Pitino's comments

[6166kkver@umbsky.cc.umb.edu]

Those of you who saw the post-game press conference with Pitino, what
did you think of his comments? I thought he sounded "refreshingly
honest"TM, in more ways than one. His assertion that nothing can be
expected from this team this season, and his threat/promise that he'll
trade players (to, and for, whom?) who refuse to pass the ball, was
quite blunt. Then again, it could be construed as Pitino's covering his
ass. Overall, he looked pretty dejected.  However, although blaming the
team's lack of progress on not being able to practice sounds reasonable,
the problem is, the way the  NBA season is scheduled does not leave a
lot of time to practice. Hence, it would follow that the Celts can
improve mostly through off-season practices (not counting the trades).
In essence, what Pitino was saying was that the team can not improve by
playing in the NBA (he meaninglessly qualified it by saying "playing bad
games"). That's pretty preposterous.
The reason this team has not only not progressed, but even regressed in
the last three games is two-fold: 1) there's absolutely not even a hint
of a plan on offense; 2) they're playing little, if any,  half-court
defense. The clinically upbeat Tommy Heinsohn declared that it's not
possible to teach a team more than one thing at once, hence we're not
seeeing any offense, and thus sub .300 FG% for the Celts. But, other
than the press, we're not seeing any defense, either. Did Tommy check
out the opposition FG%? Now, while a team needs athletically-gifted
personell (quick, lanky leapers) to trap effectively, there's no reason
why anyone couldn't play effective halfcourt D - it's a matter of
coaching instruction and effort. The dreadful 95-97 Celts (especially
Fox, Wesley, Lister, Conlon) played better halfcourt D than this team
does. Those Celts also fast-breaked  much better. Watching Knight
perform an inept spin-fingerroll move (which he blew badly), I
remembered the ease with which Radja regularly converted low-post
moves.  That team only won 15 games because the brass was tanking the
season, including putting half the team on the IL with mystery injuries.
If we're to take Pitino's words last nigth at face value, this team
should not win even 15 games this season. The only real pleasant
surprises have been Mercer and Bowen. We all know Walker, McCarty and
Billups have talent, but their heads aren't on straight right now.
Unless Pitino can correct that, and either teach them, or acquire
someone with, the skills that this team is lacking right now (see
above), it won't just one long season. It will be many. 
I know that, to those of you who never question authority, what I just
wrote is pure heresy. I'll be flamed for daring to question King Rick I,
for being impatient etc. ad nauseam. However, I'm not impatient with a
slow progress, I'm concerned about the absence of it. I also think more
should be demanded of Pitino than was of M.L. Carr. 
KK