Another setback for Allen

Coach Doc Rivers last night raised the prospect of shutting down injured guard Tony Allen. When and for how long remains unknown.

Rivers broached the subject after he announced Allen would not be in uniform for last night's game against the Utah Jazz. While there have been no formal discussions between the team and Allen, Rivers made his comments out of frustration with the situation and concern for the second-year guard, who is attempting to come back from right knee surgery.

Rivers anticipated Allen would be ready to play last night but was informed about an hour before the game that the shooting guard had soreness and swelling in his knee. Allen switched with Delonte West on the inactive list; West returned from a mild concussion suffered last Saturday night in Chicago. Allen was dressed for Monday night's game against Golden State but did not play. He went through hard workouts Monday and Tuesday, which might have set him back again.

Asked if there would come a point when Allen would just need to put in a solid week of practice before being reactivated, Rivers said, ''Or a point where we just shut him down. One of the two. We haven't talked about this. At some point this has to come to an end, just to get his mind right. It's not easy for us, either. I didn't even think that he wasn't going to be active, though [trainer] Eddie [Lacerte] said there was some swelling again [yesterday] morning. I don't know where you go with it. I'm more frustrated for him because he's worked really hard to get back and now he just can't make it to the floor."

Wearing warmups before the game, Allen sounded disappointed about another game spent on the bench inactive. Like Rivers, Allen was surprised about being unable to play against the Jazz, especially since he said he felt fine yesterday morning. Allen said doctors could take more tests on the knee, but all results have come back negative. After working out today, the Celtics will take a couple days off before their next game, Monday at Seattle. Allen said he believes that will be a good break.

''I guess I've just got to rest it," Allen said. ''I'm not really sure what's going on right now. I'm just taking every day as trying to get better. I don't want to shut it down, but if that's what the boss says then you've got to shut it down. Obviously, it ain't [working the way I'm training now]. If it helps [to shut it down], then that would probably be the best. It's very unfortunate that I can't keep steady progress."

Rewarding time

After being slowed early by a sprained left ankle suffered in training camp, Al Jefferson is averaging almost 18 minutes per game -- usually as the first or second big man off the bench.

Asked if he were receiving enough minutes to make steady improvement, Jefferson said, ''Yeah, I'm waiting when [Rivers] calls my name. If I don't play minutes like I normally play it's for a reason. It could be because of the matchups or because I didn't do something right."

Jefferson, who finished with 10 points, 5 assists, and 4 blocks in 26 minutes last night, said he liked Rivers using minutes as a reward for solid defensive play because that motivates him and keeps him focused.

''It gives me a reality check when he sits me down," he said. ''Then, I come back out and play good again. I feel that helps me a lot. When he gets on me, it helps me to stay focused and do what I have to do. Everyone has a good night. Everyone has a bad night."

0 for threes

The Celtics went 0 for 10 from 3-point range, marking the end of a 549-game streak in which the team hit at least one 3-pointer. The last time the Celtics did not record a trey had been March 11, 1999, in a 99-85 loss to Atlanta. ''Did we not have one?" said Rivers. ''That tells you how much I look at the stat. If you hadn't of said that, I wouldn't have known. I could care less about that. I'm more like [Utah coach Jerry] Sloan in that way, where I think you get it the old-fashioned way. You drive the basket, you take the foul, you make the 3-point play." The streak was the fourth-longest in the NBA history behind Miami (594), Toronto (558 and counting) and Dallas (553 and counting) . . . The Celtics are now 5-0 this season when their opponent has played the night before and they have been idle . . . Utah forward Andrei Kirilenko missed last night's game because of back spasms. He flew with the team Tuesday night from Cleveland to Boston, then went to see a doctor in California yesterday.