``To be honest, I don't think that affects it much,'' said his agent, Lance Young. ``They were able to see what he can do. I'm sure we'll be able to get something done, whether it's a full guaranteed contract or a partial.

``It sounds like he'll be in good hands, with all of the doctors that he has up there.''

Down in numbers

The Celtics , via injuries and defections, were down to eight players for last night's game against Indiana. Bryan Mullins, who had impressed the entire staff, left to join the Chicago Bulls' summer league team, which will play next week in Las Vegas.

As a result, they went into the 91-88 loss to Indiana with an eight-man bench that was momentarily whittled to seven when Kevin Rogers left the game with back spasms.

The Celtics nonetheless led until the last five minutes, with Chris Lofton exploding with a 21-point performance off the bench with every point coming from downtown on 6-of-8 3-point shooting. But the normally pure Nick Fazekas missed two free throws in the last minute, followed by an open trey at the buzzer. . . .

Though summer league coach Mike Longabardi was listed for the infraction, the entire staff was actually behind a first-half technical foul that was called when, in unison, they all shouted travel as an Indiana player drove.

``A coach told me that this is when you want to get one of those, because you don't have to pay the fine,'' said Longabardi.

Keeping watch

Jon Jennings, the former Celtics assistant who is now president of the Celtics' NBDL affiliate the Portland Red Claws, has been on hand all week, looking at players and deciding which coach to hire. He crossed one candidate off the list - multiple Boston Shootout MVP Randy Livingston, a member of the Utah staff - earlier this week.

One candidate on the short list is also in the house - Celtics scout Austin Ainge, son of the Celtics general manager.

Jennings wants a coach who is comfortable with the latest analytic trends in the game, like new video technology and statistical analysis, and Ainge has impressed him in that area.

Another possibility is Eric Snow, the former Cavs and Sixers point guard who has often been mentioned as a future coach. . . .

The Celtics engaged in a funny bit of subterfuge with their competition - Pacers coach Jim O'Brien - during yesterday morning's practice.

O'Brien was in the weight room on a treadmill, facing out at a window with a full view of the floor where the Celtics were practicing. Longabardi had security director Phil Lynch pull a curtain in front of the window, and then resumed practice.

O'Brien later walked by, and while toweling off shouted to the coaches, ``You didn't have to do that. I had my eyes closed.''

O'Brien is the only head coach actually running his summer league team this week, and has treated each game like a regular-season event, right down to arguing with the referees.

He and general manager Larry Bird are under considerable pressure in Indiana, but that doesn't explain the need O'Brien feels to be so active this week.

``A lot of the guys we have here are going to be part of the rotation, so this is a good opportunity for Jim to work with them,'' explained Pacers and former Celtics assistant Frank Burke.

Read the Celtics Insider at bostonherald.com.