re: Tinsley, Pollard for Battie, Brown

["Berry, Mark S" <berrym@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Where do we sign up? 

This, obviously, is a great deal for the Celtics. But what does it do for
Indy? I could see Tinsley-Brown, simply because both teams seem resigned to
the fact that neither player is going to reach his potential on his current
team. But what would the Indy rationale be for the Battie-Pollard part of
the deal? I understand Pollard isn't playing much, but doesn't he still have
more value than Battie? What is the contract status?

This really would be a great deal. It would add to this year's team without
subtracting any of the vital parts. Great suggestion.

As for the PG spot, Banks really is improving. His last three games have
been pretty good. He still thinks shot-first a little too much, but as he
gets more comfortable, I think we'll see him react to the defense by finding
the open man. He did that well on one play against Sacramento, when it
looked like he penetrated with one eye on the help defender, just waiting to
make the pass to (I think) Blount. But Tinsley would be a great addition and
a major upgrade at that spot for this season and, possibly, next. 

One other thing, which I probably should make a separate post... Pierce is
playing terrible. He's forcing his own shots too much and not finding the
open man. We know he's capable of better, because we saw it the first game
after the Walker trade. But he has fallen into some old bad habits. It
manifests itself in indecision, bad shots and turnovers. He's a guy who has
had the green light at all times for three seasons. Obie never criticized a
shot he or Antoine took. Now, he's trying to re-learn the difference between
a good shot and a bad shot. I've seen him pass when he should shoot and
(more often) shoot when he should pass. The worst part is everyone else is
falling into that rut of standing around and watching whenever Pierce has
the ball. It got so bad that Lafrentz's simple flash to the middle of the
lane looked like basketball magic at one point in the Sacramento game
(thankfully, Pierce found Lafrentz on that play). There was another play
when Pierce made the right pass to a wide-open Kedrick and I yelled "Make
it!" not just because the Celts needed the three points, but because I
thought it would have been crucial positive reinforcement for Pierce in
making the pass. Of course, Kedrick did what Kedrick does... he clanked it.

Anyway, I'm all for the Battie/Brown-Tinsley/Pollard deal. I'm also for
better decisions by Pierce, more shots inside the arc for Lafrentz,
increased playing time for Banks, Jones replacing Kedrick in the lineup and
Cousy becoming a permanent member of the home and away broadcast crew.

Mark