From: "Stephen Beauregard" <sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Reply-To: "Stephen Beauregard" <sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "celtics list" <celtics@xxxxxxxx>
Subject: C's face point of contention
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2003 07:16:52 -0400
C's face point of contention
By Mark Murphy
Tuesday, October 14, 2003
Perhaps the most central issue facing the Celtics this season is the
blending
of the new and the established - the ability of point guards Marcus Banks
[news] and Mike James [news] to match their respective games with Antoine
Walker [news] and Paul Pierce [news].
Walker, for one, isn't worried. And though some thought the Celtics
captain might segue into a more traditional power forward's role with the
speedy Banks at the controls this season, think again.
``That will never happen - it's impossible,'' Walker said after
yesterday's practice. ``What people have to understand is that guys have to
fit into me and Paul.
``Marcus is a great talent, and he'll come along fine,'' said Walker,
who
added that to this point his conversations with coach Jim O'Brien have
focused
on improving the fast break - not a personal style change.
``We've talked about playing up-tempo, but that's about it,'' Walker
said. ``To be honest, when all is said and done, it's back to the grind, as
always. I've been playing too long to even worry about it.''
Danny Ainge has championed changing the offensive philosophy from the
day
he became director of basketball operations last spring, and he likes what
he
sees forming on the floor each day in practice.
And that includes the collaborations between Walker and his point
guards.
``I think every point guard adjusts to who he plays with in the same
way
that a quarterback adjusts,'' Ainge said. ``No one is going to make Antoine
and Paul change, but people will make adjustments.
``Point guards have to recognize who their teammates are and what
they
need,'' he said. ``But I think it's going good. I've seen Antoine run the
floor very well, and I'm paying more attention to what happens in training
camp than the exhibition games themselves.
``The bottom line is that everyone has to make adjustments,'' said
Ainge.
``Jim O'Brien is trying to maximize the talent of the people he has. And
it's
easier for Antoine and Paul to make adjustments than a rookie point
guard.''
Banks' initiation has followed a rocky path over the first three
games,
though the rookie was at his most effective yet during Saturday's loss at
Indiana.
Though these matters can change in an instant, James is running with
the
first team, with Banks coming off the bench - a situation that doesn't
bother
Banks at the moment.
Nor has Banks encountered much trouble when it comes to connecting
with
his two perennial All-Star teammates.
``It's not really a problem - those guys are very cool,'' said Banks.
``They want me to come along just the way I am. They say they'll push me.
``I do put pressure on myself, but I want to be important to the
team.
But it takes rookies time. It took Kobe (Bryant) four or five years. It
took
Tracy McGrady a few years, and he had to sit on the bench. Paul (Pierce)
needed three or four years, and the same with Antoine.
``I'm not worried about starting,'' Banks said. ``Everyone wants to
start. I don't think any player doesn't want to start, unless they don't
have
any heart. But I'm 20 - I'm only a rookie.''
Celtics notes
Walter McCarty [news] sat out yesterday's practice with a swollen
right
knee - the result of a knee-on-knee collision with a teammate last week in
practice.
Tony Delk (strained calf) and Jumaine Jones (strained hamstrings)
also
sat out the practice, though Jones later worked through a long shooting
drill.
. . .
O'Brien ran the team through a hard 3 1/2-hour practice in an attempt
to
iron out a long list of kinks.
``Every phase of the game,'' he said. ``But we had three games in
four
nights, and it was really too soon to have that.''
O'Brien wasn't the only one to cringe at the schedule.
``We're fine,'' said Walker. ``We could choke the schedule maker,
though.
Three games in four days is a bit much at this point.''
Thanks,
Steve
sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx