they pulled the trigger

["Anne Cankosyan" <bceltics@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

http://msn.espn.go.com/nba/news/2003/0220/1511804.html

 Celtics add bulk with additions of Blount, Bryant

The Nuggets and Celtics agreed to a trade Thursday just hours before the
deadline, with point guard Shammond Williams going to Denver for center Mark
Blount and forward Mark Bryant, The Associated Press learned.

Denver also receives cash and a second-round pick from Boston, according to
two basketball sources -- one close to one of the players, another close to
one of the teams _ who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The deal was to be officially announced later Thursday.

Williams, a fifth-year guard, was Boston's third-string playmaker, behind J.R.
Bremer and Tony Delk. With the Nuggets, he will join Chris Whitney and rookie
Junior Harrington as the point guards on the team with the league's
second-worst record (12-43).

Williams averaged 7.3 points and 2.5 assists in 51 games for the Celtics.

In acquiring Blount and Bryant, the Celtics added size to a front line that
has been hampered by Tony Battie's injuries and Vin Baker's ineffectiveness.
Blount was averaging 5.2 points and 3.4 rebounds. He was a member of the
Celtics his first two NBA seasons before signing with Denver last summer.

Bryant is being traded for the second time this season. He was sent earlier
from Philadelphia to Denver in a three-way trade also involving Houston.

The Celtics will be the 10th NBA team for Bryant, a 14-year veteran who has
scored only 13 points in 14 games this season.