By Gary Dzen, Boston.com Staff

Rondo made contact with referee Marc Davis after arguing a foul call against Celtics forward Brandon Bass. Rondo was ejected from the game, and by rule intentional contact with an official merits a one-game suspension. The NBA reviewed the play today before handing down final judgment.

“Obviously, from a competitive standpoint we are disappointed with the league’s decision to suspend Rondo. He plays a valuable part in our team’s success. We accept the punishment and will use it as a learning tool for our players," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said.

Rivers had defended his point guard Sunday night.

“I thought Marc Davis stopped and turned toward Rondo,’’ said Rivers after the game. “They bumped into each other. Once you get thrown out you might as well keep talking. That’s all it was in my opinion."

Said Paul Pierce, "I don't think it was on purpose. But it's up to the league."

This morning, before the ruling had been handed down, NBA commissioner David Stern told ESPN radio that he thought Rondo "obviously bumped" Davis.

"We have a hard and fast rule," said Stern. "Unless somebody trips you and sends you into him, nobody touches a referee. That’s the proposition.”

In addition to being without Rondo, the Celtics may also be without guard Ray Allen, who is questionable with an ankle injury. Game 2 is Tuesday night in Atlanta.

@GlobeGaryDzen
Globe reporter Amalie Benjamin contributed to this report.

By Frank Dell'Apa, Globe Staff

Rajon Rondo, awaiting a league decision after being ejected from Game 1, did not take part in pre-practice media interviews.

"Rondo talked to league security this morning, and, hopefully, we'll know sooner than later," coach Doc Rivers said. "We’ll find out. But we’re going to be ready to play basketball when they tip it off tomorrow."

Rivers said Allen "felt a little better, but I don’t see it right now."

By Gary Dzen, Boston.com Staff

Debate was raging today over whether or not Rajon Rondo deserved to be suspended

Near the end of Monday night's Celtics-Hawks game in Atlanta, Rondo bumped official Marc Davis after taking issue with a loose-ball foul Davis called on teammate Brandon Bass. The foul knocked Bass out of the game, and a minor scrum ensued before Rondo was escorted off the court.

Maybe Rondo tripped into Davis, his momentum accidentally carrying him into the official. Maybe Rondo stuck out his chest and bumped Davis on purpose. The league office made the determination that Rondo should be suspended for Tuesday's game.

The suspension debate aside, now is the time the Celtics should expect more from their young leader.

More than the details, what makes Rondo's actions concerning is the circumstances. The Celtics were down just four points when Rondo picked up a technical foul for arguing with Davis. Despite their poor play, the Celtics were in a position to win the game. Getting even one technical in that circumstance is a big blow.

It all happened in seconds, but Rondo's lack of restraint in continuing to go after Davis -- earning Rondo a second technical foul and an ejection -- is something the Celtics couldn't afford. By taking himself out of the final 41 seconds of Game 1, Rondo was taking the Celtics' most important player off the floor in a winnable game. By taking himself out of Game 2, Rondo puts his team at a significant disadvantage for the series.

“It affects us a lot," Kevin Garnett said of losing Rondo. “There goes our leader."

Garnett's words get to the heart of the issue. This will be Rondo's team soon. It's probably his team now. And with that responsibility come expectations that he will maintain his composure, especially in big moments.

There's a precedent here. Not so long ago, the Celtics were led by petulant young star named Paul Pierce. A reluctant leader possessed with unquestioned talent, Pierce was the author of several incidents that cost his team. During Game 6 of a 2005 playoff series with Indiana, Pierce was ejected after drawing his second technical foul by shoving Pacers guard Jamaal Tinsley (video below).

Pierce's ejection came with 12.9 seconds left in the fourth quarter with the Celtics clinging to an 84-83 lead. With Pierce out of the game, the Pacers chose Celtics center Kendrick Perkins to shoot two free throws, which he missed to force overtime. The Celtics won the game in OT, but the lasting images from that series are of Pierce taking off his jersey and swinging it over his head while walking off the court, and of Pierce wearing a fake bandage on his head in the post-game press conference.

As recently as 2008, Pierce earned a fourth-quarter technical foul for throwing his headband in the Celtics' first-round series against the Hawks. Pierce was also fined $25,000 by the NBA in that series for flashing what some thought was a gang sign toward the Hawks bench. And that was the postseason where the Celtics won the title.

Pierce has matured greatly since 2005, and his discretions in 2008 were minor bumps in the road in what was otherwise a season in which he displayed great leadership. His increased leadership helped the Celtics defeat LeBron James' Cavaliers and Kobe Bryant's Lakers on the way to a championship.

Following Sunday night's game with the Hawks, Pierce had a been-there-before tone to his voice when discussing Rondo.

"I don't think it was on purpose," Pierce said of Rondo's bump of Davis. "But it's up to the league."

Like a young Pierce, Rondo has a history of acting out. The Celtics point guard was ejected for throwing a ball at referee Sean Wright during a game against the Pistons on Feb. 19. He was suspended for two games. Celtics coach Doc Rivers has publicly called on Rondo to be a better leader over the years, and for the most part the progress has gone as planned. But Rondo's recent bumps in the road bring to mind a Pierce who famously told the Globe's Jackie MacMullan in 2007, "I'm the classic case of a great player on a bad team, and it stinks."

In 2005 Pierce led a team filled with personalities that can be generously described as interesting. Antoine Walker was his co-star. Al Jefferson, Tony Allen, and Delonte West were rookies. Ricky Davis, Marcus Banks, and Mark Blount played significant roles.

The post-Big Three Celtics hopefully won't be a replica of that 2004-2005 version, but Rondo's role on next year's team will be similar to what Pierce's role was then. The Celtics roster may be composed mostly of young players, some of whom don't quite "get it" just yet. Rondo will be the undisputed leader, and the Celtics will live and die by his example.

The torch has been passed. It's time for Rondo to carry it.

By Gary Dzen, Boston.com Staff

The NBA has not yet issued a ruling on whether or not Rajon Rondo will be suspended, but league commissioner David Stern weighed in on the situation this morning on ESPN Radio.

Stern told host Colin Cowherd that Rondo "obviously bumped" official Marc Davis in the final minute of last night's game with the Hawks. NBA rules state that a player who makes intentional contact with an official merits a one-game suspension.

“I don’t want to pre-judge on what the recommendation is going to be,” Stern said. “But as a fan, he obviously bumped him. And you know what happens with respect to that. We have a hard and fast rule. Unless somebody trips you and sends you into him, nobody touches a referee. That’s the proposition.”

Stern does not directly hand out suspensions; NBA executive vice-president/basketball operations Stu Jackson does. A ruling is expected on Rondo sometime today.

@GlobeGaryDzen

Take a look at the video above and vote below. Should Rajon Rondo be suspended for bumping an official in Game 1 vs. the Hawks?

End game, Hawks 83, Celtics 74 -- That's it for tonight from Atlanta, as the streamers rain down.

Fourth quarter, :41, Hawks 78, Celtics 74 -- The Celtics had closed the Hawks lead to 4 points, but then things came apart a bit. The Celtics clearly thought that was a jump ball, which led to Rondo bumping a ref. Rondo was ejected quickly.

That was not only a horrible display by Rondo with 41 seconds to go, it was also poorly timed and might have lasting consequences. Rondo could be suspended for that, which would be a killer for the Celtics.

Fourth quarter, 3:05, Hawks 76, Celtics 68 Leaving Jeff Teague open for three was apparently a bad idea. Deficit went from 5 to 8 points.

Fourth quarter, 5:19, Hawks 71, Celtics 65 -- Somehow, someway, the Celtics have cut the lead to 6 points on two KG free throws. That seems impossible, but it's what the scoreboard reads.

Fourth quarter, 7:09, Hawks 71, Celtics 59 -- Now that was a bad moment. Three Celtics were under the basket for a rebound, and somehow Tracy McGrady was able to come up with the rebound and the dunk.

Fourth quarter, 9:14, Hawks 67, Celtics 59 -- Well, there it is, folks. Finally. The Celtics had plenty of chances to cut the lead to less than 10 points, and they were finally able to convert. The lead is now 8 points with nine minutes to play and the Celtics fans in the building have started to get a wee bit louder.

End of the third quarter, Hawks 65, Celtics 53 -- Every time the Celtics could cut the score to a reasonable amount, they seem to miss a shot. It happened again at the end of the third quarter, when the Celtics could have finished the quarter down by 10. But, once again, Boston missed shots. The team can't see to cut it beyond 10 or 12 points.

Third quarter, 2:27, Hawks 64, Celtics 49 -- The Celtics just can't make a shot. It's 4 for 12 from Pierce, 3 for 12 from KG, and 4 for 12 from Bradley. That's not going to get it done.

Third quarter, 5:16, Hawks 60, Celtics 45 -- Kirk Hinrich keeps making those dagger threes (while the Celtics have yet to make a three at all), and Boston can't get the lead under 10 points.

Third quarter, 10:08, Hawks 52, Celtics 39 -- Rajon Rondo-to-KG for the dunk starts the quarter out well for the Celtics. Bass follows with his first shot attempt (and make) of the game. Of course, the Kirk Hinrich three takes a bit of the excitement away from the Celtics fans in the crowd.

Halftime, Hawks 49, Celtics 35 -- Some notable stats from the first half. Brandon Bass didn't attempt a shot. Bradley and KG went a combined 4 for 19 from the field. Josh Smith had 15 points and 11 rebounds. Rajon Rondo had just four assists, though leads the team with 12 points. The Celtics didn't make a three. The Hawils outrebounded the Celtics, 26-18. The Celtics have yet to lead even once. The Hawks' biggest lead was 19 points.

Halftime, Hawks 49, Celtics 35 -- It's a 14-point deficit for the Celtics at halftime, though it seems like it should be a lot larger than that. Boston missed a couple of shots at the end, by Avery Bradley and KG, which could have cut that lead further. But, to win this game, a different Celtics team needs to come out of the locker room. The Celtics shot just 37 percent in the half, to Atlanta's 49 percent.

Second quarter, 1:20, Hawks 46, Celtics 35 -- That's 8 straight points for the Celtics, who have cut the lead to 11.

Second quarter, 3:12, Hawks 46, Celtics 27 -- There's a timeout, and Philips Arena is jumping. Josh Smith leads the Hawks with 13 points and eight rebounds, and Joe Johnson has 9 points. The Celtics are being outrebounded 22-15.

Second quarter, 4:28, Hawks 44, Celtics 25 -- The lead is up to 19, with the Celtics shooting 36 percent from the floor. That's not going to get it done against a Hawks team that looks rested and ready to go. KG is 1 for 8 from the field.

Second quarter, 6:30, Hawks 40, Celtics 25 -- And the lead is back up to 15 points.

Second quarter, 9:24, Hawks 33, Celtics 24 -- The Celtics cut the deficit to 10 points on a drive to the basket by Keyon Dooling. Boston has looked a touch better in the first few minutes of the second quarter. Of course, the team looked pretty bad in the first quarter.

Second quarter, 10:20, Hawks 33, Celtics 20 -- Paul Pierce is back in the game, and doesn't seem to be having trouble with the knee that he hit in the last quarter.

End of the first quarter, Hawks 31, Celtics 18 -- It's been a horrendous quarter for the Celtics, who simply haven't executed on the offensive end. They have, meanwhile, allowed the Hawks to shoot 12 for 22. They've been outshot and outrebounded, as the lead got as high as 17 points (29-12). Kevin Garnett was one of the worst offenders for the Celtics, shooting 1-for-7 in the quarter. That's not going to get it done for Boston.

First quarter, 3:15 Hawks 25, Celtics 12 -- It's a 13-point lead for Atlanta, and the Celtics just do not look like they're in rhythm at all. Paul Pierce just came off the court limping slightly after appearing to hit his knee. He's now sitting on the bench.

First quarter, 6:50, Hawks 20, Celtics 6 -- The Hawks have started out 8 of 11 from the floor, including three 3-pointers. That kind of shooting won't last, but the Celtics also have to mount some sort of offense -- and soon.

First quarter, 7:05, Hawks 18, Celtics 6 -- The Hawks are out to a quick lead, and the Celtics haven't helped themselves by missing shots. Kirk Hinrich has two 3-pointers to lead the Hawks with 6 points, and the crowd is really getting into it, despite a number of empty seats.

Pregame -- Much of the talk before tonight's game has been about who won't be on the court. Ray Allen is out for Game 1 for the Celtics, and Zaza Pachulia and Al Horford won't play for the Hawks. That leaves the Hawks without their top two centers, and it leaves the Celtics without their best shooter. It also makes the continued impressive play of Avery Bradley all the more important for Boston.

We just got through the national anthem, and the starters are being announced right now. Lots of boos for the Celtics.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

ATLANTA -- Ray Allen went through his usual pre-game regimen and hasn't recovered enough from a sore right ankle to play in tonight's Game 1 against the Hawks, according to coach Doc Rivers. Allen missed the final nine games of the regular season and told reporters Saturday that he will require postseason surgery to remove bone spurs.

Allen absence will mean more extensive time for Mickael Pietrus and Sasha Pavlovic.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

ATLANTA -- The Celtics and Atlanta Hawks participated in shootarounds in preparation for their Game 1 Eastern Conference first-round series and here are some updates:

*Ray Allen said he would determine following shootaround whether he would be available. He added that he felt "good" after a light practice workout Saturday but doesn't want to "hurt the team" by playing injured.

*Celtics coach Doc Rivers said he was "sad" about the Derrick Rose knee injury. "I hated it," he said. Rivers said he had a long conversation Saturday night with Chicago coach Tom Thibodeau.

*For the Hawks, Zaza Pachulia is still wearing a protective boot on his left foot and is likely out tonight and coach Larry Drew said Al Horford is trying to return but it will be a game-to-game decision. He said he is not optimistic about Horford playing.

Coach Doc Rivers has set Ray Allen's availability for the Celtics game against the Atlanta Hawks Sunday night at "50-50."

Allen, who will have ankle surgery in the off-season, participated in the team's morning shootaround at Georgia Tech University.

"It’s kind of hard, it’s the playoffs," Allen said. "I’ve got to be totally ready. As much as I know I can help the team I don’t want to detract away from the team."

Rivers has set up contingency plans: "One with him, one without him, one without him in the second half.

"Probably, the way I think it will end up, he’ll go through his routine early," Rivers said of Allen. "And, honestly, if you want to gauge, if he gets through his routine – which he hasn’t been able to get through the last two times he‘s tried to play – then he’ll probably play."

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

WALTHAM -- Ray Allen revealed Saturday that he will need offseason surgery to remove bone spurs from his right ankle, the same procedure he underwent in 2007 on both ankles just months before joining the Celtics.

