While I am beyond giddy about the season opener against the Wizards and Agent Zero, I have still not found my comfortably numb spot of inner Zen victory peace just yet. I worry about what I don't want to see. I worry that my premature giddiness may quickly transform into a screaming hissy fit in full blown High Definition broadcast rage. For the love of all that is Celtic holy, please let me now Say NO to the following 10 things and maybe they won't happen:
NO last second cheap phantom foul on Agent Zero and subsequent fouls shots that rip my old heart out. Remember this ?
NO last second Paul Pierce ISO shot trying to pull yet another rabbit out of his hat. Paul we have other magicians this year. Hopefully our new magicians will have made the Wizards disappear long before the 4th quarter rolls around. Regardless - NO ISO's Paul Pierce.
NO attempt by Doc to play musical chairs with all 12 players. Find a steady dance card Doc of about 8 players, and dance with those players to establish a rhythm for the season. A winning rhythm of the right 8 players would be nice.
NO walking the ball up the court. We have shown great signs of pushing the ball up the court in preseason. Perk's outlet passes are great, Rondo's legs are fresh, and Paul Pierce has some new running mates. In the words of a sober Tommy Heinson - RUN!
NO waiting to use timeouts until AFTER your lead has all but disappeared. Hopefully Doc has watched old tapes of the former Celtics Rick Carlisle on how to use timeouts, or G. Poppovich of the Spurs. Perhaps he can just fast forward on the "Coach Better Basketball" DVD to the Proper Timeout Management section and watch it in slow motion.
NO drawing smiley faces on the dry eraser board when you do call a timeout Doc. Instead, consider actually drawing up some specifically designed plays for easy buckets coming out of the huddle. Did we see any of that last year? I didn't. Hopefully Doc watched some tape on this as well from teams like the Pistons.
NO Antoine Walker type whining after badly called fouls no matter how much the ref has riding on the game (did I just say that?). Just win baby, and no crying, no technical fouls and please...... in the words of David Letterman..... No wagering please.
NO immediate love affair with 3-ball unless your name is Ray Allen. Take it to the hole on fastbreaks, and for the love of the Leprechaun don't stop 35 feet from the basket and launch a three while having a wide open lane to the basket and a chance for an old fashion three point play. We have such an opportunity to swing the ball this year, punch it inside to KG or Perk that we cannot squander it. Occasionally take the three on a kick-out but do not settle for 3 point baskets because we did not swing the ball.
NO leaving "GPA" in the game if we have the game won and under control. It's a long long season. Garbage time is no time for an injury and I have less hair on my head every day - don't make me pull it out before it falls.
NO Chicken Little syndrome by anyone if we lose Game #1 as there are 81 games to go. But we won't lose game #1. Will we? NO NO NO NO NO....................