Vincent Puts Ego on Ice With Bullets

The NBA playoffs are no time for the faint-hearted -- for players who tighten up when emotions run high. Nor is it a time for pouting about playing time, and Jay Vincent has no intention of complaining about his off-the-bench role as the Washington Bullets prepare to open the playoffs tonight against the Detroit Pistons in Pontiac, Mich.

A career 17-points-per-game scorer, Vincent has been accustomed to starting. However, against Detroit, one of the Bullets’ highest priorities is stopping forward Adrian Dantley. That task will go to Charles Jones, relegating Vincent to a spot on the second unit.

Previously, in Washington as well as during his five seasons with the Dallas Mavericks, Vincent had expressed unhappiness with a backup role. The question is, will that dissatisfaction continue?

Apparently not. Given the circumstances, and the importance of a united front, Vincent said this week he will do whatever he’s asked.

“It’s all about winning now. You have to put your personal feelings aside,” he said. “When I was younger, I might have had an ego problem, but I do want to help the team. Whenever I’m out there, I’ll do the best that I can.”

“For a player, from junior high up, there are rewards for starting,” said Bullets General Manager Bob Ferry. “Coaches and teams say it makes no difference, but it does. Players all want to start, but sometimes that’s not what’s best for the team and convincing the player of that is a constant selling job.

“Jay is a starter by ability, but for us, he’s more valuable coming off the bench. I understand what he’d like to do but we’re trying to win, too. We have to sell him on that.”

That’s usually easier said than done in the NBA.

Vincent himself points to the case of Utah forward Kelly Tripucka as an example. During his five seasons with the Pistons, Tripucka averaged more than 21 points a game and twice made the Eastern Conference all-star team. Traded this summer to the Jazz for Dantley, he barely averaged 10 points a game with his new team.

“He never shot the ball; he was so hurt over the trade,” Vincent said. “You can’t tell me that his game deteriorated that much. He was just unhappy.”

On the other hand, Vincent was smiling broadly this week in the Bullets locker room after taking a little needling from center Moses Malone.

“Where’s Jay Vincent?” growled Malone after the Bullets worked out at Bowie State. When he finally spotted the veteran forward, Malone couldn’t help but have a little fun.

“Hey, Jay, good workout,” Malone teased Vincent, who missed the session because of a sore hamstring. Guard Jeff Malone also missed most of the 90-minute practice after twisting an ankle early in the workout. But both said they will be ready to go when the Bullets open the playoffs against Detroit.

Vincent took Moses Malone’s barbs good-naturedly. After all, at the end of a season full of forced absence due to a variety of injuries, what difference would one more day make?

Besides, as far as the Bullets’ brain trust is concerned, on the eve of the best-of-five series, the most important aspect of Vincent’s preparation is mental, not physical. And they want him to be ready because they know they need a significant contribution from him to be succesful against the Pistons.

While not as sophisticated as Milwaukee or Philadelphia defensively, Detroit’s tendency to pack its players close to the basket presents problems for Washington, given the Bullets’ sometimes spotty perimeter shooting.

While Moses Malone is the focal point of the team’s offense, his role in the low post will be made easier if there is a consistent threat from the outside among the front-court players.

“That’s going to be the big situation,” said Coach Kevin Loughery. “We have to shoot well. Our guys have to make the jump shots when they’re open.”

Vincent is certainly capable of that and, his thoughts on the merits of starting versus not starting aside, he said he feels ready to have an impact on this series.

“You don’t have to always agree with everything that’s said or done. There’s nothing wrong with speaking your mind,” he said. “I’ve said a hundred times that I’d prefer starting, but I’m mentally prepared. When I’m in there, I’ll be playing hard. You know I won’t be like Tripucka -- I’ll take my shots.

“It’s going to be fun. The best thing is knowing how well we can play. That’s why that last game against New York (a 142-110 victory last Friday) was so important. Everything was clicking, everything was right there. I know that the Knicks aren’t the Pistons, but we can do the same kind of things against them, too.”