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MIAMI -- Celtics guard Rajon Rondo remains in the starting lineup for Game 5, but coach Doc Rivers admitted that he's still in a lot of pain and the team will watch to ensure he's not a liability as he plays through the pain of a dislocated left elbow suffered in Saturday's Game 3 win over the Heat.

"[The elbow is] not much better, I can tell you that," said Rivers. "In some ways, I think he’s actually in more pain than going into Game 4. But I think he at least has an idea on how to deal with it more. We’re hoping that he can give us something and, if he can’t, we’ll have to make a decision on the floor."

River stressed the biggest concern is for Rondo to step up in help defense and provide the necessary physicality.

"That requires a physicality and he literally couldn't do it," Rivers said of Rondo's defense in Game 4. "That put us in a real bind. We thought it opened up too many driving lanes and that's the one thing you can’t afford. We have to try a couple things, one, is to keep him out of those positions, if possible. Two, he just had to do it. If not, then we have to make a decision."

The Celtics will be without the services of Shaquille O'Neal, who is back on the inactive list after suffering a setback with his right Achilles/calf after playing a total of 12 minutes the past two games. Rivers reiterated that O'Neal might ultimately be out for the remainder of the postseason, even if Boston is able to fight back from a 3-1 deficit in this series.

"I would say most likely," Rivers said when asked if the 39-year-old center could be out for the playoffs. "But who knows. I don’t know our exact record, but when Shaq played 21 minutes or more this year, we were 21-4. It was no coincidence to me that Rondo got off to start he got off to because Shaq was moving and athletic and quick with Kevin [Garnett] and that starting group. Rondo had so much room on the floor. Honestly, since that point, [O'Neal has] never been near that [healthy]. So, for us, it’s been tough. For him, it’s been far tougher. I always say with us, when players are injured, I still get to coach tonight. [O'Neal] doesn’t get to play at all, he doesn’t get to be in the fray at all. For a guy like Shaq, that would be very difficult."

Rivers said Boston might shorten its rotation, but center Nenad Krstic could see some time if Kevin Garnett's minutes start escalating. Joining O'Neal on Boston's inactive list Wednesday are Avery Braldey and Sasha Pavlovic. The Heat inactives are Erick Dampier, Jamaal Magloire, and Dexter Pittman. Miami is sticking with Udonis Haslem, after a less-than-stellar return to game action in Game 4.

"The most important thing when I made the decision to active [Haslem] was because of his leadership," said Mike coach Erik Spoelstra.

BOSTON -- Celtics coach Doc Rivers confirmed that guard Rajon Rondo will start Monday's Game 4 and attempt to play through the lingering pain from a dislocated elbow suffered in Saturday's Game 3 win over the Miami Heat.

Rondo will wear a bulky brace that will immobilize the arm in case of contact, but Rivers is confident his All-Star guard can remain effective on the court.

"He looked OK this morning [at shootaround]," said Rivers. "We just gotta wait and see. It's very similar to [Shaquille O'Neal], you have to look with your eyes and make a decision. It's the same with Rondo. I think he'll be OK though, I really do.

"He still has legs and he still has speed. He’s just got to play the game with the same force that he played the other night and that’s for the whole team. Rondo’s force and ball pressure, that's very, very important for us. So that’s what we’ll be watching. If he can’t do that, if he can’t play with speed, then he’s not going to be very effective."

Rivers also gave a positive update on backup guard Delonte West, who bruised his left shoulder during the second quarter of Saturday's win.

"Delonte’s fine," said Rivers. "He’s hurting, obviously, the shoulder is bothering him. But he looked fine [at shootaround]."

To be safe, the Celtics activated veteran Carlos Arroyo to add depth at the point guard position in case either Rondo or West is limited. Boston's healthy scratches are Avery Bradley, Troy Murphy and Sasha Pavlovic.

Rivers also said that O'Neal responded well to his first activity in more than a month after playing 8½ minutes in Game 3. Rivers wants to see more of what O'Neal provided in his brief second-half stint.