Allen missed the last nine games of the regular season and is questionable for Sunday’s Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first-round playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks. He said he underwent a cortisone shot Thursday but it is only delaying the inevitable.

“I know it’s weak but I still have pain in it,” he said. “It feels better. If I could I would get surgery tomorrow. If it was the beginning of the season, I would have surgery. It’s just inevitable talking to a couple of different doctors.”

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

Celtics coach Doc Rivers said Allen is about "60 percent" to play Sunday after missing the past nine games with a sore right ankle.

"I don't know if I am confident or not, I don't have an answer," Rivers said. "I have no status. If (75 percent) is probable, I would probably lower that to 60 percent. How about that?"

Rivers said Allen hasn't even run on the floor in the past several days and understands he may struggle with his rhythm early in the series.

"If he's ready to play, we're going to play him," Rivers said. "Whether he has rhythm or can make shots, the game will dictate that. Our guys will dictate that. But I'd like to see him on the floor because like I said, rhythm or no rhythm if I tell Ray to stand in the corner, someone's going to stand next to him and that creates spacing for us."

Pierce left Thursday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks with a sprained left big toe, but did return and scored 12 points in six minutes. He said he will have no restrictions.

"It's doing pretty good, just got stiff on me last night," Pierce said. "I was able to come back in. It feels pretty good right now. I don't see it as being a really big concern."

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

Here is the schedule for the Celtics-Hawks series beginning Sunday at 7 p.m. at Atlanta's Philips Arena:

Game 1 - Sun April 29 at ATL 7:00PM on TNT
Game 2 - Tue May 1 at ATL 7:30PM on NBA TV
Game 3 - Fri May 4 at BOS 7:30PM on ESPN2
Game 4 - Sun May 6 at BOS 7:00PM on TNT
Game 5 * Tue May 8 at ATL time and TV TBD (if necessary)
Game 6 * Thu May 10 at BOS time and TV TBD (if necessary)
Game 7 * Sat May 12 at ATL time at TV TBD (if necessary)

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

The Celtics received an unexpected guest for Thursday's season-finale against the Milwaukee Bucks as former forward Chris Wilcox watched the game from a baseline seat, his first Celtics game since undergoing surgery for an enlarged aorta on March 29.

Wilcox said he will be able to resume basketball activities in three months and will be available to play in the NBA next season.

"I'm feeling good man, I'm feeling a whole lot better," he said at halftime of the Celtics-Bucks game. "It's over with now. (The doctor) told me I got like a couple of more months to get back right and then a month to recover and I'm straight. I've been doing cardiac rehab, so I'm feeling a whole lot better now."

Wilcox told the Globe that a December pre-season physical detected a potential aortic issue and he was told to return for a further exam in three months. A March exam determined an enlarged aorta and season-ending surgery was required. Wilcox has yet to appear in the postseason in his nine-year career, and this year with the Celtics would have been the first. He averaged 5.4 points and 4.4 rebounds in 28 games for the season after signing a one-year contract in December.

"I'm definitely disappointed that I can't be out there," he said. "At the end of the day it saved my life so I can't even complain. I never knew what was going on, so I never got no checkups or nothing. I've been doing like everybody else, getting a physical at the beginning of the season every year."

Wilcox was the second Celtic player to miss time with an aortic-related surgery. Jeff Green missed the entire season after surgery to repair an aortic aneurysm.

"I talked to (Green) on the regular," Wilcox said. "I kept calling him like 'Yo what was going on when you were having your surgery.' I was kind of paranoid at first. But once I got in the hospital everything was straight. It's been smooth sailing since then. Everything is getting better."

Wilcox talked with his former teammates and said he was grateful to be back in Boston.

"It feels great," he said. "Like I said, I'll be home with my wife and she'll say 'you don't need to watch the game if you are going to get that excited.' So I have been following the guys."

Final:Celtics 87-74 The Celtics cruised after the first quarter as all 13 players got minutes. Rajon Rondo had 15 assists in 25 minutes while Avery Bradley lead the balanced scoring effort with 14 points. The Celtics are likely headed to Atlanta for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round on Sunday.

End of third quarter, Celtics 78-61: The benches have been cleared and the Celtics are cruising to a season-ending win. Avery Bradley has 14 points, Paul Pierce added 12 in just six minutes while Rajon Rondo has 15 assists to extend his streak of 10 or more to 24 games. Ryan Hollins has 9 points and five rebounds off the bench.

Halftime, Celtics 60-42: Paul Pierce returns and scored 7 more points after being called "doubtful" to return wotj a sprained left big toe. That's a good sign for the Celtics. Rajon Rondo extended his streak to 24 games with at least 10 assists with 12 in the first half. Brandon Jennings has 10 for Milwaukee.

Second quarter, 4:56, Celtics 45-33: The Celtics are beginning to pull away but the Hawks are beating the Mavericks soundly so it may not matter. Kevin Garnett is visibly rusty, having missed his first five shots, but he is using the game to get his rhythm back. Paul Pierce is out with a sprained left big toe.

Second quarter, 9:02, Celtics 34-20: The Celtics on a 13-2 run to begin the quarter as shots are beginning to fall and Doc Rivers has already used 11 players. Mickael Pietrus and Ryan Hollins each has 7 points while Avery Bradley has 6.

End of first quarter, Celtics 21-18: Celtics lost steam when Paul Pierce left with a sprained big toe as the Bucks scored the final 4 points of the quarter. Mickael Pietrus has 7 points while Rajon Rondo has six assists. Ekpe Udoh has 6 points for Milwaukee.

First quarter, 2:28, Celtics 21-16: Rajon Rondo already has six assists but the Celtics will have to go the rest of the game without Paul Pierce, who left with a sprained left big toe. It doesn't appear serious. He initially jammed the toe on April 14 against the New Jersey Nets.

First quarter, 9:00, Celtics 8-4: Paul Pierce already has 5 points in his matchup but just headed back to the locker room, followed by team doctor Brian McKeon. The injury didn't look serious, he walked back to the locker room on his own.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

Well it's the regular-season finale and the Celtics still have no idea if they open the playoffs Sunday at home against the Atlanta Hawks or at Philips Arena. If the Celtics win tonight and the Hawks lose to the Dallas Mavericks, it's TD Garden. Any other scenario means the series starts in Atlanta.

This will not be comparable to Tuesday when the Celtics ran out their rookies and secondary players for an ugly 78-66 win over the Miami Heat. The Celtics will go with their frontline players and Doc Rivers said before the game that they will get heavy minutes to return to rhythm.

Rajon Rondo and Mickael Pietrus will return to the lineup. Ray Allen and Greg Stiemsma will not. Rivers said Stiemsma is healthy but will get one more day of rest. Allen is questionable for Sunday's Game 1 but Rivers said he felt like Allen will play in the series.

"It's a concern, that's all I can tell you," Rivers said. "I think he's probable. In football terms isn't that a word they use when it's a chance more than 50 percent that they're gonna play? So let's use probable. He can get back. But it's the longer it may take him to play well. He's not played in a quite a while so to go from zero to 100 in the playoffs are very difficult.

"But when you put Ray on the floor, you still have to guard him. Guarding him on the floor gives us spacing."

STARTING LINEUPS

BOSTON CELTICS (38-27)

PG Rajon Rondo
SG Avery Bradley
SF Paul Pierce
PF Brandon Bass
C Kevin Garnett

INACTIVES: Ray Allen, Greg Stiemsma

MILWAUKEE BUCKS (31-34)

PG Brandon Jennings
SG Shaun Livingston
SF Tobias Harris
PF Jon Leuer
C Epke Udoh

INACTIVES: Kwame Brown, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute

OFFICIALS: Scott Foster, Matt Boland, James Williams

By Gary Dzen, Boston.com Staff

The Celtics and Hawks will start their first-round playoff series Sunday, the NBA has announced.

The Celtics are locked into the No. 4 seed and the Hawks are locked into the No. 5 seed, but home court will be decided by best record. The Hawks currently have a one-game lead on the Celtics. An Atlanta loss vs. Dallas and a Celtics win vs. Milwaukee would leave the teams with identical records. Since the Celtics hold the tiebreaker, they would get home court advantage. If Atlanta wins or if the Celtics lose, the Hawks get home court.

By Gary Dzen, Boston.com Staff

A couple of hours before Tuesday night's game with the Heat, there was an empty seat next to Celtics coach Doc Rivers as the team prepared to take their official photograph.

"Kevin, get over here," said Rivers, motioning to Kevin Garnett.

Minutes earlier, Garnett was still in the locker room while his teammates shuffled and waited. Rajon Rondo stood separate from the group, shooting jumpers. Ray Allen was engaged in what appeared to be deep conversation with Danny Ainge. Every player but Garnett eventually sat down, but the Celtics big man had to be prodded. When he finally did acquiesce to sitting, he sat on Rondo's leg, playfully telling him to move because he wanted his seat.

Rondo took the seat next to Rivers. The photograph went off without a hitch.

Maybe there are no perfect metaphors, but there also isn't an alternate version of these Celtics. As evidenced by the pregame scene, the players can be particular. They can be quirky. They can be difficult.

But on the court, the Celtics display none of the selfish qualities inherent in athletes who have been at the top of their fields for more than a decade. With a roster that was supposedly too old and depleted, the Celtics have done more with less. They've clinched the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference and are guaranteed to finish 10 games above .500 with unheralded players like Greg Stiemsma, Sasha Pavlovic, and Avery Bradley a major part of the rotation. They've absorbed injuries to key players across the roster and moved past near-tragic heart ailments that knocked both Jeff Green and Chris Wilcox out for the season. And they've done it all without whining to the media.

In other words, they're the anti-Red Sox.

"It’s funny how this team doesn’t let egos get in the way of playing solid basketball," Rivers said after a win over Orlando last week. "And that’s what makes them so unique."

At the center of it all is Rivers, who's figured out a way to make stubbornness a positive character trait. With Rivers at the helm, the Celtics have gone 22-10 after the All-Star break. They've done it with a rotation largely composed of eight players, and they've lured Kevin Garnett (16 points, 8.3 rebounds) from the brink of retirement into the all-NBA discussion. Rondo has all but wrapped up the league title for assists, while Pierce is averaging close to 20 points per game.

"No one in this locker room counted the Celtics out," said Miami forward Shane Battier. "They’re just too well coached and disciplined."

The Celtics have coached up two players of particular note. Bradley has seemingly come out of nowhere and is now entrenched in a starting role (Spurs coach Gregg Popovich calls Bradley "a pain in the ass" on defense). He's one reason the Celtics might have a better chance in the playoffs this season than last. Another reason is Stiemsma, who is averaging 1.5 blocks per game.

"I love him," said Rivers. "I just love that kid. He’s just a great spirit."

The basketball statheads will tell you that words like "spirit" and "discipline" don't count in the box score. But intangibles are a reason why the Celtics can't be counted out in the playoffs. The Heat don't want to play them. The Bulls would be hard-pressed to beat them without a healthy Derrick Rose. Neither team can say they have answers for Pierce, Garnett, Rondo, and Allen, now that the Celtics have shown they've also got young players who can make a difference. Boston's lack of depth makes them a flawed team, but so is every other team in the conference.

Rivers has made it all happen behind the scenes, deflecting away potential problems. It's assumed that Allen is unhappy with going to the bench, though you don't hear about it (are you listening, Daniel Bard?) Rondo, Garnett, and Pierce all have unique needs, but they all want to win. Brandon Bass has been a revelation in place of Glen Davis. It's clear from watching the team that for 48 minutes per night, they put aside their egos and play for each other. That spirit was evident in a surprising win over Miami on April 1. It was evident in a four-game winning streak over Indiana, Philadelphia, Miami, and Atlanta. And it was even evident in last night's win over the Heat, a game which Pavlovic took over and the Celtics bench willed themselves to victory despite having little to play for.

“It’s a neat group," Rivers said. "I’ve talked about it all year. They just kind of figure it out."

The Celtics have done more with less than any Boston team in recent memory. They've got a Very Long Way to go on this, but if they win a title, they'll have overachieved more than any New England team since the 2001 Patriots. For a town struggling to watch another overpaid, underachieving team, it's nice to root for an underdog.

LeBron James (left) sits on the bench with Chris Bosh during the first half.

By Gary Dzen, Globe Staff

Final: Celtics 78, Heat 66: The Celtics defeated the Miami Heat, 78-66, tonight at TD Garden, winning a game in which both sides chose to rest key players.

In the absence of starters Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo, Sasha Pavlovic scored 16 points for the Celtics. Boston can still clinch homecourt advantage in the playoffs with a win Thursday and a Hawks loss vs. Dallas.

Miami rested LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh in the loss.

4:44 4th quarter, Celtics 65-56 Sasha Pavlovic with a big 3-pointer from the corner to give the Celtics a little breathing room. Pavlovic has 11 points on 5 of 8 shooting.

8:29 4th quarter, Celtics 56-52 Sean Williams with the rebound and the putback. On the other end, Williams swats a Juwan Howard offering into the stands.

END 3d quarter, Tied at 50 A basketball game is breaking out.

1:35 3d quarter, Tied at 46 First tie of the game for the Celtics. We may see overtime. Will we see either team top 75 points?

3:54 3d quarter, Heat 46-42 An 8-2 run by the Celtics has them in this game. Will the Celtics top their season-low of 71 points?

7:59 3d quarter, Heat 44-34 Paul Pierce starts the second half. Keyon Dooling has also returned.

Halftime, Heat 34-28: Not much to redeem this first half. Paul Pierce could be done for the night after scoring four points in 11 minutes. His effort will not earn him the NBA scoring title.

4:22 2d quarter, Heat 26-23: Keyon Dooling leaves the game holding a towel to his face. Dooling screams a few curse words after he walks into the tunnel and toward the locker room.

6:38 2d quarter, Heat 23-18: James Jones killed the Celtics with 3-point shooting in Game 1 of the teams' playoff series last year. He just made a three here. Not quite as big of a deal.

11:11 2d quarter, Heat 17-13: Former BC center Sean Williams checks in and gets to the line. Wiliams is built like an NBA big man. Who knows, maybe he can give the Celtics some frontcourt depth.

END 1st quarter, Heat 17-10: You knew it wouldn't be pretty, but this is dismal. If it makes you feel any better, Josh Beckett started pitching to Justin Morneau with about four minutes to go in the first quarter of this game and just now put him on base with a walk.

So I guess this is less worse?

3:02 1st quarter, Heat 13-6: Paul Pierce has five turnovers already. The Celtics' season-low for points in a quarter is 12. Doubtful they make it.

5:48 1st quarter, Heat 11-2: Paul Pierce with the spin-o-rama jumper for two points. The drought is over.

6:41 1st quarter, Heat 9-0: This is what happens when Rajon Rondo doesn't play. Avery Bradley isn't exactly showing he can be a point guard at the moment. Celtics are 0-for-7 with four turnovers.

8:17 1st quarter, Miami 5-0: Not sure how the Celtics are going to score with this unit if Paul Pierce is off on his jumpers. How's it going to happen?

Pregame: This one isn't likely to be replayed on Hardwood Classics anytime soon. Most of the stars are out for both teams, though Paul Pierce is playing. No one let any Heat players go near Brandon Bass. Wondering if we'll see some flashes from JaJuan Johnson ...

By Gary Dzen, Globe Staff

Paul Pierce, Avery Bradley, Sasha Pavlovic, Brandon Bass, and Ryan Hollins will start for the Celtics tonight against Miami. That means that Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Greg Stiemsma are sitting.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers said Allen and Rondo would have been out tonight regardless of the team resting players. Rondo warmed up before the game with an ice pack on his lower back, while Allen is still nursing an ankle injury. Rivers also said that Garnett came to him and told him he wouldn't mind sitting because of a hip flexor injury.

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and Ronny Turiaf are all out for the Heat.

By Gary Dzen, Globe Staff

The official team photograph for your 2011-2012 Boston Celtics is above. Note that Jermaine O'Neal, Jeff Green, Chris Wilcox, and Sean Williams are not in it. Ryan Hollins is. The Big Four are seated in the front row along with Doc Rivers and team executives. Avery Bradley is in the second row.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

The Miami Heat held a practice-like shootaround this morning at TD Garden and none of their Big Three committed to playing tonight against the Celtics.

Chris Bosh told reporters he has a strained hamstring but will be ready for the playoffs. Neither Dwyane Wade nor LeBron James would commit to being in the lineup, saying it was the decision of coach Erik Spoelstra. Both are dealing with nagging injuries and worked on sprinting and shooting after the shootaround, a sign they probably will not play tonight.

"I'll do what coach wants me to do," said Wade, who has been nursing a dislocated left index finger.

Meanwhile, Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Greg Stiemsma and Mickael Pietrus did not participate in the Celtics' shootaround. Rondo and Stiemsma is listed as a game-time decision. Allen won't play and Pietrus said he won't play but will be back Thursday against Milwaukee.

By Gary Dzen, Boston.com Staff

Basketball games during the last week of the NBA season aren't rational. They don't follow the form of the games we've come to expect throughout the year. We may see LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Ray Allen, and Rajon Rondo tonight. We may not. Regardless, the Celtics already proved they could play with the Heat with two wins over Miami last month. Tonight is not the night to make statements. It's a night to avoid injuries and get some run for players who might not normally crack the rotation.

Here are the details for tonight's game:

Tip-off: 8 p.m.
Records: Celtics (37-27), Heat (46-18)
Broadcast info: TNT, WRKO/680 AM (Sean Grande and Cedric Maxwell)

Probable starters:

Celtics:
PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Avery Bradley
SF: Paul Pierce
PF: Brandon Bass
C: Kevin Garnett

Heat:
PG: Mario Chalmers
SG: Norris Cole
SF: LeBron James
PF: Udonis Haslem
C: Dexter Pittman

Story lines:

Allen's ankle: We're not likely to see Ray Allen tonight or Thursday, and while that might not be an issue normally, it could effect the Celtics going into the playoffs. Avery Bradley seems entrenched in the starting rotation, and Allen's role off the bench could use some final tweaking. It'll be interesting to see what the Celtics do with the shooting guard rotation in the playoffs, particularly against the Hawks' Joe Johnson.

Homecourt advantage: Speaking of the playoffs, the Celtics will be the East's fourth seed, but they're still battling Atlanta for home court advantage. The team that finishes with the better record will earn home court. The Hawks are one game up on the Celtics at 38-26.

Matchup unlikely: It looked for a while that the Celtics and Heat were on track to meet in the second round of the playoffs. But the Pacers secured the No. 3 seed in the conference, and the Celtics and Heat are now unlikely to meet until the conference finals, if both teams get that far. Miami can still claim the No. 1 seed if they win their final two games and the Bulls lose their last two, but that seems unlikely.

By Frank Dell'Apa, Globe Staff

Guard Ray Allen (ankle) will miss the game against Miami, but could return for the Celtics' regular-season finale against Milwaukee Thursday.

Final: Hawks 97-92: Too much Joe Johnson and Josh Smith down the stretch but Atlanta coach Larry Drew was forced to reinsert the duo after the Celtics cut the lead to 4 in the final five minutes. Avery Bradley finished with a career-high 28 points.

Fourth quarter, 32.3, Hawks 94-88: It looks like the Hawks are going to hold on as Josh Smith tipped in his own miss following the Celtics missing two shots that could have cut the margin to 2. Joe Johnson has 30 points for Atlanta and Josh Smith with 19.

Fourth quarter, 2:07, Hawks 87-86: It's become exciting here at Philips Arena as the Celtics keep cutting the deficit to a point only to allow a big Atlanta bucket. Marquis Daniels has a season-high 12 points.

Fourth quarter, 5:44, Hawks 82-78: The Celtics have had numerous chances to go ahead and they just missed three shots on the previous possession only to watch Willie Green respond with a 3-pointer for a 4-point lead. The Celtics are playing harder and actually better than the Hawks, which have iced Joe Johnson and Josh Smith for the night apparently.

Fourth quarter, 8:27, Hawks 77-76: The Celtics are fighting and were a Marquis Daniels' 3-pointer from taking the lead but it rimmed out. Avery Bradley has a career-high 28 points while Keyon Dooling has 13. Those are the lone Celtics in double figures. Joe Johnson has 25 for Atlanta.

End of third quarter, Hawks 74-71: Celtics go on a 10-0 run near the end of the quarter to get within 1 point and now we have a real game entering the fourth quarter. It's the Avery Bradley show as he has scored a career-high 28 points on 12-for-20 shooting while eight other Celtics have scored, including rookie E'Twaun Moore with a key 3-pointer near the end of the quarter.

Third quarter, 2:41, Hawks 72-63: Avery Bradley has a career-high 26 points as he is carrying the Celtics in the third quarter. Keyon Dooling still has 10 points while Marquis Daniels has 7. Joe Johnson has 25 points while Josh Smith has 15. The Celtics are getting out-rebounded 31-18.

Third quarter, 8:34, Hawks 62-54: The Celtics sliced the deficit to 4 with the first 5 points of the half but Doc Rivers angrily called a timeout after two consecutive Atlanta baskets. Avery Bradley has 22 for the Celtics while Joe Johnson has 25 for Atlanta.

Halftime, Hawks 58-49: It's been a run-n-gun game so far, with neither team interested in playing defense. The difference is the Hawks are playing with an all-star in Joe Johnson, who leads all scorers with 23 points on 9-for-12 shooting and five assists. Josh Smith has 10 for Atlanta. Avery Bradley has 17 points on 8-for-13 shooting, 6 points short of tying his career high. Keyon Dooling has been solid with 10 points in a starting role.

Second quarter, 3:03, Hawks 52-42: The Celtics are hanging in there but they still can't stop the Hawks, who are shooting 66.7 percent and Joe Johnson already has 19 points. The Celtics are just trying to stay close and perhaps make a second-half run. Avery Bradley has 15 points.

Second quarter, 8:15, Hawks 38-31: If anything the Celtics are being competitive and beginning to play defense. They can't stop the Hawks big men but they are making a solid effort to stop the Hawks outside shooters. Avery Bradley has 12 points for Boston.

End of first quarter, Hawks 34-27: Defense is optional in this rag-tag game but the Celtics are hanging in thanks to 12 first-quarter points from Avery bradley and 59.1 percent shooting. The Hawks look as disheveled defensively as the Celtics but they are playing their regulars. Joe Johnson has 12 points and Josh Smith has 8.

First quarter, 1:38, Hawks 32-23: The Celtics aren't playing any defense and the Hawks have converted 13 of their first 19 shots and Jason Collins has 7 points. Joe Johnson leads Atlanta with 12 as the Hawks are just fastbreaking and getting easy layups. Avery Bradley has 10 for the Celtics and Keyon Dooling has 5.

First quarter, 7:22, Hawks 16-7: Celtics are playing against the Atlanta first team and they are looking ragged, allowing the Hawks to run off the last 6 points. Keyon Dooling has a 3-pointer in his starting role at shooting guard. Josh Smith has 6 points and Joe Johnson 5.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

ATLANTA -- Well to no one's surprise Doc Rivers dropped his "probably" and turned it into a "certain" as Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett are out tonight to get rest. He said neither argued his decision and both are on the trip and participated in shootaround. With Saturday and Sunday off, the Celtics are going to be a fresh team going into the final week of the regular season. Sean Williams (pictured right) is expected to make his Celtics debut.

As for the Hawks, Zaza Pachulia, who has a sprained left foot, will miss the game and he has historically given the Celtics major problems with his offensive rebounding. Jason Collins will start in his place. The Hawks are one-half game ahead of the Celtics for home-court advantage but finish with the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks, all at home. That's a difficult slate.

STARTING LINEUPS

BOSTON CELTICS (37-26)

PG Avery Bradley
SG Keyon Dooling
SF Sasha Pavlovic
PF Brandon Bass
C Greg Stiemsma

INACTIVES: Ray Allen, Mickael Pietrus

ATLANTA HAWKS (37-25)

PG Jeff Teague
SG Kirk Hinrich
SF Joe Johhnson
PF Josh Smith
C Jason Collins

INACTIVES: Al Horford, Zaza Pachulia

OFFICIALS: Ken Mauer, David Jones, Eli Roe

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

ATLANTA -- If there was any question whether Celtics coach Doc Rivers prioritized rest or home-court advantage, he answered it this morning. Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett "probably" will not play tonight against the Atlanta Hawks in an important game that could determine whether the Celtics begin the playoffs on the road.

Both players were at the team's shootaround at Georgia Tech University, but neither will play. Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen and Mickael Pietrus are back in Boston, meaning the starting lineup tonight is likely Avery Bradley, Keyon Dooling, Sasha Pavlovic, Brandon Bass and Greg Stiemsma.

Rivers said Rondo is progressing after landing on his tailbone pursuing a rebound in Tuesday's loss to the Knicks. He did not offer updates on Allen (right ankle) or Pietrus (right knee). He said the Celtics will take Saturday and Sunday off and return to practice Monday.

Also, Sean Williams attended the shootaround and will wear No. 56 for the Celtics. He has had well-chronicled problems since joining the NBA and played in the NBADL and in three countries, but Rivers said he appeared to have changed.

"He's done well, it looks like he's matured a little bit," Rivers said. "We'll find that out. But as a player he can block shots, he can rebound, he can run the floor. We're going to give him an honest look. To pick a time this year to come, he couldn't have picked a better time. We'll throw him in, if not he'll be in practice."

Williams, a former BC player, was grateful.

"Thankful to be here with these guys," he said. "An opportunity to come out here and work hard and work towards getting a championship."

The Celtics agreed to terms with former Boston College big man Sean Williams, a team source said. He is expected to be in uniform for Friday’s game against the Hawks.

Williams, 25, has bounced around the NBA and international leagues since being a first-round pick of the New Jersey Nets in 2007. He was waived by the Dallas Mavericks March 23. The 6-foot-10-inch center has also played in the NBADL, Israel, China, and Puerto Rico.

Williams has had disciplinary issues since being dismissed from BC, including a 2009 arrest at a Denver mall while with the Nets. The Celtics did considerable background work and believe Williams will be a positive presence in the locker room.

His release from Dallas was because of discipline issues. To make room, the Celtics will waive Jermaine O’Neal, who is out for the season after left wrist surgery.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

ATLANTA -- The Celtics traveled to Atlanta this afternoon without three key players -- Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen and Mickael Pietrus -- as they will face the Atlanta Hawks in a game that could determine whether the Celtics open the playoffs at home or on the road.

The Hawks are one-half game ahead of the Celtics, who have three games left. The Hawks have four games left. The Orlando Magic are one-half game behind the Celtics, so Boston's playoff opponent could come down to the final game of the regular season.

Final: Celtics 102-98: Paul Pierce is the hero here, hitting two free throws with 2.9 seconds left to ice the game and at least a tie for the Atlantic Division title. Pierce finished with 29 points and 14 assists and has scored 72 points in the past two games.

Fourth quarter, 7.6, Celtics 100-96: After a Glen Davis steal and dunk, Paul Pierce counters with a jumper.

Fourth quarter, 46.6, Celtics 98-94: Kevin Garnett hits one of two free throws to extend the lead to 6 but J.J. Redick hits a slicing layup to make it 98-94. After a Garnett miss, Redick then loses the ball in the key and Garnett gobbles it up and calls a timeout. Celtics ball.

Fourth quarter, 1:41, Celtics 97-92: After the Magic cut the lead to 93-92 on two Ryan Anderson free throws, the Celtics respond with a Paul Pierce jumper and then a putback of a Pierce airball by Brandon Bass, who has 21 points against his former team. Pierce has 25 points, 14 assists, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals. Glen Davis has 25 for the Magic.

Fourth quarter, 3:03, Celtics 92-90: The Celtics have just 1 point in the past 4:14 and the Magic have been slowly chipping away at the lead. A Jameer Nelson streaking layup has made this interesting.

Fourth quarter, 5:25, Celtics 91-84: Orlando is not going away easily. Former Celtic Von Wafer has scored 4 points of a 6-0 run and the Celtics need a couple of more baskets. It is been a solid performance but the Celtics have been sloppy with the ball at times.

Fourth quarter, 7:05, Celtics 91-78: E'Twaun Moore has just drained a 3-pointer after Keyon Dooling canned a 3-ball and the Celtics' bench is beginning to produce in what could be an important game. Avery Bradley and Paul Pierce each have 22 points. Greg Stiemsma has four blocked shots.

End of third quarter, Celtics 79-70: A 10-0 run in the past 2:30 has given the Celtics some cushion in what has been a solid offensive night without Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, and Mickael Pietrus. Paul Pierce has a career-best 14 assists in addition to 22 points while Avery Bradley also has 22. Glen Davis has 20 in 23 minutes for Orlando.

Third quarter, 2:46, Magic 70-69: Orlando is killing the Celtics on the offensive boards, the Magic have 12 offensive rebounds, including five from Ryan Anderson, who has scored two putbacks in the past three minutes.

Third quarter, 7:37, Celtics 64-59: The Celtics are off to a solid start in the third quarter and Paul Pierce is one assist short of tying his career high of 13. He also has 15 points while Avery Bradley has 20 on 9-for-11 shooting. Glen Davis may not score 50 but he has made his point with 20 points on 10-for-13 shooting.

