No Big Three in the Big Apple

The Celtics once again rested Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce for tonight's game with the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. The three also sat out the game in Charlotte a week ago Saturday and the Celtics easily won. Eddie House also will miss the game, but he has an injury (a strained right adductor) and coach Doc Rivers said he hopes House can play on Wednesday in the regular season finale. Pierce, however, was wearing an ace bandage on his left wrist, which was covered with an ice bag. He said he hurt the wrist in the Atlanta game and that he doesn't believe the injury is anything more than a bruise. However, he said he'd have x-rays tomorrow just to make sure. "I don't think it's anything bad,'' Rivers said of Pierce's wrist.

Rivers expressed some sympathy for embattled Knicks coach Isiah Thomas who is widely believed to be coaching his last game in Madison Square Garden (at least in his present role.) "I don't think Isiah is a bad coach,'' Rivers said. I really don't. But he's a friend. I'm biased." Rivers said he thinks Thomas is one of the most intense, competitive people he's ever been around.

Thomas, when asked if he wanted to coach next year, told around 30-some reporters and camera people, "my job is to do whatever the boss says. Since I've been here, I've been asked to wear a lot of different hats. I've tried to wear them and accommodate (my boss.)" Thomas recently lost his team president designation to Donnie Walsh and needs one win in the last two games to avoid matching the losingest season in Knicks history. Three other Knicks teams also have lost 59 games.

Rivers said he'd vote for Kevin Garnett if he had a vote for Most Valuable. No surprise there. When queried about how much Kobe Bryant had changed the Lakers, Rivers said, "you obviously haven't been around Boston much this year."