Pierce's injured leg is less of a sore spot

["Stephen Beauregard" <sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Pierce's injured leg is less of a sore spot


By Shira Springer, Globe Staff, 5/12/2003

ALTHAM -- Paul Pierce felt good enough after practice yesterday to joke about
his injured right leg. He strained a muscle in the back of the leg during Game
3, but he will be ready to go tonight in Game 4.



''It's a little sore, but it's all right,'' said Pierce. ''I might have to
wear a brace on my whole leg, but we'll see.''

He was just kidding about the brace. After observing Pierce in practice, coach
Jim O'Brien said, ''He had a great practice, looked really sharp. He's fine.''
Antoine Walker seconded O'Brien's opinion and praised the toughness of his
teammate, who has taken a beating throughout the playoffs.

''[Paul] looked fine,'' said Walker. ''He was very active. It's tough. He's
taken a pounding. He's getting to the basket a lot, shooting a lot of free
throws, getting knocked on the ground a lot. But he's doing a tremendous job
of getting to the basket and getting fouled. You take a beating like that as
the series goes along, especially coming off a physical series against
Indiana. It's tough on him, but he's fighting through it.''


Investigation goes on

The NBA and Boston police investigations into the incident Walker had Friday
night with a fan are ongoing. In the closing minutes of Game 3, Walker went
after a fan who had been heckling him throughout the game.

''We are still investigating,'' said NBA spokesman Tim Frank. The league
expects to have its investigation completed today. Before Game 4, the Celtics
should know whether the NBA will take disciplinary action against Walker. The
league is trying to determine whether Walker touched the fan. Meanwhile,
Boston police said they have assigned the case to detectives at Area A, where
it is under investigation.

Walker has chosen not to comment further on the incident. He apologized for
his actions after Game 3, calling them ''out of character.'' Yesterday, he
wanted to focus on the Nets.

''This is my last time commenting on it,'' said Walker. ''I'm not commenting
on it. It's irrelevant to what's going on right now. I would appreciate it if
you never ask me about it again. It's something I'm not commenting on ever
again, regardless.''


Maintaining focus

Distractions? What distractions?

It's hard to imagine O'Brien would be so focused on the series that he would
fail to at least be aware of what was going on in and around the organization.
But when asked about the many distractions that have crept into the
Celtics-Nets series, he said, ''What would they be?''

When a reporter ran down a list that included the hiring of Danny Ainge as
executive director of basketball operations and Walker's incident with the
fan, O'Brien said, ''You can't always control the timing of announcements. You
have to go when it's best. I don't find that to be a distraction whatsoever.
The incident at the end of the game, I haven't even heard our guys bring it
up. It would appear that our guys are not distracted . . . that they're very
focused in on what they need to be focused in on and that is to win Game 4.''


To play's the thing

With Ainge back in town today for Game 4, there has been speculation about
personnel changes in the offseason. The Celtics wanted no part of those
discussions yesterday.

''I'm on Game 4,'' said center Tony Battie. ''I'm not worrying about that. If
I asked for help right now, would I get it? I don't think you can make trades
in the playoffs. We're just worried about Game 4. All those personnel changes,
that's not for us to worry about right now.

''I'm worried about going home for the summer -- other than that everything
else is secondary, maybe even third. I don't let my mind wander that way. It
didn't change my feeling one way or another. I think Danny coming in will help
our team in the long run. I see this team playing a game [tonight]. After
tomorrow night, then you ask me these questions and maybe I can answer
them.''

Added Pierce: ''I can't control what management does. The only thing I can do
is go out there and play with the cards we're dealt.''

O'Brien said the team will address personnel moves ''when we get to the
summer.'' He added that Ainge would be the one talking about those decisions,
but that he would have input on personnel matters.

Thanks,

Steve
sb@maine.rr.com

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