Celtics trying to stay one step ahead on march

WALTHAM - The Celtics are close to breaking a team record for the best start to a season. A victory in Washington tomorrow would give them 21 wins in 23 games, ahead of the pace set in 1963 and matched last year.

"That's nice, but I would trade that for the best finish ever," coach Doc Rivers said yesterday. "That's what we're looking for and aiming for."

Asked if the Celtics could "burn out" after a such a hot start, Rivers replied, "We're just playing basketball. We're winning, but we're playing normal minutes. So, the question should be, if we played the same amount of minutes and lost, would we be burning out? No. So, if we're going to play the minutes, I think we should try to win the game, and that's what we're doing."

The Celtics have not lost since a Nov. 14 home game against Denver (94-85), their 12-game win streak beginning the next night with a 5-point overtime win at Milwaukee (102-97) and leading to a 5-point overtime win at Indiana (122-117) Sunday. The Celtics have outscored foes by an average of 13.2 points since Nov. 15.

"We don't look at our record, we look at where we think the team should be someday," Rivers said. "And we know we have to be better. They are hearing we are 20-2 and we are telling them we have to improve, so it's two different messages. We just hope they get our message and not yours.

"We are winning games, but you've got to be careful with records. Even with teams you beat during the regular season, you don't know if they had back-to-backs, they were tired, they had injuries, it could be their fourth game in six nights.

"In the playoffs, they are focused and ready to play you. They've had rest. It's a different breed.

"That's why the record is great and we'll take it. And, on most of those nights, we were the tired team, and we won those games. But we know we have to be better."

The Celtics have mostly avoided injuries; Tony Allen (sprained ankle) returned from a two-game absence against the Pacers. And they have imposed their will on most opponents. But Rivers said the team needed a practice session to correct defensive errors after Indiana scored 105 points in regulation, the second-highest total for a Celtic opponent this season.

"I thought we had a lot of slippage in defense the last couple of games," Rivers said. "We've given up more points than we should have. It's just communication, on both ends of the floor. Little things of execution."

Rivers said he called a halt to practice early.

"You are always careful in practice," he said, "because sometimes it's more intense than some games - there's no rest, no fouls, you worry about it.

"Before the season started, we were concerned by the schedule, and to our guys' credit, they have had great mental focus and were able to fight through it. Like we tell them, at some point everyone has to play 82 games. Everyone is going to go through tough stretches. We just happened to have ours early.

"Now, the stretch of games coming up, there aren't as many, but they are tough teams, so we have to have great focus. Focus can never leave you - it's just different situations."

The Celtics could be approaching the best 28-game start in league history. The 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers and the 1969-70 New York Knicks were 26-2 before losing for the third time.

"We never go into a season with a goal to win this many games or break any records," captain Paul Pierce said. "Our goal is to just continue to get better until we get to the playoffs. We can always play better.

"No team has gone 82-0, so we can always get better - that's definitely the goal. And you can see it in the guys in practice. Everyone knows the feeling of winning a championship and we want to do it again."

Said Ray Allen, "20-2 is the best record in the league, but if you settle on it, that's all you have - the best record. We are trying to win a championship, so it's a situation where we're constantly trying to improve.

"Teams are watching us now. They watch the last game we played, and see what they can do to beat us. So we have to be one step ahead of them to counter what they're doing on defense.

"The record doesn't make us any better. We could have easily lost to Indiana."

Tony Allen scored 12 points in 20 minutes against the Pacers and ignited the Boston reserves, who had struggled in a 93-78 win over Portland Friday.

"He looked OK in the game," Rivers said. "I thought he was explosive. He actually surprised me. From watching him, he should have played the game before that.

"He's one of the guys who can break defenses down, and when he's not on the floor and they don't get a great look on a pick for Eddie [House] or get it in deep to Leon [Powe], they run into trouble.

"We need them to get consistent. They've been up and down. They are young. The starters are playing so well right now, it's almost difficult to give them a rest. But, at some point, you have to give the starters a rest."