I wish. Doing the musty is leading me further toward "the
gentle age". Dang! Durn! I do believe Ricky Davis could do
the musty such in a ways as to make me always proud. But,
dang, he's so unpredictable..never would I know and then
he'd be in...the.... "twilight mustysyncoporcation zone" Sad
karma, that.

musty

Andy wrote:

>
> That's too bad Joe.  Otherwise everyone would be doing the musty!
>
> --Andy
>
>
>
> --- In Celticsstuffgroup@yahoogroups.com, joe moriarty <mustyceltic@n...>
> wrote:
>
>>Do any of you guys do choreography? >
>>
>>I'd step forward, but alas I'm blackballed; I wrote some,
>>for Nancy Kerrigan one time, and it worked to sorrow, as she
>>got "done" by Tonya with a thug and a 'hacker' on the knee,
>>with a huge thorn pruner. Led to my retirement- I felt my
>>guilt; I felt her pain; Choreographing then, no longer "rocked".
>>
>>musty
>>~ ~ who muses occasionally, whether Tonya also put the dark
>>age juju over the 'guiltless guys in green and glenn'. So,..
>>  sorry. ~ ~
>>
>>Andy wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Barry did the same thing to the Celtics in a Milwaukee uniform
>>>once.  I think he sees red when he, um, sees Red.
>>>
>>>The positive thing about this team is they probably have
>>>everything they're lacking on the roster right now.  The problem
>>>is, those answers are still not ripe on the vine yet.
>>>
>>>Speaking of which, I just got back inside after thwacking
>>>enormous thorn walls down with a saw, a hacker, and a huge
>>>pruner.  I'm thinking of putting together an exercise infomercial
>>>like that emaciated health video guy, the one who looks like the
>>>Biafran Arnold Schwarzenegger.  You know, "Lose inches and
>>>get that shapely figure you always wanted, the fun way, by grimly
>>>battling huge thorn bushes the size of trucks in the frigid snow!"
>>>I could get a bunch of smiling model/actresses to thwack, saw,
>>>smile and prune in unison. Then I'll take my video billions, buy
>>>out Wyc, and bring championship number 17 to Boston within
>>>two seasons using deft personnel maneuvers, and those same
>>>motivational techniques developed in helping people get healthy
>>>by futiley fighting thorned trees.
>>>
>>>Do any of you guys do choreography?
>>>
>>>--Andy
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Boston Celtics' fans; looking for inspiration,intellect and humor.
>>>
>>>Subscribe:
>>>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Celticsstuffgroup/join
>>>
>>>Yahoo! Groups Links
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Boston Celtics' fans; looking for inspiration,intellect and humor.
>
> Subscribe:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Celticsstuffgroup/join
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

Just a quick note - Toni Kukoc and Stromile Swift cannot be traded this year
under any circumstances - they both signed one year deals with their club
(who have their larry bird rights).

Just something to think about when you read in the Detroit Free Press that
Kukoc is on the block - don't believe everything you read.

That's too bad Joe.  Otherwise everyone would be doing the musty!

--Andy



--- In Celticsstuffgroup@yahoogroups.com, joe moriarty <mustyceltic@n...>
wrote:
> Do any of you guys do choreography? >
>
> I'd step forward, but alas I'm blackballed; I wrote some,
> for Nancy Kerrigan one time, and it worked to sorrow, as she
> got "done" by Tonya with a thug and a 'hacker' on the knee,
> with a huge thorn pruner. Led to my retirement- I felt my
> guilt; I felt her pain; Choreographing then, no longer "rocked".
>
> musty
> ~ ~ who muses occasionally, whether Tonya also put the dark
> age juju over the 'guiltless guys in green and glenn'. So,..
>   sorry. ~ ~
>
> Andy wrote:
>
> >
> > Barry did the same thing to the Celtics in a Milwaukee uniform
> > once.  I think he sees red when he, um, sees Red.
> >
> > The positive thing about this team is they probably have
> > everything they're lacking on the roster right now.  The problem
> > is, those answers are still not ripe on the vine yet.
> >
> > Speaking of which, I just got back inside after thwacking
> > enormous thorn walls down with a saw, a hacker, and a huge
> > pruner.  I'm thinking of putting together an exercise infomercial
> > like that emaciated health video guy, the one who looks like the
> > Biafran Arnold Schwarzenegger.  You know, "Lose inches and
> > get that shapely figure you always wanted, the fun way, by grimly
> > battling huge thorn bushes the size of trucks in the frigid snow!"
> > I could get a bunch of smiling model/actresses to thwack, saw,
> > smile and prune in unison. Then I'll take my video billions, buy
> > out Wyc, and bring championship number 17 to Boston within
> > two seasons using deft personnel maneuvers, and those same
> > motivational techniques developed in helping people get healthy
> > by futiley fighting thorned trees.
> >
> > Do any of you guys do choreography?
> >
> > --Andy
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Boston Celtics' fans; looking for inspiration,intellect and humor.
> >
> > Subscribe:
> > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Celticsstuffgroup/join
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >

Do any of you guys do choreography? >

I'd step forward, but alas I'm blackballed; I wrote some,
for Nancy Kerrigan one time, and it worked to sorrow, as she
got "done" by Tonya with a thug and a 'hacker' on the knee,
with a huge thorn pruner. Led to my retirement- I felt my
guilt; I felt her pain; Choreographing then, no longer "rocked".

musty
~ ~ who muses occasionally, whether Tonya also put the dark
age juju over the 'guiltless guys in green and glenn'. So,..
   sorry. ~ ~

Andy wrote:

>
> Barry did the same thing to the Celtics in a Milwaukee uniform
> once.  I think he sees red when he, um, sees Red.
>
> The positive thing about this team is they probably have
> everything they're lacking on the roster right now.  The problem
> is, those answers are still not ripe on the vine yet.
>
> Speaking of which, I just got back inside after thwacking
> enormous thorn walls down with a saw, a hacker, and a huge
> pruner.  I'm thinking of putting together an exercise infomercial
> like that emaciated health video guy, the one who looks like the
> Biafran Arnold Schwarzenegger.  You know, "Lose inches and
> get that shapely figure you always wanted, the fun way, by grimly
> battling huge thorn bushes the size of trucks in the frigid snow!"
> I could get a bunch of smiling model/actresses to thwack, saw,
> smile and prune in unison. Then I'll take my video billions, buy
> out Wyc, and bring championship number 17 to Boston within
> two seasons using deft personnel maneuvers, and those same
> motivational techniques developed in helping people get healthy
> by futiley fighting thorned trees.
>
> Do any of you guys do choreography?
>
> --Andy
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Boston Celtics' fans; looking for inspiration,intellect and humor.
>
> Subscribe:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Celticsstuffgroup/join
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

Barry did the same thing to the Celtics in a Milwaukee uniform
once.  I think he sees red when he, um, sees Red.

The positive thing about this team is they probably have
everything they're lacking on the roster right now.  The problem
is, those answers are still not ripe on the vine yet.

Speaking of which, I just got back inside after thwacking
enormous thorn walls down with a saw, a hacker, and a huge
pruner.  I'm thinking of putting together an exercise infomercial
like that emaciated health video guy, the one who looks like the
Biafran Arnold Schwarzenegger.  You know, "Lose inches and
get that shapely figure you always wanted, the fun way, by grimly
battling huge thorn bushes the size of trucks in the frigid snow!"
I could get a bunch of smiling model/actresses to thwack, saw,
smile and prune in unison. Then I'll take my video billions, buy
out Wyc, and bring championship number 17 to Boston within
two seasons using deft personnel maneuvers, and those same
motivational techniques developed in helping people get healthy
by futiley fighting thorned trees.

Do any of you guys do choreography?

--Andy

Nevertheless, the Celts chased this team down to the wire. When we get a
point guard that like's Boston and another player or two, these guys are
going to get their asses kicked.

Dan

----- Original Message -----
From: "Christopher Lenois" <mcnois@...>
To: <Celticsstuffgroup@yahoogroups.com>; <celtics@...>
Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2005 10:12 AM
Subject: Re: [Celtics' Stuff ] Jon "bleeping" Barry.-Globe


> Jon 'bleeping' Barry immediately made my "athletes to
> hate" list when he wouldn't report to the C's after
> the draft. Then he went and added insult to injury by
> inflicting Alaa Abdelnaby on us.
>
> It was Padgett in the 1st half and Barry in the 2nd,
> and a whole lot of Yao in between. We had some
> effective double teams on him. Would have liked to
> have seen more but Van Gundy spaces the floor pretty
> well and makes that difficult.
>
> Allen did a good job 1-on-1 against T-Mac. The C's did
> well when they pushed the tempo but did not rebound
> well enough to sustain a running game. Without Al, our
> offense lacks anyone to draw defenders down low for
> better looks on the perimeter.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Mail - You care about security. So do we.
> http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail
>
> _______________________________________________
> The Boston Celtics Mailing List
> celtics@...
> http://www.igtc.com/mailman/listinfo/celtics
>

Jon 'bleeping' Barry immediately made my "athletes to
hate" list when he wouldn't report to the C's after
the draft. Then he went and added insult to injury by
inflicting Alaa Abdelnaby on us.

It was Padgett in the 1st half and Barry in the 2nd,
and a whole lot of Yao in between. We had some
effective double teams on him. Would have liked to
have seen more but Van Gundy spaces the floor pretty
well and makes that difficult.

Allen did a good job 1-on-1 against T-Mac. The C's did
well when they pushed the tempo but did not rebound
well enough to sustain a running game. Without Al, our
offense lacks anyone to draw defenders down low for
better looks on the perimeter.






__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail - You care about security. So do we.
http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail

Walter McCarty [news] turns 31 today. Guess what he wants as a
birthday gift? . . ."

Tom Heinsohn's head out of his butt?

< The best scenario to me is signing a free agent, making a
nice trade and having a great draft. > (JB)

Jim, four people (at least), could help this team. Only 1
who can demonstrate a toughness inside is FA, Donyell
Marshall, (or MAYBE Mohammed-not a FA)), and of the other
three one more who IS FA is Kukoc, a very good passer, & can
handle and shoot; the other two, will have season after next
still in their contracts which are not overwhelming for what
they "do", and they are Aaron Williams and Nazr Mohammed
(still something short of what he's capable of, but Payton
could handle him well, in spots, as could Banks, tho not as
well as GP. Aaron's good-to-go, no problemo.

These four are definitely NOT mentionables, when trade
scenarios musing over Paul are concerned, although, when
calculating on what they (these 4) COULD be combined with
the right PG, they could be mentionable. But, a trade of
Paul has no looming place agenda-wise, that I can see. The
same things that 'scofflaws' locally, can find about Paul,
are the same things others throughout most all other fans &
teams, would aver.

Marketability rides a fine line, coupled with high dollars.

musty
('nest c' pas? )

JB wrote:

>
>
> On Feb 1, 2005, at 5:53 AM, labvision@... wrote:
>
>     Not sure how you can say that when his FG% is lower than Pitino's
>     chance of returning to the NBA.
>
>
>
> Labvision
>
>      ************************
>
> Well, it's higher than the temperature and rising. Other than threes and
> he's shooting about 48%.
> I think we are really seeing some good progress from Paul in many ways,
> reflected by two of your recent observations:
> Gary Payton makes the players go to where he wants them to go and
> decides who is going to get the shots. Last night he went to Davis, over
> and over. On another night, it might be Pierce, but only if Paul gets to
> the spots Gary wants him to be.
> The other is the coaching. Rivers has a vision and if not always
> benching selfish offenders, he's constantly reminding them where they
> are falling short, as in his little dig {"Both are what I call
> up-and-down defenders," said Rivers. "When they want to be, they're
> really good. When they don't want to be, they're not. In both cases,
> when they're trying to do so many other things, I do understand it's
> physically tough to do everything."}, while praising Paul's recent
> adjustments in attitude.
> As for that "attitude," even you have to like Paul's quotes on Davis
> taking over the fourth quarter last night: {"It's fun to be on the other
> side of the spectrum, especially in the fourth quarter," said Pierce (22
> points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists). "When you get it going, I know the
> feeling. [Davis] kept saying, `Paul, come on, man.' And I said, `No,
> you're the high man. We're riding you out. Take this game.' He carried
> us. We just didn't help him out by getting stops."}
> I don't know who could have said it better and been more gracious. There
> was that ill advised three with seventeen seconds left, but you all have
> to admit that Pierce has come a long way.
> We do agree that Payton is the key. Did you see Doc's quotes on this
> subject? { "It's tough,'' Rivers said. ``I don't think that will be
> resolved until the year's over. I think it's going to be a tough call
> for (Ainge). It's going to be an easy call for us. We know what we want
> to do. We want Gary back. I can tell you that without any thought or
> hesitation. But I'm going to do what's right for the team, and I want to
> do what's right for Gary at the same time. He's been so good. The best
> scenario to me is signing a free agent, making a nice trade and having a
> great draft. Then all of a sudden people would look at us as one of the
> favorites, and then Gary could really want to be in that situation. So
> the quicker we can get better, the more it benefits us with Gary Payton.''
>
>      As for whether the Celts can afford to keep Payton for the season
> and let him leave as a free agent (with no player or pick in return),
> Rivers said, ``It would hurt on one hand, but then again it wouldn't.
> Gary's impact on this team will be forever for the young guys. Whether
> he's here a year or two years, he's shown some things that will last
> with these guys forever. I mean, Marcus (Banks), Delonte (West), Tony
> (Allen), Paul (Pierce), Ricky (Davis) - especially the smalls - he has
> shown them what a pro is, and I couldn't have done that as a coach. I
> think another player has to do that, and he's doing it.''}
> Doc is with us here and I think he's reflecting Ainge's position also.
> Get us something good for the expiring contract and go for it. This team
> may jell soon and be the spring surprise and let's hope Pierce's
> shooting % will still match the temperature in April.
>
>
>
> JB
> Unchain
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> My Heart!
>

----- Original Message -----

From: labvision@...

To: Celticsstuffgroup@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2005 5:45 AM

Subject: Re: [Celtics' Stuff ] Big win

Hey, this team would be in the cellar at this point without him.  I mean 10 wins, max.  I think you should find somebody on this team to root for before Valentine's Day, or you'll have nobody to send a card to.

A daily NBA news recap, with top news, some views, game results, birthdays, league history and more. Also see these NBA links: NBA rumors, media links, and live NBA news.

Sorry Jim, but I can't agree.  You earlier spoke of Pierce's progress, but the
fact is, he's 27 years old (going on 28).  Progress should come early in one's
career-not after 7 and 1/2 seasons.  Because Pierce looks like "he's got it" for
a couple of weeks, doesn't make it progress.  Perhaps the fact that Doc isn't
afraid to sit his ass down when he's not paying attention has something to do
with it.
I could tell even last night, that after Davis missed his shot with 30 seconds
to go, Pierce wasn't going to be denied his chance for another brick (synonomous
with his version of a game winner).  What is he now, 1 for 17 on those shots? 
Just when you think "he's got it", he reverts back to the Paul Pierce that many
fans are now regretting.
As for the accolades to Davis, he'd be a total idiot if he said anything less. 
Davis was the man, and should have taken the final shot.  But Pierce has his
ego, and his own agenda.
If you ask me, Davis can easily take over the numbers that Pierce gives (minus a
few rebounds).  And he comes a hell of a lot cheaper.  Plus, and believe it or
not, Davis is easier to coach.
Please Danny, trade Pierce for a rebounding forwrd.
>
> From: JB <jim_metz@...>
> Date: 2005/02/01 Tue AM 07:12:36 EST
> To: Celticsstuffgroup@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [Celtics' Stuff ] one of two things needs to happen...
>
>
> On Feb 1, 2005, at 5:53 AM, labvision@... wrote:
>
> > Not sure how you can say that when his FG% is lower than Pitino's
> > chance of returning to the NBA.
>
>  Labvision
> >  ************************
>  Well, it's higher than the temperature and rising. Other than threes
> and he's shooting about 48%.
>  I think we are really seeing some good progress from Paul in many
> ways, reflected by two of your recent observations:
>  Gary Payton makes the players go to where he wants them to go and
> decides who is going to get the shots. Last night he went to Davis,
> over and over. On another night, it might be Pierce, but only if Paul
> gets to the spots Gary wants him to be.
>  The other is the coaching. Rivers has a vision and if not always
> benching selfish offenders, he's constantly reminding them where they
> are falling short, as in his little dig {"Both are what I call
> up-and-down defenders," said Rivers. "When they want to be, they're
> really good. When they don't want to be, they're not. In both cases,
> when they're trying to do so many other things, I do understand it's
> physically tough to do everything."}, while praising Paul's recent
> adjustments in attitude.
>  As for that "attitude," even you have to like Paul's quotes on Davis
> taking over the fourth quarter last night: {"It's fun to be on the
> other side of the spectrum, especially in the fourth quarter," said
> Pierce (22 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists). "When you get it going, I
> know the feeling. [Davis] kept saying, `Paul, come on, man.' And I
> said, `No, you're the high man. We're riding you out. Take this game.'
> He carried us. We just didn't help him out by getting stops."}
>  I don't know who could have said it better and been more gracious.
> There was that ill advised three with seventeen seconds left, but you
> all have to admit that Pierce has come a long way.
>  We do agree that Payton is the key. Did you see Doc's quotes on this
> subject? { "It's tough,'' Rivers said. ``I don't think that will be
> resolved until the year's over. I think it's going to be a tough call
> for (Ainge). It's going to be an easy call for us. We know what we want
> to do. We want Gary back. I can tell you that without any thought or
> hesitation. But I'm going to do what's right for the team, and I want
> to do what's right for Gary at the same time. He's been so good. The
> best scenario to me is signing a free agent, making a nice trade and
> having a great draft. Then all of a sudden people would look at us as
> one of the favorites, and then Gary could really want to be in that
> situation. So the quicker we can get better, the more it benefits us
> with Gary Payton.''
>
>      As for whether the Celts can afford to keep Payton for the season
> and let him leave as a free agent (with no player or pick in return),
> Rivers said, ``It would hurt on one hand, but then again it wouldn't.
> Gary's impact on this team will be forever for the young guys. Whether
> he's here a year or two years, he's shown some things that will last
> with these guys forever. I mean, Marcus (Banks), Delonte (West), Tony
> (Allen), Paul (Pierce), Ricky (Davis) - especially the smalls - he has
> shown them what a pro is, and I couldn't have done that as a coach. I
> think another player has to do that, and he's doing it.''}
>  Doc is with us here and I think he's reflecting Ainge's position also.
> Get us  something good for the expiring contract and go for it. This
> team may jell soon and be the spring surprise and let's hope Pierce's
> shooting % will still match the temperature in April.
>
>
> 	  			 JB
>  Unchain
>

My Heart!

Players are prohibited from wearing any form of head gear during TV interviews; sitting or lying alongside the bench during games; and hooking up to I-Pods during pregame warm-ups. For those not in uniform, dress jeans are permitted but looking like a stumblebum above the waist is firmly forbidden (a collared shirt is required) and "strictly" enforced . . . that is, unless you're Cuttino Mobley and you insist on donning a woolen skullcap, complete with a league insignia.

Clearly, these are important changes in David Stern's sphere of influence. Yet the commissioner doesn't seem to give a hoot that coaches and players are babbling endlessly about coaching and playing elsewhere — tantamount to tampering with their own contracts, not to mention disrupting and infuriating their teams.

What's the most pressing issue here?

Is it Larry Brown's contention The Post failed to quote him saying, "Detroit is going to be my last coaching job." And, "Even if they offered me the job at the end of the season I am not going to coach the Knicks."

As if we're tempted to believe such a declaration just because Brown allegedly said it. This is the same guy who agreed to coach the Nets while still honor-bound to UCLA. The same guy who agreed to coach Kansas while still honor-bound to the Nets. The same guy who got fired for his breach of contracts/ethics — fired prior to the playoffs, which, no doubt, cost New Jersey its first-round playoff series to the Knicks.

Or is the burning issue Brown being quoted extensively about the Knicks' job?

If I'm Piston owner Bill Davidson and team president Joe Dumars it's no contest. They have got to be fuming that their defending champion head coach talked about the Knicks being his dream job. Then again, that's incidental. The crux of the matter is, Brown had no business discussing the Knicks job with any reporter. Period.

Larry Bronze (courtesy of Florida Today's John Denton) says he's not smart enough to say, "No comment." Imagine if one of his players, 40 or more years younger, muttered such a lame excuse. You could hear the droning from here: "Where's the respect for the game? Where's the respect for the person holding the job? Where's the respect for your teammates?"

Had a player insulted Brown's team like that, a fine and/or suspension, or at the very least, a benching, would've been in order. Imagine if Rasheed Wallace had gone into Philly last season as a Pistons rising free agent and bubbled about playing for his hometown dream job 76ers; Larry would've had a bogey, or at least a stroke.

If Rick Carlisle can sit down Ron Artest for two games for privately asking his coach for time off because he was physically and mentally exhausted, then Brown definitely deserved some time off for not thinking in the act of shooting off his mouth.

Not that long ago, Stern clamped down on Player A (Tim Duncan-Jason Kidd, for example) when he overtly recruited Player B. So Player B simply cut out the middleman. Player B now does his own campaigning (Chris Webber a few years back and most recently Ray Allen) while his current team bankrolls the reverse recruiting trips throughout the league.

This brings us to Rafer Alston, suspended two games by the Raptors for bolting practice after getting into it with teammates and his coach. Again.

"There are rules to follow and codes of conduct to maintain," Toronto coach Sam Mitchell preached. "We don't expect professionalism, we demand it. We don't suspend anyone, you kind of suspend yourself."

Oh, really.

I'm not about to defend Alston; too often he requires emotional rescue. At the same time, Mitchell conveniently misplaced his professionalism back in December when he verbally assaulted Alston and Loren Woods after a loss in Boston. The pair had picked up inane fourth quarter technical fouls and the rookie coach was so irate he kept calling them "bitches" and worse. According to someone in the locker room, a fight almost ensued. Meanwhile, Toronto GM Rob Babcock stood idly by.

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On Feb 1, 2005, at 5:53 AM, labvision@... wrote:

> Not sure how you can say that when his FG% is lower than Pitino's
> chance of returning to the NBA.

	 Labvision
>  ************************
	 Well, it's higher than the temperature and rising. Other than threes
and he's shooting about 48%.
	 I think we are really seeing some good progress from Paul in many
ways, reflected by two of your recent observations:
	 Gary Payton makes the players go to where he wants them to go and
decides who is going to get the shots. Last night he went to Davis,
over and over. On another night, it might be Pierce, but only if Paul
gets to the spots Gary wants him to be.
	 The other is the coaching. Rivers has a vision and if not always
benching selfish offenders, he's constantly reminding them where they
are falling short, as in his little dig {"Both are what I call
up-and-down defenders," said Rivers. "When they want to be, they're
really good. When they don't want to be, they're not. In both cases,
when they're trying to do so many other things, I do understand it's
physically tough to do everything."}, while praising Paul's recent
adjustments in attitude.
	 As for that "attitude," even you have to like Paul's quotes on Davis
taking over the fourth quarter last night: {"It's fun to be on the
other side of the spectrum, especially in the fourth quarter," said
Pierce (22 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists). "When you get it going, I
know the feeling. [Davis] kept saying, `Paul, come on, man.' And I
said, `No, you're the high man. We're riding you out. Take this game.'
He carried us. We just didn't help him out by getting stops."}
	 I don't know who could have said it better and been more gracious.
There was that ill advised three with seventeen seconds left, but you
all have to admit that Pierce has come a long way.
	 We do agree that Payton is the key. Did you see Doc's quotes on this
subject? { "It's tough,'' Rivers said. ``I don't think that will be
resolved until the year's over. I think it's going to be a tough call
for (Ainge). It's going to be an easy call for us. We know what we want
to do. We want Gary back. I can tell you that without any thought or
hesitation. But I'm going to do what's right for the team, and I want
to do what's right for Gary at the same time. He's been so good. The
best scenario to me is signing a free agent, making a nice trade and
having a great draft. Then all of a sudden people would look at us as
one of the favorites, and then Gary could really want to be in that
situation. So the quicker we can get better, the more it benefits us
with Gary Payton.''

     As for whether the Celts can afford to keep Payton for the season
and let him leave as a free agent (with no player or pick in return),
Rivers said, ``It would hurt on one hand, but then again it wouldn't.
Gary's impact on this team will be forever for the young guys. Whether
he's here a year or two years, he's shown some things that will last
with these guys forever. I mean, Marcus (Banks), Delonte (West), Tony
(Allen), Paul (Pierce), Ricky (Davis) - especially the smalls - he has
shown them what a pro is, and I couldn't have done that as a coach. I
think another player has to do that, and he's doing it.''}
	 Doc is with us here and I think he's reflecting Ainge's position also.
Get us  something good for the expiring contract and go for it. This
team may jell soon and be the spring surprise and let's hope Pierce's
shooting % will still match the temperature in April.


	  				 JB
	 Unchain

My Heart!

Davis blasts off but C's fizzle vs. Rockets: 17-point fourth can't
prevent loss
By Steve Bulpett
Tuesday, February 1, 2005

The Celtics had become quite a formidable club at home while regularly
getting rattled on the road. It was an issue that bedeviled the
Bostonians.

     Well, the C's seem to have solved that problem. They've won their
last two out-of-towners and, after last night's 97-94 loss at the hands
of Houston, have now dropped two straight on the suddenly perilous
parquet.

     The Celts almost stole this one with an out-of-Ricky experience.
Mr. Davis went for 17 of his 24 points in the last quarter, hitting
seven straight shots at one point. Alas, his last attempt - an
18-footer with about 20 seconds left - didn't find the range. With the
Rockets scoring on their last six possessions, this one was ill-fated.

     Philadelphia's win over Indiana dropped the C's into second place,
a half-game behind the Sixers in the Atlantic Division.

     ``It's fun to watch,'' Paul Pierce  [news] said of Davis. ``I know
the feeling. He kept saying, `Paul, c'mon.' I was like, `No, man,
you're the hot man; we're riding you out.' He carried us. We just
didn't help him out by getting stops. They came down and scored pretty
much every time.''

     Pierce missed his first six shots but then he made his next five
on the way to a 22-point night.

     The Asian-American Night crowd got to see Yao Ming lead the
Rockets with 23 points, but Tracy McGrady went 2-for-7 on treys and was
9.6 points off his scoring average with 16. It was lesser lights Jon
Barry and Scott Padgett who hurt the Celts. Barry made 7-of-8 shots (17
points) as the two combined to hit 11-of-13 (5-of-6 treys) for 27
points.

     ``When you concentrate so much on Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, the
other guys are the guys that can burn you,'' Pierce said. ``They really
came in and played their roles. Jon Barry was more than exceptional.''

     According to Doc Rivers, the Celtics defense was exceptionally
nearsighted as Barry scored Houston's first 11 points in the fourth
period - nine of them on treys.

     ``We lost Jon Barry three or four times,'' Rivers said. ``It
wasn't anything they were doing; he was just moving and we lost sight
of our guy. That's unforgivable for the most part.''

     The Celts trailed by as many as 16, but Mark Blount  [news] had 10
points in the third quarter, making all four of his shots from the same
spot, some 18 feet out by the left elbow. The last of his jumpers
completed a 23-6 run from 11 down to a 63-57 lead with four and a half
minutes left in the frame.

     The Rockets then scored 10 of the period's last 12 points to take
a 67-65 lead into the last quarter. After the Barry-led 11-3 run, the
Celts called a timeout with nine minutes left and turned to Davis.

     He blasted off, scoring 11 points in a 5:04 span to get the C's
within a mere four. Pierce hit 1-of-2 from the line to cut it to 87-84,
and Davis put in another jumper to make it a one-point game. Barry and
Pierce exchanged hoops, and Yao hit one freebie for a 90-88 Houston
lead at 1:28.

     Davis squeezed in a short jumper, and after Yao hit a turnaround,
Ricky did it again to tie the game at 92 with 44 seconds to go. Bob
Sura hit just the second of two free throws 11 seconds later, but
Davis' attempt to give Boston the lead caught only iron. McGrady then
made two free throws at 17.8.

     Pierce was drifting sideways as he missed a trey, and Rod
Strickland iced it with two free throws. Marcus Banks  [news] added an
inconsequential layup with 2.6 seconds left.

     Of his decision to go to Davis when he was down one, Rivers said,
``That was easy. You ride the hot hand. It was funny though. If it
wasn't Ricky, you'd probably go to Paul. But Ricky's a bona fide scorer
in his own right, so you feel comfortable with that.''

Celtics Notebook: Pierce, McGrady: Very different but still the same

01:00 AM EST on Tuesday, February 1, 2005

BY CAROLYN THORNTON
Journal Sports Writer

   BOSTON -- Celtics captain Paul Pierce  leads the team with 22.1 points
and 1.61 steals in 36.4 minutes of action per game and is second on the
team behind Raef LaFrentz  in rebounds with 7.1 and second behind Gary
Payton  in assists with 4.2.

Tracy McGrady  , in town last night with the Houston Rockets, is
averaging team-highs of 25.6 points, 5.7 assists and 1.69 steals and is
second behind Yao Ming  with 6.3 rebounds in 42.3 minutes per game.

Having had an opportunity to coach both of them -- McGrady when he was
with Orlando and Pierce this season -- Boston coach Doc Rivers  was
asked to compare the two superstars.

"They're both excellent players, but just completely different
players," he said. "And it's funny, at the end of the game, when you
look at the stat sheet, their numbers are similar as far as rebounds,
assists, scoring. But they do it in different ways. Paul's probably a
more physical scorer. Tracy scores better off the dribble. I think
Paul's a better rebounder than Tracy is, and Tracy's capable of having
big rebound nights. But Tracy gets it just with length and athleticism
and Paul gets it with his physicality."

Although McGrady and Pierce are pretty consistent offensively, their
games at the other end of the court can be suspect at times, said
Rivers, who called them "up-and-down defenders." But he is also willing
to cut them both some slack for that.

"When they want to be, they're really good," he said. "And when they
don't want to be, they're not. I think they both are that way. And with
both of them, when they're trying to do so many other things, I do
understand that it's physically tough to do everything. But they are
the same in that way."

Taking some of the blame

Rivers, who was fired last season after the Magic managed just one win
in their first 11 games, didn't take it personally when he heard
McGrady admit earlier this season that he didn't always give 100
percent when he was playing for Orlando.

"I think we all forget how young these guys are," he said. "The comment
about him not playing hard, everyone destroyed him about that, and it's
funny, you ask the guy a question and you want him to be honest. And
then when he's honest . . . The way I took it was he'd learned
something from that. It was a tough situation, the team was struggling
and he didn't fight through it. So the way he handled it was by giving
up. That happens."

"I could have done a better job there," he added. "We could have had
better players around him, and he could have done a better job. I said
that the day I left: Blame can't go one place, ever. Blame has to be
spread around to everybody."

Not taking the bait

Rivers refused to answer when asked if he thought McGrady was at
another level than Pierce, saying "You would love me to answer that."

The coach later said of his Celtic captain: "He's been playing very,
very well over the last two to three weeks to me.

"It's funny, I thought one of his better games was Chicago even though
he just couldn't get anything going," Rivers said, referring to
Pierce's 2-for-12 night from the field on Saturday. "He was missing
free throws (13-for-17). But I just loved the fact that he kept
competing and fought through it. That's a good sign of maturity for
everyone."

Check those birth dates

Even with the two youngest All-Star starters last year in the
25-year-old McGrady and 24-year-old Yao Ming  on their roster, the
Rockets entered the season ranked first in the league in both age and
experience, with an average age of 29.160 years and 6.667 years of
experience.

As evidence of that, Houston concluded the first quarter with a lineup
that boasted 67 years of NBA experience between them.

Rod Strickland  has put in a whopping 17 years in the league, while
Dikembe Mutombo  has been around for 14, Jon Barry  for 13, David
Wesley  for a dozen and Juwan Howard  for 11.

In comparison, Boston had a crew with less than 21 years of experience
out on the floor during that stretch with second-year players Kendrick
Perkins  and Marcus Banks  ; Jiri Welsch  , now in just his third
season; and Raef  LaFrentz  and Ricky Davis  , who are both in their
seventh seasons.

McGrady gets some extra help
By Gus Martins
Tuesday, February 1, 2005

He was a two-time NBA scoring leader before the age of 25, but last
night Tracy McGrady said a sore back left him in no condition to put up
gaudy offensive numbers.

     Instead, McGrady marveled at the fourth-quarter performance of
teammate Jon Barry and felt reassured of his own contribution by
guarding the red-hot Ricky Davis on the critical defensive stop of the
night that gave the Rockets a 97-94 win over the Celtics at the
FleetCenter.

     ``You just saw tonight I wasn't effective because of my back,'' he
said. ``I was a liability tonight. I was a decoy tonight. But I took on
the challenge of guarding Ricky Davis at the end when he missed that
shot. He was rolling. I took on the challenge of guarding him on that
last shot and I think I kind of (altered) his shot a little bit and he
missed it and I think it was a key play during the last couple seconds
of the fourth quarter.''

     Davis (24 points) led all scorers in the fourth quarter with 17
points, while Barry had 15 for the Rockets in the same quarter. Yao
Ming led the Rockets with 23 points in the game.

     The Rockets ended a two-game losing streak. McGrady, who finished
with 16 points on 5-of-14 shooting, admitted he didn't help much on the
offensive end. But he was also heartened by the fact his team played
strong mentally to win the game.

     ``I was just trying to find a way to play through it,'' he said.
``The other guys did a great job of picking up the slack for me and for
the team. We came up with a big win. The Celtics did a great job of
fighting their way back into the game, locking us down on the offensive
end, making us rush our offense and getting us out of our offense. They
were coming down and scoring and making shots.''

     McGrady said Barry's contribution last night made the difference
at a time when he was on the bench for the first four minutes of the
final quarter.

     ``It meant a lot,'' he said. ``These guys are used to seeing me
put 25-30 points on the board. Tonight, it just wasn't the night for
me. For (Barry) to come off the bench and give us that spark, play with
confidence and shoot the ball and get himself out of that funk he was
in, hopefully he can continue to do that.''

     While McGrady might have a reputation of heaving every shot he can
muster, he said he now enjoys the fact that he doesn't have to have the
ball in his hands all game, as was the case in Orlando, where he played
the previous fourseasons.

     ``That took a toll on me,'' he said. ``I had the ball in my hands
95 percent of the time. Taking the majority of the shots and carrying
the weight on my shoulder. That was really tough. It was a big burden
on my shoulders. Now, I defer to Yao at times and he does the same.''

     McGrady said he hopes the days of having to carry the load night
in and night out are over.

     ``Everybody knows this team revolves around myself and Yao,'' he
said. ``We are the keys to the team. But we all have roles on the team.
I don't think me and Yao are fighting over whose team it is. We're all
one unit. We're all on the same team. We go out and compete.''

Payton trade possible
By Steve Bulpett/ Celtics Notebook
Tuesday, February 1, 2005

Danny Ainge gave Doc Rivers the same option he gave Jim O'Brien  [news]
with regard to trade talk notification.

     ``And I told him no,'' the Celtics coach said. ``In fact, I told
him I don't even want to know until it gets close enough where you
think you can do something. I don't want to worry about that stuff. I
want to coach. I don't want to be a GM. I don't want to have anything
to do with it. I don't want to ever have anything to do with contracts,
because it frees me up to just make judgments based on play.

     ``Me and Danny talk a lot on what I think the team needs and where
I think we need to go, and that's why I love him - because then he goes
out and tries to fit that menu or that grocery list. We talk about that
a lot, but we hardly ever talk about trade scenarios. I think when you
listen to a trade scenario, you start thinking, `Oh, man, that's
interesting.' Then you're not focusing on your guys, and I want to
focus on my guys.''

     One guy coming more into focus as the Feb. 24 trade deadline
approaches is Gary Payton. He'd like to be moved closer to his West
Coast home, and sources say Ainge has regularly checked out the market
for the veteran point guard.

     ``It's tough,'' Rivers said. ``I don't think that will be resolved
until the year's over. I think it's going to be a tough call for
(Ainge). It's going to be an easy call for us. We know what we want to
do. We want Gary back. I can tell you that without any thought or
hesitation. But I'm going to do what's right for the team, and I want
to do what's right for Gary at the same time. He's been so good. The
best scenario to me is signing a free agent, making a nice trade and
having a great draft. Then all of a sudden people would look at us as
one of the favorites, and then Gary could really want to be in that
situation. So the quicker we can get better, the more it benefits us
with Gary Payton.''

     As for whether the Celts can afford to keep Payton for the season
and let him leave as a free agent (with no player or pick in return),
Rivers said, ``It would hurt on one hand, but then again it wouldn't.
Gary's impact on this team will be forever for the young guys. Whether
he's here a year or two years, he's shown some things that will last
with these guys forever. I mean, Marcus (Banks), Delonte (West), Tony
(Allen), Paul (Pierce), Ricky (Davis) - especially the smalls - he has
shown them what a pro is, and I couldn't have done that as a coach. I
think another player has to do that, and he's doing it.''

     Al recovering fast

      Perhaps Al Jefferson should have bypassed the NBA for medical
school. Doctors were saying the rookie would be out four weeks or
longer after sustaining a high right ankle sprain Wednesday, but the
rookie said the day after he was hoping for two weeks.

     ``It's healing real fast,'' Jefferson said after last night's
game, wearing a large black protective boot. ``Even the doctor said
that, and I feel like I'll be ready in two weeks (from the date of the
injury) if not a week and a half.''

     As for his break from duty, he said, ``I'm just dealing with it.
I'm in treatment about five or six hours a day trying to get it better.
I don't like watching the game on TV.'' . . .

