MIAMI - The Celtics went back to being "Paul Pierce and the Celtics" instead of the Big Three for last night's 117-87 win over the Heat.
Star guard Ray Allen missed the game with the flu. Star forward Kevin Garnett missed his second straight game with an abdominal strain. The Celtics are so battered physically that they will skip practice today for the second time in a week in order to heal.
Allen felt so poorly that he didn't attend shootaround and went to a local hospital to have intravenous fluids. He rested at the team hotel during the game. Guard Eddie House and forward Brian Scalabrine also have been hit by the flu bug lately.
"We took him to the hospital to get him some fluids," said coach Doc Rivers. "He's been throwing up for a while. We didn't want him around here. Very similar [to Scalabrine]. Eddie started it. It just goes through the team. Hopefully, this is the last one."
Rivers said there is no timetable for Garnett's return, but it's possible that he plays tomorrow against Dallas. If not, he will have had 10 days off before the next game, at Cleveland Tuesday. Rivers said Garnett showed some improvement yesterday "because he did things he couldn't do two days ago.
"If he can play Thursday, we'll play him. But he has to almost be 100 percent."
Asked how he advised Garnett, Pierce said, "I was like, 'Big fella, this is a part of your career where you have to start taking care of your body. You're older. You have a lot of miles under your belt. Your mind is going to tell you one thing, but you have to listen to your body.'
"He's a stubborn guy. He wants to be out on the floor every second he can, regardless. I told him we're playing for the long run, so take care of those little injuries. You don't want them to linger during the season."
Spurs eye Stoudamire
Once Damon Stoudamire clears waivers tomorrow morning, the veteran point guard is expected to sign with the Spurs, according to an NBA source. Spurs guard Tony Parker is out indefinitely with a bone spur in his left heel, according to ESPN.com. The NBA didn't finalize Stoudamire's buyout with the Grizzlies until yesterday morning, and he needs 48 hours to clear waivers. The Celtics have been on the lookout for a veteran point guard and had some interest in Stoudamire. Rumors persist that they have interest in Clippers veteran Sam Cassell, but they don't seem to have the means to make a viable trade offer. Executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge has said he wants to sign "the right veteran point guard" while adding, "We like our roster. We like who we are. We like the chemistry and the way our guys play together."Baby names
Forward Glen Davis goes by the popular nickname "Big Baby." But he also would like to be known as "The Ticket Stub." "We got 'The Ticket' [Garnett]," Davis said. "And I look like a stub, so I'm 'The Ticket Stub.' " . . . Celtics forward James Posey was a member of the Heat when they won the NBA title two years ago. After the blowout win last night, Posey (9 points, 7 rebounds) wore his championship ring, championship ring-like cuff links, and red and black clothes. "When I come back here, it feels great because I was a part of [a title] as well," he said.Marc J. Spears can be reached at spears@globe.com
