"Stuck" in Ohio???

[Berry, Mark S]

I'm going to try not to take offense to that remark, Snoop Doggy Dog.

 

Here are my kneejerk overreactions to last night's game. Mostly good
news.

 

--- Jefferson looked great. That was the best takeaway for me last
night. He had nine quick points and missed a layup on his best move of
the night. He also moved better than he ever has defensively and seemed
aware of everything that was going on out there. I couldn't have been
more pleased.

 

--- Rondo is legit. The Cleveland color guy, in talking about the two
PGs who played last night, said Rondo would be starting for the Celts by
midseason. The guy did it all - other than hit a jump shot. And I don't
care about that. If I start seeing quotes from Doc encouraging him to
take jumpers (like he did with Orien Greene last year about this time),
I'm going to hang myself from my office ceiling by my lanyard.

 

--- Perk played well. He came in and immediately took control of the
glass. He still fouls too much and needs to work on his free throws (who
doesn't?), but I can't imagine Theo Ratliff ever bringing more to the
table than Perk.

 

--- Gerald Green has ridiculous talent. He even looks like he might have
grown since last season. When you look up "long" in the NBA scout's
guide to stupid jargon, you'll see a picture of Gerald. And he's getting
better defensively. But he still stands around too much on offense and
only plays when the ball is in his hands. But that talent ... 

 

--- Tony Allen was a little disappointing, to be honest. I thought at
the end of last season he was playing the most controlled, intelligent
game I'd seen from him. Last night he looked like the old Tony with the
dribbling into traffic over and over. He looks healthy, though. 

 

--- Pierce and Wally ... We know what they can do.

 

--- Gomes was a mixed bag. He still hustles and gets to all the right
spots, but he struggled to get his shot off inside against the bigger
Cavs frontcourt. He didn't really use his quickness to his advantage
offensively. I love the guy, but I think he's best suited as a backup
forward. If Al can continue to play like he did last night (a big "if"),
I don't see how he doesn't start and play big minutes. Ideally, I'd like
to see a primary big-man rotation of Al, Perk and Gomes, with a little
Ratliff mixed in as needed.

 

--- Ratliff didn't do much. I think we know what he is at this point.
He's a 15 mpg defensive presence at the 5. 

 

--- Telfair ... That's pretty much what I expected. That's what he has
been in Portland for two years. Rondo is better than him right now and
you know how I feel about Delonte. Of course, Doc will keep running him
out there. Every time he has a good moment - and he'll have some - Doc
will say "that's why we got him" and ignore the five turnovers and the
overdribbling.

 

--- Kandi ... Kestas nailed it. Keep him on a series of one-game
contracts and maybe he'll help. Give him a guarantee and he'll revert to
the slug he has always been. He's fool's gold. I'm not opposed to
keeping him if you have absolutely no hope for Jones, Pittsnoggle, Powe
or Akin Alphabeta. But go into it with your eyes open.

 

--- Ray knocked down a couple of threes. I like having that kind of
shooter on the bench.

 

So that's it. The starters played terrible together. Rondo, Jefferson
and Perkins turned the game around and completely controlled things.

 

Mark