Excerpts from the Globe

[opi@unesco.org]

Excerpts from the Globe

Pitino said the team was concerned that Fortson might balloon while on
the mend and set a goal that he come back 10 pounds lighter.

''That's not easy to do,'' the coach said. ''He's lost about 8.''

Fortson still remains a Y2K proposition at best. Pitino doesn't
anticipate having a healthy, proficient Fortson until February, although
the coach added yesterday, ''He's a very motivated young man.''

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 So how are the Celtics and Nuggets faring after their six-player swap?
Well, the Nuggets went into last night's game in Philadelphia with an
8-8 record, same as the Celtics. They were 7-3 at home and 1-5 on the
road, same as the Celtics. Mercer was leading them in scoring at 20.1
points per game.

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Pitino: ''Denver just has a unique style where they use a lot of
pick-and-rolls to get threes. They have a 5-man [ Raef LaFrentz] who
shoots threes very well. So they're very difficult to defend.'' Pitino
is a member in good standing of the LaFrentz Fan Club. ''I've always
liked him,'' said the coach. ''He's really worked on his outside shot to
improve his game. He's very active. He has outstanding hands. He's a
good rebounder, he's a good passer, and now he's  added the 3-point
shot.''

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Conlon has been on the injured list since the season started, along with
Greg Minor and  Danny Fortson, both of whom have legitimate injuries.
Conlon's malady is something closer to ''Not In Shape Yet To Play Pitino
Style-itis.''

But he also knows that he's a twisted ankle or a bruise away from
getting the call. He recalled yesterday his first stint in Boston in the
1996-97 season, when he went from benchwarmer to fan favorite as player
after player went down for the count.

''It's almost like being in the military,'' Conlon said. ''You've just
got to be ready. There's nothing happening, but you never know. An
injury here or a trade there and I'm out there. If I just said, `It
doesn't look good for me,' and I'm not ready to go, then I look like a
dog out there.''

Conlon said this year has been difficult from a conditioning standpoint
for two main reasons: Boston has better restaurants than Miami, which is
where he was last year, and the Celtics do a lot more running than the
Heat did.

 ''When I first got here, I felt I was in pretty good shape,'' he said.
''When I was in Miami, we banged a lot. It was almost a different kind
of conditioning. We banged a lot, but we never ran. You pretty much
could jog up the floor. Here, they want guys getting up and down the
floor. That was an adjustment. But I feel more comfortable with that
now.''

Asked about Conlon's progress and readiness, Pitino said, ''Not right
now. He's getting close. Conditioning is the main thing.''

There's also the luck of the draw at work here. If a big guy goes down
tomorrow against Denver, Conlon could find himself torso-to-torso Friday
with Charles Barkley. If everyone stays healthy for the next three
weeks, Conlon simply could get released when Fortson comes back.