The Celtics will be gazing to the NBA sky tonight in search of falling objects of their desire. With more than 30 names mentioned among the possibilities for the first 20 picks, the club is hopeful the crowded field will mean two players it likes will be on the board when picks 16 and 20 are due.

Danny Ainge spoke Tuesday about Plans A and beyond, and yesterday the Celtics' preferences came into sharper view.

While it is quite possible all three of their top point guards will be gone by 16, late talk of riders and sliders had them hoping that Marcus Banks or Reece Gaines will be available at 16. The C's had dared to even talk about Texas' T.J. Ford as his stock seemed to slip, but the thinking last night was that he'd caught his fall and was again edging into the top 10.

Banks and Gaines are very different types. The former, while prone to mistakes at times at UNLV, is the kind of push guy Ainge could use to alter the Celts' offensive modus operandi. Banks can get the ball quickly from one end of the floor to the other, and it is hoped others would try to keep up and get the club some of those elusive easy baskets.

Gaines is more of a halfcourt scorer who needs to work on his point guard skills, but he'd be tough to pass on.