Ainge likes change but needs O'Brien By Sean Deveney - SportingNews.com

[CeltsSteve@xxxxxxx]

Ainge likes change but needs O'Brien    
    
By Sean Deveney - SportingNews.com

    
        
    
It was strange timing for the Celtics, bringing in a new head honcho on May 9 
last year. Boston's playoff hopes still were alive, though they were looking 
dim after falling behind 2-0 to the Nets in the East semifinals. The Celtics 
chose that day to announce that Danny Ainge (without front-office experience or 
qualifications) would be running the Celtics, following a line that started 
with Red Auerbach, but lately led to such dubious choices as M.L. Carr and Rick 
Pitino. The announcement was a bit of a shock to players who wondered why the 
news couldn't wait until after the playoffs. Predictably, Boston got drilled 
by the Nets that night and bowed out in a sweep three days later. 

At the time, it was clear Ainge did not think highly of the roster as it 
stood. By showing that group of players the disrespect of hiring a new guy during 
the playoffs, the organization seemed to concur. The changes didn't stop in 
the offseason, when Ainge traded or released half the roster, including All-Star 
forward Antoine Walker. And the organization's penchant for strangely timed 
transactions -- as well as Ainge's disdain for the roster -- still was an issue 
in December, when a five-game winning streak was snapped thanks to the trade 
of Eric Williams, Tony Battie and Kedrick Brown to the Cavaliers. 

The Celtics now have four holdovers from last year's team -- Paul Pierce, 
Walter McCarty, Mark Blount and Vin Baker -- and a roster full of Ainge-induced 
gambles. 

Ainge is gambling that Raef LaFrentz, out for the season after having knee 
surgery, will bounce back next season -- though he has never played particularly 
well, even when healthy. 

He's gambling that either LaFrentz or Chris Mihm will live up to his 
potential and secure the starting power forward spot. 

He's gambling that Jiri Welsch will continue to excel on the wing. Welsch has 
established himself as the second-best all-around player on the team, a guy 
who scores, passes and defends. 

He's gambling that turnover-prone point guard Marcus Banks eventually will 
take over the starting job. 

He's gambling that Vin Baker, having relapsed in his recovery from 
alcoholism, either will return to usefulness or have his contract terminated, freeing up 
oodles of cash for free agents. 

Most of all, he's gambling that Ricky Davis can settle into a role of ace off 
the bench. So far, Davis has done that without complaint, but when the Boston 
offense bogs down, so could Davis' attitude. 

In the meantime, Ainge has torpedoed this season. The organization willingly 
has put the team in flux. But an odd thing has happened -- the Celtics were 
just about a .500 team before the trades. They have been just about .500 since. 
In fact, they were just about a .500 team last year, too. But they have been 
able to advance beyond the first round of the postseason in each of the past 
two years. They could do so again this year, not because of Ainge's dealings, 
but because they have one of the most underappreciated assets in the league: 
coach Jim O'Brien. 

"There's a system in place, and they make sure everyone knows the system," 
Williams says. "If you don't, you don't play. Everybody in the league wants to 
play for that kind of coach. The more you know the system, the better everyone 
plays. I think if (Ainge) had left us all together for a while, we could have 
won the East and gotten to The Finals." 

Williams also is quick to credit assistant coach Dick Harter, the architect 
of the Celtics' defense. That's where Boston has been tough in recent years, 
particularly in the playoffs. Harter dares opponents to shoot from the perimeter 
by having players sag off of them but still has perimeter defenders who can 
close out quickly and challenge shots. The Celtics' big men are well-schooled 
on interior rotations, meaning no penetration goes unchecked. 

At least the big men were well-schooled in rotations, and the team did have 
good close-out defenders. Ainge's gambles have put those constants into 
jeopardy, much to the chagrin of O'Brien and Harter. Take a peek at Davis 
half-heartedly challenging other guards or Mihm trying to figure out where he should be 
positioned down low, and it's hard to believe this is a defense-oriented team. 

"When you make so many changes," Pierce says, "you need time to let things 
work out. We need more practice time, we need more time together, then see where 
we are." 

Time might heal the Celtics' wounds. Pierce says he still believes the 
Celtics have a chance to win the East, but with a .500 record and a long road 
stretch in February looming, getting into the playoffs will be a challenge. If 
Ainge's moves prove shrewd next season, the Celtics could be one of the top five 
teams in the East. If not, O'Brien will have to use the same smoke-and-mirrors 
routine that has kept the team afloat this season. Not to worry; he is used to 
it, and he's not about to change. 

"We've had a lot of change," O'Brien says. "But we're just going to continue 
to do the things we've always done." 

Sean Deveney is a staff writer for Sporting News. Email him at 
sdeveney@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Updated on Monday, Jan 19, 2004 2:28 pm EST                 
    
CeltsSteve 

``Time, practice, patience, attitude, unselfishness'' - Jim O'Brien