eup gets a shakeup: Welsch gets nod instead of Brown

["Stephen Beauregard" <sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

eup gets a shakeup: Welsch gets nod instead of Brown
By Steve Bulpett/Celtics Notebook
Tuesday, November 25, 2003

There was further evidence even before the tipoff last night that the Celtics
are still very much a work in progress. By inserting Jiri Welsch into the
starting lineup in place of Kedrick Brown [news] at small forward, Jim O'Brien
employed his fourth different opening group of the season.

     By comparison, the Celts started the same five in the first 12 games last
season, despite the fact they were blown out by 45 in Washington in that run.
The quintet was broken up for the 13th game only because point guard Tony Delk
left the team for a couple of days to be with his ill daughter.

     With a largely new roster this year, O'Brien is still seeking the proper
mix. With last night's 94-88 loss to the Knicks, more changes are likely in
order.

     ``It is a concern to find the right balance of defense - and I think
Jiri's a good defensive player - and guys opposite Paul (Pierce) that are a
threat in a number of ways,'' O'Brien said before Welsch had two points and
six rebounds in 20 minutes in his first NBA start. ``I think Eric Williams can
be that, and I anticipate JJ (Jumaine Jones). Kedrick's playing well, but I
haven't really given Jiri and Paul a chance to play very many minutes together
at those positions.''

     O'Brien said it's all part of his ``search for the right combinations of
players to put on the court that will allow us to defend at a high level and
also the best group to have on the floor with Vin (Baker) and Paul Pierce
[news].''

     Blount toughs it out

     Mark Blount had seven points, two rebounds and three blocks in 21
minutes. He was playing with five stitches in his right index finger after
suffering the cut on a rim trying to dunk in Sunday's practice. . . .

     The Celtics blocked 13 shots against the Knicks, five by Baker. . . .

     According to O'Brien, the C's were 15-for-19 from the floor in the first
half when they ran their passing game. The movement broke down badly after
that. . . .

     Walter McCarty [news] scored 13 points (2-for-3 on treys) in 16 minutes
off the bench. He had a total of 14 points on the season coming in.

     Scouting report

     The Celtics had representation all weekend at the War on the Shore high
school tournament in Delaware. Danny Ainge drove over from Philadelphia and
caught six games Saturday.

     The former Toronto Blue Jay knows the NBA draft has become more like its
baseball counterpart, with younger players being scouted and picked.

     ``That's the really tough part, and that's what the draft has become,''
the C's director of basketball operations said. ``It's a prediction of the
future. And hey, some of these kids that are great high school players, as
we've seen in the past, go to college and don't make much of themselves. They
get worse. That's the dilemma.

     ``But all the great high school players right now are franchise players -
(Dirk) Nowitzki and Kevin Garnett and (Amare) Stoudemire and (Tracy) McGrady
and Kobe (Bryant). And then a bunch of others - Rashard Lewis and Al
Harrington - if they'd gone to college, they would have been lottery picks.
Then there are guys who just haven't panned out. But it's the same thing with
college. It's always been that way through the history of the draft. Before
high school players were involved in the draft, there were still some college
seniors who were high picks and didn't make it. It was still a crap shoot.'' .
. .

     The Heroes Among Us segment at last night's game honored seven police
officers who helped save lives during the Nov. 5 shooting rampage in Roxbury.
Thanks,

Steve
sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx