Celtics Doing the Hokey Pokey
How does that song go? You put your left foot in, you put your left foot out.... Well the Celtics are doing the Hokey Pokey but they are putting one O'Neal in and Taking one O'Neal out. After Shaquille O'Neal started the first 3 games of the season and Jermaine O'Neal was out with injuries for most of those 3 games, they are switching places. After bruising his knee in a collision with Amar'e Stoudamire on Friday, Shaq has been sitting out of practice and instead swimming laps with Perk. In yesterday's practice, Semih Erden ran with the starters while JO played with the second team, prompting suggestions that Semih may get the start if Shaq can't go on Tuesday. For today's practice, Jermaine played with the starters and is expected to get the start against the Pistons. Doc questioned whether Shaq would even make the trip but Shaq was fairly adamant that he would travel with the team, whether he played or not.
Paul Flannery reported that Semih is ready to go if he should get the call tomorrow. Good that he will be ready because Doc has said that he should see considerable playing time with Shaq expected to be out. Also, Semih is making strides with learning English as Paul reported that 90% of the interview was done in English without a translator. That's good to hear because Doc has suggested that Semih is ready skill- wise, but that the language difference might be holding him back somewhat.
In other news, Rajon Rondo was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the first week of the season. Some Faker was picked for the West. Also, Big Baby is a published author. Check it out.
Finally, here is a video of Ray Allen working with Delonte West on a rather unique shooting drill where Delonte starts from the ground, jumps up and then runs behind the 3 point line for his shot. Here is Delonte's reaction to the drill.
"That's Ray Allen right there," West said. "The best shooter in the history of the game. If he wants to come off the floor and shoot jumpers, I'm following it. That's how that goes. I just got another lesson today. Just when you think you know it all, you learn something different. I just got a 1-on-1 lesson from one of the best shooters in the history of the game. I mean if he wants me to get off the floor, I mean I'm coming off the floor."