Halftime, Celtics 55-51: Celtics led by as many as 11 but Jameer Nelson got hot and hit three 3-pointers during a second-quarter run. Paul Pierce is playing the role of distributor with 11 assists, two short of his career high. Avery Bradley leads the Celtics with 17 points. Glen Davis has 16 for Orlando.

Second quarter, 5:05, Celtics 41-33: The Celtics are making due with a makeshift lineup and Marquis Daniels has 4 points off the bench. But the starters have been the big contributors so far. Avery Bradley has 11 points and Kevin Garnett 10. Glen Davis leads all scorers with 14 points.

Second quarter, 9:28, Celtics 37-26: There are some interesting lineups on the floor for both teams and Marquis Daniels just followed his miss for his first hoop of the game. Defense is optional tonight as both teams are shooting over 50 percent.

End of first quarter, Celtics 33-22: Celtics end the quarter on a 5-0 run and shot a stunning 74 percent (14 for 19) in the quarter with Avery Bradley leading the way with 11 points and Paul Pierce adding 7 points and eight assists. Glen Davis has 10 for for Orlando.

First quarter, 2:49, Celtics 23-20: Glen Davis is trying to make his desire to score 50 points true as he has 10 already and appears to be determined to make his point. Avery Bradley has 8 points for the Celtics, who are shooting 71 percent. Jameer Nelson and J.J. Redick each have three assists.

First quarter, 5:52, Celtics 17-12: Glen Davis scored Orlando's first 6 points and he is definitely on a mission to prove the Celtics made a mistake by trading him. Paul Pierce has 7 for the Celtics, a night after tallying 43 at New York. Avery Bradley has 6 for the Celtics and has played strong defense against Jameer Nelson.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

The Celtics will be hard-pressed to pull out this one Wednesday night without three rotation players. Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, and Mickael Pietrus are all out tonight as coach Doc Rivers prepares his team for the postseason. Rondo has a sore back, Allen has a sore right ankle, and Pietrus and sore right knee.

As for the Magic, they are missing Dwight Howard (herniated disc in his lower back) and Hedo Turkoglu (facial fracture), so it will be an interesting game with some lesser-known players. Glen Davis makes his second return to TD Garden since being traded to the Magic in December.

STARTING LINEUPS

BOSTON CELTICS (36-26)

PG Avery Bradley
SG Sasha Pavlovic
SF Paul Pierce
PF Brandon Bass
C Kevin Garnett

INACTIVES: Mickael Pietrus, Jermaine O'Neal

ORLANDO MAGIC (36-25)

PG Jameer Nelson
SG Jason Richardson
SF Ryan Anderson
PF Glen Davis
C Daniel Orton

INACTIVES: Dwight Howard, Hedo Turkoglu

OFFICIALS: James Capers, Josh Tiven, Derrick Collins

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

Doc Rivers obviously is choosing health over playoff seeding and he decided tonight to hold out Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, and Mickael Pietrus against the Orlando Magic. Avery Bradley and Sasha Pavlovic will be the starting backcourt.

Rondo has a bruised tailbone suffered during a hard fall lunging for a rebound Tuesday night against the New York Knicks. He experienced back spasms today and Rivers decided to hold him out. Allen is still slowed by that troublesome right ankle that is not improving, according to Rivers.

"None at all really," Rivers said when asked if Allen made progress. "That's becoming obviously troublesome for us. Maybe by the Miami game we can get him back. There is just concern that the ankle is not responding and we need him."

The coach said neither are likely to play Friday against the Atlanta Hawks, another game that could determine playoff position.

Pietrus's right knee swelled up after three games in three nights and Rivers said he just needs a break. He also missed Tuesday's game against the Knicks.

By Gary Dzen, Globe Staff

Things have been going well for the Celtics lately, Tuesday night aside, but a new report reveals just how close the current team was to being broken up.

League sources told Yahoo! Sports columnist Adrian Wojnarowski that the Celtics had separate deals to trade Ray Allen and Paul Pierce fall apart just before the trade deadline March 15.

According to the report, the Celtics were ready to send Allen to Memphis for guard O.J. Mayo and a draft pick. How close was the deal to happening? The sources tell Wojnarowski that the Celtics actually called Allen and told him he'd been traded. The deal eventually fell through.

The other trade the Celtics had working was a deal to send Paul Pierce to the New Jersey Nets for power forward Mehmet Okur's expiring contract and a lottery pick, according to the report. That deal would have given the Celtics two things: a top pick in a draft many feel is loaded, and relief from the next two years on Pierce's contract. It also would have made them substantially worse in the short term, and would have signaled that the team had given up on this season.

The Celtics have gone 21-9 since the All-Star break and are close to clinching the Atlantic Division title. They'll most likely be the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference in this year's playoffs.

What do you think? Do you wish the Celtics could have pulled the trigger? Are you happier with the team as constituted? Leave a comment.

Final: Knicks 118-110: When Steve Novak and J.R. Smith combine for 50 points and 15 3-pointers, you know it's going to be a long night. And the Celtics paid for their porous defensive first half despite Paul Pierce's 43 points.

Fourth quarter, 3:00, Knicks 112-106: The Knicks are trying to hang but Paul Pierce has been magnificent with 43 points, including 31 in the second half.

Fourth quarter, 8:31, Knicks 103-92: Paul Pierce has the last 8 Celtics points and 37 for the game. He needs a couple of more baskets to make this interesting. The Knicks are shooting 61 percent but have just two 3-pointers in the second half after 14 in the first. Carmelo Anthony is two assists away from a triple double.

End of third quarter, Knicks 96-84: Paul Pierce scored 17 points in the quarter but he needs help if the Celtics are going to rally. The Knicks hit 14 3-pointers in the first half and one in the third quarter. But the Celtics can't stop the pick-and-roll as Tyson Chandler has 18 points on 8-for-9 shooting.

Third quarter, 2:02, Knicks 90-77: The Celtics are slowly climbing back but they need to be near perfect to make a dramatic rally in this one. After 14 3-pointers in the first half, the Knicks have just one in the quarter while Paul Pierce has 14 points in the quarter and is trying to make the comeback himself. Rajon Rondo took a hard fall on his tailbone but was able to return.

Third quarter, 7:49, Knicks 81-64: The Celtics are trying to hang in there and the Knicks have only hit one 3-pointer so far and now have 15 for the game. Rajon Rondo just took a hard spill on his tailbone going for a rebound but was able to get up and walk to the bench on his own. Unsure if he will return.

Halftime, Knicks 72-53: The Knicks put on some kind of shooting display, draining 11 3-pointers in the second quarter to the amazement of the fans at MSG that went crazy after every shot. J.R. Smith and Steve Novak combined for 34 points on 11-for-15 3-point shooting as the Knicks are shooting 63.4 percent. The Celtics shot 54.5 percent but somehow that means little at this point.

Second quarter, 4:30, Knicks 54-37: The Knicks are shooting nearly 65 percent and have already hit nine 3-pointers as they try to bury the Celtics in the first half. J.R. Smith has 15 points off the bench while Carmelo Anthony has 17. Rajon Rondo has 10 points and six assists for the Celtics.

Second quarter, 9:07, Knicks 40-26: New York is on an 18-0 run as the Celtics can't seem to get a good shot and J.R. Smith is busy draining 3-pointers. He has four during this run as the Knicks are shooting 62.5 percent. The Celtics are just trying to avoid being buried but they haven't scored since the 2:24 mark of the first quarter.

First quarter, 1:51, Celtics 26-24: The Celtics are shooting 63 percent but they can't stop Carmelo Anthony or Tyson Chandler and that's bad news. The two have combined for 16 points on 7-for-9 shooting. Avery Bradley has 8 points for the Celtics while Rajon Rondo has 5 points and five assists.

First quarter, 5:14, Celtics 17-13: Carmelo Anthony already has 8 points as the Knicks are killing the Celtics on the pick-and-roll and Anthony is drawing fouls. Not a good sign for the Celtics. All five Celtics have scored.

First quarter, 9:00, Celtics 9-4: Rajon Rondo and Avery Bradley have canned 3-pointers and the Celtics are off to a strong start without Ray Allen and Mickael Pietrus. Rondo already has two assists.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

NEW YORK -- Well, the Celtics were dealt two late blows before this showdown as Ray Allen (right ankle) and Mickael Pietrus (right knee) will not play tonight. Allen's ankle began causing him discomfort this afternoon after he said he would play this morning.

Pietrus surgically repaired right knee swelled up after playing three games in three nights and he was sent back to Boston for further examination. Both are uncertain to play Wednesday against Orlando.

As for the Knicks, Amar'e is expected to return Friday but the Knicks are still a dangerous team and trying to claim the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference and a first-round matchup with the Miami Heat. Jeremy Lin remains out with a torn meniscus in his left knee and is likely out until the second round of the playoffs.

STARTING LINEUP

BOSTON CELTICS (36-25)

PG Rajon Rondo
SG Avery Bradley
SF Paul Pierce
PF Brandon Bass
C Kevin Garnett

INACTIVES: Jermaine O'Neal, Ray Allen

NEW YORK KNICKS (31-29)

PG Baron Davis
SG Iman Shumpert
SF Landry Fields
PF Carmelo Anthony
C Tyson Chandler

INACTIVES: Jeremy Lin, Amar'e Stoudemire

OFFICIALS: Dan Crawford, Tony Brown, Pat Fraher

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

NEW YORK -- A few hours after telling reporters he was ready to return tonight against the New York Knicks, Ray Allen was a late scratch because his right ankle began causing discomfort during the afternoon. Tonight will be the fifth game Allen has missed with the sore ankle.

“It didn’t flare up, as far as the movement and mobility from this morning, it wasn’t to my liking,” Allen said. “I couldn’t get the pushing off that I wanted so I got to let it kind of relax a little bit more before I get back out there.”

Mickael Pietrus (right knee) was also out and sent back to Boston for further examination. Celtics coach Doc Rivers said playing Pietrus in three games in three nights likely led to his knee discomfort.

Both Allen and Pietrus are uncertain for Wednesday's home game against the Orlando Magic.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

NEW YORK -- Ray Allen will return to the court tonight against the New York Knicks after missing the past four games with a sore right ankle. Allen said before the team's shootaround at Madison Square Garden this morning that he will have to carefully monitor the progress of his surgically repaired ankle.

Allen will come off the bench as he had before the injury, and his return gives Celtics coach Doc Rivers more options with a healthy Mickael Pietrus back and Avery Bradley as the starting shooting guard.

Ankle problems have caused Allen to miss 15 games this season, but Allen said an MRI showed no structural damage, only swelling.

"It just swelled on me after the Miami game, and that next day it just blew up; ain't no rhyme or reason," Allen said. "I have to pay more attention to it. I can't go off into the world thinking everything is hunky dory. I have to stay on top of it. With the schedule, I have to attack it with more vengeance and not just let it go. Now it's just making sure I take every precaution moving forward."

By Gary Dzen, Globe Staff

The Celtics can clinch the Atlantic Division title with a win tonight over the Knicks and with a Sixers loss at home to Indiana. A win guarantees the Celtics a top-four seed in the playoffs. With a 4-5-game lead on both the Sixers and Knicks with five games to play, clinching the division appears to be a formality. It also appears to be a formality that with a three-game lead, Indiana will beat out the Celtics for the No. 3 seed. It's always fun to beat the Knicks, though.

Here are the details for tonight's game:

Tip-off: 8 p.m.
Records: Celtics (36-25), Knicks (31-29)
Broadcast info: TNT, WEEI 93.7 FM/850 AM (Sean Grande and Cedric Maxwell)

Probable starters:

Celtics:
PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Avery Bradley
SF: Paul Pierce
PF: Brandon Bass
C: Kevin Garnett

Knicks:
PG: Baron Davis
SG: Iman Shumpert
SF: Landry Fields
PF: Carmelo Anthony
C: Tyson Chandler

Storylines:

Allen's back: Ray Allen says he'll play tonight, and Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett are likely to play after taking Sunday night off vs. Charlotte. Allen's the one we'll be watching. Will he move effectively? Will his jumper be true? It'll be interesting to see how the Celtics hone the rotation between Allen and Avery Bradley as we approach the playoffs.

Big man rotation: It's amazing what the Celtics have done with essentially three big men. Garnett, Bass, and Greg Stiemsma have played great as the Celtics have gone 13-4 in the last month. Will that depth eventually catch up to them?

Rondo's streak: Rajon Rondo has recorded double-digit assists in 22 consecutive games. Remarkable.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

NEW YORK -- Ray Allen is with the Celtics in New York and will play tonight vs. the Knicks. Celtics coach Doc Rivers said Allen will have no limitations, and that the swelling is gone in his right ankle.

By Gary Dzen, Globe Staff

Celtics center (yes, center) Kevin Garnett was named the NBA's Eastern Conference player of the week for his impressive performance in four games that helped the Celtics gain playoff positioning.

The Celtics went 4-1 this week, 3-1 in games in which Garnett played. Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce all sat out last night's win over the Bobcats, the Celtics' third game in three nights. Garnett averaged 20 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks in the four games he played. He's been downright resurgent since switching to the center position during the second half of the season.

Lakers center Andrew Bynum was named the player of the week for the Western Conference.

Final: Celtics 94-82: The Celtics win ugly, pulling away with a 16-8 run to end the game after Charlotte sliced the lead to 8 with 6:55 left. Rajon Rondo played 43 minutes and collected 20 points and 16 assists while Brandon Bass and Avery Bradley each tallied 22 points. Gerald Henderson led the Bobcats with 22 points while Derrick Brown added 15.

Fourth quarter, 2:30, Celtics 88-76: A 10-2 run has essentially sealed this game and all the Celtics need to do now is stay healthy and get out of Charlotte. Brandon Bass and Avery Bradley each have 22 points while Rajon Rondo has 20 points and 15 assists in 41 minutes. Sasha Pavlovic has seven rebounds in 16 minutes as the Celtics are winning the rebounding battle.

Fourth quarter, 5:29, Celtics 81-74: Avery Bradley has 22 points and just canned a big 3-pointer to extend the lead back to 7. Rajon Rondo needs four rebounds for a triple double. Brandon Bass has 20 points on 8-for-18 shooting and seven rebounds. Gerald Henderson has 16 points for Charlotte.

End of third quarter, Celtics 73-67: The Bobcats remain within striking distance because the Celtics are missing shots and making silly defensive mistakes. But Brandon Bass has been sparkling with 20 points and six rebounds while Rajon Rondo has played 32 minutes already and has 16 points and 13 assists.

Third quarter, 2:38, Celtics 69-63: The Celtics are playing decently without the Big Three but they keep fouling and sending the Bobcats to the free throw line.

