Celtics Notebook/by Mark Cofman

[opi@unesco.org]

Walker is still projected at small forward alongside projected power
rebounder Danny Fortson, according to Pitino in Cofman's Celts Notebook.
Not quite Bird and McHale, that's for sure, but I'm looking forward to
finally seeing the Celtics at first strength come January Y2K.

BTW, just because Walker starts alongside Fortson doesn't necessarily
mean he won't do as much or more posting up of opposing forwards as he
has in the past week. It could be that Pots will get moved farther away
from the offensive glass.

I've finally received my 1999 game videos so I'm very psyched. Pitino
says our boys from Boston are going for two wins down in Texas. Just
hustle and play with PRIDE and smarts, that's all I ask.

Have a good weekend,

Joe



------
The aches of the game: Cheaney, Griffin in pain but still in picture
Celtics Notebook/by Mark Cofman

Friday, December 17, 1999

If you're a member of the Celtics, you should look both ways at least
a few times these days before crossing the street.

Injuries, and losses, countinue to mount as the Celtics prepare for
tonight's game against the San Antonio Spurs at the Alamodome.
Calbert Cheaney walked out of yesterday's practice at HealthPoint
with a split lower lip, while Adrian Griffin played the role of amateur
trainer, retaping two fingers on his left hand while he talked to
reporters.

Griffin jammed his ring finger - not once but twice - in the Celtics'
96-86 loss to the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night at the FleetCenter.
Neither Cheaney's nor Griffin's injuries are serious, but they are
symbolic of a difficult stretch during which the Celtics can't stay out
of harm's way.

The Celtics face the defending NBA champion Spurs minus Paul Pierce
(sprained left ankle), Danny Fortson (stress fracture, right foot) and
most likely Vitaly Potapenko, who has been shelved the last three
games with a strained right calf muscle.

``We definitely don't need any more injuries around here,'' said
Griffin.
``I'm fine. This is just one of those nagging injuries you're going to
get during the season.

``I just popped the finger back in (place). I've done it many times
before. It gets easier each time.''

Going for two

Celtics coach Rick Pitino on the two-day Texas swing, which finds his
team in San Antonio tonight and Houston tomorrow: ``Our margin of
error is so small right now because of all the injuries, but we're going

down there believing we can win both games. That's how you have to
approach it.

``The offense has been struggling, and there's a lot of pressure on us
to score more points. We're taking guys who are normally reserves
and trying to put them in a scoring mode, which isn't easy. What we
need is a great night from more than just Antoine (Walker).''

Walker had a season-high 36 points and 12 rebounds, while adding
four assists and two blocked shots in the loss to Utah. Pitino said it
was the first time this season his captain had tied together the entire
power forward's package in a big-time performance.

He then added that Walker would start to get playing time at small
forward again in anticipation of Fortson's expected return to practice
next week.

Fortson was the Celtics' projected starter at power forward before
going down with his injury during training camp.

Before departing for Texas last evening, the Celtics hosted a party for
more than 100 children from the Boston Medical Center's pediatric
hematology program, which serves children with sickle-cell anemia.
Dana Barros, Pervis Ellison, Eric Williams, Kenny Anderson, Griffin and
Pierce were among members of the team in attendance to distribute
gifts and take part in entertainment.

Meanwhile, Walker, Cheaney, Potapenko, Tony Battie, Walter
McCarty, Doug Overton and Jamel Thomas represented the Celtics in
special holiday visits to Boston Medical Center and Children's Hospital.