Some lineup answers...

[Michael Joseph Byrnes <mbyrnes@leland.Stanford.EDU>]

According to Rick Pitino (as quoted in the Herald):

	"We'll probably start off with Battie at 5, 'Toine at 4, Walter
         at 3, Ron at 2 and Kenny at 1," Pitino said. "And then we've got
	 Paul coming in as the second unit scorer. He's a rookie. He's
	 going to play a lot of minutes, but I don't think he'll necessarily
	 start this year."

Well, this should end some speculation as to who will play where.  Keeping
in mind Pitino's above comment, here is how I see each position:

Center:

	Tony Battie
	Andrew DeClerq
	Dwayne Schintzius
	Popeye Jones

I think Schintzius will start the season as the 3rd center behind DeClerq,
but, given his size and talent, Pitino has got to be hoping that he can
pass DeClerq on the depth chart as the season goes on.  The questions are
whether or not he is finally serious about playing basketball, and whether
or not it is too late for him, anyway.  If he could step up, he would give
the C's a huge boost. 

At the start of the season, Pitino will probably sometimes use a small
lineup with Popeye Jones at center, particularly when the Celtics are
playing other teams that don't have a true center.

Power Forward:

	Antoine Walker
	Jones

At the outset, Walker will start here, but I don't think Popeye was signed
to play 10-12 minutes per game as Walker's backup.  I think Popeye's
signing means that, as the season goes on, Walker will end up getting more
and more time at the small forward spot.

Small Forward:

	Walter McCarty
	Walker
	Paul Pierce
	Bruce Bowen
	Greg Minor

McCarty will start for now, backed up mainly by Walker and Pierce.  Bruce
Bowen will occasionally come in as a defensive stopper, and Minor will
occasionally come in when the Celtics are ahead or behind by ~20 points
in the fourth quarter, or to be "showcased" for a trade.

Shooting Guard: 

	Ron Mercer
	Pierce
	Bowen
	Minor

Mercer starts, and will  be backed up by Pierce and Bowen for defense.  

By the start of next season (assuming no major trades), I think the Celtics 
will use what amounts to a four man rotation at the 4-3-2 spots.  It will
either be Walker-Pierce-Mercer with Jones coming off the bench, or perhaps
Jones-Walker-Mercer with Pierce continuing as the 6th man.  Bowen and
McCarty will be free agents after the season.  If they return, they will
be role players.  Bowen would come in when the Celtics need a defensive
stopper, and McCarty would play when Pitino wants to crank up the
pressure/trapping defense.  I don't see a future for Minor.

Point Guard:

	Kenny Anderson
	Dana Barros
	Marlon Garnett

I think it will be Anderson/Barros again for the most part, and that
Garnett will be the guy who comes up with the "phantom injury" as soon as
rosters are cut down from 14 to the usual 12.  

I am also a little surprised that Pitino looks at Garnett as a backup PG
given that he only averaged 2.0 assists per game during his senior year.
Perhaps he is a good defender.  Also, it may be that Pitino wants a guy
who won't complain about spending most of the year on the injured list.

Is Dontae' still on the team?  Maybe the C's can give someone a 2nd round
pick to take him off our hands.

Michael Byrnes
mbyrnes@stanford.edu