Celtics Not On TBS; Vitaly Playing In The Boston Summer League

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@ix.netcom.com>]

      Celts get right back on schedule 
      by Mark Cofman 
      Friday, July 23, 1999
      This time, they'll take the long road. 
      After struggling through last season's lockout-shortened 50-game schedule, 
      the Celtics welcomed a return to normalcy yesterday as the NBA released a 
      full 82-game schedule for 1999-2000.
      Rick Pitino & Co. open the regular season on Nov. 2 against the Raptors in 
      Toronto.
      The Celtics, 19-31 last season, face the Washington Wizards on Nov. 3 in 
      their home opener. Other highlights of the 1999-2000 schedule include the 
      only visit to the FleetCenter by the NBA champion San Antonio Spurs on 
      Nov. 24, and visits by the Eastern Conference champion and Atlantic 
      Division rival New York Knicks on Nov. 12 and April 19. The latter is the 
      Celtics' regular-season finale.
      The Celtics, apparently not considered prime-time players by the networks, 
      will appear on national television just twice. NBC airs their March 12 
      game against Philadelphia at the FleetCenter, while TNT has their visit to 
      Sacramento on Dec. 28. The Celtics drew blanks on TBS, which airs 27 
      games.
      The Celtics also announced yesterday they will host the Atlanta Hawks in a 
      preseason game at Providence Civic Center on Oct. 15. The announcement 
      came during the Celtics' visit to Nickerson Community Center in Providence 
      for a summer caravan appearance. Walter McCarty and Dana Barros took part 
      in the clinic.
      Paul Pierce, who tore up the Fila Pro Summer League in Long Beach, Calif., 
      to lead the Celtics to an 8-0 record, participated in his team's summer 
      caravan stop in New London, Conn., on Wednesday. Pierce is preparing for 
      his own basketball camp at Pine Manor College in Brookline, beginning Aug. 
      2. That's a day after completion of the weeklong Shaw's Pro Summer League 
      at UMass-Boston (July 26-Aug. 1), leading to speculation Pierce will be 
      among the contract players suiting up for the Celtics.
      No word yet on whether team captain Antoine Walker will participate, but 
      Celtics fans attending the game will likely see a lot of Vitaly Potapenko, 
      who recently bought a home in the area. Potapenko has maintained a rigid 
      workout regimen throughout the offseason and appeared in all eight Celtics 
      games in Long Beach.
      Tickets for the Shaw's Pro Summer League are $8 per doubleheader session 
      and can be purchased at the FleetCenter box office or by calling 
      Ticketmaster (617/508) 931-2222. All games are scheduled for 
      UMass-Boston's Clark Athletic Center.