     The Rockets ended the first quarter with a quintet of Dikembe
Mutombo, Jon Barry, Rod Strickland, Juwan Howard and David Wesley - a
combined 67 years of experience (including this season).

     The Celts, on the other hand, had 21 NBA years in Raef LaFrentz,
Jiri Welsch, Banks, Davis and Kendrick Perkins  [news]. . . .

     The Rockets led the Celtics, 19-15, after one quarter. The
combined total was six points fewer than Phoenix had here in that
period by itself three nights prior.

     Wesley proves worth

     Nice note passed along by Rockets radio commentator Jim Foley.
Just three players in NBA history have scored 10,000 points without
ever being drafted: Moses Malone, John Starks and good guy David
Wesley, the former Celtic who passed the milestone last season.

     ``I guess it means I'm coachable,'' said Wesley, who came over to
Houston from New Orleans this season. . . .

     Walter McCarty  [news] turns 31 today. Guess what he wants as a
birthday gift? . . .

     This is Yao Ming's third trip through the NBA, but teams are still
squeezing every marketing opportunity out of his visits. Thus, it was
Asian-American Night at the FleetCenter last evening.

Megliola: Watch the football game ... or else!
By Lenny Megliola
Tuesday, February 1, 2005

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Sometimes the National Football League scares me,
like the Soviet Union did when Khrushchev was in charge.

     That the Soviet Union was so big and powerful was scary. But I
think this NFL is bigger, more powerful and scarier. I think czar Paul
Tagliabue has more clout than Khruschev ever had. I think the Super
Bowl -- that is -- the propaganda of the Super Bowl -- is more
dangerously mesmerizing than the threat of Communism ever was.

     Forget the game. That's just window dressing. Maybe you've been to
a Super Bowl. You know about the crowds, the parties, the celebrities,
the debauchery. But to see how the NFL works the Super Bowl from the
inside, how it controls the media (just like the Communists did),
controls it in the sense that if a TV station, radio station or a
newspaper doesn't send someone to the Super Bowl, you might as well
fold up your tent. Tear down the station's TV tower. Stop the presses.
No really, stop the presses forever, because if you're not going to
cover the Super Bowl you don't count. You're small-time. Mickey Mouse.
The NFL scares publishers and editors and station general managers into
that mode of thinking.

     The NFL scares the media into thinking that you cannot miss a
moment, a word, a sound bite, a party the whole week long down here.
And we fall for it.

     At media headquarters, the cavernous Osborn Convention Center in
which all the Canary Islands could fit with room left over for
Venezuela, a booming voice over the PA system sternly warns Thirty
minutes to coach Belichick's press conference!!!! It's not like the
Patriots' coach is going to say anything earth-shattering, but about 15
million people toting notebooks, TV cameras and tape recorders rush to
the interview anyway.

     Then it's off to another big room where the players are: Tedy
Bruschi, Ty Warren, Mike Vrabel, David Givens in the corners, Corey
Dillon in the middle, sitting at tables. You get shoved around like
sheep dogs herding cattle. Just to hear the players say "Great to be
here." As writers squeeze tight around the players, the trick is not to
get decapitated when a TV guy spins around with his heavy camera.

     And you know what Patriots players not named Tom Brady are asked
about? Tom Brady. Brady is the NFL's Tom Cruise. He's got the looks and
the talent. He just doesn't have Nicole Kidman. But neither does Cruise
anymore. Personally, if I'm Bruschi or Vrabel or Givens and I'm asked a
stream of questions about Brady, I'd be offended. But the Patriots
aren't like that.

     See -- and here we go with the Soviet Union of yesteryear
comparison -- the Patriots are programmed, brainwashed, into speaking
the party line when they're allowed to speak at all.

     I'm thinking some of these guys would like to scream, "Brady,
Brady, that's all you care about is Brady. I play defensive end and
break heads for a living. Ask me about that."

     But no, they say the right thing because if they say the wrong
thing it's Siberia baby, which in the NFL means being traded to the
Bengals.

     Past Bengal and present Patriots running back Corey Dillon knows
what that's all about. So when he's asked about Brady he says, "In my
eyes he's basically perfect." He actually said that. Then again,
Dillon's just so happy not to be in Cincinnati.

     A reporter tried to goad wide receiver David Givens with the
question "Tell me something Tom Brady doesn't do well." And Givens
said, "What doesn't he do well? You tell me." The intrepid reporter
wouldn't let it go however, and Givens finally cracked. "He may need a
few dance lessons" said Givens.

     Super Bowl week is a crazy thing. The NFL -- in cahoots with Fox,
which will air the game -- has a way of seducing you into thinking
you're a nerd if you miss the game. Plain stupid, that's what you are.
If you don't watch the Super Bowl you obviously don't have one friend.
The Super Bowl is more than a game, it's the pre-game show -- this year
Gretchen Wilson, the Charlie Daniels Band, Black Eyed Peas and Earth,
Wind and Fire, and at halftime the great Paul McCartney (no chance of a
wardrobe malfunction this time).

     You want the highway or the movie theater or the aquarium all to
yourself, Sunday's your only chance because everybody else will be
watching the Super Bowl and downing an adult beverage or 10.

     Corey Dillon will be playing in his first Super Bowl. Dillon's a
guy who came to Foxboro with a bad reputation. And he'd rather eat tree
bark than talk to reporters. But the NFL has brainwashed him too. Asked
what this week has been like so far, Dillon said, "Unbelievable. It's
like Hollywood."

     Brainwashed. Just like everybody else.

     

( Lenny Megliola is a News sports columnist. He can be reached at
lennymegs@.... )

Barry's hot hand leaves Celtics out in the cold again

Ricky Davis scores 17 of his game-high 24 points in the fourth quarter
for Boston, but Jon Barry nets 15 and that is enough for Houston.

01:00 AM EST on Tuesday, February 1, 2005

AP photo
   Boston's Raef LaFrentz, left, gets the worst of a struggle for a loose
ball with Houston's Bob Sura, center, and Yao Ming at the FleetCenter
Monday. The Rockets won, 97-94.

BY CAROLYN THORNTON
Journal Sports Writer

BOSTON -- Last week, as the Boston Celtics were about to embark on the
second half of their season, Ricky Davis was asked to say where his
team stands.

"We're about halfway through the season, and I think we're about
halfway from being a great team," he said. "Some games, we show signs
of being a great team. Some games, we don't."

Most games, Boston shows signs of both, in different stretches, and
last night's meeting with the Houston Rockets was no exception.

Though the hot-handed Davis did his best to put the Celts over the top
in this one by scoring 17 of his game-high 24 points in the fourth
quarter, his team ended up on the losing end.

Jon Barry netted 15 of his 17 points in that period, as well, to help
Houston regain control and ultimately pull out a 97-94 victory in front
of a FleetCenter crowd of 14,063.

"Tough loss, obviously," said Celtics coach Doc Rivers. "I never
thought in stretches the tempo ever got to the way we wanted it to be.
But you know we hung in there. I thought we did a pretty good job. We
just couldn't get the key stops when we needed it."

Several of those key stops that Boston failed to get came at the start
of the fourth quarter when Barry got hot. With Houston

up only 67-65, the veteran guard single-handedly put the Rockets back
in the driver's seat, responsible for all of Houston's scoring in an
11-3 run by hitting a jumper and three treys.

"Our bench hurt us tonight in that one stretch," Rivers said. "Jon
Barry got going and we lost Jon Barry three or four times, where it
really wasn't anything they were doing. He was just moving and we lost
sight of our guy, and that's unforgiveable."

The Rockets took the lead in the first quarter, despite shooting just
31.8 percent from the field and getting just four points apiece from
All-Stars Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming.

