Team effort gets C's in the win column

["Stephen Beauregard" <sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Team effort gets C's in the win column
By Mark Murphy/Celtics Notebook
Saturday, October 18, 2003

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - A win is a win, even if it doesn't count.

     That applies to the Celtics, anyway, in their search for defensive
cohesion - the prime element in last night's solid 95-90 win over the Nets.

     It was their first win after four straight exhibition losses, including a
true stinker against Detroit Wednesday night.

     Somewhere in between lies the true Celtics.

     ``Sure, it's never as good as it seems or as bad as it seems,'' said Jim
O'Brien, who received his wish after nearly drilling his team into numbness
during a tough Thursday practice. ``We challenged shots very well, and we
moved well as a unit. I thought there was a lot of growth with the amount of
time we spent in practice (Thursday).''

     Indeed, growth came from all directions. Paul Pierce [news], on the way
to scoring 30 points, set what in his own estimation was a personal exhibition
record with an 18-for-18 performance from the free throw line.

     Mike James [news], who started last night at point guard, checked in with
his best game to date with 13 points, five assists, six rebounds and four
steals.

     Vin Baker played some of his toughest minutes yet for eight points and
four boards.

     Kedrick Brown [news], who is finally emerging as one of the most active
players on the roster, produced eight points, three steals and seven rebounds.

     ``He's earning more minutes, because he's competing in every aspect of
the game,'' said O'Brien, who once again started Brown at small forward. ``He
does things for us that no one else can do.''

     Though Jason Kidd (13 points, eight assists) played only 26 minutes in
his exhibition season debut and the contract-obsessed Kenyon Martin (15
points, five boards) played through an oddly quiet night, enough of the Nets'
bread and butter was on the floor to give the Celtics a legitimate test.

     ``It's good, psychologically, for us to get a win,'' said Pierce. ``I
think we'd have started losing confidence if we didn't win a game. But we went
out and finally defended the ball.''

     Walter back in action

     Walter McCarty [news], who missed Wednesday's loss to the Pistons due to
soreness in his left knee, legged it out for 18 minutes last night.

     ``There's still some pain, but I'm going to have to play with that,'' he
said. ``You feel like you lose something even after missing just a little
time. There's no rhythm, you don't feel good when you're shooting the ball. I
just want to be ready to go.'' . . .

     Is there joy being a Yankees fan when none of your teammates are diehard
enough to feel true pain over the demise of the Red Sox? Plenty, according to
resident Bronx Bombers fan Eric Williams.

     ``There's no bragging,'' he said. ``That's something (Sox fans) might do
because they haven't won anything, but you don't do that as a Yankees fan.''
Thanks,

Steve
sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx