By Gary Dzen, Boston.com Staff

The Celtics have played 33 games this season without facing the Knicks, and if you've followed only one of the two teams, you have a lot to catch up on.

The Knicks are first in the Atlantic Division and have been first in the Eastern Conference until recently, when Miami took over the top spot. The Celtics, meanwhile, are currently slotted in the 8th and final playoff spot in the conference. New York's rise and Boston's fall have both been major storylines in the young season.

The last team to win the Atlantic besides the Celtics was the Toronto Raptors, in 2006-07. The Knicks haven't won it in 19 years. So when Carmelo Anthony (above) says the Knicks "don't even think about" the Celtics, you can take it with a grain of salt. The Knicks badly want to win the division, and the Celtics are the team they need to keep down in order to do that.

Here are the details for Monday night's game:

Tip-off: 7:30 p.m.
Records: Celtics (16-17), Knicks (23-10)
Broadcast info:CSNNE (Mike Gorman and Tommy Heinsohn), WEEI/93.7 FM (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: Jason Kidd SG: Ronnie Brewer SF: Carmelo Anthony PF: Tyson Chandler C: Marcus Camby

Story lines:
Slowing 'Melo: You're not going to stop Carmelo Anthony, but slowing him down is priority No. 1 for Doc Rivers. One of the league's premier scorers, Anthony is averaging 29.3 points per game this season. I'm not sure Paul Pierce can continue to go one-on-one with Anthony without bringing more help than in the past, so defense on a string is the key to slowing Anthony. Off the bench, this is why Jeff Green is here. He needs to be able to match up with the Carmelos and Lebrons of the world.

Knicks sliding?: There's a lot of bravado coming out of New York, but the Knicks are 5-5 in their last 10 games. Is there a chink in their armor? New York's 3-point attempts have gone up by four per game since November, but the team's makes have actually gone down.

Force turnovers: The Celtics have forced 18 turnovers in consecutive games. They've benefited from the renewed commitment to defense by getting into their offense more quickly on the other end. People question the wisdom of pinning a team's improvement on one player, but Avery Bradley has the potential to improve both the offense and the defense.

@GlobeGaryDzen

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

NEW YORK -- The Celtics had until 5 p.m. Monday to waive the two players they carried with nonguaranteed contracts, and they let go second-round pick Kris Joseph and recently signed Jarvis Varnado on Sunday night, according to an NBA source.

Joseph had bounced between the Celtics and the Maine Red Claws of the D-League, and was in Maine when the move was made. Joseph averaged 17.7 points and 5.3 rebounds in 10 games for Maine.

Varnado was added when the Celtics lost Chris Wilcox indefinitely with a sprained wrist ligament but he played sparingly. Coach Doc Rivers said he admired Varnado's athletic ability Saturday but also called him "raw."

Joseph could potentially return under a 10-day contract. He is eligible to sign with another club once he clears waivers Monday. The Celtics now have 13 players on their roster, giving them some flexibility in case they decide to make a trade or add a free agent.

By Gary Dzen, Boston.com Staff

The Celtics have waived forwards Kris Joseph and Jarvis Varnado, an NBA source confirmed to the Globe. Both players were waived ahead of the deadline for non-guaranteed contracts to become guaranteed for the rest of the season.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers hinted at Varnado's departure this week, saying he wished he could keep the "springy" forward. The Celtics signed Varnado out of the Developmental League on Dec. 24.

Joseph was Boston's 51st pick in the 2012 draft. The Syracuse product averaged 17.7 points and 5.3 rebounds in 10 games with the Celtics' D-League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws.

Final: Celtics 89-81: Paul Pierce contributed 26 points while Rajon Rondo collected his second triple double of the season as the Celtics held the Hawks to 25 percent shooting in the second half for an impressive win.

Fourth quarter, 2:00, Celtics 85-79: The Hawks are making it interesting with 5 straight points, including a rare 3-pointer by Josh Smith, who just missed another one that would have made things frantic. Celtics get the rebound and call timeout.

Fourth quarter, 3:10, Celtics 85-74: The Celtics are getting cold from the field but still playing strong defense to keep the lead. The Celtics are 7-for-15 shooting in the quarter. Atlanta is 5-for-23 shooting in the half with 13 turnovers.

Fourth quarter, 8:41, Celtics 79-68: The surge continues as the Celtics refuse to allow the Hawks to rally, matching Atlanta field goal for field goal. The Hawks were 21-for-40 in the first half and 3-for-17 in the second half. Kevin Garnett has 14 points for the Celtics.

End of third quarter, Celtics 71-62: The Celtics outscore the Hawks 33-9 in the third quarter as Paul Pierce goes for 17 points and now has 26. The Celtics made 14 of 25 shots in the period while the Hawks were just two of 14 with seven turnovers.

Third quarter, 2:30, Celtics 63-60: The Celtics are on a stunning 25-7 run, shooting 11-for-21 in the third quarter while the Hawks are 2-for-12 with five turnovers. Paul Pierce, playing with four fouls, has 11 points during the run and it has happened mostly with Kevin Garnett on the bench. Avery Bradley has hit a couple of key shots during the run.

Third quarter, 7:03, Hawks 54-52: Well what do you know? This is what the Celtics look like when they really play with passion. They are now defending, making the extra pass and being aggressive around the basket. Celtics on a 14-1 run. Atlanta is 0-for-5 shooting with three turnovers in second half.

Halftime, Hawks 53-38: The Celtics are playing like they don't even want to be here, getting used on defense by the combination of Lou Williams and Jeff Teague, who are 14-for-20 combined for 34 points and five 3-pointers. The Hawks are shooting 52.5 percent from the field but they shot 60 percent in the first quarter. As for the Celtics, Paul Pierce has 9 points on 2-for-9 shooting, Rajon Rondo has 4 points and 4 assists while Kevin Garnett has 8 points and three turnovers.

Second quarter, 5:08, Hawks 46-31 A terrible response to the Indiana win for the Celtics. The Hawks are doing anything they want offensively while the Celtics are beginning to hit shots but it doesn't make a difference when they allow basket after basket.

End of first quarter, Hawks 31-18: A terrible defensive quarter for the Celtics, who allow the Hawks to shoot 60 percent and allow two easy layups by Jeff Teague to end the quarter and that was after Lou Williams dropped 16 points in 11 minutes. The Celtics are 8-for-22 shooting and a combined 0-for-7 from Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo.

First quarter, 2:55, Hawks 23-12: Lou Williams has taken over the game from the start, he has 16 points on 6-for-6 shooting as the Celtics are off to another slow start. They are 5-for-17 shooting, including 0-for-5 from Paul Pierce, The Hawks are 4 of 7 from the 3-point line.

First quarter, 6:00, Hawks 15-10: The Celtics can't stop for 76ers Lou Williams, who already has 11 points and three 3-pointers on 4-for-4 shooting. Kevin Garnett has 4 points for the Celtics and Avery Bradley opened with the game's first basket.

The Celtics take on the Atlanta Hawks in a 7 p.m. start as they try to win consecutive games for the first time since Dec. 8-12.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

ATLANTA -- The Celtics are in the "ATL", trying to gain a second consecutive win after Friday's impressive 94-75 victory over the Indiana Pacers that snapped a four-game losing streak. The Hawks are a tough club despite losing two starters from last season after that big trade with the Brooklyn Nets. Josh Smith is the player to watch. He is averaging 17 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists.

STARTING LINEUPS
BOSTON CELTICS (15-17)
PG Rajon Rondo
SG Avery Bradley
SF Paul Pierce
PF Brandon Bass
C Kevin Garnett

ATLANTA HAWKS (20-11)
PG Jeff Teague
SG Lou Williams
SF Kyle Korver
PF Josh Smith
C Al Horford

Officials: Rodney Mott, Eli Roe, Scott Wall

TV/Radio: 7 p.m. Comcast SportsNet / WEEI

Pregame notes:

• Chris Wilcox made the trip with the Celtics and was working out running sprints before the game but is still weeks away with a strained ulnar collateral ligament in his thumb.

• The Hawks' point guard Devin Harris (sore left foot) and swingman Anthony Morrow (right hip strain) are doubtful. Center Johan Petro (flu) is questionable.

• Avery Bradley is 5-for-17 shooting since his return to the lineup after missing seven months, He has scored 10 total points with one assist.

• The Celtics are last in the league in offensive rebounds and last in the league in total rebounds. Atlanta is seventh in the league in points allowed.

• The Hawks, one of the league's most surprising teams, have the third-best record in the NBA. They were dealt a tough 85-84 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Friday, despite holding the Pistons to 11 fourth-quarter points.

• The Celtics will wear their home white uniforms while the Hawks will wear red.

With 8:24 remaining in the fourth quarter of Friday night's game and the Celtics up, 78-55, Kevin Garnett was ejected for giving a Flagrant-2 foul to Indiana's Tyler Hansbrough. Garnett met Hansborough at the basket and came down on his face and head with his off arm. Officials reviewed the play and ejected Garnett.

"I was firm," said Garnett. "I didn't mean to hit him in the face like that. I was actually trying to swipe the ball. It's a physical game, it's what it was, just part of the game."

Said Hansborough, "I've got nothing to say about it."

The Celtics turned up the defensive intensity in a 94-75 win over the Indiana Pacers Friday night at TD Garden, snapping their four-game losing streak in the process. Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo led Boston with 18 points apiece, while rookie Jared Sullinger grabbed 10 rebounds in 30 minutes before fouling out.

Garnett was ejected with 8:24 remaining for giving a Flagrant 2 foul to Indiana's Tyler Hansbrough. Partly because of the early exit Garnett played just 24 minutes.

Courtney Lee matched his season-high with 13 points. The Celtics are on the road tomorrow night in Atlanta.

2:35 4th quarter, Celtics 90-70: Sullinger has fouled out, but it doesn't matter. It's Gino Time here at TD Garden. Too bad KG isn't on the bench to see it.

5:56 4th quarter, Celtics 84-62: Sullinger just picked up his fifth foul. The game isn't in doubt, but it's getting chippy out here. In a way it's good Garnett got out early with a game in Atlanta tomorrow night.

8:24 4th quarter, Celtics 78-55: Kevin Garnett has been ejected for giving a Flagrant-2 foul to Tyler Hansbrough. Garnett met Hansborough at the basket and came down on his face with his arm. Officials reviewed the play and ejected Garnett.

8:38 4th quarter, Celtics 78-55: Kevin Garnett (18 points, 7 rebounds) has his stamp all over this game. He's battling hard against Indiana's bigs.

End 3d quarter, Celtics 69-51: The next five minutes will be crucial. If the bench can hold the lead, the Celtics will be able to close this game out.

3:49 3d quarter, Celtics 64-44: The combination of Bradley and Rondo really playing well together. Rondo has 18 points and 7 assists on 9-of-13 shooting.

6:51 3d quarter, Celtics 58-41: The game's getting sloppy, but sloppy on both sides is good enough for the Celtics to build on their halftime lead.

Halftime, Celtics 47-35: Tremendous first half for the Celtics defensively. Indiana shot 32 percent from the field. The Celtics out-scored the Pacers 32-19 in the second quarter. Rajon Rondo has 12 points and Paul Pierce has 10 to lead Boston.

1:06 2d quarter, Celtics 45-30: Kevin Garnett goes over the first row saving a loose ball. He then ran about 15 seats up the court and used the broadcast table to get back out there. Great hustle, funny re-entry.

5:13 2d quarter, Celtics 36-23: Avery Bradley gets a steal and goes coast to coast for the finish. Now that's a pretty sight. It's a 17-4 run for the Celtics.

5:59 2d quarter, Celtics 31-23: Pierce hits a 3-pointer and gets fouled, completing the four-point play. Sullinger is making things happen with six rebounds. The Celtics are plus-11 with him in the game.

7:52 2d quarter, Celtics 25-20: Nice little run here by the Celtics to build a five-point lead, which feels like 25 points in this game. Paul Pierce finally makes a strong move to the hoop for two. Watching Jared Sullinger battle Tyler Hansbrough might be the guilty pleasure of tonight's game.

End 1st quarter, Pacers 16-15: There's a reason why ESPN opted out of this game. Jason Terry is 1 for 6, but his 3-pointer gave the Celtics a little life. They're right in this thing thanks to a defense that is holding the Pacers to 35 percent shooting.

2:13 1st quarter, Pacers 14-10: The Celtics are now 5 of 19 from the field. Avery Bradley is 0 for 5.

5:41 1st quarter, Pacers 9-6: Ugly offensive basketball here so far. The Celtics are 3 of 11 from the field and the Pacers are 4 of 11. Some obvious fouls not being called on both ends. Lance Stephenson hit a 3-pointer but ugly-d it up by getting a technical foul for taunting the Celtics bench.

7:40 1st quarter, Pacers 6-4: Before the game, Pacers coach Frank Vogel called Paul George the best wing defender in the league. He's making it tough on Paul Pierce. Took a steal the other way for a dunk and is challenging every dribble.

Pregame: Brandon Bass is back in the starting lineup for the Celtics. Jason Collins will come off the bench.

By Gary Dzen, Boston.com Staff

Brandon Bass will start in place of Jason Collins Friday night vs. Indiana. Collins had started the last seven games, with the Celtics going 2-5. Celtics coach Doc Rivers said he liked playing Bass alongside Kevin Garnett and having Collins be size off the bench."

"We want to stay as big as possible," said Rivers. "What we didn't like with Jason in the lineup is that with he and Kevin on the floor, we get small really quick. This way we keep a big on the floor at all times."

Rivers said he was trying to help Bass get back to his previous form. He's averaged 8.1 points on 44 percent shooting off the bench.

"You don't do it just for the group, you do it for the individual at times," said Rivers. "Brandon's played better when he's played with Kevin, though everyone has."

-- Gerald Green is averaging 7.4 points in 21.4 minutes per game this season. He averaged 8.9 points per game in two seasons in Boston after being the 18th pick in the 2005 NBA Draft. Green won the 2007 NBA slam dunk contest before being traded to Minnesota as part of a package for Garnett.

"He was so young," said Rivers. "I don't know if he wasn't listening to me or anyone at that time. He had a lot going on. The dunk contest might have been the worst thing that ever happened to him."

Green has bounced around with various other NBA teams and also played in the Developmental League and in Russia. He's just 26 years old.

"That's a lot at that age," said Rivers. "It'll probably do him well having gone through all that."

By Gary Dzen, Boston.com Staff

There's no mystery concerning the main story line of Friday night's game. The Celtics have lost four straight. They need a win in the worst way, and they need a win just to match last year's 15-17 start, a start they vowed not to get out to this season. It only gets harder for the Celtics with a game in Atlanta Saturday night and one against the first-place Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Monday.

The Celtics are looking up at the Pacers, who have risen to fourth place in the Eastern Conference having won 9 of their last 11 games. Indiana is playing without Danny Granger and playing very well. The Celtics, meanwhile, have been outscored by an average of 19.7 points in their last four games.

Here are the details for Friday night's game:

Tip-off: 8 p.m.
Records: Celtics (14-17), Pacers (19-13)
Broadcast info:CSNNE (Mike Gorman and Tommy Heinsohn), WEEI/93.7 FM (Sean Grande and Cedric Maxwell)

Probable starters:

Celtics: PG: Rajon Rondo SG: Avery Bradley SF: Paul Pierce PF: Kevin Garnett C: Jason Collins

Pacers: PG: D.J. Augustin SG: Paul George SF: Lance Stephenson PF: David West C: Roy Hibbert

Story lines:
Another big test: It doesn't get any easier for the Celtics frontcourt. Roy Hibbert and David West are two of the more skilled big men in the NBA on the offensive end (though Hibbert's numbers are down a little this season -- he's shooting 40 percent from the field). West will draw his man away from the hoop and is also a tough load down low. It will be interesting to see how Jared Sullinger matches up with West when he's in the game.

Sully's minutes: Speaking of Sullinger, he's got to play more minutes. The rookie played just 19 minutes vs. Memphis Wednesday night after getting into early foul trouble and eventually fouling out. The C's need his toughness on the floor, and he's got to find a way to stay out there.

Defense: The Celtics can't allow Indiana to shoot 61 percent in the first half like the Grizzlies did the other night. Avery Bradley talked after that game about playing defense on a string. Let's see some of it.

@GlobeGaryDzen

By Julian Benbow, Globe staff

WALTHAM -- It wasn't exactly hard to tell. The Celtics dropped their fourth game in a row and their 17th of the season, and Rajon Rondo was wearing the loss all over his face as he sat with a blank stare on a stack of exercise mats waiting for practice to start Thursday afternoon.

This isn't something he's used to. This isn't something he's trying to get used to.

Not counting his rookie season, Rondo could count the number of times he had experienced a three-game losing streak on two hands before this year.

But this is the second time the Celtics have lost at least three-straight games this season with eight losses in their past 10 games. They haven't went on a run longer than the three games they strung together in mid-November against the Bucks, Bulls and Jazz. They haven't won back-to-back games since they beat the Sixers on Dec. 8 and the Mavericks in overtime four days later.

For all the talk about schemes and rotations and trust and execution, Rondo put it as simply as possible.

"The frustrating part is just losing," he said. "I'm a sore loser. It's tough to lose."

Then he put it in broader terms.

"Everybody isn't," he said. "You'll learn that everybody isn't a sore loser. Some teams are OK with losing. Some guys are OK with just getting a check. But everything I do, I compete. So, this four-game losing streak is frustrating."

He stopped short of pointing fingers.

“I can only judge myself,” Rondo said. “That's my New Year's resolution. I don't want to judge anybody this year.”

But his message was clear.

A year ago, the Celtics started the season with a three-game losing streak and suffered two different five game skids, but otherwise never lost more than two in a row.

The 2010-11 Celtics never lost more than two straight games. The 2009-10 Celtics went on four different three-game dives but were able to stop the bleeding there. In 2008-09, right after the Celtics went on a 19-game tear, the Celtics lost seven of their next nine including four straight during one stretch but that was easily the most turbulence they ran into all year.

In 2007-08, when the C's regular season was essentially a yellow brick road, they lost three straight games in February, giving up 100-plus to New York and Golden State then being held to 77 by -- wait for it -- the Phoenix Suns.

None of the players who were at the team's core through those seasons swallow losses well. At different points this season, Kevin Garnett has made it clear that he didn't sign a three-year, $34 million deal over the summer to "go through the motions."

After watching the Warriors light them up Dec. 29, Garnett again said, "we've never been a go-through the motions team, and I don't think we're going to start. I didn't come back (for an 18th season) to go through the motions. I don't think the guys who signed came here to go through the motions."

There's no connection between how much a player sulks and how much he cares about a loss, head coach Doc Rivers said, so he doesn't read into reactions after losses.

"You've still got to learn from losing and learn from winning at the same time," Rivers said. "Clearly there are guys that are more emotional than others. That doesn't mean the other guys don't take it just as poorly."

Still, it's a place the Celtics are used to being in and have no desire to be stuck in.

"You go through adversity every season," Rondo said. "It's nothing to get too down about. It's a long season. I'm staying positive. I haven't lost faith or hope in this team. I still have high expectations. I know we will turn it around."

By Gary Dzen, Boston.com Staff

Tony Allen has never been one to hold his tongue. The former Celtics guard turned Memphis defensive stopper offered a blunt assessment of his old team following Memphis's 93-83 win at TD Garden Wednesday night.

“They’re missing a lot of pieces,” said Allen when asked about how this Celtics team compared to the one he was on in 2007-08. “I don’t think they’ve really got a defensive-minded guy yet. I mean, they’ve got one [Avery Bradley], but I can’t say he’s 100 percent just yet. I don’t think they’ve got the center like Perk [Kendrick Perkins]. It’s kind of hard finding a guy who clogs up the paint, talks trash to you, and can actually back it up. They’re just missing a lot. I don’t know. I don’t see the same team from 2008.”

Allen isn't wrong. The 2007-08 Celtics team that won a championship was first in the NBA in defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions) and second in points allowed per game at 90.3. They were also a respectable 12th in total rebounding, owing to their 9th-place ranking on the defensive glass.

This year's Celtics, meanwhile, are 13th out of 30 teams in defensive rating. They're 17th in points allowed, giving up 97.9 points per game. They rank 29th in rebounding -- 18th in defensive rebounds and dead last on the offensive glass. They are not, in other words, remotely close to playing at a championship level.

While the comparisons to 2008 are disheartening, far more telling are the comparisons to last year's team that started the season 15-17 and turned things around to make it to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. This season's Celtics are 14-17 and can match last year's start with a win Friday night vs. the Pacers. But there's a big reason why this slow start is different than the last one.

Despite their ups and downs, last year's Celtics didn't waver on defense. In fact, they ranked first overall in defensive rating and actually allowed fewer points per game (89.3) than they did during their championship run.

"It's not guarding our guys," Bradley said afterward. "We've all got to be on a string and helping each other out. Once we learn that we'll be fine. That's been our struggle, what we've been working on a lot in practice.

"Every team has its ups and downs. The best teams are the ones who can go through the adversity. I feel like we're going to overcome."

Bradley's return will help, even if it didn't lead to a win Wednesday night, but the Celtics need more. The team ranked last in the NBA in total rebounding last year, so that's something they can deal with and still contend. But defense has been the hallmark of the Celtics since Garnett and Doc Rivers got together. Without it, the C's are a mediocre team at best and in danger of slipping out of the playoffs at worse.

Recent defensive play has been alarming. A Memphis team that ranks in the middle of the pack offensively shot 61 percent in the first half Wednesday night. A Sacramento team that ranks even worse dropped 118 points on the Celtics on Sunday. The Celtics have given up 100 or more points 14 times this season. They are 4-10 in those games.

Can you teach a group of players who aren't doing it to play defense on a string? Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce, Garnett, and Bradley know how to do it. The team's newcomers are struggling with the concept. When asked last night if the team's new players care enough about defense, Rivers replied, "I don't think they understand it as much... they want it, but they have to find out how to do it"

Before last night's game, Rondo interrupted Courtney Lee during a pregame shooting drill and instructed him to stop going through the motions. Rondo told Lee to release his shot quicker, as if it were in a real game. Lee obliged, appeasing Rondo at least for the moment.

Maybe more instruction is all this team needs. Maybe relative newcomers like Lee, Jason Terry, and Jeff Green will follow Bradley's example and begin to play the kind of help defense that makes teams hesitant to drive the lane or make a cross-court pass, the kind that Allen, Perkins, and the rest of the 2008 Celtics used to play. Maybe -- and this includes the players who have been there before -- they'll stop trying to be perfect and start getting down and dirty. Three years after he left and for all his faults, these Celtics could use a little more Tony Allen in their play.

Globe Staff Photo/Jim Davis

The Memphis Grizzlies spoiled Avery Bradley's season debut, handing the Celtics their fourth straight loss, 93-83, Wednesday night at TD Garden.

Bradley finished with four points and one steal in 19 minutes. He sat out most of the fourth quarter, including a stretch where the Celtics cut a 16-point lead down to five before failing to convert on six straight possessions.

The Celtics dug their own grave in the first half when they allowed Memphis to shoot 61 percent from the field. Mike Conley led the Grizzlies with 23 points. Paul Pierce had 17 for the Celtics. He and Kevin Garnett combined to make just 11 of 28 shots from the field.

The Celtics are back on the court Friday night when they host the Indiana Pacers.

1:26 4th quarter, Grizzlies 88-78: Sullinger has fouled out, but had he not he would have closed out the game.

2:56 4th quarter, Grizzlies 85-78: Do the Celtics have enough in the tank to make this interesting? What's the lineup? Jason Terry playing very well. Sullinger has five fouls.

4:46 4th quarter, Grizzlies 83-78: Jason Terry getting hot. His corner 3-pointer has the lead down to five.

8:50 4th quarter, Grizzlies 81-69: Celtics are trying to make a run with a backcourt of Rondo and Lee, then Rondo and Terry. Bradley sitting out for the moment.

End 3d quarter, Grizzlies 75-59: Conley has 21 points on 8-of-13 shooting. Celtics are down to 44 percent shooting.

6:36 3d quarter, Grizzlies 64-49: It gets worse. Mike Conley and Rudy Gay are now 4 of 8 on 3-pointers. The game is getting away from the Celtics.

8:06 3d quarter, Grizzlies 59-47: Defense still not fixed. Tony Allen just came from the weak side and threw home a rebound slam over Jason Collins, who was standing under the hoop but didn't box anyone out.

Halftime, Grizzlies 50-41: The Celtics wasted their last few offensive possessions before halftime. Whether it was KG throwing the ball to Tony Allen or Pierce going 1-on-4 and getting swallowed up, ball movement became an afterthought in the waning moments of the first half. The Celtics are now shooting 47 percent while the Grizzlies are still up at 61 percent. Boston shot 33 percent in the second quarter.

3:27 2d quarter, Grizzlies 44-36: Kevin Garnett is just 1 of 7 from the floor, so he takes a seat in favor of Jared Sullinger, who has three fouls.

7:11 2d quarter, Grizzlies 39-33: A 10-0 run by Memphis is erasing a lot of good vibes. Jared Sullinger picked up three fouls in three minutes. The Celtics still haven't proven they can stop the Grizzlies, which is a problem.

8:36 2d quarter, Grizzlies 34-33: Rivers can now work his starters back into the game to end the half. Glad Rondo played if only so we can see what the rotations are supposed to look like. Starting Jason Collins at center now also seems to make more sense because Brandon Bass looks like a different player in quick bench lineup. Now if only the Celtics can start getting some stops.

End 1st quarter, Celtics 26-25: Two things to notice right away. Avery Bradley's defense on pick-and-rolls is going to be a revelation, even if he's slow getting his feet wet. And the bench, the one that Doc Rivers wanted all along, doesn't look nearly as bad in a supporting role. In fact, a backup backcourt of Courtney Lee and Jason Terry is a nice advantage in some spots.

Both teams shooting above 60 percent from the floor, which is not what either coach wants on defense.

1:51 1st quarter, Grizzlies 23-22: The Celtics did well to bounce back from an early Grizzlies onslaught as Memphis made four of their first six shots. We're getting the good Paul Pierce tonight (12 points thus far).

Pregame: For the first time all season, your starting backcourt features Rajon Rondo and Avery Bradley.

By Gary Dzen, Boston.com Staff

Rookie center Fab Melo is here at TD Garden after being called up by the Celtics from the Maine Red Claws of the D-League, but he won't be in uniform. He's here to watch the game and get treatment for a concussion he recently suffered walking into a door frame.

The 7-foot Melo said he got hurt on his team's trip to Sioux Falls, S.D., last week. Melo had 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocked shots in Friday's game and 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 blocks the next night.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers said Wednesday that Melo has some clumsy tendencies.

"What did you have, 'Manny being Manny'?" said Rivers. "In five years, when Fab's playing terrific for us here, we're going to have some 'Fab being Fab' moments. It just took kind of a head start."

In other injury news, center Chris Wilcox is out indefinitely with a right thumb injury. Wilcox said he was hurt when he fell in a game vs. Chicago Dec. 18 but didn't realize how bad the injury was until he tried to palm the ball a few days later.

"I tried to catch myself," said Wilcox. "I thought I just jammed it. I just taped it up. ...When I came here, it was killing me."

A doctor told Wilcox he needs to take some time off to let the injury heal. Wilcox said he won't need surgery, and for now he's wearing a plastic brace on his thumb that prevents him from doing any kind of rehab. Wilcox said he will be reevaluated next Tuesday.

"It's been tough for me," said Wilcox. "But this is minor compared to what's happened to me in the past. Anything other than that is nothing."

By Gary Dzen, Boston.com Staff

Rajon Rondo, who missed last week's game against the Warriors but played the following night vs. Sacramento, will play Wednesday night vs. the Memphis Grizzlies, coach Doc Rivers confirmed. Rondo, who has been dealing with a hip injury, did not practice Tuesday and did some light shooting Wednesday before the game.

Avery Bradley will make his season debut Wednesday night and is in the starting lineup. Rivers says Bradley has no restrictions.

"His legs are fine," said Rivers. "I just think the quicker we get to our regular lineup the better."

By Gary Dzen, Boston.com Staff

The Celtics look to recover from their road trip hangover tonight at TD Garden, but it won't be easy with the stingy Memphis Grizzlies in town.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Grizzlies are what the Celtics used to be, and hopefully still can be. Memphis has the best defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions) in the league. Opponents average 90 points per game against the Grizzlies, the lowest in the league. The Celtics, on the other hand, are coming off a trip out west in which they allowed 106, 101, and 118 points. On the season Boston's defensive rating is a respectable 13th in the NBA, but we've seen that it can be hit or miss for Doc Rivers and his team on that side of the ball.

The return of Avery Bradley should help in that department tonight, though if Rajon Rondo is absent the net gain might not be positive. Bradley isn't a savior, but ball pressure also isn't something to take for granted. If you're adding a player who is among the best at his position at a specific skill, you're going to improve.

Here are the details for tonight's game:

Tip-off: 7:30 p.m.
Records: Celtics (14-16), Grizzlies (19-6)
Broadcast info:CSNNE (Mike Gorman and Tommy Heinsohn), NBATV, WEEI/93.7 FM (Sean Grande and Cedric Maxwell)

Probable starters:

Celtics: PG: Rajon Rondo SG: Avery Bradley SF: Paul Pierce PF: Kevin Garnett C: Jason Collins

Grizzlies: PG: Mike Conley Jr. SG: Tony Allen SF: Rudy Gay PF: Zach Randolph C: Marc Gasol

Story lines:
Big-time bigs: Not every NBA team has a legitimate low-post presence for a big man. Memphis has two of them. The Celtics really, really do not match up well with the Grizzlies' Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol (think of the trouble the C's had with Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum on the Lakers a couple years ago). Expect Jason Collins to start because the C's do not have another option. Foul trouble could be an issue.

AB vs. TA: Avery Bradley's return comes on the night Tony Allen returns to Boston with an opposing team. Allen was the Celtics' former defensive stopper. Bradley's more reliable offensively and less prone to erratic dribbling. Allen's a little bigger and can guard taller players. Bradley's quicker. Should be fun to watch them both.

Stops: The Grizzlies are 22d in the league in points per game at 94.5. The Celtics need to keep them under 100 if they have any shot to win tonight. At 14-16, Rivers is looking for wins, but you can bet he'd be satisfied to start with consistent effort on defense.

@GlobeGaryDzen

By Jason Mastrodonato, Globe Correspondent

WALTHAM – Plus one, minus one.

During practice Tuesday, Celtics coach Doc Rivers said the team will be graced with the return of Avery Bradley, who hasn’t played in seven months and is coming off surgery on both his shoulders, for Wednesday’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies.

But the Celtics may be without point guard Rajon Rondo, who has been dealing with a bruised hip that caused him to miss the Dec. 29 game against Golden State and hindered him in Sunday’s disappointing loss to Sacramento, when he had just two points.

“When you’re getting beat down the court by a big, it’s frustrating,” Rondo said. “I’m OK. I’ll be fine. It’s not like I need surgery or anything. It’s just a bruise.”

Rondo was wearing slippers and sweatpants as the Celtics took the floor for practice, and while he said he hopes to play Wednesday, Rivers wondered if that’s a good idea.

“I didn’t think he was very aggressive [Sunday],” said Rivers. “When his guy scores 27 and he scores two, that tells you all you need to know. He couldn’t move much.

“We talked after the game and I couldn’t give him an answer, whether he was helping or hurting the team the way he was moving. But you want him on the floor, so it’s a tough call.”

Bradley, who stayed home during the Celtics' four-game road trip, will definitely play Wednesday, though Rivers has yet to decide if that will be in a starting or reserve role.

With the team struggling defensively -- the Celtics allowed 118 points to the Kings, including seven 3-pointers in the fourth quarter -- Bradley, who Rivers called a top-five on-ball defender in the NBA, will be needed.

Bradley said he hasn’t felt any pressure, he’s just happy to be back.

“Just like any other day, I’m going to prepare today, go through practice, go over the plays and make sure I know what’s going on,” Bradley said Tuesday. “Tomorrow I’ll go out and play like I can. Prepare like I normally do.

“I’m excited, the team is excited, I’m sure the fans are excited. I’m just going to go out there and play Celtics basketball.”

Final: Kings 118-96: Who would have thought the Kings would put the most points up against the Celtics on this three-game west coast swing. They embarrassed the Celtics with seven 3-pointers -- in the fourth quarter -- and three scorers over 20 points. The Celtics lost the final three games of this trip by a total of 71 points and were handed their 12th double-digit loss.

Fourth quarter, 5:57, Kings 97-84: It's demoralizing that the Celtics couldn't even play a close game with the Kings, who are 10-19. Sacramento has led by double digits for the last 10 minutes and are showboating, most notably Isaiah Thomas, who has 23 points.

End of third quarter, Kings 84-73: Well the Celtics give up another 30-point quarter, 8 of those on free throws, and then shoot 33 percent in the period to trail by double figures. The Celtics are shooting 39.4 percent and have missed at least five layups. Jeff Green has 16 for Boston. Jason Thompson with a season-high 20 for Sacramento while John Salmons has added 18 points.

Third quarter, 4:57, Kings 72-63: Sacramento is on a 13-6 run as the Celtics continue to allow the Kings to shoot open perimeter shots or are committing shooting fouls. John Salmons has 16 points for the Kings. Marcus Thornton left the game with a sprained left ankle.

Third quarter, 9:20, Kings 59-57: The Celtics quickly fell behind by 8 points and then responded with 6 in a row behind a motivated Kevin Garnett, who already has 10 shot attempts after six all of Saturday. He has 14 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists while Rajon Rondo has 2 points and 7 assists. John Salmons leads Sacramento with 14 points.

Halftime, Kings 54-49: The Celtics actually led 35-31 but allowed the Kings bench to spark a 13-3 run and take the lead the rest of the way. Jason Terry and Jeff Green each have 14 points but the Celtics need Paul Pierce (5 points) to respond. Rajon Rondo has 2 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists after missing Saturday with a bruised right hip.

Second quarter, 3:59, Kings 44-38: Sacramento's bench has dominated the Celtics' starters with a 13-3 run, including three consecutive layups off fastbreaks. The Kings have scored 34 points in the paint while Jason Thompson leads them with 11 points. Jason Terry has 14 for the Celtics and Jeff Green has 9. Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett have just 9 combined.

Second quarter, 8:14, Tied at 28: The Celtics are playing better defense and going to Jeff Green, who has 9 points in 11 minutes after a miserable game Saturday. The Kings are 2-for-7 shooting in the quarter with three turnovers.

End of first quarter, Kings 24-18: Celtics lucky to be so close after shooting 28.6 percent in the first quarter, including a combined 1-for-9 from Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo. Jeff Green leads the Celtics with 5 points and it seems like Doc RIvers is going to play him big minutes. Isaiah Thomas has 10 for Sacramento, most on Rondo.

First quarter, 2:48, Kings 18-10: It's the same story here so far as the Celtics can't stop the Kings in the paint, they have scored all 18 of their points in that fashion, and can't hit shot, they are 3-for-14 shooting. They have to hang on here until the shots start falling. Paul Pierce is already 1 of 4.

First quarter, 11:00, Tied at 2: Kevin Garnett and DeMarcus Cousins have each scored to open the game.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

SACRAMENTO -- The Celtics get Rajon Rondo back for a critical game to end the calendar year. The Celtics are 5-10 on the road and under .500 and would like to make the long trip back home with an even record in preparation for their Jan. 2 matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies. Rondo missed Saturday's 101-83 loss to Golden State with a bruised right hip.

STARTING LINEUPS
BOSTON CELTICS (14-15)
PG Rajon Rondo
SG Jason Terry
SF Paul Pierce
PF Kevin Garnett
C Jason Collins

SACRAMENTO KINGS (10-19)
PG Isaiah Thomas
SG Marcus Thornton
SF John Salmons
PF Jason Thompson
C DeMarcus Cousins

Officials: David Jones, Olandis Poole, Sean Wright

TV/Radio: 9 p.m. Comcast SportsNet / WEEI

Pregame notes:

• Leandro Barbosa return to the team after a four-game absence because of a personal matter in his native Brazil, He flew from Sao Paulo to Sacramento through Atlanta on Sunday morning.

• The Kings were without Tyreke Evans for the seventh straight game with a sore left knee.

• Paul Pierce entered Sunday 12 for his past 43 from the field after his 4-for-20 performance on Saturday at Golden State.

• Of the Celtics' 15 losses this season, 11 have been by double digits.

• Sacramento is coming off a thrilling 106-105 win over the shorthanded New York Knicks. James Johnson hit the winning 3-pointer at the buzzer, his first 3-pointer of the season.

• The Celtics will wear their traditional green uniforms

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

SACRAMENTO -- The Celtics were given a boost before their road trip finale against the Sacramento Kings on Sunday as Rajon Rondo was cleared to play after missing Saturday's loss to the Golden State Warriors with a bruised right hip.

Rondo participated in pregame drills and then went in for treatment and was listed as a starter for the key game. The Celtics have dropped six of the past eight games and the offense suffered in Saturday's 101-83 defeat.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Celtics again were beaten easily on the road, their 11th defeat of the season by double digits. Paul Pierce, Jason Terry and Jeff Green combined for 12-for-50 shooting as the Celtics shot 36 percent and never led after early in the first quarter.

The defense was porous most of the night as the Warriors were allowed to shoot freely from the perimeter. The Celtics are now 5-10 on the road and below .500 (14-15).

Kevin Garnett, who attempted a season-low six shots, said defense is the issue.

“Since I’ve been here we’ve always been a defensive team that’s been fueled by the defense that’s turned over to some offense,” said forward Kevin Garnett, who attempted a season-low six shots. “And right now we’re not that. Somehow through practice, through repetitions we’ve got to change that.”

Garnett said the Celtics are entering a critical stage in determining their season’s fate.

“We gotta keep working at this,” he said. “This is when you start to see who’s with you. This is when you see who really wants it, who really wants to get down and work and grind for it and we’re about to find that out.”

When asked if he believes the Celtics have the potential to be a great club, he said: “We have no choice, man. If we wanna be great, we gotta stop talking about it and actually do it.”

Final, Warriors 101-83: Celtics suffer their 11th double-digit loss of the season by falling apart in the fourth quarter and going down quietly. The trio of Jeff Green, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry combine for 12-for-50 shooting and Kevin Garnett shoots a season low six shots in the defeat. Stephen Curry leads Golden State with 22 points and David Lee added 20.

Fourth quarter, 6:20, Warriors 89-74: The Celtics cut the deficit to 8 after a Paul Pierce 3-pointer at the 10:50 mark but can't stop Jarrett Jack, who has 6 points during an 11-4 run. The shorthanded Celtics gave effort but the Warriors have too many weapons.

End of third quarter, Warriors 76-67: Celtics score 8 points in the final 1:15 and 4 in the final 4.2 seconds to make this a game again. Courtney Lee has been the leader with 16 points in Rajon Rondo's absence. Jared Sullinger has 12 off the bench.

Third quarter, 2:27, Warriors 73-59: The Celtics are on a 6-0 mini run, trying to slice the lead before the final quarter. They are shooting 8-for-15 in the quarter and are playing decent defense but have to stop the 3-pointer, which has been an issue all season.

Third quarter, 5:25, Warriors 71-53: The Celtics have so many defensive breakdowns at this point that Doc Rivers looks helpless. Klay Thompson hit yet another uncontested 3-pointer and the Warriors have hit eight for the game. The Celtics' shooting percentage has rose to 35.6.

Halftime, Warriors 57-40: The Celtics can't stop Golden State, which is 6-for-10 from the 3-point line and 11 of 14 from the free throw line. David Lee has torching Kevin Garnett with 16 points, most of them from the perimeter, while Harrison Barnes has 13 points on five shot attempts. Paul Pierce has 5 points on 1-for-11 shooting, Jason Terry is 2-for-8 and Jeff Green is 1-for-7. Other than that, the Celtics are in good shape (sarcasm).

Second quarter, 2:57, Warriors 52-36: Paul Pierce just hit his first field goal and Klay Thompson picked up his third foul. Celtics looking for some type of momentum before the half. The Warriors are shooting 58.1 percent and have hit five 3-pointers.

Second quarter, 5:55, Warriors 44-25: Golden State is on a 15-2 run since the quarter began as the Celtics look inept and uninterested. They are 1-for-12 shooting in the quarter and Paul Pierce is 0-for-7 with zero points in 12 minutes.

Second quarter, 8:38, Warriors 35-25: The Celtics are 1-for-8 shooting in the quarter and desperately need a pickup or they will be blown out early. Paul Pierce has yet to score in 8 minutes.

End of first quarter, Warriors 29-23: The Warriors were poised for a 38-point quarter but the Celtics began challenging shots. The bad part is the Warriors attempted 10 free throws in the quarter to the Celtics' 4. Boston has to stop fouling. Harrison Barnes leads all scorers with 10 points while David Lee has 8. Jared Sullinger leads the Celtics with 6 points.

First quarter, 2:55, Warriors 24-21: Golden State led 21-11 and was hitting everything but Jared Sullinger scored 6 straight points as the Celtics are attacking the paint. Harrison Barnes has played like a highly touted rookie with 10 points in nine minutes while David Lee has 8 points. Courtney Lee has already matched his season average with 6 points while Sullinger has 6.

First quarter, 7:34, Warriors 15-9: Golden State on a 9-0 run as the Warriors are killing the Celtics on the pick-and-roll and Harrison Barnes has 7 points and David Lee with 6. The Celtics already have two turnovers, both on offensive fouls.

Hello folks, sorry about the snow in Boston but it's clear here in the Bay Area. The Celtics will try to knock off the Warriors without Rajon Rondo, who is out with a right hip injury. It is not considered serious

.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Celtics were going to be hard pressed to beat Golden State with their current roster but now they will have to go at it without Rajon Rondo, who will miss the game with a left hip injury sustained Thursday against the Clippers. The Warriors are having their best season in 30 years and will be looking to end their year with another win, Courtney Lee will start for the Celtics at point guard.

STARTING LINEUPS
BOSTON CELTICS (14-14)
PG Courtney Lee
SG Jason Terry
SF Paul Pierce
PF Kevin Garnett
C Jason Collins

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (20-10)
PG Stephen Curry
SG Klay Thompson
SF Harrison Barnes
PF David Lee
C Festus Ezeli

Officials: Danny Crawford, Haywoode Workman, Gary Zielinski

TV/Radio: 10:30 p.m. Comcast SportsNet / WEEI

Pregame notes:

• Leandro Barbosa is out for the fourth straight game with a personal matter but he is expected to join the team Sunday in Sacramento.

• Paul Pierce received three stitches in the mouth after his collision with the Clippers' Chris Paul on Thursday but he said it was nothing but a "fat lip."

• Doc Rivers said he has been impressed with the production of starting center Jason Collins despite his lack of statistics.

• After 23 blocked shots in his previous two games, Maine's Fab Melo registered two blocks in Friday's win over Sioux Falls.

• The Warriors are No. 1 in the league in defensive rebounds, sixth in 3-point percentage and ninth in field goal percentage.

• The Celtics will wear their green on black alternate uniforms.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Celtics will have to try to get back on the winning track without starting point guard Rajon Rondo, who will miss tonight's game with a strained quadriceps. Rondo was apparently injured trying to take a charge Thursday against the Los Angeles Clippers but he managed to finish the game.

Courtney Lee is expected to start in Rondo's place. The Celtics are short of ball handlers with Leandro Barbosa (personal matter) also out.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

LOS ANGELES -- The Celtics were simply outclassed by the Clippers on Thursday night. Maybe eventually they can compete with teams like this but, for now, they are among the group of teams still trying to find themselves after a 106-77 loss. It was Los Angeles' 15th straight win.

"Well after that, we're gonna hide some money in the ceiling," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said in reference to hiding money in the ceiling of the locker room at Staples Center during the 2009-10 season and collecting it when the Celtics reached the NBA Finals. "(The Clippers) were unbelievable. I thought we really outthought the game. I told our guys that. I could hear all the talking about different coverages. We play the same defense every night for the most part and I just thought we were outthinking ourselves tonight and I should have stopped it but I didn't."

The Celtics scored just 30 points in the second half on 38.2 percent shooting and nine turnovers. The Clippers went on an 8-0 run to begin the fourth quarter to go ahead 90-67 and it was time to get ready for the Golden State Warriors.

Boston was never aggressive Thursday night and falling behind 18-4 was its biggest mistake.

"It's the same story, we win one, we lose one," guard Jason Terry said. "Until we break that cycle, we're not going to take that next step and we know that. For us, hey we gotta win the next one. At this points in the season, they are a better team than us."

Kevin Garnett led the Celtics with 16 points on 6-for-11 shooting while Paul Pierce added 12 on 5-for-13 from the field. Pierce has 20 points in the past two games after tallying 75 in the previous two.

"I thought we came out with too much respect (for the Clippers)," Garnett said. "We wanted to play back off some of their bigs and Blake (Griffin) hit some shot that he doesn't usually hit. They came out with a lot of confidence and they packed the paint and that is the reason why they have won 15 in a row. Teams like this, you have to come at them and attack them and we were not able to do that."

Final: Clippers 106-77: It got ugly in the fourth quarter as the Celtics scored 10 points on 4-for-17 shooting. The Clippers were just that good and the Celtics aren't ready for such competition. Maybe down the road.

Fourth quarter, 6:30, Clippers 96-71: The Celtics just aren't ready for the Clippers. Los Angeles is too deep and has capitalized on nearly every Celtics mistake. Boston hasn't played terribly but definitely not good enough to beat a team that has won 14 straight games.

End of third quarter, Clippers 82-67: A Rajon Rondo 3-pointer to beat the clock gave Boston a sliver of a chance to make a run in the fourth quarter. They trailed by as many as 21 and the problem is they can consistently hit shots to keep pace with LAC. The Clippers have four players in double figure and no Clipper has taken more than 12 shots. They have real balance.

Third quarter, 5:28, Clippers 71-57: The Clippers are staying close enough to make this interesting but they can't hit consistent shots to make a real run. Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett each have 12 points but the Celtics' 12 turnovers have led to 15 Los Angeles points. Blake Griffin still leads the Clippers with 14 points.

Halftime, Clippers 60-47: The Clippers bench has lived up to billing, scoring 28 points, including 11 apiece from Matt Barnes and Jamal Crawford, who can't be stopped off the dribble, Blake Griffin leads the Clippers with 10 points. Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry each had 10 for the Celtics. Boston has 9 turnovers.

Second quarter, 4:51, Clippers 50-40: The Clippers are going to be hard to beat if they keep shooting 3-pointers at a 54 percent clip. They have hit 6 of 11 so far, three by reserve Matt Barnes as they maintain a comfortable lead. The Celtics are playing better but need to cut into this deficit by halftime.

Second quarter, 7:54, Clippers 40-32: The Celtics started out the quarter with an 8-2 run but then allowed an 8-0 Clippers run and now have scored the last two baskets. Jason Terry has 7 points for the Celtics, 5 in the quarter. The Clippers are 17-for-31 shooting while the Celtics are 12-for-27.

End of first quarter, Clippers 30-20: The Celtics are lucky to be so close after shooting 36.8 percent and five turnovers. The Clippers were 10 for their first 15 but finished 2 of 8, allowing the Celtics to make a mini-run. Rajon Rondo has 5 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists already while Blake Griffin has 9 points and Willie Green has 6.

First quarter, 3:10, Clippers 24-11: The Celtics are just like that fighter stunned by a flurry. They are hanging on to the opponent, just trying to survive until the round end. The Clippers are shooting 62.5 percent and look like the best team in the league. Blake Griffin has 6 points.

First quarter, 7:19, Clippers 15-4: Well it's a worse-case scenario start for the Celtics. The Clippers have begin hitting 7-of-10 shots, including 6 points in the paint while the Celtics are 2-for-8 with no scoring besides from Paul Pierce. Willie Green, of all Clippers, leads Los Angeles with 5 points.

The Celtics take on the Los Angeles Clippers, who have won 14 consecutive games. The Celtics are on the second of a four-game road trip.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

LOS ANGELES -- After a gritty win against the Brooklyn Nets, the Celtics face the hottest team in the NBA, the Los Angeles Clippers. That's a correct statement. The Clippers have won 14 straight games, a franchise record, and they may have the deepest team in the NBA. Of course, there are two marquee matchups: Rajon Rondo vs. Chris Paul and Kevin Garnett vs. Blake Griffin. The Celtics have been effective in shutting down Griffin over the years but this season he has an improved supporting cast.

STARTING LINEUPS
BOSTON CELTICS (14-13)
PG Rajon Rondo
SG Jason Terry
SF Paul Pierce
PF Kevin Garnett
C Jason Collins

LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (22-6)
PG Chris Paul
SG Willie Green
SF Caron Butler
PF Blake Griffin
C DeAndre Jordan

Officials: Marc Davis, Eric Lewis, Trey Maddox

TV/Radio: 10:30 p.m. TNT / WEEI

Pregame notes:

• Doc Rivers expressed disappointment over the firing of close friend Avery Johnson by the Brooklyn Nets but said coaches understand that being fired is the nature of the business.

• Team president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said Leandro Barbosa will return Friday for from personal matter and should be available for Saturday's game against the Golden State Warriors.

• Former Celtic Chauncey Billups and veteran Grant Hill remain out with injuries for the Clippers.

• Despite 23 blocked shots in his past two games, Fab Melo will not be recalled from NBADL Maine any time soon, according to Ainge.

• The Clippers lead the league in steals, are second in assists and third in field goal percentage. They are 26th in the league in free throw percentage.

• The Celtics will wear their green on black alternate uniforms.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

LOS ANGELES -- Celtics coach Doc Rivers is not immune to what goes on outside the Celtics' circle and he said Thursday morning that he learned of close friend Avery Johnson's firing the night before. The Brooklyn Nets fired Johnson as their coach after 10 losses in the past 13 games, including a 93-76 pasting by the Celtics on Christmas Day.

"It's awful," Rivers said. "Obviously it's the business we're in. But it's a tough one. He's one of my best friends. It comes out of nowhere. Avery's a terrific coach, so who knows?"

While the Celtics beat Brooklyn in their previous meeting, they had major trouble with the physical Nets in the first two meetings. And the Nets were once one of the league's hottest teams.

"I just saw that they beat us two out of three times," Rivers said. "If you (go back to) three weeks ago, they were playing as well as anybody. The NBA is a league of ebbs and flows.
It is. You go on good streaks. You go on bad ones. You right your ship and go back on a good time. I thought it was awful quick to make a change. I'm very surprised by that, but listen, I don't work there, I don't do business there. My friend is Avery Johnson."

• Leandro Barbosa was not with the team at shootaround and Rivers acknowledged he's going through a "tough situation." It is uncertain when he will join the team.

• Rivers reiterated Avery Bradley will not join the team on the west coast and is still projected to return Jan. 2.

By Gary Dzen, Boston.com Staff

Some thoughts on tonight's game while visions of Fab Melo dance in our heads. ...

Coming off one of their best wins of the early season, the Celtics face their biggest test to date tonight in Los Angeles. The Clippers come into tonight's game with the NBA's best record, though it's unclear whether or not they are the NBA's best team. The Celtics, however, aren't even in that discussion in late December. The question for them is whether or not they can enter that conversation in April, May, and June.

Los Angeles has put it all together after acquiring All-Star point guard Chris Paul in a trade last season. Paul and Blake Griffin form a dynamic inside-outside combination. Veterans Caron Butler and Matt Barnes are steadying forces, while youngsters DeAndre Jordan and Eric Bledsoe inject energy into the team. Jamaal Crawford might be the Sixth Man of the Year if he continues to score at this clip (16.5 points per game).

Paul has done for the Clippers what the Kevin Garnett trade did for the Celtics before the 2007-08 season. The team is now a very real contender. In addition to Paul, LA presents problems for the Celtics in the front court. Matching up with Griffin and Jordan is no easy task, and the Celtics don't possess the young, mobile big men with size to make it easier. Griffin is too experienced now to be intimidated into a bad game by Garnett and company.

Speaking of bad games, the Celtics can't afford one from Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce, or Jeff Green tonight. Rondo should be motivated going against Paul, while Pierce is in the midst of one of his best stretches of basketball in some time. The pace at which the Celtics captain is playing has been just about perfect. Against Brooklyn on Christmas Day, Pierce lulled the Nets into double-teams before firing off quick, precise passes on his way to 10 assists. That game followed games of 40 and 35 points respectively. This may be Rondo's team, but the Celtics fare better when their offense revolves around a productive Pierce.

Green was mentioned because the Celtics bench contributed in a big way Tuesday. Green had 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting in that game, silencing his overzealous critics for at least one more day. Should be a fun one tonight. The Celtics always seem to play better on the road when pride is on the line.

Here are the details for tonight's game:

Tip-off: 10:30 p.m.
Records: Celtics (14-13), Clippers (22-6)
Broadcast info:TNT, WEEI/93.7 FM (Sean Grande and Cedric Maxwell)

Probable starters:

Celtics: PG: Rajon Rondo SG: Jason Terry SF: Paul Pierce PF: Kevin Garnett C: Jason Collins

Clippers: PG: Chris Paul SG: Willie Green SF: Caron Butler PF: Blake Griffin C: DeAndre Jordan

Story lines:
Sullinger's minutes: Jared Sullinger had 16 points on 6-of-7-shooting Tuesday in 32 minutes. Averaging 17.7 minutes per game on the season, this trip will be a good chance to put Sullinger on the floor longer and see what happens.

Prepping for Bradley: With Avery Bradley scheduled to return when the Celtics get back to Boston next week, this is the last chance for Courtney Lee and Jason Terry to see extended minutes and sort out their roles. Terry is locked into the sixth man role off the bench when Bradley is healthy, so these three games out west will provide him with a chance to hone his offense. Lee, on the other hand, could see his minutes vanish when Bradley comes back unless he starts to turn it on.

Defense? Rebounding?: The Celtics held the Nets to 76 points on 40 percent shooting Tuesday and out-rebounded Brooklyn by five. The Clippers average 101.6 points per game. You can't expect Boston to keep Los Angeles under 80, but they've got to challenge just as well as they did on Christmas Day. Defense and rebounding are team concepts. Tuesday was a good start, but the Celtics need to show that they are thinking about those two fundamentals for more than one game.

@GlobeGaryDzen

Final, Celtics 93-76: The Celtics provide a nice Christmas gift for their fans, perhaps their best performance of the season. The Celtics led for the final 32 minutes of the game with Rajon Rondo leading the way with 19 points and Jared Sullinger with 16 and seven rebounds. The Celtics didn't need major nights from Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. They scored 8 apiece.

Fourth quarter, 5:17, Celtics 84-70: Things got physical quickly after mixups between Gerald Wallace and Kevin Garnett and then a flagrant foul on Jared Sullinger on Wallace. The Nets have scored the last 5 points to remain slightly hopeful of a rally but the Celtics could seal it with a couple of more hoops. The Celtics are shooting 49 percent and have committed just 10 turnovers.

Fourth quarter, 7:31, Celtics 82-64: The Celtics are trying to seal this game as Jared Sullinger continues to play his best game of the season with 16 points and seven rebounds in 27 minutes. He is playing well with the first team and it wouldn't be shocking to see Doc Rivers change up his starting lineup to include Sullinger in coming games.

End of third quarter, Celtics 73-58: We've seen everything today as Rajon Rondo raced down the court on a fastbreak and launched a 3-pointer that swished the net, stopping a big Nets run and giving the Celtics a more comfortable lead to end the period. Rondo has 19 points and four assists while Jared Sullinger has 12 points and seven rebounds off the bench.

Third quarter, 1:13, Celtics 68-58: The Nets are on a 15-4 run to make this game interesting again as the Celtics continue to miss easy shots while Joe Johnson has gotten hot, including a 30-footer off the glass as the 24-second shot clock expired.

Third quarter, 6:30, Celtics 64-47: The Celtics have led by as many as 21 but are still waiting for the flurry from the Nets, who have scored the last 4 points. The Celtics are led by Rajon Rondo, who has 14 points and Jared Sullinger who has 10. Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett each have 8 points.

Third quarter, 8:39, Celtics 58-42: Boston missed its first four shots of the half, including a couple of chip shots but Brooklyn has yet to score. The Celtics need to jump on the Nets before they get going.

Halftime, Celtics 56-42: The Celtics mixed a strong defense with an efficient offense and played one of their better quarters in recent memory, shooting 13-for-21 in the quarter and holding the Nets to 18 points in the period on 7-for-19 shooting. Jared Sullinger has been stellar so far with 10 points and six rebounds in 17 minutes while Rajon Rondo has 10 points and three assists. Brook Lopez leads Brooklyn with 10 points while Jerry Stackhouse has 7.

Second quarter, 3:56, Celtics 49-34: Boston is on a 27-8 run, led by stellar defense against the Nets perimeter players and attacking defense against Brook Lopez. Jared Sullinger has helped out big time with 7 points while Jason Terry just hit his second 3-pointer of the game after going 1-for-15 against the Bucks.

Second quarter, 8:26, Celtics 32-29: When they are not allowing Jerry Stackhouse to go North Carolina 1995 on them, the Celtics are playing pretty well. They are on a 10-3 run and are finally defending Brook Lopez with another defender so he won't have his way inside. Jeff Green and Jared Sullinger have combined for 11 points.

End of first quarter, Nets 24-22: With no big man to defend Brook Lopez, the Nets are going to their center nearly every time. He has a game-high 9 points while no other Net has more than 3. Rajon Rondo, who drained a 3-pointer with 3.5 seconds left in the quarter, has 7 points and two assists for the Celtics. Paul Pierce did not score in the quarter.

First quarter, 2:37, Nets 18-16: The Celtics are playing decent defense but need to start producing on the offensive side. And they are letting Brook Lopez have his way in the paint. With Jason Collins already with two fouls, Jared Sullinger is now playing center. The Celtics need a big man who can stay on the floor.

First quarter, 5:53, Nets 12-10: The Celtics are playing solid defense but keep fouling. Brook Lopez is having his way with Jason Collins in the paint and Collins already has two fouls. So we will see newcomer Jarvis Varnado soon.

First quarter, 6:50, Nets 11-6: The Celtics scored the game's first 4 points and looked to make a statement but the Nets have responded with a three-point play from Deron Williams and 3-pointers from Keith Bogans and Joe Johnson. The Celtics are 3-for-12 shooting and are again missing layups.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

BROOKLYN -- Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the Barclays Center as the Celtics try to notch a Christmas win over the Nets in what has turned into a critical game. The Celtics have already lost to Brooklyn twice, once here at Barclays on Nov. 15 (102-97) and again on Nov. 28 at the TD Garden (95-83) in that infamous Rajon Rondo-Kris Humphries fight game. Humphries will not play today because of a lower abdominal strain.

STARTING LINEUPS
BOSTON CELTICS (13-13)
PG Rajon Rondo
SG Jason Terry
SF Paul Pierce
PF Kevin Garnett
C Jason Collins

BROOKLYN NETS (14-12)
PG Deron Williams
SG Joe Johnson
SF Keith Bogans
PF Gerald Wallace
C Brook Lopez

Officials: Mike Callahan, Leroy Richardson, Zach Zarba

TV/Radio: Noon, ESPN / WEEI

Pregame notes:

• In a surprising development, the Celtics left Avery Bradley back in Boston to work out for another week with the team's strength and conditioning coach Brian Doo before an expected Jan. 2 return. Celtics coach Doc Rivers said he did not want to rush Bradley back from double shoulder surgery and the team likely won't practice on this road trip.

• Chris Wilcox (right thumb) and Leandro Barbosa (personal matter) are also not with the team today. Barbosa is expected to join team in Los Angeles.

• Humphries may not have played anyway and has fallen out of coach Avery Johnson's rotation.

• Newcomer Jarvis Varnado is with the team and will wear jersey No. 52. Varnado has not appeared in an NBA game

• The Celtics have averaged just 90 points against the Nets this season with Paul Pierce leading the club with 18 points per game.

• The Celtics will wear their green on green Christmas Day uniforms for the first time with the traditional green jerseys, green numerals and white trim. It's a clean look.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

The Celtics have officially signed former Miami Heat draft pick Jarvis Varnado from Sioux Falls of the NBADL to add to the team's thin frontcourt depth. Varnado, who played at Mississippi State, averaged 14 points, 10 rebounds and a league-leading 3.9 blocks.

Varnado, 6-feet, 9-inches and 210 pounds, was the 41st overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Miami Heat, but never played a game in Miami. He played in Italy and Israel the past two seasons. The Celtics needed big man depth because center Chris Wilcox is expected to miss a month with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his right thumb.

Meanwhile, center Fab Melo remains in the NBDL and the club does not want to stunt his development by promoting him too quickly. Varnado's signing was first reported by Yahoo! Sports.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

WALTHAM -- The Celtics haven't had a legitimate, productive starting center since trading Kendrick Perkins to the Oklahoma City Thunder nearly two years ago. And they can't seem to keep centers healthy.

Chris Wilcox, who played some solid minutes off the bench, could miss a month with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his right thumb, according to coach Doc Rivers. Wilcox injured the thumb in Tuesday's loss to the Chicago Bulls while bracing his fall after taking a charge.

The Celtics now have one legitimate center on the roster -- Jason Collins, meaning they are likely in search of a replacement with an open roster spot. An NBA source told the Globe earlier this month that longtime veteran Erick Dampier was on their radar.

Rivers said 2012 first-round pick Fab Melo is not a candidate to be called up despite blocking an NBADL record 14 shots for Maine Saturday against Erie.

"Chris is out; he's out for a while," Rivers said. "I don't know how long (but) the first report I got was three to four weeks. He'll be out."

When asked about Melo, Rivers said: "I can tell you I talked to Fab as in 'How you doing?' I haven't talked to anyone that thinks he's ready to come up yet."

Rivers admits the Celtics need another big man.

"You would think (we would sign someone)," he said. "But obviously that's the one position where they don't grow on trees. We just have to be patient. Obviously we need another big (man) with Chris being out. I don't know if we're going to get another big on this (four-game) trip."

OTHER NOTES

• Leandro Barbosa won't be back with the team until the Dec. 27 game against the Los Angeles Clippers because of a personal matter. The Celtics will play Christmas Day in Brooklyn with 11 active players.


• Rivers would not rule out Avery Bradley returning before his Jan. 2 projected date or even playing Christmas against Brooklyn. "I think there's a chance, but I don't know what the chances are," Rivers said. "Again, I haven't talked to anybody. I mean the fact that he went through today's practice games (and will practice tomorrow), but I don't know. I just try to stay out of that. It's close. I don't want anyone to feeling like I am pressuring them. Avery wants to play. I guaranteed you he wants to play the next game."


• Jeff Green participated in practice despite a bruised cheekbone and chipped teeth and said he will play Tuesday against Brooklyn

Final: Bucks 99, Celtics 94

First overtime, 0:02.6, Bucks 99-94 -- Bucks make their free-throws late to take control in overtime. Monta Ellis makes 1 of 2 free throws, and Brandon Jennings hits both of his free throws to put Milwaukee up 97-94 with 18.5 seconds remaining. Paul Pierce takes a three to tie the game, but misses, and the Bucks feed the ball up court for a Larry Sanders uncontested dunk to bring the score to 99-94.

First overtime, 0:36.1, 94-94 -- Down by four coming out of a team timeout, Paul Pierce, the Celtic's hot hand all night, hits a fadeaway jumper to bring his team within two points. On the ensuing Milwaukee possession, Brandon Jennings's turnover leads to a Kevin Garnett jump shot that ties the game. The crowd here at the Garden is deafening. Pierce now has 35 points.

First overtime, 1:16, Bucks 94-90 -- Defense lacking on both ends of the court, but both teams have failed to capitalize on their opportunities. After the Celtics jumped out to a two-point lead behind a Rajon Rondo layup, Milwaukee has scored six in a row to go up by four points. Monta Ellis has four of Milwaukee's six points in the extra frame.

End of fourth quarter, 88-88 -- Following two free-throws by Paul Pierce and a slam dunk by Jeff Green, the Celtics force a turnover in their defensive end with under 10 seconds remaining. Jason Terry brings it down the sideline and puts up a three pointer, but he misses. The rebound finds Pierce at the top of the key, who drains his third three-pointer of the night with 2.5 seconds remaining. Larry Sanders misses a potential game-winning bucket as time runs out, and this game is going to overtime.

Fourth quarter, 0:46.0, Bucks 87-81 -- Poor shooting comes back to bite the Celtics. Jason Terry misses a wide open two-point attempt with under a minute to go to bring the game within one. The Bucks grab the loose ball and get a Larry Sanders dunk over Kevin Garnett out of their offensive possession. The Celtics are now 31 for 80 shooting on the night, a dismal 38.8-percent. Take away Pierce's stellar 11-for-18 shooting night, and the Celtics have shot 20 for 62, or 32-percent, from the field.

Fourth quarter, 1:46, Bucks 83-81 -- Paul Pierce is doing it all tonight for the Celtics. With the Celtics down five, the captain sank a fadeaway jumper following a foul, but missed the ensuing free throw. Following a Brandon Jennings bucket, Pierce sank a three-pointer with two sets of hands in his face, and was able to get a steal on the next Milwaukee possession to give the Celts the ball in a one-possession game.

Fourth quarter, 4:52, Bucks 79-76 -- Luc Mbah a Moute is having himself quite the game for Milwaukee. The forward drained a deep two with Paul Pierce in his face to give him 20 points for the night and to give Milwaukee the three-point lead. The former UCLA Bruin's career-high is 22, which he scored against Golden State on March 16.

7:47, Bucks 74-72 -- Mike Dunleavy takes an off-balance three and misses, but the rebound finds Brandon Jennings in the corner, who nails the three point attempt. Milwaukee takes their first lead since they were up 11-10 with 5:05 remaining in the first quarter.

Fourth quarter, 8:32, Celtics 72-71 -- Celtics defense noticeably absent early in the fourth. Mike Dunleavy scores five points in the span of 30 seconds, and the Bucks go on a 9-2 run to get within one before Doc Rivers is forced to take a timeout.

End of third quarter, Celtics 70-62 -- Rajon Rondo picks the pocket of Luc Mbah a Moute, who is having a fantastic game, and gets the ball up to Courtney Lee for the easy layup before the horn. The assist is Rondo's seventh of the night. He is averaging 11 assists per game in two meetings against Milwaukee this season.

Third quarter, 3:00, Celtics 64-60 -- After Monta Ellis hit four free throws in a span of 40 seconds to tie the game, Jeff Green knocked down a jumper from left of the basket. On the ensuing Buck possession, a Rajon Rondo steal led to an uncontested reverse slam dunk by Brandon Bass. The crowd's back into it, and the swing in momentum forces Milwaukee to take a timeout.

Third quarter, 6:04, Celtics 56-54 -- Paul Pierce has single-handedly kept the Celtics in this game. Pierce has a game-high 19 points on 8 for 12 shooting. The rest of the team is shooting 14 for 37, or 37.8-percent. Kevin Garnett is 4 for 13 from the field.

Start of the third, Celtics 46-43 -- Speaking of Milwaukee, for those keeping track at home, Paul Pierce entered tonight's game 48 points behind Milwaukee / Los Angeles Laker great Elgin Baylor for 24th on the NBA's All-Time scoring list. His 17 first-half points bring him within 31 points of Baylor.

End of the second quarter, Celtics 46-43 -- Milwaukee's Ersan Ilyasova nails a three with a hand in his face to bring the Bucks within three at the break. Paul Pierce leads all scorers with 17 points. Celtics have done a good job of suffocating Milwaukee's strong guard tandem of Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings, both of whom average 18 points per contest. Ellis has 11 on the night, while Jennings only has two points on 1 for 3 shooting through the first half.

Second quarter, 3:59, Celtics 41-33 -- Boston hasn't been great from beyond the arc, but they get one there. Jason Terry hits only the second of 12 Celtics three-point attempts on the night, but widens Boston's lead to eight. Terry now 1 for 7 shooting on the night.

Second quarter, 8:20, Celtics 32-24 -- Jared Sullinger forced to sit with this third personal foul in just under 10 minutes of game action. Off the bench, Sullinger currently leads the Celtics with five rebounds.

Second quarter, 9:37, Celtics 30-22 -- Jason Terry takes and makes the technical shot following a defensive three-second violation by the Bucks. Makes him the eighth Celtic to score a point in less than 15 minutes of game time.

End of the first quarter, Celtics 25-17 -- Paul Pierce off to another quick start. A game after scoring 40 against Cleveland, Pierce put up 13 points in the first frame. Jeff Green had six points in the frame, equaling his total point output over the last two games.

First quarter, 3:50, Celtics 16-11 -- Jeff Green takes the feed from Rajon Rondo and takes it in for the two-handed dunk. Green immediately gets back on defense and helps force a turnover at mid-court, feeding the ball to Courtney Lee for a layup and a five-point Celtics lead.

First quarter, 5:47, Bucks 10-8 -- Larry Sanders with six points early for Milwaukee. Took a bounce pass down low and was able to beat Brandon Bass under the rim. Bucks have been forcing it inside on the Celtics early and often.

First quarter, 9:49, Celtics 3-2 -- Celtics get on the board with a Paul Pierce three pointer from the top of the key. Before the bucket from their captain, the Celtics were 0 for 6 to start the game.

Pregame -- Welcome to TD Garden, where the Boston Celtics will take on the Milwaukee Bucks. Andrew MacDougall here to provide updates throughout the course of the game. Should be a good one.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

The Celtics will matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks for the fourth and final time this season. As you math majors already know, after tonight, the Bucks will comprise of 15 percent of the Celtics' schedule. Milwaukee came to TD Garden on opening night and beat the Celtics 99-88 in a game that wasn't that close. The Celtics won at Milwaukee 96-92 on Nov. 10 behind Paul Pierce's 25 points but blew a late 3-point lead in a 91-88 loss at Bradley Center on Dec. 1.

STARTING LINEUPS
BOSTON CELTICS (13-12)
PG Rajon Rondo
SG Jason Terry
SF Paul Pierce
PF Kevin Garnett
C Jason Collins

MILWAUKEE BUCKS (13-11)
PG Brandon Jennings
SG Monta Ellis
SF Marquis Daniels
PF Luc Mbah a Moute
C Larry Sanders

Officials: Ken Mauer, Sean Wright, Brett Barnaky

TV/Radio: 7:30 Comcast Sportsnet / WEEI

Pregame notes:

• Chris Wilcox (right thumb) and Leandro Barbosa (personal matter) are not available for the Celtics tonight

• Celtics coach Doc Rivers said the club will stay with Jason Terry as the starting shooting guard until Avery Bradley returns.

• After going 1-for-14 in Wednesday's loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, Monta Ellis is 13-for-51 shooting in his past three games.

• Forward Tobias Harris, who scored 18 points against the Celtics in the season opener, is out with a right elbow laceration after a collision with Sacramento's Jason Thompson.

The Globe's Gary Washburn offers his take on the Celtics' victory over the Cavaliers on Wednesday night, paced by a 40-point performance from team captain Paul Pierce.

End of the game, Celtics 103-91 The Celtics certainly needed this one. Back home after a disappointing road trip, in which they dropped all three games, the Celtics managed to build a 20-point lead, watch it disappear, then regain control. They relied on 40 points from Paul Pierce plus 20 from Rajon Rondo to overcome Kyrie Irving and the Cavaliers. Pierce got a number of standing ovations tonight, the last one when he was taken out with 1:03 left in the game.

Fourth quarter, 3:13, Celtics 98-85 And that's 40 points for Paul Pierce now. He seems to be able to make any shot he wants tonight. Any shot. They are showing Pierce on the scoreboard, and he just got a standing ovation from the crowd here.

Fourth quarter, 4:30, Celtics 94-84 Pierce gets the lead back to double digits with a pair of free throws. The Celtics are shooting 57.9 percent in this game.

Fourth quarter, 6:17, Celtics 88-82 Pierce just had his first miss from beyond the arc tonight. He's still 6-for-7 from there, with 34 points on a night that the Celtics really need his help as a 20-point lead is down to four.

Fourth quarter, 9:19, Celtics 82-77 The Cavaliers are on a 17-2 run right now, and are down just five points. The Celtics can't afford to blow this game against an inferior opponent.

End of the third quarter, Celtics 82-72 The Cavaliers cut the deficit down to 10 points at the end of the third quarter with Pierce and Rondo on the bench. Kyrie Irving has 21 points, but interestingly has zero assists. Rondo is up to eight assists, to go along with his 14 points.

Third quarter, 3:42, Celtics 78-59 Paul Pierce gets a nice ovation as he exits, being replaced by Jeff Green. Pierce leaves 6-for-6 on threes, with 32 points.

Third quarter, 5:56, Celtics 72-57 Paul Pierce. Well, that was certainly needed for the Celtics. Pierce is leading the team as they break open this game against the woeful Cavaliers. Pierce has been outstanding, shooting 9-for-11 overall, including 6-for-6 from the line and an amazing 5-for-5 from beyond the arc. He has 29 points so far.

Third quarter, 7:53, Celtics 67-55 Paul Pierce is up to 24 points, and the Celtics are doing a much better job on defense than they have been of late. They're holding the Cavs to 43.4 percent shooting while shooting 60.5 percent on their end. The 12-point lead is their biggest of the night.

Halftime, Celtics 54-46 Kevin Garnett looks like he's enjoying being back at the power forward spot. He has 10 points at the half. Pierce leads the team with 15 and Rondo has 10. Alonzo Gee has 11 for the Cavaliers. Sullinger leads the Celtics with five rebounds, and Jason Terry has three assists.

Second quarter, 1;32, Celtics 52-44 Nice alley oop from Rondo to Garnett pushed the lead back to eight points as some fans start chanting "MVP."

Second quarter, 4:38, Celtics 45-36 The Celtics are opening things up a bit here in the second quarter. Paul Pierce just hit a three -- he's 3-for-3 on threes -- to put the Celtics up by nine points, their biggest lead of the game.

Second quarter, 5:31, Celtics 40-36 The Cavs are featuring a balanced scoring attack with no player with double digits in points. The Celtics have Rondo with 12 and Pierce with 10. Rondo still is without an assist tonight.

Second quarter, 8:43, Celtics 32-31 Even with no Anderson Varejao for the Cavs, the Celtics are still being out-rebounded by 14-13.

End of the first quarter, Celtics 27-25 So the Celtics aren't exactly impressing with their defensive effort so far in this game after some lackluster defense on the road in the last three games. Rajon Rondo has 12 points and four rebounds and zero assists so far.

First quarter, 2:28, Celtics 23-19 The Cavs missed a chance to get their first lead of the game, and that turned into a Paul Pierce three pointer at the other end. Pierce added a second three after the Cavs got a basket. He is up to 10 points on the game, followed by Rondo with eight.

First quarter, 5:01, 13-13 Rajon Rondo has gotten out to a quick start for the C's. But he's the only one. Rondo has eight of the Celtics' 13 points in this game, plus three rebounds. Jason Terry has three points, and Brandon Bass has two.

First quarter, 10:02, Celtics 5-0 -- The Celtics have started well against the Cavaliers. But, of course, it's early. Jason Collins did just pick up his first foul in the game.

Pregame -- We're about to tip off here at the Garden. It will be interesting to see how the changes to the starting lineup affect the Celtics. Jason Collins and Jason Terry were inserted into the lineup by Doc Rivers after the Celtics dropped all three games on their road trip.

By Amalie Benjamin, Globe Staff

There will be two changes to the starting lineup for the Celtics against the Cavaliers tonight. Two days after Doc Rivers said that Courtney Lee would remain as a starter until Avery Bradley returned, Rivers reversed that decision, moving Jason Terry into the starting lineup at shooting guard.

"Right now, until Avery comes back, for Jet (Terry's nickname) he just doesn't get involved when Rondo's not on the floor, when he's not playing with Rondo," Rivers said. "He had two shots last night. It has nothing to do with anybody else. It's more just trying to keep Jet involved. He needs to be out on the floor with a point guard that can deliver the ball to him."

That wasn't the only change, though. Rivers said he was pondering using Jason Collins at center and moving Kevin Garnett to power forward to change Garnett's matchups. That decision was confirmed by Sean Grande via Twitter moments later.

"I've been talking about a lot. We just haven't done it," Rivers said. "I've been trying to find ways of getting Kevin off the five spot all game. Right now, even when we bring the other guys in, the same guys guard him and he's stuck in the same position. The only way you can force the action is with Jason."

There was also news on the Bradley front. Bradley said that he would not play on the upcoming West Coast trip, though he will travel with the team. He said that the target date is early January, perhaps the Jan. 2 game against Memphis at home.

"They're saying January, around the first or second," Bradley said. "We're just going to see how I feel. We're hoping for the next home game after the West Coast trip.

"Knowing Ed [Lacerte], he sticks to his schedule. That's what he's been saying, around January. We'll see how I feel."

Bradley practiced for the first time on Monday in Chicago.

By Amalie Benjamin, Globe Staff

The Celtics have lost three straight, all three on their road trip through Texas and Chicago. They'll try to reverse that against the woeful Cavaliers, who are 5-21 coming into tonight's game.

STARTING LINEUPS.
BOSTON CELTICS (12-12)
PG Rajon Rondo
SG Jason Terry
SF Paul Pierce
PF Kevin Garnett
C Jason Collins

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (5-21)
PG Kyrie Irving
SG Dion Waiters
SF Alonzo Gee
PF Tristan Thompson
C Tyler Zeller

TV/Radio: 7:30 p.m. Comcast Sportsnet / WEEI

Pregame notes:

• This is the second in a back-to-back for the Celtics, in Chicago on Tuesday night and at home on Wednesday.

• The Celtics have yet to face the Cavaliers this season, but went 2-1 against them in 2011-2012.

By Gary Dzen, Boston.com Staff

It took all of 12 seconds in Tuesday night's game vs. the Bulls for the No. 1 problem of the 2012 Celtics season to become glaringly evident. Just after the jump ball, Chicago power forward Carlos Boozer rolled to the hoop as Kevin Garnett got caught in a pick-and-roll. Boozer took took a pass from Bulls center Joakim Noah in for a wide open lay-up. More defensive lapses followed as the Celtics allowed 100 points to a team that averages 92.4 points.

If you're a numerologist, you may see some larger meaning in a team with a 12-12 record showcasing its biggest weakness 12 seconds into a game. If you're a Celtics fan, any cuteness or coincidence to this early-season slumping has long worn off. After 12 wins and 12 losses, the bigger question is: What the heck is going on?

Two factors are largely at play. Defense, a staple of the teams led by Garnett and coached by Doc Rivers since 2007, has been a problem. And for the second straight year, the Celtics continue to struggle in the rebounding department. Just look at how the Celtics have declined in league rank in total rebounding and in both defensive effective field goal percentage (which accounts for defense against 3-pointers) and traditional defensive field goal percentage in the years since Garnett's arrival:

Total rebounds: Def. eFG% Def. FG%

2012: 13th 18th 20th
2011: 21st 2d 1st
2010: 4th 2d 3d
2009: 9th 9th 9th
2008: 2d 3d 1st
2007: 2d 1st 1st

In the last two seasons the Celtics have been dead last in offensive rebounding percentage. They're No. 12 in the NBA this season in John Hollinger's (former ESPN columnist who just got a front-office gig with the Memphis Grizzlies) defensive efficiency ratings, the number of points a team allows per 100 possessions.

The numbers back up what we've seen on the court. Paul Pierce talked about getting "outworked" vs. the Bulls, and we've seen that in recent weeks. A Bulls-Celtics game will always be a grind-it-out affair, and the Bulls simply ground harder Tuesday night. Chicago scored 48 points in the paint and made 21 free throws. If there was a way to get to the basket, the Bulls -- playing without former MVP Derrick Rose -- found it.

"This team is not a good team right now,” said Celtics coach Doc Rivers. “It’s who we are right now. I’ve been saying that. This is who we are. We’re a .500 team and we play like that. We’ve won two games in a row [once this] season. Right now we’re not a good team. We’re going to find it, but we’re not right now."

The proof is everywhere, during every game. During last week's loss to San Antonio, a rebound careened out toward the free throw line on the Spurs' end of the floor. Courtney Lee was the closest player to the ball, but he hesitated and didn't aggressively pursue it. The ball hit the floor, bounced to a Spur, and San Antonio retained possession. It's an example that highlights, whether through effort or scheme, that something's broken and needs to be fixed.

The Celtics tried to fix many of their problems in the offseason by getting younger and deeper. Acutely aware that relying on Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to carry too much of the workload was a bad thing as the players aged, Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge brought in Jeff Green, Jason Terry, and Lee, and re-signed Brandon Bass to give the team depth. The theory went that the loss of Ray Allen to Miami would be softened by the addition of the newcomers.

It hasn't worked. In addition to rebounding and defense, the production of the team's depth is a concern. The debate over Major League Baseball's MVP award shined light onto WAR, an advanced metric that calculates a player's value relative to a replacement player at his position. Hollinger developed something similar for basketball players called Estimated Wins Added. Where Celtics players stand on this list is telling.

As you'd expect, Boston's best three players rate highly. Rajon Rondo is 25th in the league in EWA at 3.5, Pierce is 26th at 3.4, and Garnett is 36th at 3.1. Then it gets hairy. Terry is the next highest-rated Celtics at 142d. Next in line are Leandro Barbosa and Chris Wilcox. You have to go all the way down to No. 253 to find Jeff Green (to be fair to the trade revisionists, Kendrick Perkins is down at 260). Courtney Lee is No. 312 out of 323 players listed, adding -0.6 wins above a replacement player. Ahead of all but the Celtics' new big three, Ray Allen is 75th.

Add up all of this and it's not surprising that the Celtics haven't won a game this season with a starting lineup of Rondo, Lee, Pierce, Bass, and Garnett. The team's problems are real, particularly on the defensive end, where they didn't struggle nearly as much when they got off to their slow start last season. Avery Bradley's ball pressure will help the defense, but it's unikely to fix it. To give you an idea of what the Celtics are missing, potential Boston trade target Marcin Gortat tied for 13th last season in EWA, higher than any Celtic. The Celtics don't just need Bradley and a big man. They need Bradley and a relentless, rebound-crazed big man. Seeing Joakim Noah Tuesday night and Anderson Varejao Wednesday night should hammer that home.

Rivers is right when he says the Celtics aren't a very good team. The offense (the Celtics are 5th in the league in field goal percentage) is passable. The defense has been laughable. Until that changes, what you see is what you're going to get.

Final: Bulls 100-89: The game wasn't that close as the Celtics trailed 100-79 before a late run. Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer each scored 21. Rajon Rondo led Boston with 26. Nate Robinson scored 18 off the bench.

Fourth quarter, 5:32, Bulls 95-75: When Nate Robinson is putting on a show, you know the game is pretty much decided. He has 15 points, 9 in the fourth quarter as the Bulls are proving they are the better team, which is embarrassing when you consider they don't have Derrick Rose.

Fourth quarter, 8:59, Bulls 87-73: After clawing to within 3 points late in the third period, the Celtics have been outscored 17-6, the past 6 by former Celtic Nate Robinson on 3-pointers. The Bulls have been patient in their breaking down of the Celtics defense, shooting 52.5 percent and sinking 19 of 21 free throws. The Celtics are being carried by Rajon Rondo, who has a season-high 26 points.

End of third quarter, Bulls 79-70: A 9-0 Chicago run near the end of the quarter may have done in the Celtics. Of course, it was done by methodical passing and defensive breakdowns. Luol Deng has 21 points for Chicago and Carlos Boozer with 19. Joakim Noah is two assists away from a trouble double. Rajon Rondo has 26 for the Celtics, the next-highest scorer for Boston is Paul Pierce with 14. The bench has done little with 7 total points on 3-for-13 shooting and nine fouls.

Third quarter, 3:18, Bulls 70-67: Rajon Rondo (10 points in the quarter) is keeping the Celtics close but they can't stop the Bulls, who continue to pound the ball inside and either score or get fouled. The Bulls have 38 points in the paint and 16 at the free throw line.

Third quarter, 9:04, Bulls 57-54: See what happens when you defend? The Bulls are 1-for-3 with a turnover in the quarter while the Celtics are 3-for-5 shooting and they look motivated to make a big run. Solid night for Kevin Garnett so far, 10 points and eight rebounds.

Halftime, Bulls 55-48: It was a difficult first half defensively for the Celtics, who allowed 55 points to the 27th-ranked scoring team in the NBA. The Bulls scored 30 of their points in the paint and 12 came on second chances. Luol Deng, who usually punishes the Celtics, led Chicago with 16 while Carlos Boozer has 12. Rajon Rondo made a scoring surge late in the half and has a team-high 13 for the Celtics.

Second quarter, 2:40, Bulls 49-38: The Celtics are risking falling behind too far to make a run because of their unwillingness to play defense. In one sequence, Rajon Rondo just stopped defending Nate Robinson, who canned an open 3-pointer. The Bulls have scored 28 of their points in the paint and have 12 second-chance points. The Celtics have 12 and 0.

Second quarter, 7:09, Bulls 40-29: It's getting ugly here as the Celtics are the rested ones but playing with no energy while the Bulls are scoring with ease against poor defense.

Second quarter, 8:32, Bulls 32-27: Chicago continues to score easy baskets and make it tough on the Celtics defensively. And it doesn't help from Brandon Bass and Jared Sullinger are a combined 0-for-9 shooting with 1 point. Kevin Garnett has 8 for the Celtics.

End of first quarter, Bulls 28-23: It was way too easy in the first quarter for Chicago, 18 of its points were scored in the paint, 8 from the free throw line and 2 on a jumper. That's too easy. Luol Deng, the Celtics nemesis, has 14 points, 8 from the free throw line. Paul Pierce has 7 points for Boston.

First quarter, 2:45, Tied at 18: The Celtics are playing poor defense so far, allowing a score of layups on the extra pass. Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer have 6 points for the Bulls while Joakim Noah has 5 rebounds. Kevin Garnett pulled down 5 rebounds in his six minutes but Brandon Bass has already missed four shots.

First quarter, 7:00, Celtics 13-8: Courtney Lee is off to a strong start with 4 points but the Celtics have already given up four layups defensively. Paul Pierce has 5 points for the Celtics. Luol Deng 4 for Chicago.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

CHICAGO -- The Celtics will try to end their three-game road trip with a victory against the Bulls, who are still missing all-star point guard Derrick Rose. The irony is the Celtics have been in Chicago for two days while the Bulls came back to Chicago early Tuesday morning after Monday's loss at Memphis. The Celtics begin a stretch of three games in four nights before three days off.

STARTING LINEUPS.
BOSTON CELTICS (12-11)
PG Rajon Rondo
SG Courtney Lee
SF Paul Pierce
PF Brandon Bass
C Kevin Garnett

CHICAGO BULLS(13-10)
PG Kirk Hinrich
SG Marco Bellinelli
SF Luol Deng
PF Carlos Boozer
C Joakim Noah

Officials: Jason Phillips, Violet Palmer, Leon Wood

TV/Radio: 8 p.m. Comcast Sportsnet / WEEI

Pregame notes:

• This is the Celtics' final visit of the season to United Center. They won here 101-95 on Nov. 12.

• The Celtics enjoyed a rare two-day break but return to action Wednesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers, who host Toronto tonight.

• Avery Bradley said he felt fine after practicing for the first time in seven months on Monday, but he has no idea when he will make his game debut. Bradley said he may need "two weeks" of practice to get ready.

• Doc Rivers said Courtney Lee will start at shooting guard for the time being and Jason Terry will return to his normal bench role. Bradley could get the starting spot when he returns.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

CHICAGO -- Avery Bradley's return to practice Monday at United Center comes at a perfect time for a team struggling to find consistency and with a void at shooting guard.

Not only did Bradley practice issue-free Monday after missing the first 23 games following double shoulder surgery, Celtics coach Doc Rivers said the starting shooting guard slot is available if he can unseat Courtney Lee.

"Yeah (but) he's got to get it," Rivers said of Bradley eventually returning to the starting lineup. "But he'll have to earn that and get it but I think on paper, it looks better. But you have to wait and see how it works once he gets back."

Rivers said before practice that Lee will remain the team's starter at shooting guard because Jason Terry boosts the bench with his scoring.

"I want Jason off the bench. You could see how well he's playing now. He's comfortable there," Rivers said. "We're just keep starting Courtney or whoever. I like Jason off the bench. I don't think it helps the starting lineup right now but you put him on the starting lineup and then our bench struggles. It's one or the other.

"Honestly, Jason and Courtney are really great in the second unit together. They really move the ball. The last three or four games our second unit has really come in and made runs for us."

Bradley last played in an NBA game on May 18 when he re-injured his shoulder during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. He under went surgery on both shoulders. once in June and the other in July.

He had been working out informally for the past few weeks but went through some personal workouts with player development coach Keyon Dooling on Saturday and was cleared by head trainer Ed Lacerte through a text message.

"I've really been looking forward to it," he said before practice. "I'm just excited to get out there and feel like I'm part of the team again. I can do everything, no restrictions right now. I just gotta see how it goes (Monday). Having to be patient has been hard for me but I feel like it's all going to pay off now. I feel like I came back stronger than I have ever been."

Rivers will welcome the team's best defender back.

"We've got to be a better defensive team," the coach said. "Avery's going to help us but he ain't the savior. But he's absolutely going to take a lot of pressure off the guys. He's going to do what he does defensively. Having said that, other guys have to join in."

Final, Spurs 103-88: Celtics allow five 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and are handed another disappointing loss. Tony Parker scored 9 points in the final period. He finishes the game with 22 points and Gary Neal added 20. Paul Pierce and Jason Terry each scored 18 for the Celtics.

Fourth quarter, 6:24, Spurs 89-78: The Celtics are running out of gas and San Antonio is making them pay by hitting every open shot. A 3-pointer by Tony Parker and then jumper by Parker caused Doc Rivers' ire.

Fourth quarter, 9:04, Spurs 79-73: The Celtics aren't getting much help tonight from the officials and have committed 17 turnovers but still have a chance. Jason Terry has 17 points but none in the second half. Courtney Lee to the free throw line for one shot.

End of third quarter, Spurs 77-69: The Celtics are killing themselves with turnovers (17 for 24 San Antonio points) and defensive breakdowns. Rajon Rondo fell asleep on Nando De Colo, who sprinted to the basket for a layup and free throw. Celtics have committed 17 personal fouls to San Antonio's 7.

Third quarter, 3:14, Spurs 74-63: San Antonio is getting all the breaks, all the foul calls and the Celtics are letting this one slip away. Tony Parker just potentially flopped twice and both were called fouls on the Celtics.

Third quarter, 7:29, Spurs 61-55: The Celtics had a chance to take the lead but Rajon Rondo missed a layup and Gary Neal responded with a 3-pointer. Paul Pierce then hit a 3-pointer and Danny Green countered with a 3-pointer, so timeout Celtics. The Celtics have attempted two free throws all night.

Halftime, Spurs 52-49: The Celtics are hanging in there as each team is making runs at each other. But the key is the production from the San Antonio compliments. Tiago Splitter, Gary Neal and Matt Bonner have scored a combined 29 points on 11-for-17 shooting. Jason Terry is having his best game as a Celtic with 17 points and Paul Pierce has added 14. The Celtics again are having trouble with turnovers with 12.

Second quarter, 6:24, Spurs 38-31: The Spurs have stormed back with an 8-0 run as Gary Neal and Tiago Splitter continue to be the offensive difference. The two have combined for 18 points on 6-for-9 shooting. The Celtics haven't scored in nearly two minutes and are back to their ways of missing easy shots.

Second quarter, 8:57, Spurs 30-29: Jason Terry is on his game, scoring 6 straight points as the Celtics try to climb back into this one. He followed a long 3-pointer with a fastbreak layup as Rajon Rondo remains on the bench. The Celtics are shooting 52 percent but has committed seven turnovers.

End of first quarter, Spurs 26-21: San Antonio is pretty much getting what they want in the paint with Tiago Splitter already scored 8 points, all on layups. Tony Parker also has 8 for the Spurs. Kevin Garnett has 2 points for the Celtics.

First quarter, 2:54, Spurs 20-19: The Celtics are shooting 56 percent from the field but the Spurs are pounding the ball in the paint, having already attempted seven free throws. Tony Parker has 6 points for the Spurs.

First quarter, 6:56, Spurs 15-12: The Celtics got off to the fast start they wanted but the Spurs have countered with a 12-4 run as their offense continues to create easy shots. Tony Parker has the past two baskets for San Antonio. Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo each have 4 points for the Celtics.

By Gary Washburn, Globe Staff

SAN ANTONIO -- The Celtics will attempt to get back on the winning track against the Spurs, who beat them soundly 112-100 at TD Garden last month. Courtney Lee will return to the starting lineup after scoring 8 points as a starter Friday against the Houston Rockets. Tim Duncan is undergoing a career resurgence, including doubling his block total from last season.

STARTING LINEUPS.
BOSTON CELTICS (12-10)
PG Rajon Rondo
SG Courtney Lee
SF Paul Pierce
PF Brandon Bass
C Kevin Garnett

SAN ANTONIO SPURS (18-6)
PG Tony Parker
SG Gary Neal
SF Danny Green
PF DeJuan Blair
C TIm Duncan

Officials: Rodney Mott, Kevin Fehr, Ton Brown

TV/Radio: 8:30 Comcast Sportsnet / WEEI

Pregame notes:

• Rajon Rondo leads all NBA guards with a 51.4 field goal percentage. San Antonio's Tony Parker is second.

• Doc Rivers said he will reduce the minutes for Paul Pierce, who logged nearly 41 minutes Friday.

• The Celtics will stay in San Antonio Saturday night and travel to Chicago on Sunday in preparation for Tuesday's game against the Bulls.

Final: Rockets 101-89: Not the way the Celtics wanted to start this three-game road trip. They looked uninterested in defense in the second half, allowing the Rockets to shoot 57.1 percent and hit seven 3-pointers. James Harden led Houston with 21 points. Paul Pierce had 18 on 5-for-18 shooting for the Celtics.

Fourth quarter, 2:52, Rockets 96-85: The Celtics are just killing themselves with silly mistakes and missed shots, and the Rockets are making them pay with the 3-point shot. Houston just canned its 10th of the game, a Toney Douglas special after a Rajon Rondo lazy pass was picked by Chandler Parsons for a fastbreak. Disappointing effort for the Celtics.

Fourth quarter, 7:42, Rockets 86-78: Greg Smith has been the story tonight with 20 points and six rebounds in 20 minutes. The Celtics are letting him roam around the basket and he is taking advantage of the soft defense with easy layups.

End of third quarter, Rockets 75-70: The Celtics appear cinched for one of those clunker defensive quarters and tonight it was the third. Houston was 11-for-18 shooting in the period and 4 of 5 from the 3-point line, leading by as many 9 before the Celtics rallied for the final 4 points. Paul Pierce leads Boston with 14 points but on 4-for-14 shooting. James Harden has a quiet 16 for Houston on 5-for-13 shooting.

Third quarter, 5:30, Rockets 63-56: The Celtics came out lethargic in the second half and the Rockets have hit 7 of 9 shots to create some distance. Chandler Parson and James Harden each have 13 points as the Rockets are closing in on one of those unwanted 30-point quarters. The Celtics have five turnovers in the quarter and committing seven in the first half.

Halftime, Celtics 45-43: The Celtics went cold after taking a 7-point lead at the 3:35 mark, scoring 4 points for the rest of the period, but they trailed by as many as 13 and their defense against Houston's halfcourt offense is stifling. Paul Pierce scored all 12 of his points in the second quarter. But Greg Smith (11 points, 6 rebounds) is causing problems for the Celtics.

Second quarter, 2:26, Celtics 41-37: A stirring 18-2 run got the Celtics the lead as they contested every shot, forcing the Rockets into 4-for-15 shooting in the quarter. Paul Pierce has heated up with 11 points in the quarter. Rajon Rondo has six assists. Chandler Parsons and Greg Smith have 7 points for Houston.

Second quarter, 6:38, Tied at 32: The Rockets have cooled off while the Celtics are closing in but keep missing easy shots. But they are consistently getting defensive stops and Jason Terry just buried his second 3-pointer to tie the game. Amazingly the Celtics are shooting 33 percent. Houston is 2-for-7 shooting in the quarter.

End of first quarter, Rockets 27-19: The Celtics are lucky to be so close but they seemed to have figured something out defensively after giving up some early easy baskets. Kevin Garnett also came back into the game and drained a jumper after missing five of his first six. Courtney Lee leads the Celtics with 5 points while James Harden has 6 for Houston.

First quarter, 2:31, Rockets 23-13: The Rockets already have 6 fastbreak points and are pushing the ball at every opportunity. They are stretching the floor and moving the ball on pick-and-rolls, which is forcing the Celtics into scramble mode. Meanwhile, the offense is 6-for-18 shooting, including 1-for-6 from Garnett, who is on the bench. Courtney Lee has 5 points.

First quarter, 10:06, Rockets 6-2: It's obvious the Rockets plan to run after every Boston miss because they have already had two runouts that have led to a dunk and two-shot foul. Kevin Garnett has had three good looks but converted just one.