11/11/04
It sounds too good to be true, but entering last night's game against Portland, Ricky Davis led the Celtics
in field goal percentage. By a long shot. In games against
Philadelphia, Indiana, and New York, Davis went 21 for 32 from the floor
(66 percent). He ranks fourth in the league. The high shooting
percentage has allowed Davis to average 18.7 points per game (second on
the team to Paul Pierce) on 10.7 attempts per game. Granted, the regular
season is very young, but Davis's patience and judicious shot selection
remains a pleasant and welcome surprise.
"Oh,
really?" said Davis when told of his statistical lead in the shooting
percentage category. "I knew I was shooting it pretty good. I guess now
I'm a little aware of it. I haven't really been worried about it. I've
been getting good looks in spots where I'm comfortable shooting the
ball. It's just been going in for me. It's about getting to the basket
and I've been working on my jumper so those shots are getting easy."
Party time?
If
Kendrick Perkins had one wish as he celebrated his 20th birthday
yesterday, it might have been more playing time. The second-year big man
is averaging a team-low eight minutes per game. But despite turning 20,
Rivers made it clear just how young Perkins is in NBA terms, noting
that rookie Al Jefferson will turn 20 Jan. 4.
"We
forget how young Kendrick is," said Rivers. "We look at Al and say, 'My
goodness, he's so young. But so is Kendrick Perkins. At the end of the
day, I think they're both going to be better than good players in this
league. It makes you feel good as a coach to know you have those two
young guys sitting on your bench and you look at your future. I look at
our future and it's pretty bright. It's nice that we have size coming in
our future."
West on mend
With
upcoming games in his hometown of Washington, D.C., and his college
town of Philadelphia, rookie point guard Delonte West is doing whatever
he can to speed up the healing process on his fractured right thumb.
Straight-faced, West claimed he talked to the hand after practice
Tuesday and said, 'You're OK.' In all seriousness, West said his right
thumb felt "201 percent better" last night than it did Tuesday. He will
have the injury X-rayed Monday and hopes to be cleared to play shortly
after that, possibly in another week, which would put him on track for
seeing his first action in Washington. "It feels great," said West, a
naturally lefty. "I changed the splint and I was actually able to do a
little dribbling with it. I'm still favoring it. But I can shoot a
little with my right hand. I'm hoping in another week it will be about
time to play." ... Rivers offered a medical update on Pierce, who played
despite pain from seven hours of dental surgery Monday. Running up and
down the court continues to create discomfort in Pierce's mouth, but
Rivers figured the soreness wouldn't hinder any trash-talking. "It never
has with anybody," said Rivers. "That will still continue." ... The Celtics
will sponsor Champions for Children's, a dinner and auction Nov. 16 to
benefit Children's Hospital in Boston. The team will be represented by
Dana Barros, Bob Cousy, Mal Graham, and Rick Weitzman, as well as
members of the ownership group.
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