BoHerald on Mercer's Return

[Joe Hironaka <j.hironaka@unesco.org>]

The Boston Herald reports that Mercer is working out again, and that
Bowen will start in his place if necessary.

Go Celts!


Joe


****

Thursday, February 4, 1999

                  The Celtics are planning for Ron Mercer's absence this
weekend, but Mercer may nix the contingencies.

                  Though he was scheduled to give his sprained right
knee ligament a full test today, Mercer was going through paces at
Brandeis yesterday afternoon.

                  There was no official word on the closed session, but
Mercer appeared to have no troubles as he left the gym.

                  ``We'll see what happens,'' he said before the
practice. ``I've still got a couple of days to work on it.''

                  Meanwhile, coach Rick Pitino is looking at a different
opening lineup. Bruce Bowen would start at Mercer's shooting guard spot,
while Paul Pierce is getting set to open at small forward in place of
Walter McCarty.

                  ``I would tend to doubt it,'' Pitino said of Mercer's
immediate availability. ``I mean, we're preparing that he won't go for
at least the weekend and then we'll take it from there. But if something
else happens, it happens.''

                  Turning wry, he added: ``But if there's some reason we
don't win (tomorrow), he'll definitely play Saturday.''

                  As for Pierce getting the nod over McCarty, Pitino
explained it has more to do with medical concerns than getting more
scoring in a potentially Mercer-free lineup.

                  ``It's that Walter's been out of practice for a week
(returning Tuesday after a turf toe injury),'' Pitino said. ``It's
really Walter's injury more than the lack of scoring.

                  ``But if you are going to lose Mercer, Paul is a good
replacement.''

*****