Eastern Conference

Sporting News, The, Feb 18, 2002

ATLANTIC Division

BOSTON CELTICS: G/F Paul Pierce says his injured wrist is getting better, but his recent point production is a little below average. Although he would be the last to admit it, Pierce might have needed the All-Star break more than anyone.... SF Eric Williams is in the starting lineup because coach Jim O'Brien has a lot of respect for Williams' defense. He has shown, on occasion, that he can produce offensively. But it would help if Williams could provide the same

energy on offense that he does on defense.... SG Erick Strickland has developed a 3-pointer that he can make at almost any time, forcing opponents to respect his ability to score from the outside. That will open things up more for Pierce and PF Antoine Walker. --Shira Springer

MIAMI HEAT: SG Eddie Jones has emerged as the team's go-to guy, but that isn't always a good thing for Jones. Opponents now often send a second defender at him. The lack of perimeter scoring elsewhere in the lineup sometimes leads Jones to force the action, 1-on-2.... SF Kendall Gill has done a decent job defensively, and the Heat is a better, and winning, team when he starts. But small forward remains a scoring position on most teams, and Gill is unable to consistently put points on the board.... With Eddie House having settled in as the reserve point guard during the team's recent run of success, coach Pat Riley says there are no guarantees when Anthony Carter makes his expected return from hernia surgery this week. --Ira Winderman

NEW JERSEY NETS: Realizing he had not been aggressive enough in four straight subpar games--he averaged nine points on 28.9 percent shooting--SF Keith Van Horn changed the pattern last week. He still is not as sure of himself as a player with his experience and talent should be. But the back-to-back strong games---he averaged 23 points on 56.3 percent shooting--was a good sign heading into the break.... SG Kerry Kittles' hot streak ended when he went 9-for-23 in two games last week. Still, after missing all of last season with a knee injury, his most impressive statistic is his 47 straight games played. --Don Burke

NEW YORK KNICKS: Without C Marcus Camby (hip), the team is missing size, shot blocking and help defense. The Knicks are good enough to build leads if they are playing smart and shooting well, but the league's oldest team can't sustain it for 48 minutes. The deck is stacked against Chaney, but he has maintained a positive presence.... SF Latrell Sprewell is suffering from a sprained left ankle and a loss of confidence in his jump shot that is prompting him to pass up shots. He has contributed with passing but is struggling on defense. --Greg Logan

ORLANDO MAGIC: C Patrick Ewing is healthy enough to play again, but the Magic still doesn't know how and when to use him. Ewing was a starter in the preseason but was downgraded to a reserve when the season started. He was downgraded again to barely-seen status, then upgraded back to starter. Coach Doc Rivers explains the changes by claiming to use Ewing in "favorable matchup situations." But the truth is Ewing hasn't played two straight good games all season. One major reason the team is lingering around .500 is its lack of a consistent center. Don Reid has been the best of a sorry lot lately, but at 6-8 he isn't big enough. Andrew DeClercq and rookie Steven Hunter have played their way out of consideration as long-term solutions. --Bill Fay

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS: When SG Allen Iverson is shooting poorly, coach Larry Brown must let him know it's time to let someone else try. Brown never does, convinced, like his star, that the next shot will go in. The problem is that the rest of the players start standing around or don't get back on defense. The coach must take some blame for that.... Despite his abhorrence of zone defenses, Brown finally has come to realize that using them might help his team win. The Sixers have struggled against zones all season. Now they're giving other teams a taste of their own medicine. --Jon Marks

WASHINGTON WIZARDS: PF Etan Thomas could play a significant role in the second half of the season. PF Popeye Jones probably will log most of the minutes, but with Washington playing so many Western Conference teams, it will need a more nimble and aggressive big man to compete with the top players at the position out west.... Not enough can be said about SF Tyrone Nesby. He has grown tremendously, and he has kept his attitude in check. Sure, the pending free agent is playing for a contract, but the team doesn't care about his motivation. It just loves his production. --Steve Wyche

ATLANTA HAWKS: Coach Lon Kruger likes former CBA SF Ira Newble's hustle and aggression so much that he made Newble a starter. Newble didn't make the team out of camp, but because of the rash of injuries, the Hawks signed him in late January. He has a nose for the ball and plays tough defense.... Players and Kruger claim to see improvement in their overall play. The optimism is based on the team's renewed effort. That, plus the return of C Theo Ratliff (hip), SF Toni Kukoc (wrist) and PF Alan Henderson (knee), could mean a reversal of the wretched first half. --Curtis Bunn