien
> said: ''Absolutely. They are things that this team has done at a very,
very
> high level over the course of two years. Giving into fatigue is not an
excuse.
> You just overcome it. Play tougher. Overcome tiredness. That's not to say
four
> games in five nights all over the country is not a task. That is the task
you
> have to overcome.
>
> ''When we are without regular practice, the principles and the scheme of
our
> defense suffers. You would think that the same guys playing the same
defenses
> over a two-year period of time, that it would not suffer as much as it
does,
> but it suffers. Again, there's no excuse for that. And the way you make
sure
> it doesn't suffer is to work on it.''
>
> . . .
>
> Tony Delk received the devastating news yesterday that his father died of
a
> massive heart attack. Delk went home to Tennessee to be with his family
and is
> on an indefinite leave of absence.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Steve
> sb@maine.rr.com
>
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