Re: Celtics had a growth spurt

[Eggcentric@xxxxxxx]

<< Yes, the contrast is remarkable...You forget what a real PG looks like
after a while. > - Kestas

True enough, Kestas.  Last night Atkins (and Hunter, too) brought our
team some refreshing feistiness which had been sorely lacking.  
It was finally fun to watch a first period, albeit against a horrible 
defensive team which let us have our way.  Pre-season, Milwaukee was 
not expected to make the playoffs; their 30-27 record has surprised me. 

For sure, Hunter looked good vs. Mihm, whose every coach so far has given 
up on due to his poor practice play, below-average defense, proclivity to 
fouls, and general demeanor in just not getting it. 

Atkins also looked good last night vs. Banks and James, but maybe only 
out of default. How in God's name could our last several BT's (along with 
Obie) have not felt we needed a "real" PG, only short SG/PG tweeners
who could hoist the three?   Although diseased with speed, Banks does 
not yet appear to be the fast break, distributing PG of Danny's dreams.  
Such faulty choosing of a future franchise PG is starting to look like 
it might set us back one more draft choice/FA signing before we finally 
get it right.  How many years now?

< Why not (Songaila)? Here are his last five games (when he became a 
starter): .... He's shooting 50% for the season. >  -Kestas

Jury still out on both.  But right now, Songaila is ahead by several noses.
I still can't believe that when viewing them in person, PF Hunter is
actually shorter in height than Jiri and Ricky.  It really has to make a 
difference up the line as he competes with more talented PF's who are
three to four inches taller than he is.   Much as we want to root for 
him now, do any of you really see him as our future answer at PF?

<As for Hunter, I wonder if, after this last road trip,  Ainge told Carroll
explicitly to insert Hunter into the starting lineup post-haste. Or did
Carroll just figure out on his own what was obvious to many fans for 
weeks? >  - Kestas

Losing game after game without fully rehearsing Danny's new system 
and players has amounted to nothing more than an exercise in futility... 
a wasted 59 games.  But hopefully, as you suggest, Ainge/Wyc/Pag 
(a/k/a The Holy Trinity) may at last be catching on ... the designs of 
their bright imaginations being etched from the fumes of necessity.  
After being naively shocked with the public reaction to their destruction 
of our team and suggestions of "tanking it," just maybe they now realize 
that by playing our rooks, it at least gives them an excuse for the poor 
performance that has become the trademark of the 2003-04 Celtics.  

So here I go again - IT DID NOT HAVE TO BE THIS WAY. It never should 
have come to the either/or of sitting tight with last year's team and 
never advancing further than one series in the playoffs vs. completely 
gutting that team and starting all over with this general flavor of 
mild decay.  

There were miles and miles of middle-ground in which to gradually 
improve our 2002-03 team over the next several years.  The impetuous 
Danny just never saw it that way, becoming the Harry Chapin antichrist,
the idle singer of our empty dreams.

Egg