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Making their mark Celtics, Pistons still trying to earn respectPosted: Thursday February 28, 2002 3:27 PM
The Detroit Pistons and the Boston Celtics are third and fourth in the Eastern Conference, respectively, but they're still not being mentioned among the leading contenders. The problem is that people didn't expect them to be there, so no one is convinced that they're credible. Case in point: The Nets are just now being taken seriously. Both teams, though, are doing all right things, and they'll get their due soon. In Boston, new arrivals Rodney Rogers and Tony Delk should fit in exceptionally well. And you've got to like Detroit, because it's such a physical team. Ben Wallace, current Player of the Week, is developing into a force. Also in their favor is that there's not a team in the East -- besides maybe New Jersey -- that can be called powerful. Milwaukee is clinging to the lead in the Central, but the Anthony Mason experiment just hasn't worked out. One night Glenn Robinson gets the blame; the next night it's Ray Allen, and then it's Sam Cassell. But Mason is not nearly the player he was last year, and if you asked the Bucks behind closed doors, they probably would tell you they wish they hadn't picked him up.
Wizards' play will determine Jordan's timetableThe timetable for Michael Jordan's return could be determined by his team's performance over the next few weeks.
This kind of surgery usually keeps players out of action for at least a month, and the Wizards (27-29, 10th in the East) may very well be out of the playoff hunt by then. If that's the case, Jordan probably will sit out the rest of this season and come back strong next year, as he'd planned. However, some guys have recovered from arthroscopic surgery in two weeks or so, and this is Jordan we're talking about. If Washington can hang in the race that long, he'd have incentive to play, but he'd have to fight his competitive instincts and be patient. He's going to want to play 35 to 40 minutes, and he's not going to be able to do that right away.
The best defense is a good offenseThe Sacramento Kings and the Dallas Mavericks are hoping to defend Shaquille O'Neal with a good offense. The Mavs' acquisition of Raef LaFrentz, a big man who can hit 3-poiinters, will make Shaq come out of the lane and play someone. They're not going to be able to stop Shaq offensively, but if they can tire him out on the defensive end -- and clear the lane for their penetraters in the process - it will go a long way toward slowing him down. The Kings have the same philosophy, but they're not able to execute it as well as the Mavs. Sacramento relies heavily on center Vlade Divac, and he doesn't take Shaq away from the basket nearly as much as LaFrentz would; he doesn't have the range, and he's more of a skill player in the interior, not a banger. They'll bring in Scot Pollard to guard Shaq, and last year they also used Chris Webber. Essentially, it will be up to the same people who tried to attack him defensively last year to go at it again this spring, with the addition of Chucky Brown. He's not very big, but he'll be another body to pick up fouls.
Kevin Loughery is a former NBA player and head coach. He appears each Sunday on CNN/SI's This Week in the NBA.
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