Boston Celtics

Basketball Boston Celtics -- Waived G Kevin Pritchard.

Boston Celtics forward-center Chris Wilcox will miss a month because of an ulnar collateral ligament sprain in his right thumb, coach Doc Rivers said, according to ESPN.com. Wilcox, 30, who played on Maryland's 2001-02 national championship team, injured his thumb Tuesday against the Bulls and had sat out the past two games. "Chris is out; he's out for a while," Rivers said Sunday. "I don't know how long, but the first report I got was three to four weeks. " Wilcox is averaging 4.7 points and 2.3 rebounds in 13.3¿minutes per game.

June 19 1862: Slavery was outlawed in U.S. territories. 1910: Father's Day was celebrated for the first time, in Spokane, Wash. 1986: University of Maryland basketball star Len Bias, the first draft pick of the Boston Celtics, suffered a fatal cocaine-induced seizure.

With the NBA conference finals raging on, it's not surprising that several Ravens players have been monitoring the 2-2 series split between the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder in the West and between the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics in the East. Quarterback Joe Flacco said he thinks the Spurs and Heat will advance to the NBA finals. His pick to eventually win the championship? “The Spurs. They were obviously really, really hot, and they're playing a good team with [Oklahoma City forward]

BASEBALL (NL) * Florida Marlins -- Named Angel Vazquez director of Latin American operations and special consultant to the general manager.* Montreal Expos -- Named Fred Ferreira director of Latin American operations and Doug Carpenter Florida scout.BASKETBALL (NBA) * Boston Celtics -- Signed Steve Scheffler (forward).* Cleveland Cavaliers -- Signed Keith Hughes (forward), Greg Butler and Dale Turnquist (centers) and Anthony Houston (guard).* Miami Heat -- Named Al Bianchi scout.* Milwaukee Bucks -- Signed Milt Wagner and Everette Stephens (guards)

BASEBALL (NL)New York Mets -- Signed Kevin McReynolds (outfielder) to a contract extension through 1994.* Pittsburgh Pirates -- Named Jack Zduriencik director of scouting.BASKETBALL (NBA) * Boston Celtics -- Re-signed Dave Popson (forward) for the remainder of the season. Placed Derek Smith (guard-forward) on the injured list.HOCKEY (NHL) * Hartford Whalers -- Assigned Yvon Corriveau (left wing) to Springfield of the AHL.* New York Rangers -- Signed Jan Erixon (forward).

BasketballUtah Jazz -- Announced it will sign G Walter Bond, released last month by the Detroit Pistons, to a 10-day contract.CollegeNCAA Foundation -- Named Dave Gavitt, former Big East Conference commissioner and CEO of the Boston Celtics, president.Cal-Irvine -- Suspended G Chris Brown from the basketball team for two games.Georgetown -- Dismissed G George Butler from the men's basketball team for academic reasons.

BaseballOrioles -- Activated P Sid Fernandez from the DL. Optioned OF Damon Buford to Triple-A Rochester.Oakland Athletics -- Optioned P Miguel Jimenez to Triple-A Tacoma. Purchased the contract of IF Mike Brumley from Tacoma. Transferred IF Lance Blankenship from the 15-day DL to the 60-day DL.BasketballBoston Celtics -- Announced they would not sign G Todd Lichti for the remainder of the season. Activated C Matt Wenstrom from the injured list.FootballArizona Cardinals -- Signed LB Seth Joyner to a five-year contract.

Opponent: Boston CelticsSite: Boston GardenTime: 7:30TV/Radio: Channel 20/WWLG (1360 AM),WTEM (570 AM)Outlook: The Celtics had an impressive week last week, winning back-to back games against the two best teams in basketball, the Phoenix Suns and the Orlando Magic. But Boston enters tonight's game with a two-game losing streak. Rookie center Eric Montross is the only Celtics player among the league leaders in any category, with his .548 field goal percentage ranking sixth. The Bullets have lost both games against the Celtics this season.

Baseball Philadelphia Phillies -- Sent P Tyler Green and P Darrin Chapin to minor-league camp for reassignment.BasketballBoston Celtics -- Activated G Sherman Douglas from the injured list. Waived G Rickey Green.Cleveland Cavaliers -- Signed F Mike Sanders (7.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg) to a second 10-day contract.HockeyWashington Capitals -- Recalled D Ken Sabourin from the AHL Skipjacks to replace D Rod Langway, who is out with a pulled groin muscle.TennisLipton International Players Championships -- Lipton announceda multi-year agreement to continue as sponsor.

A person with knowledge of the negotiations says the Celtics are making progress on a deal that would bring Shaquille O'Neal to Boston. Earlier Tuesday, the four-time NBA champion said he will be in the league next season and would rather retire than play internationally. The 38-year-old O'Neal spent last season with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He has struggled to find a contract from a team that can guarantee him playing time, enough money and a chance for one more championship.

Who dug you guys up? A funny thing happened to the Boston Celtics on the way to their eternal rest. Just before the funeral procession reached the cemetery, someone looked inside the hearse and found the decedent was alive. Now it's like one of those New Orleans funerals with the band breaking out into Dixieland and everyone strutting their way home — but with the guests of honor in the lead. I actually love the Celtics, although I'm not sure it shows, judging by some of my e-mail from New England.

The big showdown in the new Boston Garden yesterday ended up being the entire first round of the NBA playoffs in a nutshell. Game 7 of the Boston Celtics vs. Atlanta Hawks was a dud. What happened? The playoffs have rarely been this eagerly anticipated; they weren't going to sneak up on anybody the way the past two have. After a regular season some called the best in league history, with all eight Western Conference qualifiers winning at least 50 games and with every seed up for grabs going into the final five days, this year's playoffs were going to pick up where the regular season left off, and jump up and grab everybody from the opening tip of the very first game.

For sport fans outside of New England who have had a bellyful of the Red Sox and Patriots, there's some bad news: The Celtics are pretty good, too. Of course, they have been chugging along with the NBA's best record all season, so that's not exactly a news flash. But Boston's raid through Texas this week unequivocally served notice that the Celts are the clear favorite to win the NBA championship. When Boston journeyed into the so-called Texas Triangle, it was San Antonio, Houston and Dallas - three teams that have combined to win two-thirds of their games - who disappeared.

June 19 1862: Slavery was outlawed in U.S. territories. 1910: Father's Day was celebrated for the first time, in Spokane, Wash. 1986: University of Maryland basketball star Len Bias, the first draft pick of the Boston Celtics, suffered a fatal cocaine-induced seizure.

There are those hard-core conspiracy theorists who believe that commissioner David Stern works the NBA like a puppeteer, allegedly manipulating results to the league's best interests. Even if that's true, not even the late Jim Henson could have worked things this well to get this wacky a result heading into the NBA playoffs, which open today. Handicapping the field in the Eastern Conference alone, where none of the top three seeds - the New Jersey Nets, Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics - were even in the playoffs last year, will require a divine skill.

BASKETBALL (NBA) * Boston Celtics -- Signed Ricky Calloway (guard).HOCKEY (NHL) * Buffalo Sabres -- Agreed to terms with Pat LaFontaine (center) on a multi-year contract.* St. Louis Blues -- Signed Ron Sutter (center) and Gino Cavallini (left wing) to multi-year contracts.FOOTBALL (NFL) * San Diego Chargers -- Placed Rod Bernstine (running back) on injured reserve. Activated Chris Samuels (running back) from the practice squad.COLLEGE * Georgia Tech -- Suspended Eric Bellamy (safety) from the football team for the remainder of the season for violating team rules.

Other kids might have dreamed of being like Mike, but Juan wanted to be like Reggie, the neighborhood kid who went on to Boston Celtics fame. And now Jamal wants to be like Juan. The University of Maryland's celebrated shooting guard, Juan Dixon, is a big part of the reason young basketball players run drills in a little cinder-block gym at Cecil-Kirk Recreation Center. Dixon, who led the Terrapins to their first national championship Monday in Atlanta, got his start playing on the same polished hardwood where seventh-grade shooting guard Jamal Hood practiced yesterday.