Third quarter, 5:51, Celtics 64-57: The Celtics are a strong run from putting this one on ice but they can't seem to put together consistent offensive possessions. Greg Stiemsma had no fouls in the first half and four in the first 6:09 of the third quarter.

Halftime, Celtics 52-49: The Bobcats score the last 6 points of the half and are making it interesting after the Celtics led by as many as 12. Rajon Rondo played all 24 minutes of the first half and collected 16 points with 11 assists, his 21st consecutive game with at least 10 assists. Brandon Bass has 11 points and Avery Bradley has 9. Gerald Henderson has 12 for Charlotte and DJ White has 10.

Second quarter, 2:45, Celtics 48-41: The Celtics are keeping the Bobcats close with their mistakes and missed shots but they have played well overall without the Big Three. Rajon Rondo is one assist from a double-double with 16 points and nine assists while Brandon Bass has 11 points and five rebounds.

Second quarter, 7:17, Celtics 42-32: The Celtics aren't exactly playing great ball, but they don't need to against the Bobcats. The reserves are faring well but Rajon Rondo and Brandon Bass have combined for 24 points as the Celtics are shooting 58.6 percent. Gerald Henderson and DJ White each have 8 for Charlotte.

End of first quarter, Celtics 34-23: Celtics end the quarter on a 24-8 run as Rajon Rondo is on triple-double watch with 12 points, 7 assists and 2 rebounds. Brandon Bass has 10 points as the Celtics shot 61.9 percent. Greg Stiemsma has three blocked shots in nine minutes.

First quarter, 5:08, Tied at 15: As expected, this game is ragged from the start with both teams just running the ball up the court and taking the first shot available. Greg Stiemsma already has three blocked shots, two on the same possession. DJ White has 6 points for Charlotte.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

CHARLOTTE -- The Celtics will be playing without Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett tonight as they attempt to give their veterans rest for the playoffs that begin in two weeks. Allen is out with that sore right ankle and is "50-50" to play Tuesday against the New York Knicks, according to coach Doc Rivers.

Pierce is resting his jammed left big toe sustained in Saturday's 94-82 win over the New Jersey Nets while Garnett is just getting a break.

So the Celtics will be challenged tonight by a Charlotte team that promises to run at every opportunity with its opponent playing a third game in three nights. It could be a ragged contest tonight.

STARTING LINEUPS

BOSTON CELTICS (35-25)

PG Rajon Rondo
SG Avery Bradley
SF Mickael Pietrus
PF Brandon Bass
C Greg Stiemsma

INACTIVES: Ray Allen, Jermaine O'Neal

CHARLOTTE BOBCATS (7-51)

PG D.J. Augustin
SG Gerald Henderson
SF Derrick Brown
PF DJ White
C Bismack Biyombo

INACTIVES: Corey Maggette, Eduardo Najera

OFFICIALS: Greg Willard, Brent Barnaky, David Guthrie

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

CHARLOTTE -- The Celtics will have an extremely short bench tonight as Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett remained in New York to join Ray Allen on the unavailable list for the 6 p.m. game against the Charlotte Bobcats.

Pierce jammed his left big toe in Saturday's win over the New Jersey Nets and said he would discuss rest with coach Doc Rivers. Garnett has been grinding since the All-Star Break and Rivers wanted to give his center a break before Tuesday's game with the New York Knicks.

So the starting five will be Rajon Rondo, Avery Bradley, Mickael Pietrus, Brandon Bass, and Greg Stiemsma against the 7-51 Bobcats.

Final: Celtics 94-82: A solid response after Friday's debacle in Toronto, the Celtics get a tough win by allowing just 34 points in the second half. Kevin Garnett finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds and Avery Bradley collected his first multiple 3-pointer game of the season.

Fourth quarter, 4:32, Celtics 84-67: The question now is when does coach Doc Rivers pull his starters in preparation for Sunday's game at Charlotte. Kevin Garnett, after a 21-point, 12-rebound performance is already on the bench. Paul Pierce has 17 for Boston while Rajon Rondo has 14 assists and no turnovers since the first quarter.

End of third quarter, Celtics 74-61: A 9-0 run to begin the quarter and three consecutive Avery Bradley 3-pointers has created some distance but the Celtics can't relax now. They have been grinding all night offensively but the defense has been stellar. The Nets are 15-for-46 shooting since the first quarter.

Third quarter, 2:57, Celtics 69-57: The Celtics are beginning to consistently knock down shots and Avery Bradley just drained two 3-pointers from the same spot to extend the lead. The Celtics are 9-for-19 shooting in the period, the Nets are 4 of 18.

Third quarter, 8:17, Celtics 55-48: The Celtics are working overtime to get their points. They missed their first five shots of the period but are asserting themselves defensively and causing turnovers. Both teams played last night so fatigue could become a factor. Kevin Garnett has 15 points.

Halftime, Tied at 48: The Celtics were this close to taking a 3-point lead into the break but Gerald Green hit a desperation 31-footer to tie the score. The Celtics' defense is beginning to play well but you wonder if fatigue will set in. Jordan Williams and Green each have 8 points for New Jersey while Kevin Garnett has 13 and Paul Pierce and Brandon Bass 12 each.

Second quarter, 2:45, Celtics 40-38: The Celtics have finally shown up on defense, holding the Nets to 5-for-15 shooting in the quarter and Rajon Rondo has taken better care of the ball. But it seemed like they were down by 15 and they have worked so hard to rally to take a 2-point lead. Kevin Garnett has 11 points and Paul Pierce 10.

Second quarter, 8:20, Nets 32-30: The Celtics are using Avery Bradley at point guard and the turnovers are down and the ball is moving. Kevin Garnett is enjoying his matchup with Johan Petro. He has 11 points while Paul Pierce has 7.

End of first quarter, Nets 28-22: A shabby performance so far for the Celtics, especially on defense. The Nets shot 63.2 percent (12 for 19) in the quarter, including three layups from Jordan Williams. Rajon Rondo is off to one of his mercurial games with four assists, four turnovers, and two missed free throws.

First quarter, 1:42, Nets 26-20: Another bizarre performance so far by the Celtics, who allowed the Nets to go on a 12-1 run while they look passive and lethargic. Rookie Jordan Williams has 6 points, all on layups after dribble penetration. The Celtics need some defensive adjustments as New Jersey is shooting 68.8 percent (11 of 16).

First quarter, 6:13, Celtics 13-12: The Celtics are playing with more energy than last night but the defense has been subpar so far with Kris Humphries and DeShawn Stevenson combining for 9 points.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

NEWARK -- The Celtics are coming off perhaps their worst performance of the season and tonight will be another challenge since their bus needed 86 minutes to get here from Manhattan and didn't arrive until 6:30. The players have rushed to get warmed up, so let's see if their tardy arrival affects their play.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers said Ray Allen will miss Sunday's game at Charlotte and is "50-50" for Tuesday's game against the New York Knicks. He said the injury is not considered serious but it's a matter of getting the swelling down in the right ankle.

STARTING LINEUPS

BOSTON CELTICS (34-25)

PG Rajon Rondo
SG Avery Bradley
SF Paul Pierce
PF Brandon Bass
C Kevin Garnett

INACTIVES: Jermaine O'Neal, Ray Allen

NEW JERSEY NETS (22-38)

PG Deron Williams
SG MarShon Brooks
SF DeShawn Stevenson
PF Kris Humphries
C Shelden Williams

INACTIVES: Damion James, Brook Lopez

OFFICIALS: Jason Phillips, Matt Boland, Brian Forte

Final score, Raptors 84-79 : DeMar DeRozan and Linas Kleiza clinched the win with eight successive foul shots in the final 28 seconds.

Fourth quarter, :18.6, Raptors 80-77 : The Celtics called a timeout after DeMar DeRozan's two free throws.

Fourth quarter, :38.8, Raptors 76-75: The Celtics got a turnover off a full-court press, then Paul Pierce's 3-point play cut the deficit to 1.

Fourth quarter, 4:01, Raptors 72-62: The Celtics seem to be finally waking up. But it might be too late. Alan Anderson's 4-point play gave the Raptors a 72-57 edge with 5:56 left.

End of third quarter, Raptors 57-47: Paul Pierce's 3-pointer cut the Celtics' deficit to 7 points with 1:24 remaining. But that was only Pierce's second field goal of the game. Rajon Rondo had nine assists, one away from completing his 20th successive double-figure assist game, but was also scoreless and had zero rebounds.

Third quarter, 2:53, Raptors 51-42: The Celtics seemed lethargic offensively, settling for perimeter jumpers. After Brandon Bass hit a jumper 51 seconds into the half, the Celtics scored only once in the next 6:55 before Avery Bradley's follow cut the deficit to 49-42 with 4:14 remaining in the quarter.

Third quarter, 5:17, Raptors 47-40: Toronto started the half with a 17-4 run over 6:41.

End of first half, Celtics 34-28: The Celtics struggled to find an offensive rhythm but held the Raptors to 9 for 39 (23.1 percent) shooting. The Raptors outscored the Celtics, 13-4, over a 7:19 span before Kevin Garnett dunked following a timeout just before the buzzer.

Second quarter, 2:08, Celtics 34-26: The Celtic starters returned midway through the quarter. Toronto was shooting 22.2 percent (8 for 36) from the field.

Second quarter, 5:54, Celtics 30-22: The Celtics went 11 deep by early in the quarter in an attempt to rest the starters.

Second quarter, 8:04, Celtics 29-17: Rajon Rondo totaled seven assists in the opening quarter.

By Frank Dell'Apa, Globe Staff

TORONTO -- Ray Allen missed his second successive game with a sore right ankle and will "probably" not be with the Celtics for Saturday's visit to New Jersey, according to coach Doc Rivers.

The Celtics have found a winning combination with the Avery Bradley-Rajon Rondo backcourt -- they have a 9-1 record with this starting lineup.

STARTING LINEUPS

BOSTON CELTICS (34-24)

PG Rajon Rondo
SG Avery Bradley
SF Paul Pierce
PF Brandon Bass
C Kevin Garnett

INACTIVES: Ray Allen, Jermaine O'Neal

TORONTO RAPTORS (20-39)

PG Ben Uzoh
SG DeMar DeRozan
SF Alan Anderson
PF Amir Johnson
C Aaron Gray

INACTIVES: Andrea Bargnani, Jerryd Bayless

OFFICIALS: Rodney Mott, Tommy Nunez Jr., Derrick Stafford.

By Frank Dell'Apa, Globe Staff

Ray Allen did not travel with the Celtics for Friday night's game at Toronto and will miss Saturday's visit to New Jersey. But Allen could rejoin the team for Sunday's game at Charlotte, coach Doc Rivers said before the team's shootaround at the Air Canada Centre.

“It’s not that serious, it’s swelling,” Rivers said of Allen’s ankle injury. “I’m concerned when anybody’s injured. It’s not a serious injury, that’s what the doctors keep saying, so that makes me feel better about it.”

Final in overtime, Celtics 88-86 That's the fourth straight win for the Celtics, who are serving notice that they'll be a force in the playoffs. Beating the Heat and Hawks on back to back nights in different cities was an impressive feat for Boston, which also welcomed back Mickael Pietrus. The Celtics are now headed out on the road. Toronto is up first.

Overtime, Celtics 88-86, 10.1 seconds The officials are really hearing the boos here at the Garden, after they just called an offensive foul on Pierce that gave the ball back to the Hawks with 10 seconds left. They didn't much like a couple of foul calls on Stiemsma either, including the one that ended his night. The call on Pierce was maybe the fourth straight that left the Celtics unhappy.

Overtime, Celtics 88-84, 3:07 Rondo now has 20 assists, as the Celtics go up by 4 on the Hawks. Boston got in late from Miami last night, so I can't imagine overtime is making those tired legs feel any better. Still, the Celtics are ahead right now.

End of regulation, 84-84 We're headed to overtime, as the Hawks couldn't convert on their final possession with five seconds to go in the game.

Fourth quarter, Celtics 77-76, 5:01 Not only did those 2 points for Rondo give the Celtics the lead, but they also gave the PG a triple double. Rondo has 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 16 assists. It's his sixth this year, and 19th in his career (including the playoffs).

Fourth quarter, Hawks 76-73, 5:52 The Hawks are on an 8-1 run, giving them a 5-point lead over the Celtics.

Fourth quarter, Celtics 72-68, 9:34 This is a game that certainly might have Pietrus doing the Dougie afterward, the dance he said he felt well enough to do before the game. Pietrus just hit a 3-pointer to give the Celtics a 4-point lead, and the arena went wild.

Fourth quarter, Celtics 69-68, 11:17 Pietrus gives the Celtics back the lead, earning him a monster cheer from the crowd. He has 5 points and three rebounds in his 16 minutes.

Third quarter, Hawks 68-67, 46.6 seconds So much for that 5-10 minute estimate for Pietrus. He's now at more than 14 minutes in the game. Must be feeling good for Doc Rivers to up his minutes in this game. Rondo just converted two free throws to cut the lead to just 1. Rondo has 8 points, 8 rebounds, and 14 assists. Triple double watch is on.

Third quarter, Hawks 60-55, 5:50 The 14 turnovers sure aren't helping the Celtics, who can't quite seem to get the lead back against the Hawks. Of course, Atlanta isn't opening up the game either. A Bass bucket just cut the deficit to 5, on Rondo's 11th assist of the night.

Halftime, Hawks 48-40 Bass (13 points) and Garnett (12) are leading the Celtics against the Hawks, who have gotten big contributions from Teague (11) and Smith (12). The Celtics are shooting 47.4 percent to 46.7 for the Hawks. That includes a 1-for-10 mark from behind the arc for Atlanta. Rondo has seven assists at the half.

Second quarter, Hawks 43-40, 2:46 This is a tough back-to-back for the Celtics, having played in Miami Tuesday night, and going against a rested Hawks team. The Celtics are keeping up, though, trailing by 3 points with less than three minutes to play in the half.

End of the first quarter, Celtics 26-25 It's shaping up as another good shooting night for Brandon Bass. He's scored 10 points in the first quarter, on 5-of-6 shooting. He also has three rebounds so far. For the Hawks, Teague (9 points) and Josh Smith (10) have been carrying the scoring load.

First quarter, Hawks 23-18, 3:22 Mickael Pietrus just got a standing ovation from the crowd upon entering the game. It's the first game action for the swingman since he suffered a Grade III concussion on March 23 against Philadelphia. Doc Rivers said Pietrus was likely to play between five and 10 minutes in the game.

First quarter, Hawks 13-6, 8:19 In a preview of what could be a first-round playoff matchup, the Hawks have come out scoring. Their lead got as big as 9 points, with the Celtics closing the gap a bit.

By Amalie Benjamin, Globe Staff

Mickael Pietrus will return to the Celtics tonight after a two-week absence due to a concussion. He won't play that many minutes, perhaps five to 10, according to Doc Rivers, but the fact that he's back demonstrates significant improvement from when he suffered the injury.

Rivers said he thought there was a chance that Pietrus would be out for the rest of the season.

"He's been cleared," Rivers said. "He worked out yesterday. This is good for him to ease him in instead of just throwing him in. So that's how we're going to do it. The sooner we can get him on the floor, the better. All the doctors have cleared him. Once I hear that, he's ready to play."

Pietrus was grateful when talking to reporters.

"I'm very happy to get a chance to play," he said. "I'm very blessed to play from where I came from. It wasn't easy for me. It's been a very tough two weeks, but hopefully I'll be able to help my team again."

Pietrus said he always stayed positive and tried to take the time necessary to get back. Knowing that the playoffs are coming soon, he said he wanted to get into a rhythm before they started. He has gotten a chance to go one-on-one, but won't play a full five-on-five until he gets into tonight's game,

Ray Allen is out tonight with an ankle injury. Avery Bradley will get the start against the Hawks.

By Gary Dzen, Globe Staff

This wasn't even supposed to be a conversation. The Celtics were almost universally thought to be done, the expiration date on their chances for a title having passed somewhere between the time Rajon Rondo had his elbow pulled out of his socket by Dwyane Wade and the March 15 trade deadline that saw Danny Ainge stand pat. But the too-old Celtics haven't looked it since the All-Star break, compiling an 18-7 record to put themselves squarely in the playoff race. If the overall record weren't enough, two recent wins over Miami suggest the Celtics can compete with the league's best. Here are nine reasons why the Celtics may be for real. (Why nine? To honor the local nine? Because it's half of 18? Who knows).

1. They're dynamic at shooting guard

The combination of Ray Allen and Avery Bradley gives the Celtics two speeds at shooting guard. It's slow vs. fast, methodical vs. frantic, smooth vs. bumpy. Allen's shooting -- especially in clutch situations -- is essential for a successful playoff team, and Bradley has injected youthful energy into the rotation, especially on the defensive end. Opposing teams must now prepare for both.

2. Kevin Garnett is playing like it's 2007

Tell me you saw this Kevin Garnett coming in December and I'll call you a liar (if you really did: speak up!). Garnett has played out of his mind in the second half of the season, his 24-point, 9-rebound, 11-of-14 effort against the Bulls serving as the primary example. Garnett's shooting 52 percent since the All-Star break, and his rebound average in that time is approaching nine. Beyond the statistics, the eye test shows more energetic Garnett on the glass and on defense. Whether that's due to his change to the center position or something else entirely, there's no doubting the turnaround.

3. Paul Pierce is a machine

Please stop underrating Paul Pierce. Please, please, please. As Pierce passes more all-time greats in scoring he's bound to receive more accolades, but the Celtics captain is an under appreciated superstar, even in his own city. Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo, and even Avery Bradley have gotten a ton of credit for Boston's recent surge, but the Celtics go nowhere without Pierce. If Pierce has luck creating his own shot and continues his playoff-level defense, the Celtics will be in good shape.

4. Oh yeah, Rondo

It's now 18 consecutive games with 10 or more assists for Rondo. The Celtics should probably trade him for a couple of mid-tier players and a second-round draft pick. You know what I loved about Rondo after that Miami game, besides his stellar play? How genuinely happy he was to win it. How he celebrated with Garnett at mid-court and wore his emotions on his sleeve. You don't see that often from Rondo. For all his personality quirks, he comes from a good place.

5. They're underdogs

This may be the easiest Celtics team to root for in years. When the Big Three arrived in 2007 there was a mercenary aspect to it, even though they were winning. The 2010 team that lost in Game 7 of the Finals broke a lot of hearts, while last year's team was so obviously on the decline. Now they're underdogs with no business challenging for a title. Even the plucky Oklahoma City Thunder seem like the Establishment pick at this point. Go Celtics? At the moment that's a pretty easy refrain.

6. They've got pride

Riffing on another intangible, on the surface there's a lot to dislike about the Celtics. Rondo is stubborn. Pierce wants the last shot whether it's for the best or not. Garnett can be intense to a fault, and Allen always wants to get his shots. But the Celtics' quirks all come from a good place. Each and every player on the team wants to win, and when push comes to shove, they help each other on the court. Are they stubborn? Can they be ornery? Hell, yeah. But they've been there before. The Celtics have players who know what works, and in the playoffs that can't be a bad thing.

7. They play D

Back to something more concrete. The Celtics are third in the league in points allowed at 89.6 points per game. That's about 12 points below the league average. It's a remarkable turnaround from a team that visibly struggled to defend earlier in the season, and it's the surest sign that the Celtics can truly compete. They built their 2008 championship team on defense, and they've leaned on that side of the ball ever since. It hasn't all been the emergence of Bradley, but he helps.

8. There are no back-to-backs

Another tangible, playoff-related reason why the Celtics can contend in the playoffs is that there are no back-to-back games in the postseason. The Celtics are a respectable 8-9 in back-to-backs, but they're 25-14 when they have a day of rest or more between games.

9. The competition all have flaws

At least in the Eastern Conference, this isn't one of those seasons where one team is head and shoulders above the rest of the competition. The Celtics seem to match up well with Miami, while the top-seeded Bulls still have concerns over their lack of a second scorer to compliment Derrick Rose. (Hint: Joakim Noah is not it). The Celtics have proven that they can beat Indiana, Philadelphia, Orlando, and Atlanta, among the other contenders in the East. The Western Conference could be a different story, but even getting to that point would be gravy.

By Gary Dzen, Globe Staff

Get over last night yet?

You don't have to come down from that high anytime soon, but the Celtics do. Last night's win over Miami was the signature win for the Celtics to date, but they've got a quick turnaround tonight at TD Garden against a Hawks team that's been off since Saturday. It's not a recipe for an easy game, but the Celtics have consistently surprised us over the last couple of months. Who am I to say they won't do it again?

Here are the details for tonight's game:

Tip-off: 8 p.m.
Records: Celtics (33-24), Hawks (34-23)
Broadcast info: CSNNE (Mike Gorman and Tom Heinsohn), WEEI 93.7 FM/850 AM (Sean Grande and Cedric Maxwell)

Probable starters:

Celtics:
PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Avery Bradley
SF: Paul Pierce
PF: Brandon Bass
C: Kevin Garnett

Hawks:
PG: Kirk Hinrich
SG: Jeff Teague
SF: Joe Johnson
PF: Josh Smith
C: Zaza Pachulia

Storylines:

Standings: Very obviously, this is a battle between two teams fighting for playoff positioning. The Celtics are currently slotted as the No. 4 seed by virtue of their lead in the Atlantic Division, and the division is ultimately where they need to focus to maintain a seeding in the top four. But the Celtics actually trail the Hawks by a game, and the C's wouldn't get homecourt advantage unless they finish with a better record than Atlanta. There's plenty to play for.

Kevin freaking Garnett: KG's stat line last night: 24 points on 11-of-13 shooting, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks in 33 minutes. That's the definition of efficient.

There's more: The Celtics play tonight and have tomorrow off before playing three games in three nights over the weekend. The end of the season will be here in the blink of an eye.

Final: Celtics 115-107: The Celtics play good enough defense to hold on and limit Wade to 4 points in the second half. Pierce led the Celtics with 27 points and Garnett added 24, including 10 in the fourth quarter. James led all scorers with 36 points.

Fourth quarter, 1:01, Celtics 113-105: The Heat cut the lead to 108-103 with 2:22 left but Garnett drained a jumper and Pierce drove for a difficult layup and the Celtics have a nice lead, but it isn't over yet. Heat ball.

Fourth quarter, 2:34, Celtics 108-101: This one is not over. The Celtics haven't scored since the 4:47 mark and Miami has quietly run off 5 straight points and the Heat have the ball after a 24-second shot clock violation by the Celtics. The Celtics are also out of fouls, so the Heat do have life.

Fourth quarter, 5:18, Celtics 104-94: Boston is fighting to keep this lead and it is countering every Miami run with one of its own. The Heat are getting frustrated with the officiating and Wade just received a technical for arguing a foul call on Rondo.

Fourth quarter, 6:16, Celtics 102-92: Garnett has made his presence felt here and canned four straight jumpers as the Celtics attempt to steal a win in South Florida. It will be tough. James has 30 points.

End of third quarter, Celtics 89-81: James is singlehandedly keeping the Heat in the game with 29 points. He scored the last 4 of the period and the Celtics had no answer.

Third quarter, 1;50, Celtics 88-77: Rondo has 9 points in the quarter (16 for the game) and his jumper just extended the lead to 11. Rondo also has 12 assists, his 18th consecutive game with at least 10.

Third quarter, 6:53, Celtics 76-66: After the Celtics scored the first two buckets of the half, the Heat responded with a 7-0 run to cut the lead to 5. Rondo has scored 7 straight points as the Celtics extend their lead to 10. Rondo has 14 points and eight assists.

Halftime, Celtics 65-57: Heat end the half on an 11-4 run as James hits a 3-pointer at the buzzer. The Heat converted 13 of 22 shots in the second quarter and the Celtics have committed seven turnovers, resulting in 12 Miami points. James has 18 points and Wade 16. The rest of the Heat are 9 for 22 shooting. But the Heat hit five 3-pointers in the second quarter, fueling their run.

Second quarter, 2:05, Celtics 61-46: The Celtics storm back after the Heat cut the deficit to 54-46. Pierce drains his second 3-pointer during a 7-0 run.

Second quarter, 4:12, Celtics 54-44: Celtics led, 49-31, but the Heat are forcing turnovers and the Celtics are beginning to miss shots. Miami is 4 of 7 from the 3-point line and Mike Miller hit an uncontested 3-pointer, which is a defensive no-no. Dwyane Wade has 14 for Miami and James 12. Garnett has 12 points and five rebounds for the Celtics.

Second quarter, 9:51, Celtics 42-27: This stunning display continues for the Celtics, who are simply beating up the Heat with their precision offense and strong defense. Also, they have outrebounded Miami, 14-5, another shocking development. Kevin Garnett has 8 points in eight minutes while Sasha Pavlovic has come off the bench to hit a 3-pointer.

End of first quarter, Celtics 33-22: The Celtics end the quarter on a 16-2 run as they shoot 61.1 percent and get points from seven players. Rajon Rondo (five assists) is controlling the pace and he just drained a pull-up 3-pointer for the 11-point lead. Brandon Bass has five rebounds.

First quarter, 4:21, Heat 20-17: The Celtics went on a 10-0 run and led, 17-13, after a Paul Pierce layup. But the Heat have responded with 7 straight points, the last 5 off Celtics turnovers. Doc Rivers stresses not to save bad passes because that leads to Miami fastbreaks. LeBron James has 8 points for the Heat. Pierce has 4.

First quarter, 8:51, Heat 9-5: Celtics off to a slow start but Avery Bradley just made a streaking dunk to give the Celtics some momentum. Bradley has all 5 of Boston's points.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

MIAMI -- The Celtics make their final regular-season trip to Miami for a nationally televised game with the Heat and the good news is they are healthy. Avery Bradley will be the starting shooting guard, opposing Dwyane Wade in what should be an interesting matchup. Bradley helped the Celtics' defensive effort in the April 1 matchup as Wade finished with 15 points on 6-for-17 shooting, including a block of a Wade dunk attempt.

Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said LeBron James will guard four positions tonight, likely even checking Kevin Garnett on occasion.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers said Mickael Pietrus is progressing well from his concussion and would not rule out his return before the end of the regular season.

STARTING LINEUPS

BOSTON CELTICS (32-24)

PG Rajon Rondo
SG Avery Bradley
SF Paul Pierce
PF Brandon Bass
C Kevin Garnett

INACTIVES: Mickael Pietrus, Jermaine O'Neal

MIAMI HEAT (40-15)

PG Mario Chalmers
SG Dwyane Wade
SF LeBron James
PF Chris Bosh
C Ronny Turiaf

INACTIVES: Eddy Curry, Dexter Pittman

OFFICIALS: Scott Foster, David Jones, Michael Smith

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

MIAMI -- The Celtics and Heat participated in shootaround today in preparation for their 7 p.m. showdown at AmericanAirlines Arena and there are a few notes from both sides:

*Celtics coach Doc Rivers said that Mickael Pietrus is progressing well and may return to the team "sooner than later," which means perhaps before the playoffs. Rivers said Pietrus has made swift progress after a difficult first week after sustaining his concussion.

*Avery Bradley will start again tonight and Ray Allen said adjusting to coming off the bench is not hard. He said his sore ankles are improving.

*Dwyane Wade will play tonight against the Celtics after missing Sunday's game against Detroit with a sore right ankle.

*The Heat will wear their black uniforms which means the Celtics will wear their home whites. Yeah, another case of an NBA team wearing road uniforms at home for no reason.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

MIAMI -- The Celtics will see a fully loaded Miami Heat team tomorrow night as Dwyane Wade said he will play after missing Sunday's game to rest his sore right ankle.

Wade participated in practice today at American Airlines Arena and said he will be ready for the rematch. The Celtics beat Miami, 91-72, at TD Garden on April 1, the Heat's worst loss of the season.

"I think I'm all right. I feel better today," he said. "I'll be ready to go. I don't want to get into all that (information about my injury)."

Wade and the Heat want to atone for their performance against the Celtics, who led by as many as 29 points in the fourth quarter.

"We played a bad game and they beat us pretty good," he said. "They didn't let us hang around until we found our game, so we made some adjustments in our own game. Sometimes you need that. We're going to come out this time and obviously play better but play our game. When you feel like you lose a game and you don't do the things that you could do on both ends of the floor, then that's what hurts more than anything."

Wade said the key is stopping Rajon Rondo.

"He is the engine, obviously," Wade said of the Celtics point guard. "If that game he was in involved in 60-something of their points. So we have to make it a little tougher on him. Obviously he is a great guard but we have to try our best to make it tough on him but also make sure the other guys don't get off as well. There are some things that we seen in that game that we can correct. It's just about being focused on some of the things that they do. They have strong tendencies."

Final, Celtics 103-79 With the win, the Celtics opened up a three-game lead in the Atlantic Division, and the 76ers (29-27) look like a team that could fall out of the playoff picture entirely. Ninth-place Milwaukee (28-28) is lurking behind the Knicks, and the 76ers have lost four straight. The Celtics, meanwhile, are two games behind the Pacers in the Eastern Conference.

Third quarter, 4:02, Celtics 96-74 Avery Bradley now has 16 points against the 76ers. Offense, of course, isn't really the reason that Bradley has been put into the starting lineup -- it's for his defense. But the Celtics will take it while they can get it.

Third quarter, 6:44, Celtics 91-72 The Celtics have taken their feet off the gas pedal a bit in the fourth quarter, allowing the 76ers to draw a little closer. Still, Boston is up by 19 points after Pavlovic hit a 3-pointer.

End of third quarter, Celtics 84-63 More of the same here. The Celtics are led by Garnett with 20 points, Bass with 18, and Pierce with 17. Rondo has 15 assists. Allen has 10 off the bench. The one good thing for Philadelphia is the 18 points they have off 13 Celtics turnovers.

Third quarter, 2:42, Celtics 79-53 The 76ers don't look at all like a playoff team as they head toward their fourth straight loss. They're shooting 36 percent, to the Celtics' 65 percent. If they do lose they'll drop into a tie with the Knicks for seventh in the Eastern Conference. New York beat the Bulls earlier today.

Third quarter, 7:10, Celtics 63-40 It's now a 13-4 run to begin the half for the Celtics, as they pull away from Philadelphia.

Halftime, Celtics 50-36 The Celtics got 11 from Pierce and 12 from Garnett in the first half to take a 14-point lead into halftime over the 76ers. The Celtics shot 57.6 percent in the half.

Second quarter, 6:38, Celtics 42-26 The Celtics have really opened it up, now on a 17-4 run, capped by a Kevin Garnett 3-point play. The 76ers came in having lost three games, and it's becoming evident why that was the case. Philadelphia has 10 turnovers.

Second quarter, 8:56, Celtics 34-24 Allen hits a 3-pointer to put the Celtics up by 10 points. That's a 9-2 Celtics run to start the second quarter.

End of first, Celtics 25-22 No basket for Brandon Bass as time expires at the end of the first quarter. That got some boos from the crowd. Celtics haven't played all that well so far, but they do have a 3-point lead. Pierce leads Boston with 11 points.

First quarter, 2:32, Celtics 19-18 Pierce hits one as the shot clock was about to expire. He's been the lone bright spot for the Celtics so far with 9 of their 19 points. They're up to five turnovers against the 76ers. Philadelphia also has five.

First quarter, 5:12, Celtics 14-12 Ray Allen just entered the game off the timeout. Paul Pierce gives the Celtics the lead.

First quarter, 5:36, 12-12 Rajon Rondo just committed a bad turnover, leading to a tying bucket by the 76ers. It was the Celtics' third turnover. Andre Igoudala has 5 points for Philadelphia.

Welcome to TD Garden, where the Celtics are set to play the 76ers. This is a big matchup, with the Celtics ahead of Philadelphia by two games in the Atlantic Division.

The news Sunday is that Mickael Pietrus passed the first of his concussion tests, the first step toward getting him back on the court.

"He took one of the tests, one of the baseline tests, passed it. I think that's the first step," coach Doc Rivers said.

Rivers said he didn't know when the next test would be, nor was he sure exactly when Pietrus took the first test. He said there is at least one more to be taken.

"He feels good," Rivers said. "I think personality-wise he's talking and talking loud again. That's a good sign."

The lineup remains the same as it was in the Celtics' win Saturday night over the Pacers.

BOSTON CELTICS (31-24)

PG Rajon Rondo
SG Avery Bradley
SF Paul Pierce
PF Brandon Bass
C Kevin Garnett

INACTIVES: Jermaine O'Neal, Mickael Pietrus

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (29-26)

PG Jrue Holiday
SG Evan Turner
SF Andre Igoudala
PF Elton Brand
C Spencer Hawes

INACTIVES: No one

OFFICIALS: Tony Brothers, Kane Fitzgerald, Mark Lindsay

Final, Celtics 86-72: The Celtics were impressive in closing out this game as the Pacers cut the lead to 7 with nine minutes left. Paul Pierce scored 24 points byt Ray Allen added 19 points off the bench in 33 minutes and he took a team-high 18 shots. Kevin Garnett warmed up and scored 13 of his 15 points after halftime.

Fourth quarter, 1:40, Celtics 81-67: The Big Three has stepped up big in this game as Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett have scored all but 2 points in the quarter as the Celtics look to ice a big road win.

Fourth quarter, 5:37, Celtics 72-62: Nobody said this would be easy and the Pacers are pushing hard but the Celtics have found answers so far. The Celtics are shooting just 40.9 percent with 16 turnovers but they are playing very hard, much to Doc Rivers' liking. Paul Pierce has 20 points for the Celtics.

Fourth quarter, 8:06, Celtics 65-56: The Celtics are playing some ugly offensive basketball but they are playing stellar defense. They are getting the short end of some strange foul calls and non calls and Doc Rivers is close to a technical. But Kevin Garnett has decided to get his offensive game together and the Celtics are leaning on him down the stretch. He has scored Boston's last 6 points.

End of third quarter, Celtics 59-51: The Pacers are being sparked by former Toronto Raptor Leandro Barbosa, who scored 5 points during an 11-2 run that cut the deficit to 57-51. The Celtics' offense has stalled with no field goals in the final 5:17 of the period. They were 5-for-17 shooting in the quarter.

Third quarter, 2:14, Celtics 55-46: Indiana is on a really ugly 6-0 run over the last 2 minutes as the Celtics are beginning to complain too much to officials. They haven't scored in more than three minutes and continue to allow the Pacers stay close.

Third quarter, 6:24, Celtics 50-37: Indiana cut the lead to 8 briefly with two Danny Granger free throws but the Celtics have responded by scoring 7 of the next 9 points, including a jumper from Kevin Garnett, who has struggled from the field. The Pacers are shooting 29.5 percent and look completely lethargic after a big win Friday over Oklahoma City but they remain within striking distance.

Halftime, Celtics 43-33: The Pacers went 3-for-19 in the quarter and didn't score for the first 6:51 but the Celtics couldn't fully capitalize because they went 6-for-20. Also, the Pacers began getting to the free throw line. They attempted 10 free throws in the quarter, all in the last 3:42.

Second quarter, 25.0, Celtics 43-33: The Pacers have come alive, sort of. They are getting to the free throw line. They are still 3-for-18 shooting in the quarter but have scored 8 of their 14 points in the quarter from the free throw line.

Second quarter, 6:06, Celtics 34-19: The Celtics' defense has been stellar as the Pacers have yet to score in the second quarter, going 0 of 9 with two turnovers. Ray Allen already has 7 points off the bench.

Second quarter, 7:46, Celtics 28-19: The Pacers have yet to score in the quarter, missing their first eight shots, but the Celtics have only responded with two buckets. The bench has come through significantly with a combined 15 points, including 6 from Greg Stiemsma.

End of first quarter, Celtics 24-19: A solid stretch for the Celtics, who ended the quarter on an 11-4 run thanks to 5 points from Sasha Pavlovic, who canned a 16-footer at the buzzer. Greg Stiemsma has 6 points for the Celtics while Roy Hibbert has 6 for Indiana.

First quarter, 6:05, Celtics 11-8: The Celtics already have three turnovers and could be off to a stronger start if they took care of the ball. They started strong against the Bulls also, the key is maintaining it. Paul Pierce has 5 points.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Celtics are coming off their disappointing 93-86 loss to the Chicago Bulls and a tongue lashing from coach Doc Rivers, who showed his team the film this morning and pointed out its lack of effort.

Avery Bradley will start again for the Celtics at shooting guard, opposing 6-foot-8 swingman Paul George, who is a solid defender. The Pacers are coming off an impressive 103-98 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder at home and a win tonight for give Indiana the season series and a tie-breaking advantage of the two teams are tied in the standings. As of now, the Pacers are the No. 3 seed, so this could be a playoff preview.

STARTING LINEUPS

BOSTON CELTICS (30-24)

PG Rajon Rondo
SG Avery Bradley
SF Paul Pierce
PF Brandon Bass
C Kevin Garnett

INACTIVES: Jermaine O'Neal, Mickael Pietrus

INDIANA PACERS (34-21)

PG Darren Collison
SG Paul George
SF Danny Granger
PF David West
C Roy Hibbert

INACTIVES: Jeff Foster, Kyrylo Fesenko

OFFICIALS: Eddie F. Rush, Kevin Fehr, Brian Forte

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

INDIANAPOLIS -- Celtics coach Doc Rivers said this morning that Avery Bradley will start tonight against the Indiana Pacers and Ray Allen will come off the bench. Bradley may have his toughest challenge as a starter in opposing Indiana swingman Paul George, who is 6-feet-8.

Also, the Celtics went over film of the Chicago game and Rivers said the players noticed their slippage in the second half. Rivers said he was not going to harp on his postgame comments Thursday night but his team needs to respond with a better effort tonight.

Rivers said he wasn't sure if Mickael Pietrus began his concussion tests but the Celtics are hoping to get him back for the postseason.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

CHICAGO -- The Celtics were outscored 55-37 in the second half Thursday night against the Chicago Bulls and dropped a bitter 93-86 decision as Luol Deng scored 12 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter. Afterwards, Doc Rivers hardly acted like a coach whose team almost pulled out a tough road win.

He spent his postgame session criticizing not only his team's effort but its toughness and desire. The Celtics committed five turnovers in the fourth quarter and looked lethargic in stretches as the Bulls were the more aggressive and physical team.

Here are Rivers' postgame comments:

"I had to use two timeouts to remind us that we were actually in an NBA game," he said. "I thought this was the worst loss for us this year with the way we approached the game. And then in the second half, I thought Chicago, they’re just too tough for us. I thought their toughness made us let go of the rope. We wanted to use all these excuses all night. I thought Chicago was just too tough for us. They get into us, they frustrate us and our guys let go of the rope, bottom line. We’re not going to go a lot of places playing with that type of mental toughness.

"Chicago is tougher than us right now. We have three weeks, if we play like that tonight, we’ll be playing of those (top teams) in the first round. We gotta get better. That was unacceptable."

He continued when asked about the lack of effort.

"That is on me first. I didn’t see something tonight. It’s always on the coach," he said. "That’s an unacceptable effort for us. I don’t say that often. I don’t think I’ve ever said that. That was a crime. It was tough to talk after the game. About what? We gotta be better than that. I don’t want to hear us winning crap, not with that effort."

When asked about preparing for the postseason, he became even more frustrated.

"I’m just so pissed at the way we played. Honestly, the playoffs are the furthest thing from my mind right now because (Thursday's) not us. We haven’t been that way but we were tonight. I called the two timeouts to remind us to make a run.

"We were cool tonight. We were the cool Boston Celtics tonight. That’s what we looked like. You could see it, walking the ball (up court). We couldn’t get the ball inbounds? Nobody wanted to work. It was a joke. We were the “cool Celtics.” And there’s nothing about me that’s cool, I can tell you that. You don’t play basketball cool."

Final: Bulls 93-86: Chicago just too much for the Celtics and coach Doc Rivers lets his team have it after the game, ripping their effort and toughness, calling the Bulls a tougher team. Celtics get outscored 55-37 in the second half and commit 10 turnovers.

Fourth quarter, 1:17, Bulls 91-84: The Celtics let this one slip away thanks to 12 fourth-quarter points from Luol Deng, who leads all scorers with 26 points. Paul Pierce has 22 but only 10 since the first quarter.

Fourth quarter, 3:10, Bulls 87-79: This one's close to over as the Celtics can't stop Luol Deng, who has 10 points in the quarter on 5-for-6 shooting. He was 3-for-13 shooting through three quarters. The Bulls have hit some difficult shots late in the shot clock while they have contained the Celtics, who 11 of 28 from the field in the second half.

Fourth quarter, 5:57, Bulls 81-77: Chicago continues to hit tough shots, frustrating the Celtics stifling defense. The problem is they can't consistently get defensive rebounds, allowing the Bulls more chances to score.

Fourth quarter, 8:06, Bulls 78-73:The Celtics aren't getting any breaks defensively as their strong defense is being matched by Bulls offense late in the shot clock. John Lucas canned a 27-footer to beat the clock and give the Bulls a 74-70 lead. And Luol Deng just made a pressured jumper for a 5-point lead, the Bulls' biggest of the game.

End of third quarter, Bulls 67-66: Chicago makes 11 field goals in the quarter after making 12 in the first half and now lead as the Celtics are being stymied defensively. They were 6-for-17 shooting in the quarter and Kevin Garnett has missed nine of 12 shots. Avery Bradley's starting debut with Ray Allen healthy has been rather unimpressive. He had 7 points and four fouls.

Third quarter, 1:22, Tied at 63: The Bulls are hitting shots and everything the Celtics are attempting is on the perimeter. Chicago is 10-for-22 shooting after hitting just 12 field goals in the first half. And the Bulls have also hit three 3-pointers in the quarter. The Celtics are led by Paul Pierce with 20 points and Brandon Bass with 13. Kevin Garnett is 3-for-12 shooting with 6 points and 11 rebounds.

Third quarter, 7:18, Celtics 56-51: Chicago scored 38 points in 24 first-half minutes and have scored 13 in the first 4:42 of the third quarter. Richard Hamilton has 5 of those points while the Bulls have gone back to pounding the ball in the paint. The Celtics are 3-for-7 shooting in the half.

Halftime, Celtics 49-38: An 8-0 run late in the second quarter extended the Celtics' lead to 13 and they have dominated the game so far against the Bulls without Derrick Rose. Paul Pierce has a game-high 17 points while Brandon Bass has 9 and Rajon Rondo has 8 and 7 assists. Ray Allen has 5 off the bench. Joakim Noah has 11 points and six rebounds while Luol Deng has 8 on 2-for-9 shooting.

Second quarter, 5:27, Celtics 33-31: The Bulls are on a 5-0 run as Joakim Noah continues to have a big impact on the game with 9 points and 5 rebounds. Paul Pierce has 12 points but he hasn't scored in the second quarter. Avery Bradley has 4 points on 2-for-6 shooting in his first start since Ray Allen returned.

Second quarter, 8:43, Celtics 26-22: An ugly game so far with both teams shooting below 40 percent. The Bulls are 7 of 23 from the field but have stayed close by attempting 10 free throws. The Celtics have been to the line just twice but have been carried by Paul Pierce with 12 points in 12 minutes.

End of first quarter, Celtics 22-18: The Celtics forced the Bulls into 31.6 percent shoot but also put Chicago at the free throw line eight times in the quarter. Joakim Noah has 6 points and 5 rebounds. Paul Pierce scored 12 points in the quarter while Ray Allen came off the bench for the first time in nearly 10 years and scored a bucket in four minutes.

First quarter, 4:00, Celtics 13-10: The Celtics should be up by more but they have already missed nine shots, including two by Avery Bradley, who played eight minutes before being replaced by Ray Allen.

First quarter, 6:40, Celtics 11-8: With Avery Bradley in the starting lineup, the Celtics are off to a good defensive start as the Bulls are 4-for-11 shooting. Paul Pierce has 7 points for Boston.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

CHICAGO -- Doc Rivers mentioned before tonight's Celtics game with the Chicago Bulls that Ray Allen made it through Wednesday's return game healthy. What he didn't mention was that he decided to replace Allen in the starting lineup with Avery Bradley, who enjoyed great success in Allen's absence.

Bradley scored a team-high 19 points off the bench in Wednesday's 87-86 loss to the Spurs and Rivers said Wednesday who was starting "was no big deal." Rivers did not mention about his starting lineup change but the Bulls released the lineups for both teams minutes ago and Bradley was at shooting guard, opposing former UConn standout Richard Hamilton.

We'll sure to find out more information after the game as to whether this is a permanent move.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

CHICAGO -- The Celtics will face a different Bulls team than they perhaps expected as Derrick Rose was ruled out for tonight's game with a strained right groin. Rose has missed the past 12 games and 22 overall with injuries, and the Celtics are 1-1 against the Bulls without Rose.

Meanwhile, Celtics coach Doc Rivers dropped this nugget of good news for Mickael Pietrus, who may begin his concussion testing today. Pietrus has a Grade 3 concussion but was able to watch Wednesday's game without the shades and a towel over his head that he wore Sunday against the Miami Heat.

Ray Allen made out of his first game back Wednesday healthy but Doc Rivers opted to start Avery Bradley, who will face off against UConn counterpart Richard Hamilton.

STARTING LINEUPS

BOSTON CELTICS (30-23)

PG Rajon Rondo
SG Avery Bradley
SF Paul Pierce
PF Brandon Bass
C Kevin Garnett

INACTIVES: Mickael Pietrus, Jermaine O'Neal

CHICAGO BULLS (42-13)

PG C.J. Watson
SG Richard Hamilton
SF Luol Deng
PF Carlos Boozer
C Joakim Noah

INACTIVES: Derrick Rose

OFFICIALS: Monty McCutchen, Leroy Richardson, Sean Wright

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

Derrick Rose participated in today's Chicago Bulls' shootaround today at the team's training facility and said he will determine whether he will return after a nine-game absence with a strained groin on his pre-game workout. Rose told reporters he's close to coming back and if he does not play tonight against the Celtics, he would return Sunday against the New York Knicks.

Rose has missed the past 11 games for Chicago. The team signed veteran Mike James, who made a big impact in the teams' last meeting in Chicago, for the rest of the season.

By Gary Dzen, Globe Staff

Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau (above) gets credit for being a good defensive coach, but he probably deserves more credit for the all-around job he's done this season. The Bulls have the best record in the NBA despite missing reigning MVP Derrick Rose for 21 games. Rose (groin) is a game-time decision as the Bulls host the Celtics tonight. He went through a full-contact practice on Wednesday.

"I really don't know," said Rose. "I felt good, but me playing tomorrow, I don't know. I'm able to run a little bit more, but not at my top speed."

Tonight's game is big for the Celtics in several respects. They had a chance to beat a very good San Antonio team last night and couldn't close the deal, and they're battling Philadelphia for the Atlantic Division lead and a top-four seed. The Celtics are currently 1.5 games up on Philadelphia, and they're 2.5 games back of Indiana for the No. 3 seed. If the standings hold, and if the Celtics could win a first-round playoff series, they'd see the Bulls in the second round. That's probably the best-case scenario for a Celtics team that struggled to slow down the Miami Heat in the playoffs last season.

Tip-off: 9:30 p.m.
Records: Celtics (30-23), Bulls (42-13)
Broadcast info: TNT, WEEI 93.7 FM/850 AM (Sean Grande and Cedric Maxwell)

Probable starters:

Celtics:
PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Ray Allen
SF: Paul Pierce
PF: Brandon Bass
C: Kevin Garnett

Bulls:
PG: C.J. Watson/Derrick Rose
SG: Richard Hamilton
SF: Luol Deng
PF: Carlos Boozer
C: Joakim Noah

Storylines:

Incorporating Ray Allen: Allen took just six shots in last night's loss to the Spurs, and it's safe to say the Celtics would like to get Allen more comfortable in the offense. The Bulls have great interior defense, so Allen may need to hit a couple from outside to open things up.

Back-to-back: The Celtics are 7-8 this season on the 2d night of back-to-backs. They average 87.7 points in those games. They might be lucky to get 87 points against the Bulls. Both of their showdowns with Philadelphia this season have come on the second night of back-to-backs, and those games, as well as tonight's game, are not great indicators of how the teams might match up in the playoffs.

Noah vs. KG: These guys make each other miserable. Should be fun for the rest of us.

Final score, Spurs, 87-86: Paul Pierce missed a jumper at the buzzer. Tim Duncan had 10 points and 16 rebounds as the Spurs outrebounded the Celtics, 53-39.

4th quarter, :46.5 , Spurs, 87-83: The Spurs scored six successive points in a 2:40 span, off a Gary Neal second-chance 3-pointer, a Tim Duncan foul shot off a defensive rebound, and a Matt Bonner jumper.

4th quarter, 2:33, Celtics, 83-81: Paul Pierce tied the score, 79-79, with a 3-pointer with 4:20 to go, then found Avery Bradley for a layup and a two-point lead with 3:46 remaining.

4th quarter, 6:38, Spurs, 77-76: The Celtics scored six successive points, Kevin Garnett cutting the deficit to one point with 6:40 remaining. Rajon Rondo earned his 10th assist, marking his 14th successive double-figure assist game.

4th quarter, 9:15, Spurs, 75-68: Danny Green's 3-pointer upped the Spurs' lead to seven points.

3d quarter, 6:16, Spurs, 63-52: The Celtics struggled as Brandon Bass missed a dunk and Rajon Rondo missed a layup.

End of 1st half, Spurs, 59-48: The Celtics rallied with a 10-4 run over the final 4:24, Rajon Rondo recording his sixth assist by finding Avery Bradley for a layup with seven seconds remaining. The Spurs outrebounded the Celtics, 28-17.

2d quarter, 3:02, Spurs, 56-42: The Spurs extended their run to 19-2 following a timeout. The Spurs then called a timeout after a 4-1 Celtic rally.

2d quarter, 5:14, Spurs, 53-38: The Spurs went on a 17-2 run over a 3:22 span. Avery Bradley was the only Celtic to score after the 10:58 mark of the quarter.

2d quarter, Spurs, 44-36: Matt Bonner converted two 3-pointers in 26 seconds for the Spurs. Avery Bradley scored nine points in a 1:31 span for the Celtics, tying the score, 36-36, with 8:59 remaining.

End of 1st quarter, Spurs, 27-20: The Spurs won the rebound battle, 18-12 and outscored the Celtics, 12-2, over the final 4:45 of the quarter.

1st quarter, 3:34, Spurs, 21-18: Tony Parker scored six points in a 63-second span for the Spurs.

1st quarter, 7:07, Celtics, 16-11: Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo had six points for the Celtics.

1st quarter, 7:07, Celtics, 16-11: Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo had six points for the Celtics.

By Frank Dell'Apa, Globe Staff

Ray Allen returns to the Celtics starting lineup after missing six games with an ankle strain.

"The difference coming in today and even practicing yesterday is just night and day," Allen said before the Celtics met San Antonio Wednesday night. "Just being able to push, get lift."

The Celtics went 5-1 without Allen, winning the last five in succession.

STARTING LINEUPS:

BOSTON CELTICS (30-22)
PG Rajon Rondo
SG Ray Allen
SF Paul Pierce
PF Brandon Bass
C Kevin Garnett

INACTIVE: Jermaine O'Neal, Mickael Pietrus

SAN ANTONIO SPURS (37-14):
PG: Tony Parker
SG: Danny Green
SF: Kawhi Leonard
PF: Tim Duncan
C: DeJuan Blair

INACTIVE: Cory Joseph.
OFFICIALS: Eli Roe, Bill Spooner, Leon Wood.

By Gary Dzen, Globe Staff

San Antonio's Tim Duncan (above) and Boston's Kevin Garnett were both left out of the All-Star game this year in an inevitable changing of the guard at the top of the NBA. But neither Duncan nor Garnett got the message that they were supposed to fade away quietly. Garnett has seen a resurgence since moving to the five position, helping the Celtics to 10 wins in 11 games and five in a row. Duncan, meanwhile, has led the Spurs to a 37-14 record. Winners of eight in a row, the Spurs have a 7.5-game lead on everyone's almost-there pick, the Memphis Grizzlies.

The play of Duncan and Garnett has the Spurs and Celtics, respectively, vying for top positioning in a playoff race no one thought they'd be a serious part of. Tonight's game has implications for both teams, and it could also be the final game in which Duncan and Garnett are matched up.

Tip-off: 7:30 p.m.
Records: Celtics (30-22), Spurs (37-14)
Broadcast info: CSNNE (Mike Gorman and Tom Heinsohn), WEEI 93.7 FM/850 AM (Sean Grande and Cedric Maxwell)

Probable starters:

Celtics:
PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Avery Bradley/Ray Allen
SF: Paul Pierce
PF: Brandon Bass
C: Kevin Garnett

Spurs:
PG: Tony Parker
SG: Danny Green
SF: Kawhi Leonard
PF: Tim Duncan
C: DeJuan Blair

Storylines:

Who starts?: Anybody hear anything about this? Apparently Avery Bradley is playing really well, and Ray Allen is set to return from injury. One of them will have to start, and one of them will be forced into exile (or just come off the bench). Both Allen and Bradley need to play big minutes for the Celtics, and Bradley's emergence is unequivocally a good thing. We should get an answer on who starts around 6:50 p.m.

Drafting: Bradley's strong play has in some ways validated Danny Ainge, who has turned late first-round draft picks into a potential starting backcourt of Bradley and Rajon Rondo. Sound familiar? The Spurs used a second-round pick on starting center DeJaun Blair, while All-Star Tony Parker was the 28th overall pick in 2001. San Antonio also has a knack of signing guys no one wants and turning them into solid role players.

Standings: The Celtics are 1.5 games up on Philadephia in the Atlantic Division and are just 1.5 games behind Indiana for the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference. Every win matters right now.

Celtics guard Ray Allen believes he has recovered from the ankle injury which kept him out of six games and plans to play against San Antonio Wednesday.

"For me, personally, I felt good to be back out here," Allen said after practice Tuesday. "My legs felt great. I had a shot in the ankle game day the other day and had all day to let it manuever through my body. Coming in today I felt like I had two new wheels.

"Going through shootaround kind of favoring it, holding it -- different feelings, wincing. You know, now, I didn't deal with that at all today."

Doc Rivers told the media that he wasn't set on a starting lineup if Allen plays, and that he's at least considered playing Allen off the bench.

"We think about stuff like that all the time, no doubt," Rivers said after Tuesday’s practice. "That, and other guys. We’ll see how it goes. Maybe it will be somebody else, we’ll see."

By Gary Dzen, Globe Staff

Paul Pierce was named the Eastern Conference's player of the week after averaging 25.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in four games. The points were 6 above his season average, a sign that Pierce -- in addition to Rajon Rondo, Kevin Garnett, and Avery Bradley -- is turning it on at the right time.

That play manifested itself in a 4-0 week, capped by a 91-72 victory over the Heat at TD Garden Sunday. Pierce raced by Shane Battier and exploded to the rim on one play, celebrating with the crowd afterward (above). One prominent NBA writer tweeted after the play that Pierce hadn't gotten past anyone for a two-handed dunk since his days at Kansas. Clearly the writer could use to watch more Celtics games. Sound play like this from Pierce means the Celtics at least have a shot of playing games late into May and June.

Garnett was a runner-up for the weekly award. Chris Paul was named the player of the week for the Western Conference.

4th quarter, 6:38, Celtics, 89-60: Rajon Rondo got to 16 points, 11 rebounds, and 14 assists -- his 13th successive double-figure assist game.

End of 3d quarter, Celtics, 80-56: The Celtics closed the quarter with a 25-6 run over the final 7:34, Rajon Rondo driving to score on the their final possession with 1.6 seconds on the clock.

3d quarter, 1:42, Celtics, 74-54: The Celtics went on a 17-2 run over a 4:17 span. The Heat twice called timeouts in an attempt to break the momentum. Avery Bradley turned one post-timeout Heat possession into a steal, leading to two Paul Pierce foul shots.

3d quarter, 5:19, Celtics, 65-52: Kevin Garnett converted a jumper and a layup off a Rajon Rondo pass in a 70-second span.

3d quarter, 7:01, Celtics, 59-50: Avery Bradley converted two layups off Rajon Rondo feeds in a 2:01 span.

End of 1st half, Celtics, 49-44: Brandon Bass followed a Rajon Rondo drive, drawing a foul and hitting two free throws with one second remaining. Rondo had 10 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists.

2d quarter, 6:05, Celtics, 34-33: The Heat outscored the Celtics' starters, 10-0, over a three-minute span, leading to a timeout.

2d quarter, 9:04, Celtics, 34-23: Kevin Garnett and the reserves extended the Celtics, Avery Bradley hitting a shot-clock buzzer 3-pointer and Greg Stiemsma scoring off a Keyon Dooling assist.

End of 1st quarter, Celtics, 29-19: The Celtics maintained their edge as Greg Stiemsma replaced Kevin Garnett for half the quarter. Stiemsma scored two points and also provided inside defending, drawing a charge from Chris Bosh.

1st quarter, 2:43, Celtics,21-12: Rajon Rondo continued to push the Celtics' offense, finding Paul Pierce for a 3-pointer and Brandon Bass for a drive resulting in two foul shots. Rondo passes and points led to all but two of the Celtics' points.

1st quarter, 8:17, Celtics,9-4: Rajon Rondo scored on three successive drives in a 55-second span, totaling seven points and assisting on Kevin Garnett's jumper.

By Frank Dell'Apa, Globe Staff

Ray Allen (ankle) remained out for the sixth successive game, the Celtics going with Avery Bradley and Rajon Rondo at guards.

Mickael Pietrus (concussion) attended the game but has not started baseline testing and is not expected to return soon, according to coach Doc Rivers.

STARTING LINEUPS

BOSTON CELTICS (29-22)

PG Rajon Rondo
SG Avery Bradley
SF Paul Pierce
PF Brandon Bass
C Kevin Garnett

INACTIVE: Jermaine O'Neal, Mickael Pietrus

MIAMI HEAT ()

PG Mario Chalmers
SG Dwyane Wade
SF LeBron James
PF Chris Bosh
C Joel Anthony

INACTIVE: Eddy Curry, Mike Miller

OFFICIALS: Dick Bavetta, Joe Crawford, Scott Wall