Fortson to begin running next week, Pierce also back by X-mas?

[opi@unesco.org]

Our best rebounder and our leading scorer might BOTH be back in uniform
by the West Coast swing starting on the 26th of December, writes Steve
Bulpett.

Not that the Celts are very talented at the moment, but I do think we
have better starters, depth & experience than the 36-win team of two
years ago, when Wallah (two years younger, even) actually started 64
games and Knight, Minor, Barros and DeClerq all started 15 or more games
(even our "best point guard" Ty Edney, Brick Bowen and Pervis had 7 or
more starts each). Our current lineup could beat them very easily I
would think.

Hey, I'm just trying to be positive. :-) I think there will be a lot
more pressure this month on our big guys Walker, Battie and Potapenko to
play at a VERY high level without hurting the fragile team chemistry, as
well as huge demands on Eric and Yo Adrian to nearly match scoring
production at their position against some of the best players in the
business (even Cheaney, Waltah or Dana have a chance for big minutes and
moments this month). Last night's game against Ewing and the Knicks is
the reason the Celts finally went from skinny to big (Potapenko).

Go Celts!

Joe

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Celtics Notebook/by Steve Bulpett
Monday, December 13, 1999

NEW YORK - Paul Pierce's failure to keep a tight wrap on his left ankle
has put the Celtics in a tight spot.

Pierce suffered the injury late in Saturday's practice and it was
believed at the time he would miss a week at most. He was left home as
the team flew here, and later that night the club's leading scorer (19.0
points) removed the wrap that was to help keep down the swelling in the
ankle. As a result, greater swelling has translated to increased rehab
time - and some roster moves.

Pierce was placed on the injured list yesterday (meaning he must miss a
minimum of five games, though Rick Pitino said last night it will be
more like 15-20 days).

Marty Conlon was activated from the injured list and was in uniform for
the first time this season last night. But it was one and done for
Conlon, who will be released today when the Celts bring in former
Providence College star Jamel Thomas. Pitino said a roster decision
would be made after the game, but it was learned Conlon is out.

With a tough road schedule coming up - and with the Eastern Conference
so tightly bunched - the loss of Pierce could have far-reaching effects
on the Celtics.

``It probably would have been five or six days (out), and he made a
major mistake,'' Pitino said. ``He took his wrap off when he went to
bed, which added an extra week to 10 days to his injury, because it blew
up on him. He was told not to take it off and he took it off, not
realizing (the consequences). Now he's on the IR.

``He was probably thinking, `Well, I don't keep it on when I go to bed.'
But that's the way to keep the swelling down. That's critical for the
first 48 hours. Now we're looking at 20 days now instead of a week.''

Pitino later said Pierce could be back ``around Christmas time.''

Skinny on Thomas

New Celt Thomas was averaging 20.0 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists
for Quad Cities in the Continental Basketball Association. The leader of
last year's Providence squad, a 6-6 swingman, has hit .482 from the
floor and .769 from the line in the CBA. He has made 14 of his 26 treys
for a nice .538 batting average from beyond the arc.

``He'll meet us in Cleveland (today),'' Pitino said. ``He's the leading
scorer in the CBA, and we need scoring obviously. That's what we miss
the most. Whether we can work him in in a hurry, I'm not sure. It
depends on how quickly he can grasp what we're doing.''

Fortson on horizon

 On a positive note from the injury front, Danny Fortson is traveling
with the team and is expected to begin running next week and perhaps be
playing by the western swing between Christmas and the new year.

``We're very anxious to get Danny back,'' said Pitino.

In the meantime, with Pierce out, the coach said: ``I just think we're
going to have to get more out of the second unit from a scoring
situation. I don't think Eric's (Williams) going to get 20 points like
Paul Pierce, but I think the combination of maybe Dana (Barros) coming
alive and Eric (Williams) and Calbert (Cheaney) can make up together for
some of what we're losing.''