Wow! No shortage of stories today! There are articles all over the place. Many of the stories say the same things : The players are ready and excited for the start of the season. But, there are quite a few things of interest so take a look.

The Nashua Telegraph hopes that our patience will pay off this season. There are 2 quotes in this article that I just love and that bodes well for this season.

“It’s time to make something happen. We should take the challenge and grow up,” said guard Delonte West, entering his third year. “We have to show that we’re not (young). Last year, there were too many smiles. We need to have some more frowns. Too many guys were just too happy to be with the Boston Celtics.”

“You can only be young for so long,” center Kendrick Perkins said. “This is my fourth year, and a couple of young guys’ third, its about time we start making things happen. There’s no more room for excuses.”

“I just want to be on the same page with the coach and push these guys,” he said. “I like these guys’ spirit and attitude.”

“But you hear what Sebastian said and that’s great. Confidence is what you ask for from any player at any position, but especially the leader of your team and your point guard. The point guard has the ball in his hands a lot, and he’s got to run the team. He’s got to have that confidence and swagger about him, and Sebastian sure does.”

“It’s up to him,” said Rivers. “We know he’s talented. It’s always been a question of his consistency. Teams have always tried to get it out of him. but if we do that, I’d be surprised if he didn’t play.”

A few feet away, Rivers was all smiles during the declaration, though many coaches in pro sports frown on the guarantee game.
"That's because a lot of coaches are worried about their jobs," said Rivers, coming off a 33-49 season in his second year in Boston. "They are always worried that, if you raise expectations, then it will come back and haunt you. The bottom line is (winning) is what we are in this business to do. So I think you should stick your neck out for it.
"If he believes that," Rivers concluded, "and he can get other guys to believe it, then it will happen."

That's why Green's surprisingly strong work ethic is such an important part of his story. His coach can trust him to keep improving without being prodded. He doesn't have to be some sort of major project. He'll be taking care of his own business under the watchful eye of such Big Brothers as Pierce and fellow Texan Kendrick Perkins

``Once you've checked into the NBA, it's man-up time," said West, who has two years under his belt. ``That's the conversation we have to have. Who needs to have their hand held? Who needs to be in the `young' category? If that's the case, go get in the kiddie pool. It's adult swim, you know what I mean?"

Talk of including Jefferson in a deal for Allen Iverson has died down and Jefferson is looking forward to learning from new teammate Theo Ratliff and new big man coach Clifford Ray. Ray has told Jefferson to become a beast down low, to stop playing soft, and he has responded. He hopes his teammates will as well.