While Boston, which shot just 36.8 percent in the first quarter, made
less than half of its shots, Houston started warming up in the second
quarter.

Yao made all but one of his seven attempts and picked up another 12
points, in helping the Rockets extend their lead out to as many as 16.

But after a Bob Sura free throw at 2:15 put Houston ahead, 47-31,
Boston closed the quarter with a 9-2 run and got within nine, 49-40,
with a reverse dunk by Davis and a fade-away jumper by Paul Pierce in
the final minute.

The Celtics then opened the second half with a 23-8 run to take their
first lead of the game. Dikembe Mutombo was called for goaltending on a
Tony Allen layup that put the Celts on top, 58-57, at 5:28.

That sparked a 7-0 run by the Celtics in which Pierce drained a
3-pointer in front of the Houston bench and Mark Blount sank a
19-footer that put Boston up, 63-57.

But Houston followed with a 6-0 run and McGrady (16 points) made a
jumper just before the shot clock expired to make the score 63-63.

After Jiri Welsch and Sura traded jumpers, Kendrick Perkins committed a
foolish foul on Sura at halfcourt with 2.7 seconds left. Sura made both
free throws to put the Rockets back on top, 67-65, heading into the
fourth quarter.

Barry followed with his contribution, helping the visitors extend their
lead to 10, 78-68, with his third 3-pointer.

Yao, who received his fourth foul with six minutes left in the third
quarter and didn't re-enter the game until 7:55 of the final period,
soon scored his first two baskets of the half to help Houston maintain
a 10-point lead, 83-73, at 6:18.

The Celts, who at 8-8 finished at .500 for the second straight month,
kept knocking on the door, though, with Davis doing most of the
banging.

He had four points in a 6-0 run that got Boston within one, 87-86, at
2:32, then twice tied the score with jumpers, the second time with a
15-footer that made it 92-all with 44 seconds left.

But after Sura made one of two free throws, Davis missed another
attempt with 21 seconds remaining.

McGrady was fouled on the rebound and sank both free throws. A
heavily-guarded Pierce then missed a 3-point attempt on Boston's next
possession, and Rod Strickland sealed the win with two freebies with
seven ticks left.

"Ricky was great," said Rivers. "We fed the hot hand and kept going
with it. I thought the last shot that he missed was a great shot. It
was the same shot he had just kept getting. They were really having
trouble guarding the play because they felt that Yao would have to step
out, and if he does then Mark was under the basket by himself. We'll
take that shot again.

"I thought we could have attacked the basket at the end even with 17
seconds," he added in reference to Pierce's final attempt. "I didn't
think we needed the three. I thought there was still a lot of time. We
could always get two and foul again. That little bit of game management
hurt us."

CELTICS NOTEBOOK

Rivers measures words carefully

Pierce, McGrady draw equal praise

By Shira Springer, Globe Staff  |  February 1, 2005

Celtics coach Doc Rivers would not be baited into proclaiming Tracy
McGrady better than Paul Pierce or vice versa, but he did compare the
two, who are annually among the NBA's top scorers.

"Both are excellent players, just completely different players," said
Rivers, who coached McGrady in Orlando. "It's funny, at the end of the
game, when you look at the stat sheet, the numbers are similar as far
as rebounds, assists, and scoring, but they do it in different ways.

"Paul is probably a more physical scorer. Tracy scores better off the
dribble. Paul is a better rebounder than Tracy is, but Tracy is capable
of having big rebound nights. But Tracy gets it just with length and
athleticism. Paul gets it with his physicality."

Last night, Pierce finished with 22 points (7 of 15) and 5 rebounds in
the Celtics' 97-94 loss. McGrady logged 16 points (5 of 14) and 5
rebounds for the victorious Houston Rockets.

"Both are what I call up-and-down defenders," said Rivers. "When they
want to be, they're really good. When they don't want to be, they're
not. In both cases, when they're trying to do so many other things, I
do understand it's physically tough to do everything."

A return . . . to what?
Tom Gugliotta was back in uniform but did not play. The forward has
spent more time shuttling between the injured list and the bench than
on the court. He has played in just 11 games, averaging 1.3 points and
1.9 rebounds in 10.0 minutes. Not exactly the scenario Gugliotta
envisioned when he signed with Boston as a free agent last summer.

"Obviously, when you go into a season, you're not thinking about that,
you're not hoping something like that happens," said Gugliotta. "But it
has, and you just try to deal with it. I've played enough years that I
know you've got to stay ready. We already have one injury with a guy
out for a few weeks.

"I know I can play. I've had a hard time when I play three or four
minutes at a time. [Rivers] knows that. We've spoken about it. If you
put me in the flow of a game for a while, I'm going to be real
effective. I might take the ball to the hole and get guys shots, things
like that that we don't have a lot of. Guys create their own shots a
lot, rather than somebody doing it for them. There's things out there
that I know I can do.

"But you are behind the gun when you're not playing consistently,
because it takes a while to get comfortable. I haven't played with my
teammates for a couple months."

Gugliotta recently spoke with Rivers about his role.

"He didn't make any promises," said Gugliotta. "It was just a good
conversation about `this is where we're at now.' He said that hopefully
in the long run there would be plans for me to play. He's been honest."

Holding call
   It appears the Phoenix Suns will wait to see if they can get something
more with their trade exemption, putting the deal for Walter McCarty in
a holding pattern. Asked if he had any comment on a trade with Phoenix,
which seemed imminent last week, McCarty said, "No update." . . . The
Celtics entered last night shooting 46 percent from the field, which
ranked fourth in the NBA. Boston has not shot better than 45 percent in
a season since 1995-96 . . . Al Jefferson left the FleetCenter Friday
night on crutches. Last night, he walked unaided and as well as could
be expected with a removable cast around his sprained right ankle. The
rookie wants to prove he can heal as quickly as he can learn the NBA
game. With the swelling almost completely gone, Jefferson predicts he
will be back practicing in a week or two. That would be a week or two
earlier than doctors predicted when he injured the ankle against
Indiana Jan. 26. "It's healing real fast," said Jefferson. "I've been
icing it, keeping it up, doing exercises with it, everything
possible." 

© Copyright  2005 The New York Times Company
 

ON BASKETBALL

Rockets have a retro feel

Some boost left in old-timers

By Peter May, Globe Staff  |  February 1, 2005

They're a strange bunch. You look at their roster and see images of
rotary telephones. You remember almost all of them in short pants and a
lot of them playing in the NBA before there ever was such a thing as a
Toronto Raptor or Vancouver Grizzly.

"They're going to have to put me in a wheelchair to get me out of
here," cracked Dikembe Mutombo, one of several members of Team
Jurassic, also known as the Houston Rockets.

The wheelchair could well be the vehicle of choice for this group,
which is the oldest in the league with an average age of 29.16 years.
(The recent acquisition of Rod Strickland didn't help the actuarial
charts.) The Celtics, by comparison, have four players who are 29 or
older.

You know what they say: age before beauty.

Houston's golden oldies, led by Jon Barry of all people, held off the
Celtics last night, 97-94. Barry had 15 points in the fourth quarter
while the new face of the franchise, Tracy McGrady, played eight
minutes in the same period and didn't take a shot. "I was a liability
out there," cracked McGrady, who was battling back woes. "I was just a
decoy."

The other half of the Rockets' public persona, the estimable Yao Ming,
was a little more active than McGrady, scoring 7 of his team-high 23 in
the fourth. But everywhere you looked, some AARP candidate was making a
play for the Rockets, whether it was the calcifying Mutombo in the
first quarter or the gritty Bobby Sura throughout, playing with a bad
knee and finger.

"I love his courage. I love his toughness," Houston coach Jeff Van
Gundy said of Sura.

