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draft



     RE: Don Leaventhal's rankings:
     2     Tony Battie*        F-C   6-11     225     Texas Tech =

     3     Ron Mercer*         F-G   6-7      210     Kentucky
     4     Keith Van Horn      SF    6-9 1/2  235     Utah
     5     Antonio Daniels     PG    6-4      195     Bowling Green =

     6     Tim Thomas*         PF    6-9 1/2  235     Villanova
     7     Chauncey Billups*   PG    6-3      202     Colorado =

     8     Adonal Foyle*       C     6-10     255     Colgate
     9     Kelvin Cato         C-F   6-11     255     Iowa State
     =

     =

     I would feel quite comfortable drafting 2 of these guys this year. =

     Sure there are questions about many of these players, but Tim Duncan=
 =

     will not lead the Celtics to a championship in the next 3 years. We =

     simply do not have enough of the pieces. Don't get me wrong I have =

     thought about Duncan in celtic green for a few years now, and I pret=
ty =

     much thought that the only consolation to losing all year long was =

     that we would get Duncan. =

     =

     I know that Bob Ryan is correct in stating that it will be a long ti=
me =

     before another dominant center comes along. However, teams can win =

     without a dominant center in this league. Greg Ostertag certainly =

     handled Shaq and Hakeem adequately. Dominant centers do not guarante=
e =

     championships. Centers who have been at one time or another referred=
 =

     to as dominant playing right now: Hakeem (2 championships), Patrick =

     (0-fer), Shaq (never), Robinson (well, probably in next couple of =

     years, but not entirely because of him). =

     =

     I have to admit perhaps my own naivet=E9, but I do believe that ther=
e =

     will be players in the free agent market who would love to play for =

     Pitino in Boston. And I think that could help the team advance furth=
er =

     than the regular season. Who knows perhaps even Duncan would come to=
 =

     Boston in 3 years?
     =