Preseason: Celtics 83, Nets 66

I obviously didn't see this one, but one thing strikes me as I look through the boxscore:

Gabe Pruitt had 11 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists.

It's only preseason. And I'm sure they are skeptics who say that Pruitt's line is proof of the NBA maxim that minutes=stats (Gabe played 44 last night). But I liked what I saw out of Pruitt when he did get in the games in garbage time in his rookie year, and I'm taking this as another sign that he can play in this league.

Pruitt's a 6'4" point guard who can play D and shoot it a little bit. I really like his midrange game, and he hit three of six three-pointers last night.

It's hard to see where Pruitt might fit into the rotation this year. Rajon Rondo will once again log the majority of the minutes at point guard, and Pruitt's behind Eddie House and Sam Cassell on the depth chart, with Tony Allen backing up Ray Allen at the 2. However, TA will likely spend time as Paul Pierce's understudy, since the only other small forward on the roster is explosive rookie Bill Walker. And Cassell was hardly a world-beater after joining the Celtics late in the season. If Cassell really is washed up, Pruitt could prove valuable this year. While he's not really strong, his height means he could play alongside Rondo against some teams. And looking forward, even though he's not a House-caliber sniper, he could be a cheap, serviceable replacement when Eddie's contract is up after the 2009-10 season.

There was some thought that he'd be the one cut before the season.* I'm glad that's not the case.

*I'll have a column about the Celtics waiving Darius Miles in the next day or so.

-Saw this article while reading about the game. Said Doc Rivers of the Nets, who project to be in the bottom quartile of NBA teams this year: "I love what they're doing, I really do."

"What they're doing," by the way, is clearing cap room to make a run at LeBron James when the King becomes a free agent in two years. They're doing it smartly, trading vets like Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson for young guys like Devin Harris and Yi Jianlian, in the hopes that these guys will be ready to blossom if and when they land LeBron.

Anyway, the reason I bring it up is because the article mentions that Doc is impressed with Nets rookie shooting guard Chris Douglas-Roberts. CDR was one of two players I wanted with the 30th overall pick in June's draft. (Bill Walker, who Boston bought from Washington after the Wizards drafted him 47th overall, was the other.) Instead we took J.R. Giddens, and Douglas-Roberts went 40th to New Jersey.

Why the front office liked Giddens more than Douglas-Roberts is a mystery to me. Giddens was essentially kicked off the team at Kansas and was suspended for a spell after transferring to New Mexico. I didn't see him at New Mexico, but what I remember of him at Kansas is that he's an athletic, one-dimensional chucker.

Douglas-Roberts, on the other hand, is a smooth wing with a great mid-range game and the ability to create his own shot. He's also 6'7" to Giddens' 6'5". CDR isn't as athletic as Giddens, and so there may have been some concerns about his defense.

Still, when faced with two similar players, why not take the one who is two inches taller and isn't a headcase?