Kidd stuff for Banks

["Stephen Beauregard" <sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Kidd stuff for Banks
By Mark Murphy/Celtics Notebook
Friday, October 17, 2003

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Nets fans will be treated to a special moment tonight
when Jason Kidd plays his first exhibition game of this preseason.

     The Nets point guard has been given extra rest by coach Byron Scott, with
the goal of having a stronger Kidd later in the season.

     And his arrival comes just in time for Marcus Banks [news], the Celtics
rookie point guard. Some 20-year-olds might be even slightly awed by a matchup
against the best point guard in the game.

     But Banks is focusing too hard on his own slow progress to pay any
special heed.

     ``No doubt he's a great point guard, and I don't want to take anything
away from him, but there's nothing special about it for me,'' Banks said after
yesterday's practice. ``I just want to try and slow him down.''

     Celtics coach Jim O'Brien, however, sees a definite benefit in tonight's
matchup.

     ``Marcus and Mike James [news] will get a good workout (tonight), no
doubt,'' said O'Brien. ``I thought they also had a good test (Wednesday)
night, against (Detroit's) Chauncey Billups.

     ``I just wish we could include Tony Delk in this workout, but he's down
still,'' he said, referring to Delk's nagging calf strain.

     O'Brien a Baker backer

     As dissatisfied as he is with the lineup's general production, O'Brien
took time to put in a plug for Vin Baker yesterday.

     ``Well, he's doing well,'' O'Brien said. ``I like his hustle and his
tenacity. He never takes a possession off.

     ``He's doing positive things on the post-up,'' he said. ``I really like
the way that Vin is coming along.''

     Pierce fouls up

     Paul Pierce [news], who fouled out Wednesday night, has fallen into early
foul trouble in the last two exhibition games.

     Pierce considers this an aberration.

     ``I just try to play aggressive defense and give it 100 percent,'' he
said. ``I look at my career, and I haven't fouled out of too many games. So
that's something I'm not too worried about.''

     The same can't be said for his coach.

     ``Paul is finding himself in foul trouble, and it's hurting our ability
to win,'' O'Brien said. ``It's something that he has to avoid, and something
that we have to avoid.''

     Billups shines

     Billups, the former Celtics first-round draft choice, has emerged not
only as Detroit's biggest shot-maker, but also, quite possibly, as the
Pistons' new leader.

     That was clearly apparent in the 23-point, nine-rebound, six-assist
performance that Billups dropped on the Celtics in a 28-minute appearance
Wednesday night, when the Pistons routed the C's, 123-95.

     Pierce, for one, is hardly surprised.

     ``Chauncey Billups is a basketball player,'' Pierce said. ``I've known
him since high school. He really has a great basketball mind.''
Thanks,

Steve
sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx