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BOSTON -- You might have spotted Celtics reserves Keyon Dooling and Marquis Daniels offering some emphatic sideline support this season. It seems to have been magnified in the postseason as TV broadcasts often have showed them doing some sort of two-armed fist-pump to celebrate a Boston run.

"We’ve been doing that throughout the course of the season, it’s just magnified throughout the playoffs," Dooling said. "It’s something that kind of gets us going. We put two fists in the air and kind of pump our fists a little bit -- just something to let our guys know that we are cheering for them, we’re rooting for them. We've got their back."

After Boston's Game 1 triumph over the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference semifinals Saturday night at TD Garden, a reporter suggested that it looked like the players were doing chin-ups, Dooling chuckled.

"Well, if you’ve seen my body, you’d know I haven’t done too many chin-ups," he deadpanned.

Dooling admits the celebration could use a name. Someone asked Daniels about it on Twitter a couple of days back and he said simply it was a, "Florida thang," a reference to how Dooling (Fort Lauderdale) and Daniels (Orlando) are both natives of the Sunshine State. (Maybe that would be a good name for the celebration?)

Dooling said to ask about a name again down the road.

"What we're going to do is we're going to decide on the name and you can ask me next time," he said.

Your turn: Got a good name for the sideline celebration? Sound off in the comments.

Update, 9:42 p.m.: Well, go ahead and close the ballot box...

Our friends at CelticsHub put Mickael Pietrus in the spotlight before Thursday's Game 6 and say the Celtics need more from the backup swingman. From Brian Robb:

What if I told you Air France had taken just one 2-point shot this entire series? Yes, it was the impressive reverse layup at the end of the third quarter of Game 5, so Mickael is shooting 100 percent from inside the arc. From downtown? A whole different story. Remember how much we all use to complain about Rasheed Wallace’s shooting from downtown? Well, Mickael shoots it nearly just as much and for the past month, he’s been worse than Rasheed ever was. In this series, Pietrus has hit just 2-of-13 3-balls, clocking a horrendous 15.4 percentage from beyond the arc, while taking just over 2.5 attempts from deep per game.

* Forsberg's thoughts: We've been saying for much of the series that the Celtics need more offensively from Pietrus and it might be time for him to attack the basket with more aggression, hoping to give himself a spark and the 3-pointers will follow. But to put Pietrus' offensive struggles in perspective, consider this: According to Synergy Sports data, he is averaging 0.5 points per possession, registering a mere 8 points on 16 possessions, which ranks him in just the 3rd percentile among all playoff participants. By comparison, Ray Allen is averaging 1.143 points per play (40 points in 35 possessions). Pietrus gets a bit of a pass because his defense has been solid (even if the stats suggest that, even there, he's still struggling at times to contain the likes of Joe Johnson).

It seems prudent to also put Keyon Dooling in the spotlight while we're discussing Pietrus' offensive struggles. While Dooling was in and out of the rotation during the regular season, he's been nothing short of spectacular in the playoffs, scoring 21 points on a mere 14 possessions, good for a best-in-the-league 1.5 points per play. Dooling is 8 of 14 (57.1 percent) from the floor overall, providing much-needed bench offense as Pietrus struggles to find his own shot.

ATLANTA -- The question posed asked Celtics reserve guard Keyon Dooling about his two second-half 3-pointers that aided Boston's come-from-behind victory in Game 2 of an Eastern Conference quarterfinal series against the Hawks, the first of which snapped a 77-minute, 25-second trifecta-less streak for Boston to start the postseason.

Dooling politely tried to steer the conversation to the other end of the floor.

"We made some shots, but the key for us was defense," he said. "We really locked in, defensively. We were able to kinda slow [Atlanta point guard Jeff] Teague down -- he’s like 'The Little Engine That Could,' he’s all over the place, but [Celtics guard] Avery [Bradley] did a good job of corralling him, our bigs did a good job of giving us extra shows... It was a defensive win for us."

Undeterred, the reporter asked again about the big shots. Keeping with his theme, Dooling got defensive.

"No, I heard your question," he said with a smile. "It’s not about what I did. It’s about our team and our defense."

And there in a nutshell is why coach Doc Rivers loves Dooling. Here's a player that was in and out of the rotation all season long, all while battling multiple injuries early in the season. His defense was downright atrocious at times, but here in the playoffs he's elevated his play. All while being a vocal leader on and off the court for the Celtics.

Boston players talked a lot about being professionals after Tuesday's win and Dooling's effort (and that of someone like little-used Marquis Daniels) epitomized how Boston bench players have stayed ready this season.

"We all have roles on this team," said Dooling. "My role has been like that all year. In the playoffs, everything is magnified, but we just want to lock in and encourage our teammates, and we felt like we had an opportunity to win. Nobody really gave us this game on paper without having [suspended point guard Rajon] Rondo, so we were looking at this as opportunity to step up again, and somebody did. We love stepping up to the plate."

With Mickael Pietrus plagued by foul trouble, Dooling logged 21:05 of floor time (more than Pietrus at 19 minutes) and was a big reason Boston was able to rally. Rivers had said there would be some unsung heroes in this series and Dooling made him look smart with his effort Tuesday.

BOSTON -- With 5:49 remaining in the second quarter of Tuesday's game against the Miami Heat, Celtics guard Keyon Dooling departed with a cut under his right eye after absorbing an unintentional elbow from Heat forward James Jones.

Dooling was pursuing Jones around a screen set by Juwan Howard on the right wing, and Jones' elbow flung back on the handoff and struck Dooling in the face.

UPDATE: Dooling returned for the start of the second half.

BOSTON -- Earlier in the blog we noted how Celtics coach Doc Rivers has shortened his bench and is utilizing a mere nine-man rotation with the goal of erasing some of the inconsistencies that plagued Boston over the first half of the season.

One of the underperforming players getting a chance to distinguish himself is veteran combo guard Keyon Dooling. Acquired during the offseason in a trade with the Milwaukee Bucks, Dooling endured a frustrating first half while battling hip and knee ailments that limited him to 16 of the team's 32 games before the All-Star break.

Now operating almost exclusively as a shooting guard, Dooling has seen his court time jump up over the last 10 games and, while he's struggled at times with his shot, Rivers is hoping to get him going a bit.

"Keyon basically missed the beginning of the year, then he missed a big stretch [late in the first half due to injury]," said Rivers. "Keyon hasn't played a lot of games and he's had very few practices with us. He's just trying to get his rhythm. What I love about him is he plays hard every night and he plays with energy. And he's a threat behind the 3[-point line]."

Over the last 10 games, Dooling is averaging 3.1 points and 1.3 assists over 14.6 minutes per game and shooting just 24.3 percent from the floor during that stretch. The one thing Dooling doesn't lack is confidence, however, and even though he made just 1-of-9 trifectas in wins over Milwaukee and New Jersey, he isn't afraid to keep firing away. For the season, the 12th-year guard is averaging 4.9 points and 1.3 assists per game. Dooling's only bucket Sunday came on a 21-foot jumper late in the first quarter and he finished with two points, an assist, and a steal over 9 minutes, 24 seconds against the Knicks.

Unlike teammates Marquis Daniels and Sasha Pavlovic, Dooling is a veteran with his confidence still intact. The Celtics know they need more from their bench -- even as the rotation shortens up and it's harder for players to get on the court -- and it's clear that Rivers hopes he can get Dooling to evolve into a solid contributor during this stretch run.

Celtics reserve guard Keyon Dooling, back in the lineup after missing the past seven games due to a right knee injury, left Thursday's game with a right hip-pointer and will not return, according to the team.

Dooling injured the hip in the second quarter and soon departed for the locker room. He came onto the court after halftime, but was soon declared out for the remainder of the game.

Dooling scored three points over eight minutes in Thursday's tilt. He was averaging 7 points, 1.3 assists, and 0.9 rebounds over 18.4 minutes per game in nine appearances.

The Celtics were playing without three starters Thursday against the Magic in guards Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen and center Jermaine O'Neal. Boston, who played without five bodies in Monday's home win over Orlando, did get three players back in Dooling, Chris Wilcox and Mickael Pietrus.

BOSTON -- Celtics guard Keyon Dooling is still battling a lingering right knee ailment that has kept him out of the last five games, but prior to Friday's home loss to the Phoenix Suns, the veteran guard opened up about his time in Boston so far.

Dooling, currently in his 12th NBA season, has played for six organizations (previous stops with the Clippers, Magic, Heat, Nets and Bucks), but it's only taken a month in green for the C's to jump to the top of his list.

"This is by far the best organization I've ever played for," Dooling said. "They make it fun to come to work every day. They take care of you from the time you walk in the door with that good breakfast, to the time you leave, with that good lunch. And obviously when you get the coaching of Doc Rivers and you've got all the history around this place, and you've got a whole city behind you, a whole state behind you, a whole area behind you, it would be just asinine for somebody not to want to play here."

Dooling was partly responding to an inquiry concerning the notion that high-profile NBA free agents don't see Boston as a desirable destination. But Dooling noted that he hasn't heard that perception of the city around the NBA. While not arriving in Boston via free agency himself (the C's utilized a trade exception to send the draft rights of Albert Miralles to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for the veteran combo guard), Dooling has marveled at the reception he and his family have gotten within the community.

"It's been awesome for me. How many free meals have I gotten?" Dooling joked. "Dunkin' Donuts donuts and coffee and all that for free? Are you kidding me? Me and my family have been very, very impressed with the reception that we've gotten everywhere we've gone. As a matter of fact, the people who helped me move are coming to the game [on Friday]. It's just been awesome. People have just been awesome. I don't know if it's because I'm a Celtic or if it's my smile."

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BOSTON -- Celtics backup point guard Keyon Dooling said his ailing right knee is feeling better, but he plans to sit out both Friday's visit from the Chicago Bulls and Saturday's trip to play the Indiana Pacers with hopes of returning to game action next week.

Dooling's knee flared up after Wednesday's loss to the Dallas Mavericks, forcing him to sit out Thursday's practice. He stressed in the locker room before Friday's game that it's a "minor" injury and he hasn't even gone for an MRI or any tests because of the overnight improvement. But it's enough to keep him sidelined through the weekend.

"I just know around 4 in the morning [after Wednesday's game], I woke up and something wasn't right," he said. "It's feeling a lot better today though. A lot better."

Celtics coach Doc Rivers didn't seem overly concerned about the injury. Informed of the injury timeline, he quipped, "That's the first I've heard about it, sounds good to me."

What will the Celtics do to replace Dooling's minutes?

"We play other guys," Rivers said. "We’ll play E’Twaun [Moore], Avery [Bradley], Marquis [Daniels] -- so you have the bodies."

Rivers hinted that this could be a chance for rookie Moore to establish himself as he tries to carve out a role as a backup point guard (despite being a shooting guard in college).

"[Moore has] been great, actually. I would make the case that running the pure point guard spot, he might be our best option," Rivers said. "We’ve gone with Keyon because of experience and I still like Keyon at the 2, as you guys know by now, so this may be the start of it."

Sasha Pavlovic (wrist) joins Dooling as inactive for Friday's game, while Jermaine O'Neal (knee) will play.

WALTHAM, Mass. -- While Celtics coach Doc Rivers likes what 12th-year veteran Keyon Dooling provides behind Rajon Rondo, he expressed hesitation Monday in leaning too heavily on Dooling as the primary backup ball-handler, preferring instead to move him off the ball, where he's shown flashes of scoring potential this season.

That means the Celtics are once again looking for a little point guard help and hope a young player like Avery Bradley or E'Twaun Moore can grasp that role, even if both entered the year with expectations of being utilized more at the shooting guard spot.

"I just want [Dooling] to play," said Rivers. "Keyon, I’m happy with. He’s not playing great, honestly. [But] what I don’t like for Keyon is, I think I have him at point guard way too much. That’s where we are waiting for Avery or E'Twaun -- or someone else -- to give him a lift with the ball-handling duties. I never intended for [Dooling] to be a full-time point guard and right now he is."

With Rajon Rondo averaging more than 36 minutes per game this season, the Celtics really only need a backup point guard on the floor for less than a quarter's worth of time. The trouble is that Moore is making the transition to more of a combo guard after being a college scorer, while Rivers has admitted in the past that Bradley has been weighed down at times with ball-handling responsibilities.

Dooling is averaging 6.8 points and 1.4 assists over 19.1 minutes per game through eight appearances. With only 11 assists, including four in his last four games, Dooling simply hasn't been able to generate much offense as a point guard -- though the second unit as a whole has struggle to generate points -- and has instead thrived when he's aggressively shot the ball (highlighted by a season-high 18 points in a loss to Miami last month).

Its a small sample, but Dooling's field goal attempts per game are down two shots per contest from last year. With a second unit that's leaning heavy on Brandon Bass to shoulder the scoring load, Dooling knows he has to be more assertive.

"In order for our unit to be productive, I have to be a little bit more aggressive offensively," said Dooling. "I think it was just a bit of a learning curve, trying to fit in, trying to play with our guys, as a new guy, and I think our group needs me to be a little more aggressive, offensively."

WALTHAM, Mass. -- New Celtics teammates Keyon Dooling and Ray Allen are old adversaries, having instigated a chaotic bench-clearing brawl during a Jan. 2006 game between the Seattle Sonics, Allen’s team at the time, and Dooling’s Orlando Magic. (Check it out here.)

Dooling talked about the fight at Celtics media day on Tuesday.

“The Sonics? Is that even a team anymore?” Dooling joked. “Oh, that’s ancient history. At the end of the day, when Ray and I saw each other the next time after the fight, we had a conversation and we embraced each other. At the end of the day, it was the heat of battle. I have a lot more respect for him. I know he has a lot more respect for me. Sometimes you know a man better when you fight.”

The bout started when Allen elbowed Dooling underneath the basket. The new Celtic then tackled Allen, threw a few punches, and, once ejected, chased him through an arena hallway. Since then, Dooling said the two players have buried the hatchet.

“[Allen’s] been nothing but a phenomenal influence since I’ve been here,” Dooling said. “I’ve had a chance to spend some time with him over the summer, with some of the union business, so I’m just looking forward to being here and being a part of this organization.”

That’s all well and good, but one question remains: Who won the fight?

“Man, nobody wins a basketball fight,” Dooling said, laughing. “The NBA won. They got all the fine money. They always win.”

WALTHAM, Mass. -- Celtics coach Doc Rivers noted this week that he has tried three times unsuccessfully to entice Keyon Dooling to his teams. Joking that there must be something wrong with free agent sales pitch, Rivers and the Celtics resorted to trading for the veteran combo guard this week.

After participating in his first practice on Saturday, Dooling gushed with excitement about joining the Celtics, especially give the team's championship potential.

"This is something I’ve never experienced before, going into a season and having the opportunity to play for a [championship], it's something I’m very excited about," he said. "I haven’t really had a legitimate chance to win a ‘ship since I played with [Shaquille O'Neal] back in Miami [during the 2004-05 season]. So I’m licking my chops, I’m excited about this.

"I’ve been on the Internet, just trying to learn the history of the organization, learn what numbers I can and can’t wear, etcetera," he said. "But I’m just excited. I feel like a rookie all over again. Obviously, you’ve got three Hall of Famers on this team, four All-Stars. Then you’ve got Jeff Green, who is an emerging player. I mean, the sky is the limit for this team."

The 6-foot-3 Dooling provides both a solid backup ball-handler and a gritty defender, even if he ranked himself behind both Rajon Rondo and Avery Bradley in terms of defensive ability.

"I’ve always liked his grit," said Rivers. "He reminds me of a guy I had in Orlando in Darrell Armstrong. He’s feisty, he’s tough. He can guard the 1 and the 2. He makes big shots. He’s clever. He’s not a pure point, but he can play both positions."

Despite Rivers' inability to hook him earlier, Dooling expressed great excitement in playing for him this season.

"I’ve had an opportunity to play for a few good coaches in my career -- Stan Van Gundy and Lawrence Frank have been very influential in my career and my progress as a player and as a person," said Dooling. "Doc has been somebody who's been a great mentor to me, I always pick his brain each time I see him, because I’m fascinated by him. He’s awesome. He’s everything that a player like me would want to be, even for the future. I’m excited for the opportunity to sit back and learn. I don’t necessarily have to be vocal, or be much of a leader. I can sit back and just absorb this championship ambiance around here."

Dooling's toughest decision: Picking a new number, which he found through his online research, wasn't a particularly easy task for a team with so many retired digits.

"You know what, 55, I couldn’t get it," he said. "I wanted to go by ‘Double Nickel,’ so 51 was something where I was No. 5 at one point in my career [in Miami and Orlando], I was No. 1 [with the Clippers], so I just combined those. I was thinking like 77, I was thinking something that was like swaggin’ it out. My family -- my wife and my kids -- said since you can’t get the 55, do the 51."

Informed it was merely rookie second-round draft pick E'Twaun Moore blocking him that No. 55, Dooling's eyebrows shot skyward.

"Oh, really? No, it’s all good," he said. "Hey listen, I’m just happy to be here. At the end of the day, I would have worn No. 87 as long as it had the Celtics written on the front it. It doesn’t matter about the number, I’m just ready to play."

When you're a cap-strapped team like the Boston Celtics, you have to take advantage of every available loophole. And that's exactly what Boston will do Friday when it adds Keyon Dooling and Marquis Daniels to its 2011-12 roster.

Daniels, who spent the last two seasons with Boston on one-year deals, suffered a scary spine injury in early February, essentially ending his 2010-11 campaign. In need of his roster spot, the Celtics traded Daniels to the Sacramento Kings at the deadline in late February, receiving a 2017 second-round pick. That pick is top 55 protected, meaning the Kings would have to be one of the five best teams in basketball in 2016 in order for the Celtics to receive that pick.

So the Celtics got nothing but the roster spot, right? No, they also got a $2.4 million trade exception.

With that, Boston can absorb a contract of similar amount in a trade. On Thursday, the team agreed in principle with the Milwaukee Bucks on a swap that will bring Dooling and his $2.2 million contract to the Celtics in exchange for what will likely be a future second-round pick.

The irony: The Celtics also plan to re-sign Marquis Daniels to a one-year, minimum contract Friday. In a roundabout way, Boston traded away a player that wasn't going to be able to contribute last year, got a valuable roster spot for the remainder of the season, and now will add a valuable backup guard in Dooling, while Daniels comes back at a discounted rate ready to play again.

As a tax-paying team, the Celtics have only the mini mid-level exception ($3 million) to offer a player this offseason. Beyond a sign-and-trade with players they boast Bird Rights to (Jeff Green, Glen Davis), the team will otherwise be limited to obtaining minimum contract players.

For the record, Boston boasts two other trade exceptions after shipping rookies Luke Harangody and Semih Erden to Cleveland at the deadline last year. It's unlikely they can utilize those quite as shrewdly as they did the Daniels exception.

MILWAUKEE -- The Boston Celtics have a deal in place to acquire veteran guard Keyon Dooling in a trade with the Milwaukee Bucks, Dooling's agent tells The Associated Press.

Agent Kenge Stevenson says the deal will not be official until Friday. NBA owners and players ratified a new collective bargaining agreement Thursday, the final step to ending the five-month lockout and paving the way for training camps and free agency to open Friday.

Dooling played 80 games for the Bucks with 22 starts last season, averaging 7.1 points and three assists. He was the No. 10 overall pick out of Missouri in the 2000 draft.

The Bucks are expected to receive a second-round pick in return.