Re: Pierce wants new minutes plan

["Dan Forant" <dforant1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Yeah, I would like a 3 day work week too. Pierce and Walker will be logging
big minutes again this season if the Celts even want to sniff the playoffs.
Save himself for what? We're a lower tier playoff team at best. If he's
sleepy or not if they make the playoffs they'll be playing golf early next
spring anyway. He should do the math and figure the $$ he makes per minute.

DanF


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Stephen Beauregard" <sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "celtics list" <celtics@xxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, October 18, 2003 8:44 AM
Subject: Pierce wants new minutes plan


> Pierce wants new minutes plan
> By Mark Murphy
> Saturday, October 18, 2003
>
> EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Paul Pierce [news], like Antoine Walker [news],
was
> worn down physically by the time the Celtics were eliminated by the Nets
in
> the second round of the playoffs last year.
>
>      Both Celtics captains paid a clear price for their season-long gorge
on
> minutes. Walker finished fifth in the league with an average of 41.5
minutes
> per game.
>
>      Pierce, also in the top five for most of the year, wasn't far behind
with
> an average of 39.2.
>
>      Both responded during the offseason with variations in their
preparation
> - Pierce with a weight regimen that has added more muscle, and Walker by
> shedding approximately 20 pounds.
>
>      But even with these changes, and with director of basketball
operations
> Danny Ainge adding presumed depth to the lineup, Pierce wants his minutes
to
> decrease.
>
>      Where coach Jim O'Brien has set a goal of limiting his captains to 38
> minutes per game this season, Pierce would like to see that number dip as
low
> as 35.
>
>      ``The fact with playing that kind of time is that we also don't miss
a
> lot of games,'' said Pierce. ``You take a look at the other people at the
top
> of the league in (average minutes), they don't usually play a full season.
>
>      ``But we're playing each and every night, including all of the
> back-to-back situations,'' he said. ``Physically it's there, but you don't
> always see (the effects) until you go into back-to-back games.''
>
>      Some teams are deep enough to give players a needed break.
>
>      The Nets' Jason Kidd, for example, made his exhibition debut against
the
> Celtics last night as the result of a plan by coach Byron Scott to limit
the
> point guard to three exhibition games.
>
>      O'Brien's hopes are pinned on production from a less talented lineup
> that, through the four exhibition losses heading into last night's game,
has
> not lived up to expectations.
>
>      From youth at point guard to overall defensive mediocrity, there has
> rarely been time for Pierce and Walker to catch a break. The lineup
certainly
> hasn't made up for Pierce's descent into foul trouble the last two games.
>
>      ``That's what we need - consistency from the other guys,'' said
Pierce,
> who turned reflective when asked what he expected from the rest of the
team.
>
>      ``We just have to let everyone know what we're trying to build on,''
he
> said. ``We've put a lot of high expectations on these guys, from the
rookies
> to the guys who have been here for a while. We just want to make sure that
> everyone grows. So far we've been to the first and second rounds of the
> playoffs. Now we want to make a move towards a championship.''
>
>      Pierce's move, short of what he has done on the floor, was to change
his
> offseason approach.
>
>      His role with the 2002 national team in the World Championships
> eliminated what little summer Pierce had two years ago. The time crunch
taught
> him an important lesson.
>
>      ``I slowed down this summer,'' he said. ``The last two (offseasons)
were
> like a whirlwind. I played in five summer leagues, as well as the World
> Championships. So the best thing I could do was to slow down. And that's
all a
> part of growing up. I just talked to other players, like Magic (Johnson),
and
> they told me about what's involved in taking care of yourself.
>
>      ``I want to be more productive, and more rested late in the season,''
he
> continued. ``There's a lot of long minutes once you get going. It can all
wear
> on you eventually. So you have to take care of yourself now.''
> Thanks,
>
> Steve
> sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx