From ESPN

[Mike Dynon <mdynon@ix.netcom.com>]

Here's an article that appeared today in the SportsZone public area.

Pitino's plan is working for Celtics


ESPN SportsZone 

JULY 17, 1998

While the owners and players are playing a high-stakes game of chicken
during this summer of NBA discontent, The Zone is taking a look at the
state of each team with our Cold Water Cooler series (what did you
expect -- a hot stove? In the summer?). Up today: The Boston Celtics.

Look back at 1997-98

Rick Pitino didn't take long to make his presence felt in
Beantown. Pitino implemented a pressing, running system to
better utilize the talents of young stars Ron Mercer, Antoine
Walker and Kenny Anderson, who arrived in midseason
basically in exchange for Chauncey Billups.

Walker, a.k.a. Employee No. 8, had a monster season, leading
the Celtics in scoring with 22.4 points per game. Mercer had a
fine rookie season, averaging 15.3 points per game at the
shooting guard spot.

Boston was in the running for a playoff berth, but losing 10 of 12
during a span in March all but ended their postseason hopes. The Celtics
finished 36-46, a 21-game improvement over the previous season.

Additions and subtractions

Celtics fans everywhere were high-fivin' after Kansas' Paul Pierce fell
into Boston's lap on draft night.

Pierce, projected by many as the No. 3 overall pick and the player in
the draft best suited to the NBA game, dropped to No. 10. While Boston
fans are drooling over a three-pronged scoring attack of Mercer,
Walker and Pierce, ask yourself this: Why did Pierce fall seven spots?
What did the other teams see in Pierce that scared them off?

Otherwise, the Celtics are pretty much set. They don't have any free
agents among their top eight players and they've got some prime young
talent in Walker, Pierce, Anderson and Mercer.

The Celtics cut loose point guard Tyus Edney, reminding the former UCLA
star that he's not playing against Missouri anymore.

The big question

Pitino needs to find a way to get enough shots to keep all of the stars
happy (remember, point guard Anderson likes to chuck it up there, too).

Walker, Pierce, Mercer, Anderson, Walter McCarty ... it could get ugly
if any of them get a case of shot envy.

There are rumblings that some of the Celtics were unhappy with Walker's
tendency to become a black hole (ball goes into him, but doesn't come
back out) in the halfcourt set. Walker was second in the league in
field-goal attempts with 1,705, second by 188 shots behind some bald guy
in Chicago. 

Another rumor making the rounds is Walker plans to bolt to Chicago
(where he grew up) when he becomes a free agent after the upcoming
season. Boston would be wise to sign him to a long-term deal.

What's ahead

Who's going to play center? The tag-team combo of Travis Knight, Andrew
DeClercq and Pervis Ellison isn't going to cut it, and it makes Celtics
fans yearn for the days when Hank Finkel roamed the middle.

Knight, a free agent signee from the Lakers, was a disappointment last
season but it's too early to call him a bust. With all the scoring
firepower on the roster, Knight doesn't have to do much more than
rebound, play defense and block a few shots. That's not asking too much.

If Boston can get some production at center, they will be a better team.
Maybe not as good as the Bird-McHale-Parish era, but a great improvement
in a short period of time from the 15-win debacle in 1996-97 under M.L.
Carr.

With the addition of Pierce, a five- to 10-game improvement from last
season isn't out of the question. If the Celtics can get into the 43-46
win range, a playoff berth should follow.

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
POS  NAME              THE ZONE SAYS
G    Kenny Anderson    Numbers were down in Boston, but only slightly.
G    Ron Mercer        Likely to score more than 15 pts/game this year.
F    Antonie Walker    Either playing for Celtic future or to enhance 
			market value.
F    Paul Pierce       Made to play in Pitino's offense. He will,
			immediately.
C    Travis Knight     Job description: stay out of the way of shooters.