Nickname alert!
"'I keep yelling, `Moses,' ' Doc Rivers said yesterday when asked about rookie Celtics power forward Al Jefferson. 'That's who he reminds me of. Obviously, he's not Moses. But he has Moses Malone tendencies: the quick jumper, keeping the ball alive, long arms, great instincts in the paint. And really raw.'"
Boston.com - Jefferson is getting crash course in NBA:
Herald - Jefferson warms up: Celts' rookie is improving
This situation bears watching because there's a real good chance that this kid is going to be one of the cornerstones of our franchise in the not-so-distant future. Sure, he doesn't have a clue on defense and probably forgets where he is on offense, but endless practices will only teach him so much. I got the feeling last year that one of Danny's frustrations with O'Brien was his unwillingness to play young players that were not 100% game ready. I understand both sides of the arguement, and I hate to see W's slip away because a H.S. kid threw it away. But I'd still like to see the kid get some minutes here and there. When and where will be the balance that makes Doc's job hard. So far, however, at least he's on the same page as his boss.
Update: The BSMW Reader Features takes an amusing position-by-position look at the Celtics thus far.