The Boston Celtics have shown a new look this season; they are running and winning. Chris Ford has brought in a new regime to take the Celtics into the nineties. Last year their half-court offense sputtered and struggled to score points and didn't make it past the first round of the playoffs. This season will be different. The Celts have a new group of young and exciting faces that will bring about this metamorphosis.

Dee Brown is at the forefront of the rookies who have joined the club this season. He was drafted in the first round from Jacksonville this past summer in the annual NBA draft. Among the other new faces that the locals have acquired in the off-season are the well-publicized return of Brian Shaw; the imposing presence of the towering 7'2" body of Stojko Vrankovic; and a hard-working hustler named Dave Popson. These new players have given Boston a bright light for the future and a promise to make this season interesting.

Boston also has one of the best front lines of all time to pair with these younger players. Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish have carried the team since the beginning of the Bird era. It's time for them to share some of the workload with the youngsters. The middle man between these two groups is budding superstar Reggie Lewis, experienced enough to be ahead of the rookies but still too young for the salty veterans.

This year, unlike the championship years, the Celtics have added considerable strength and depth to their bench. They now have a capable backup at every position. Joe Kleine uses his big body to box out opponents and is an improving free throw shooter. Eddie Pinckney is an excellent transition player who disappeared when they returned to the half-court game last year. Kevin Gamble is an erratic performer who, on some days shows he is a capable starter, and on others disappears like a senior with a seventh period cafe study. Michael Smith, a huge disappointment, is a small forward who cannot rebound, play defense, hit an outside shot, or consistently shoot free throws.

As the season grows longer and the veterans' old legs start to feel like 50 lb. dumbbells, the fresh legs of the new generation will carry the team through the hard times. You never know, we might even be witnessing the beginning of the "Lewis era" of Celtics history. n