C's still unable to find handle: Turnovers trigger loss to Bulls

["Stephen Beauregard" <sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

By Steve Bulpett
Saturday, October 11, 2003

CHICAGO - On one hand, Jim O'Brien is keeping things in perspective. He knows
his Celtics are bound to look a tad off-kilter this early in the exhibition
season.

     On the other hand, the club has now committed 58 turnovers in its first
two games. After giving the rock away 28 times in a loss to Detroit Wednesday,
the Celts went that number two worse in a 90-77 defeat at the hands of the
Bulls last night.

     The C's were again without Jumaine Jones (out another week or two with
strained hamstrings) and Tony Delk (strained right groin) - and were again
without a handle on their offense.

     Rookie Marcus Banks [news] had eight turnovers in 25 minutes and Antoine
Walker [news] had five in 24, but clearly this was a team effort.

     ``I'm not overly frustrated, but I don't like to have sloppy
basketball,'' O'Brien said. ``I thought there was a lot of good effort
defensively, but when we had certain units in we just couldn't score. And I
though some of our passes were just so poor. I can't even describe them. I
don't see those passes in practice.''

     Despite all their transgressions, the Celtics were ahead by a point early
in the last quarter before Donyell Marshall went off for 11 points (including
three treys) down the stretch. The C's turned the ball over nine times in the
final frame.

     ``We're just basically trying to run a passing game, and there are a lot
of guys that are uncomfortable with that,'' O'Brien said. ``We put it in
because we wanted to specifically concentrate on halfcourt defense and pushing
the tempo. We haven't done a lot with our halfcourt offense. Eric Williams is
not getting the touches he normally gets. Paul (Pierce) and Antoine are not
getting the same touches. We don't have enough halfcourt things in, so we're
trying to force the tempo and we just literally forced too many passes.

     ``I mean, we were just throwing unintelligent passes.''

     Top draftee Banks looked all right when he was on the floor a bit with
Pierce, Walker and Brown, but he's struggled - as is to be expected with a
young point guard.

     At least he was on the floor, unlike Bulls forward Scottie Pippen, who
was unable to play because of a sore knee. Pippen was expected to show up for
the game but never did.

     Banks, Pierce, Walker and Brown made 13-of-27 shots; the rest of the
Celts made just 11-of-45 (24 percent). That, according to O'Brien, was part of
Banks' problem.

     ``Nobody other than Kedrick, Antoine and Paul shot the basketball well,
so if you take those guys out of the game it's very frustrating for a point
guard if the rest of the team is shooting, like, 20 percent,'' the coach said.

     Delk is expected to play tonight in Indiana. So is Tony Battie, who came
back last night from right knee soreness and went scoreless with five rebounds
in 19 minutes.

     Vin Baker started at center and had six points (1-for-5 shooting) and
four rebounds in 26 minutes. Brown started at small forward and had his second
straight strong game (13 points, four boards), including a nice driving dunk
through Eddy Curry and Marshall. Pierce led the C's with 15 points, eight of
them from the line.

     Walker had 15 points and nearly 100 friends and family in attendance (the
ticket count was up to 97 a half hour before the game).


Thanks,

Steve
sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx