21.   Entire pro basketball and hockey playoff seasons have come and gone.

22.   Especially for a team that made the playoffs last season.

23.   Failure to reach the playoffs this season would come with a heavy price.

24.   Hatcher was suspended for seven games at the beginning of the playoffs last season for a devastating hit that broke the jaw of Phoenix center Jeremy Roenick.

25.   He had injections of cortisone in order to play in the playoffs that season against the Cleveland Indians, missing one game because of the injury.

26.   He is obviously the focal point for the Cowboys, who missed the playoffs last season.

27.   He returned for the playoffs last season after missing all but six regular-season games with a torn knee ligament.

28.   He is the brother of Claude Lemieux, the former Devil who was the most valuable player during the Stanley Cup playoffs last season.

29.   He said the Celtics will make the playoffs next season.

30.   He knows the Celtics must make the playoffs this season.