Celtics stumble down the stretch again

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Despite the Celtics' moribund record (18-30), they have perfected a couple things.

Really.

They can fall behind by sizable margins with the best of them. They like their first-half deficits large and seemingly insurmountable. They can come back with the best of them. Why waste the talents of Paul Pierce in a consistent, well-executed offense? Isn't it more fun to watch him carry Boston on his back in the fourth quarter, barreling past the 30-point barrier with the same determination that marks his drives to the basket? The Celtics certainly seem to think so. How else can you explain the way Boston has played recently?

But as exciting as it may be to watch Boston rally from large deficits, it rarely results in wins. The Celtics proved that once again last night at TD Waterhouse Centre. Boston spent most of the game working its way back after falling behind by 15 points early in the second quarter and by 6 at halftime, 48-42. The visitors came close to a happy ending, drawing within 2 points at the end of the third. The fourth, however, is not the Celtics' best time, unless your name is Pierce.

Even with Pierce scoring 15 of his game-high 37 points in the final period, Boston dropped a 100-91 decision to the Orlando Magic.

The fourth quarter was a microcosm of the game. The Celtics fell behind, recovered, but ultimately did not have enough to surpass the Magic and the late-game scoring of Keyon Dooling (early in the fourth) and Steve Francis (late in the quarter). The pattern was predictable from the sideline, so much so that you have to wonder if the Celtics are psyching themselves out of playing well in the fourth quarter.

''It's been the story of our season right now," said Doc Rivers. ''It just seems we get close enough, but we just can't close games out. We had great opportunities. We missed a couple of layups down the stretch and had a defensive miscue [on a lob to Dwight Howard]. We had just got done talking about [what to do on that play] and that burns you as a coach. I told them, they were playing hard and you have to live with it. Even if it's down the stretch and you make mistakes, you still have to live with it."

There were plenty of mistakes in the fourth, including three quick turnovers that returned the momentum to the Magic after Brian Scalabrine closed the third with a 3-pointer that brought Boston within 2 at 71-69. Orlando scored on six of its first seven possessions in the fourth to open the quarter with a 13-3 run and build back a double-digit lead. The Magic went ahead by 12 (84-72) on an 11-footer from Stacey Augmon with 8:08 remaining.

Despite the shaky start to the quarter, Boston closed within 5 as Pierce scored on the break, drove to the basket through traffic, and made his way to the foul line. The captain almost single-handedly kept the Celtics alive down the stretch. But it is one thing to do it all on offense. It is impossible to do it all on defense. In the closing minutes, Boston could not stop Orlando. The final six times the Celtics scored, the Magic responded with a basket or a free throw.

When asked about the Celtics' failure to make stops, Pierce said, ''That's what we have to work on now. The critical parts of games are getting those stops. Guys have got to understand that. Our problem is our sense of urgency in the last three or four minutes of the game, getting all the loose balls, getting stops, getting defensive rebounds, getting the quality shot."

The Celtics have a long list of what they need to work on, and little time to check off items on that to-do list because they face the Heat tomorrow night in Miami.

While the Celtics obviously want to end their season-worst five-game losing streak, they are anxiously eyeing the three days off that start Tuesday. Rivers will use the practice time to bring Wally Szczerbiak up to speed. Making Szczerbiak (13 points) comfortable in the Celtics' offense tops the list. Boston is 1-5 since the trade with Minnesota and continues to struggle offensively, shooting 44 percent last night.

''I'm just trying to learn on the fly," said Szczerbiak. ''[Rivers] is so quick with drawing up plays and stuff and the system is so much different than anything I've ever played in. The main thing I've got to do is make sure I stay aggressive. That's the main thing that he encourages. He wants everyone to play with aggressiveness, attack the basket, play your game, never back down, never turn down shots."

That mind-set has to be there from everyone from the start, before it's too late to matter.