globe news (!)

[JOzersky@aol.com]

Battie next for Celtics  
He's in Philadelphia
By Michael Holley, Globe Staff, 06/19/97   
The Celtics will have to travel a bit to see their next potential draftee.
We're not talking about a trip to 
suburban Boston; it's more like Philadelphia. 
Texas Tech center Tony Battie has been working with a strength coach in
Philly and is meeting teams for 
workouts there. The Celtics are up today. After they see Battie - either at
Temple or St. Joseph's University - 
the Nuggets will fly in for a visit. 
Less than a week before the draft, the possibilities have become more
interesting. Everyone thought the 
Sixers would draft Battie with the No. 2 selection, but new coach Larry Brown
has said he likes University 
of Colorado point guard Chauncey Billups. Problem is, the Celtics, who have
the Nos. 3 and 6 picks, like 
him, too. Billups was scheduled to be in town yesterday for an interview, and
Utah forward Keith Van 
Horn worked out for the team. 
A couple of other draft twists: The raging rumor circuit has the Nuggets
dealing Antonio McDyess to the 
Celtics. But Allan Bristow, basketball chief of the Nuggets, said last week
he doesn't want to trade the power 
forward, who will be a free agent after next season. Also, the Celtics
supposedly are getting in position to 
draft Billups and former University of Kentucky forward Ron Mercer. Mercer,
originally thought to be 
heading to the Grizzlies, may still be there for the Celtics' second
first-round pick. 
This story ran on page D02 of the Boston Globe on 06/19/97.