Green's new lineup opens with turnover

["Stephen Beauregard" <sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Green's new lineup opens with turnover
By Steve Bulpett/Celtics Notebook
Tuesday, October 28, 2003

Jim O'Brien announced a starting lineup for tomorrow night's opener that will,
as expected, have four new faces from the quintet that closed out last season.
But in that three of them likely would have gotten nods even if Antoine Walker
[news] were still here, change was inevitable.

     The fact the Celtics will be a more up-tempo team helped dictate things.

     ``I knew we would have a turnover in basketball theory,'' O'Brien said.
``There's no doubt. That was kind of in the works. We knew that that had to
change.''

     So Paul Pierce [news] will be introduced with Mark Blount at center,
Kedrick Brown [news] at small forward, Vin Baker at power forward and Mike
James [news] at point guard.

     Blount's candidacy was helped by the fact Tony Battie is coming back from
knee surgery and Raef LaFrentz just arrived. But the coach insists the biggest
factor is Blount himself.

     ``Mark earned the play with his defense,'' O'Brien said. ``In my
estimation, he's by far right now the best defensive big man that we have. He
puts out an unbelievable amount of energy.

     ``The same thing can be said about Vin at the 4. They put a tremendous
amount of energy out. And throughout the whole preseason when those two guys
were on the court together our field goal defense is outstanding.''

     Brown won out at forward because of ``his ability to be able to guard
quicker people opposite Paul. I think that's a real key element,'' O'Brien
said. ``When we look at our 3 spot, we look at how that person complements
Paul defensively more so than offensively.''

     The coach went on to caution that ``our opening day lineup may not be the
same lineup we play for the second game, but that's what it is, the opening
day.''

     Said Pierce of the group that will meet the Heat: ``I'm pretty confident
in these guys. I think everybody really complements one another pretty well.
We're starting to play well together, and it's going to be interesting to
see.''

     Brown signs on dotted line

     Brown's option was officially picked up yesterday. He is now signed
through the end of the 2004-05 season, getting guaranteed $2,332,388 for next
year with the pen strokes.

     As mentioned here yesterday, the Celts also set their 12-man roster by
placing Kendrick Perkins [news], Brandon Hunter [news] and Chris Mills on the
injured list. Mills, who just has to tell the Celts where to send his checks,
is expected to have surgery on his ankle in the next couple of weeks and miss
the season.

     The only issue with the IL decision regarded Jumaine Jones (still out
with strained hamstrings).

     ``The bottom line was when will Jumaine be healthy,'' Danny Ainge said.
``The target is that we'll have him maybe for the fourth or fifth game.''

     Players on the injured list must stay there for a minimum of five games.

     Battie gets leg up

     Battie was back practicing after missing a few days with a sore right
ankle. . . .

     Former Celtic Dana Barros took in the session to see friends Pierce and
Eric Williams. Barros joked about a comeback (as did Ainge), but the BC and
Mattapan product hasn't played serious ball in a while (he never got picked up
last season). . . .

     O'Brien was critical of the defense in yesterday's workout, but things
were certainly physical. NFL refs would have called several pass
interferences, two chop blocks and even a face mask penalty.
Thanks,

Steve
sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx