New Celtics In Waltham

by Jeff Clark on Aug 28, 2008 2:12 PM EDT in Boston Celtics News & Links

Many of the new faces to the team are in Waltham early to prove they belong with the Defending Champs (that never, ever gets old).

Scott Souza has the story:

After a largely quiet summer at HealthPoint as Celtics players rest up from the title run, things have gotten a bit busier of late. Rajon Rondo, Tony Allen and Glen Davis have been around for a few days here and there, while yesterday rookies J.R. Giddens, Bill Walker and recent signee Patrick O’Bryant were all practicing on the court.
While Giddens returned to the practice facility this week for the first time since he was introduced to the media the week after the draft - instead, choosing to go back to Dallas and New Mexico to work out during the summer amid an unusually long contract negotiation for a first-round pick - Walker has been on the parquet since shortly after knee surgery in early July.
Walker, whom Celtics executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge deemed a candidate for European League duty at the time of the draft - "At the beginning, we were thinking that maybe we might send him overseas for a year, but the more we saw him working, the more we saw him here, it was evident that we wanted to keep him here." - said his presence of Waltham may have helped the Celtics to make him a more immediate part of their plans.
***
Apparently making good on his vow to ramp up his work ethic and prove himself after two dismal seasons in Golden State, O’Bryant had a long individual workout with Celtics assistant coach Clifford Ray. The workout focused on shooting from the post all the way out to the top of the key and left the slender 7-footer with a sweat-soaked shirt.
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Unlike last season, when many of the components of the new team arrived shortly after Labor Day to begin their clandestine workouts and bonding, the long championship run will likely keep most of the team away until about a week before the Sept. 29 Media Day.

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Good news to hear POB is working hard. He really wants to be a good player. Good luck POB!

by JR Giddens on Aug 28, 2008 2:18 PM EDT reply actions

So much for the big guy that has no work ethic.

by BudweiserCeltic on Aug 28, 2008 2:19 PM EDT reply actions

I’ll believe it when I see it.

by Champzilla on Aug 28, 2008 2:28 PM EDT reply actions

Haha

â€œEverywhere you turn the streets are going in all different directions,â€ he said. â€œI just keep saying â€˜Sorry, sorry. I am new here.â€™ I am just trying not to kill anybody.â€ – JR Giddens

I hate driving in Boston too!

by JR Giddens on Aug 28, 2008 2:32 PM EDT reply actions

Miles, working hard.

Oh, wait, he’s not there.

by Roy_Hobbs on Aug 28, 2008 3:38 PM EDT reply actions

U gotta love the effort Bill Walker is putting in. If we end up signing P.J. later in the year… I’d much rather see Scalabrine bought out, then seeing Walker cut.

by Greg on Aug 28, 2008 4:27 PM EDT reply actions

a few practices does not a championship rotation player make.

Scalabrine is going to have the type of year that will make all of us believers.

by D Dub on Aug 28, 2008 4:42 PM EDT reply actions

It is always nice to hear about the new guys putting in their time.

Miles will be in the mix too… he was only signed less than a week ago!!! :-\

by Mr October on Aug 28, 2008 4:45 PM EDT reply actions

Walker, whom Celtics executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge deemed a candidate for European League duty at the time of the draft – â€œAt the beginning, we were thinking that maybe we might send him overseas for a year[/quote]

[quote]The reason I think moving to Europe â€" as he canâ€™t go back to college â€" would be a great move for him is that heâ€™d be drilled intensively in the kind of individual fundamentals he needs to improve and heâ€™ll still be able to get playing time against better competition, something that would force to put his new acquired skills in practice in game situations, which is very useful to solidify fundamentals.

Now, let me say that all these flaws Iâ€™ve pointed out are very correctable â€" except the long-range jumper, that will take time to develop, if ever; and his tendency to overplay, that will require intense team-play practicing and playing time. Most of the others are correctable in the short-term, given good coaching. In fact, even a Summer of hard work can help a lot.

Walker is said to be a very hard-working and smart kid, with a huge desire to be great. If thatâ€™s accurate, and considering heâ€™s only 20 years old, thereâ€™s no reason he canâ€™t improve his overall skills very quickly, barring enduring effects from his injuries.

http://www.celticsblog.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=64&topic=20611.msg320596#msg320596

Ah, great minds think alike! ;D

by cordobes on Aug 28, 2008 4:49 PM EDT reply actions

I’m kinda shocked that Pruitt isn’t working out with them, anyone else ?

by Champzilla on Aug 28, 2008 6:48 PM EDT reply actions

^^^ Why would Pruitt get any time next anyways when Rondo will be playing like 30-35 minutes a game. And then Eddie House steps in for the rest of the game. Pruitt is kind of like Big Baby he’s only insurance if a player goes down.

by JR Giddens on Aug 28, 2008 7:02 PM EDT reply actions

I’m kinda shocked that Pruitt isn’t working out with them, anyone else ?

No. I’d be shocked if he wasn’t working out somewhere else. No need to be working at the team facilities at this point. Better coaches and working groups out there if you want to work a specific part of your game.

E.g. Darius Miles is working out in Phoenix with Robin Pound. Makes sense for him.

by cordobes on Aug 28, 2008 7:15 PM EDT reply actions

things are falling into place- next up= sign the coaches who tho at the end of the list of signings are really the most important occurence of the off season. i just hope our old timers are not too out of bb shape.

by nazzbo on Aug 28, 2008 11:33 PM EDT reply actions