Celtics Jersey Barrier

[wayray@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

What about the Orlando, Philly, and Detroit, and Indy barriers?

Boston Metro

C's still
face Jersey barrier 

Everyone has a nemesis. Superman has Lex Luthor. Happy Gilmore has Shooter McGavin. The Boston Celtics have the New Jersey Nets.

Everyone has a nemesis. Superman has Lex Luthor. Happy Gilmore has Shooter McGavin. The Boston Celtics have the New Jersey Nets. 

For the past two seasons, New Jersey has given Boston fits in the postseason. The Nets beat the Celtics, 4-2, in the Eastern Conference Finals two years ago, and New Jersey swept Boston out of the playoffs in the Eastern Conference semifinals last season. 

As the 2003-04 season gets underway, it's clear the Celtics see New Jersey as the primary barrier between themselves and Eastern Conference supremacy. 

"I think New Jersey is the favorite on paper," said Boston's Executive Director of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge. "They've been the champions of the East the last two years, and they've improved themselves as much as anybody. They're still the Beast of the East that we have to conquer." 

It's clear there are still some bitter feelings after last season, a year that ended with the Nets dancing off the FleetCenter floor at the end of a four-game sweep. 

"Any time you get swept in a series, you leave with a bad taste," said Antoine Walker. "Obviously, we have some additions that will help us get back in the playoffs and get back into it. We're a better team than the one that got swept in the second round." 

"No team wants to lose to the same team in the playoffs twice, and especially getting swept  that was really embarrassing," said Paul Pierce. "But we definitely feel like we're one of the teams to beat in the East, and we feel like Jersey is definitely the best team right now. That's just the hump we have to get over." 

And a little blind optimism doesn't hurt. 

"I'm hopeful that we can win the East," Ainge said. "But you're talking to somebody who, when I go play Tiger Woods in golf, I really think there's a chance I can beat him. It's kind of like 'Dumb & Dumber.' I kind of fit into that category. 'One in a million? You mean I've got a chance?' I feel like we do have a chance." 

Christopher Price