We almost forgot the latest gray eminence to join the Rockets. When
Houston needed a point guard to spell Sura, to whom did it turn? Did
the Rockets scour the NBDL or some other minor league for the best
point guard? No way. They signed the 38-year-old Strickland, whose NBA
resume is a full one but who had not been playing at all this season.

"You know what they say," Van Gundy said. "From the streets to the
floor. The whole year, we've been making it up on the fly."

And these guys, none of whom had played together until this season, are
now being asked to hold it together until McGrady and Yao figure out
how to be the next Shaq and Kobe. Phil Jackson used to have these kinds
of guys in Los Angeles, whether it was A.C. Green or Ron Harper. Van
Gundy is doing the same thing here, relying on a veteran-dominated
lineup without a whole lot of hops.

Last night, the veterans won out, although, as Van Gundy noted, "I'm
glad the game was 48 minutes." The Rockets, who led by 2 entering the
fourth, somehow managed to never surrender the lead. Barry made big
hoop after big hoop. Yao hit a big shot down the stretch. David Wesley,
another refugee joining the Old Folks Home, made two big free throws
and had three assists. Strickland made three of four free throws.

"These guys that I am playing with have a lot of experience," saluted
McGrady. "They've been around. They're true professionals. They come to
work every day and help the young guys out. It's great having them
around."

With all the new faces, it has been a juggling act all season for Van
Gundy, whose imports also include Juwan Howard. Yao, Mo Taylor, Scott
Padgett, and Clarence Weatherspoon are the only players on this year's
team who also were on last year's team. And Spoon was a midseason
acquisition last year.

We knew Van Gundy didn't like the makeup of his team last year, even as
the Rockets improved to 45 wins and made the playoffs for the first
time in five years. We're not sure if he likes this one that much
better, but, for better or worse, it's his team now. There was the
megadeal with Orlando to reel in McGrady, who seems to enjoy his new
incarnation. There were the deals to get Mutombo, Barry, and Wesley and
the signings of Sura, Padgett, and now Strickland.

They're older and wiser. But are they any better? They were 26-20
through 46 games last year, one game better than they are this year.

Last night's win snapped a two-game skid. Houston, after a slow start
against some soft opponents, has won 9 of its last 13. The Rockets are
a true Van Gundy team. They have trouble scoring (26th) but make it
hard for the opponent to score (fourth in points allowed). They're
22-12 when holding the opponent to fewer than 100 points. They don't
shoot well (23d in field goal percentage) but neither do their
opponents (third in defensive field goal percentage).

Fair or unfair, much of the glare is on T-Mac, which is a big relief to
the overexposed Yao.

"I know he's set on proving that he can be the best player on a
high-quality team," Van Gundy said of T-Mac. "Right now, we haven't
played like a high-quality team. But I think he's made vast strides."

As for Yao, the goal is to have him stay in shape and out of foul
trouble. Last night, he played 29 minutes, more than two minutes less
than his average. That's ridiculous for an All-Star-caliber player. Yao
isn't even among the league's top 20 rebounders, but he might be if he
stayed on the court. He has not played more than 41 minutes in a game
this season and the reasons are twofold: He gets tired and he gets in
foul trouble. He did both last night -- and still had 23 points, 8
rebounds, and 2 blocks.

He didn't ask for a wheelchair afterward. They were all taken. 

© Copyright  2005 The New York Times Company
 

ROCKETS 97, CELTICS 94

Celtics are just a little bit amiss

David Wesley and the Rockets managed to trip up Ricky Davis (12) and
the Celtics. (Globe Staff Photo / Jim Davis)


By Shira Springer, Globe Staff  |  February 1, 2005

Ricky Davis relegated Paul Pierce to a supporting role and forced Tracy
McGrady into service as a defensive stopper in the fourth quarter. He
was that hot. Davis knocked down his first seven shots in the period,
abusing Houston guard David Wesley, who served as his mentor when the
two played in Charlotte. Needing one more basket to take the lead with
less than a minute left, Celtics coach Doc Rivers again called on
Davis. There wasn't a moment of debate. Houston coach Jeff Van Gundy
countered by placing McGrady on Davis.

With 17.8 seconds remaining, Davis launched an 18-footer that looked
just like all of his other successful attempts. But an outstretched
McGrady, bad back and all, proved a formidable obstacle. The shot
missed the mark. The Celtics lost their best chance to take the lead,
and dropped a 97-94 decision to the Rockets last night at the
FleetCenter. Boston also fell a half-game behind Philadelphia in the
Atlantic Division.

"He was rolling," said McGrady. "I took on the challenge to try to make
him take a tough jumper. I think I affected his shot a little bit with
my long arms."

McGrady knows exactly what it feels like to find the zone as a scorer.
And there was no doubt Davis had entered the zone, scoring 17 of his
game-high 24 points in the final period. Davis started with a 3-point
play, stopping an 11-point run by Jon Barry (a 22-footer plus three
straight 3-pointers) that turned a 2-point Boston deficit into a
10-point gap in less than two minutes. Behind jumpers from Davis, the
Celtics rallied, setting the stage for the real drama.

Boston trailed, 90-88, when Davis nailed a 14-footer, tying the game
with 1:13 left. Yao Ming responded with a 13-footer. Davis tied the
game again when he dropped a 15-footer with 44 seconds remaining. Once
Bobby Sura made just one of two free throws, Davis earned an ill-fated
shot to push Boston ahead.

"You ride the hot hand," said Rivers. "It's funny, though, if it wasn't
Ricky, you probably go to Paul. But Ricky's a bona fide scorer in his
own right, so you felt comfortable with that. But honestly, if it had
been someone else with the hot hand, I probably would have gone away
from him on that last play. But when you've got a guy like Ricky or
Paul, either one of them hot, you just stay with those guys. That was
an easy decision."

Pierce not only agreed with the decision, he enjoyed watching Davis
work.

"It's fun to be on the other side of the spectrum, especially in the
fourth quarter," said Pierce (22 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists). "When
you get it going, I know the feeling.

"[Davis] kept saying, `Paul, come on, man.' And I said, `No, you're the
high man. We're riding you out. Take this game.' He carried us. We just
didn't help him out by getting stops."

It wasn't a question of overall shooting (49 percent for Boston, 47
percent for Houston), but a matter of McGrady, Yao & and Co. making
shots at opportune times. The Rockets never allowed the Celtics a
second-half lead larger than 6, and that came with Yao benched by foul
trouble. Boston never held an advantage in the fourth.

The momentum had already shifted in the Celtics' favor before Yao
picked up his fourth foul with 6:03 remaining in the third quarter.
When Yao took a seat, Boston was within 2 (57-55). With Yao absent,
Boston surged ahead for the first time, continuing a 12-0 run that Mark
Blount capped with a 19-footer. The basket gave Boston a 63-57 edge
with 4:23 left in the third. Without Yao to contend with, Blount scored
10 of his 14 points in the quarter.

But the Celtics could not sustain it. Shortly before they took their
largest lead, Pierce received his fourth personal and left the game in
favor of Davis.

"I thought Pierce's fourth was a critical turning point in the game, as
were Yao's fouls," said Van Gundy. "I thought foul trouble was how both
teams were making moves."

The Celtics actually made their first significant run when Yao picked
up his third personal with 2:02 left in the first half. Boston closed
with 9-2 spurt and entered halftime behind, 49-40, after being down by
as many as 16 (47-31) a few minutes earlier. The home team carried
momentum into the third but could not finish the game as strongly as it
finished the half.

"Houston converted in the most important moments," said Jiri Welsch.
"We came down and missed the shot. They came down and made the shot.
The game came down to a few final possessions and they were just
better." 

© Copyright  2005 The New York Times Company