"The first half, I thought [he labored]," said Rivers. "But I thought in the second half, he was really good. He gave us exactly what he could give us and what we needed. I don’t know if there’s a breakthrough for him. You get on the floor the first time and you’re tentative. I thought he was far more aggressive in the second half. We need more of that."

Before Monday's game, Heat president Pat Riley gave a handful of individual pep talks to his players on the Garden floor after the team's morning shootaround. Rivers, who played under Riley with the New York Knicks, said those words could go a long way.

"He's a hell of a speaker, I guarantee that," said Rivers. "There’s no better speaker that I’ve been around in my life. So I guarantee you that whatever he said reached them. And they’ll play with amazing intensity."

BOSTON -- After what seems like daily headlines for the better part of the past three months, the ShaqWatch ends Saturday night as Celtics coach Doc Rivers confirmed before tip-off that Shaquille O'Neal will make his much anticipated return to game action in Game 3 of an Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Miami Heat.

O'Neal, limited to 5½ minutes of game action since Feb. 1 due to right Achilles and calf issues, will suit up for the first time since April 3 and will see time as a reserve. What can Boston expect from the Big Shamrock? Rivers said he truly has no idea, but knows what O'Neal has the potential to provide.

"It's more the power and the force he can bring us," said Rivers. "He can do that, in some ways, offensively with his duck-ins, and he can do that defensively in the rebounding area. And, listen, it's no fun to drive on Shaq. Our guys know that from practice.

"We'll let him dive in, [I told him], 'Just be you.' Obviously, Shaq can't do the things he did 15 years ago. And when he does do that, he doesn't play very well. When he comes in and kinda fills a role for this team, he's terrific for us. That's what we're hoping he can do."

Rivers said he'll let his eyeballs determine how long O'Neal can play for. To make room for O'Neal, the Celtics have deactivated point guard Carlos Arroyo. Quipped Rivers: "We've grown."

One thing Rivers stressed was how hard O'Neal worked to get to this point.

"I don’t think people realize how much he’s gone through to get to this point," said Rivers. "A week ago, two weeks ago, we weren't sure if he was going to play. As we got closer, you could see him improving. He’s had to put in a lot of time, he’s lost ton of weight since getting injured; That's just hard work and he’s done it."

Rivers said all his other players are healthy and ready to go.

MIAMI -- Celtics coach Doc Rivers said the key to his team's success in Tuesday's Game 2 of its Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Miami Heat is quite simple.

"It would be nice to at least run our game plan, that way we would know if what we were doing is right or wrong," said Rivers, who noted after Sunday's Game 1 loss that Boston abandoned its offensive game plan, contributing to their struggles.

"We've got to run them off 3[-pointers] obviously, we can't turn the ball over, and then we've just got to move the ball offensively. Those would be the three things. Everything else, we're pretty happy with. Dwyane [Wade] and LeBron [James] are capable of having big games, we knew that going in. They are capable of having it tonight too, but you can still win games when that happens."

A couple of other notes from pregame:

* As expected, Celtics center Shaquille O'Neal is out for Tuesday's game because of lingering soreness after going through a full practice on Monday. Rivers said at this morning's shootaround that O'Neal, limited to 5½ minutes of game action since Feb. 1, was unlikely to play and would instead eye Saturday's Game 3. The Heat will remain without Udonis Haslem and neither team changed its active roster.

* Tonight's referees: Joey Crawford, Jason Phillips, and Greg Willard ... Here's a glimpse of the free shirts waiting for fans at American Airlines Arena.

MIAMI -- Celtics center Shaquille O'Neal will sit out Sunday's Game 1 of an Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Miami Heat, but coach Doc Rivers suggested the 39-year-old center should be back on the floor within the next two games.

"He’s getting very close," Rivers said. "Honestly, we had to actually make a decision today, so that’s better than what we’ve had to do in the past. He’s getting close. Maybe next game. If not, I would say for sure Game 3."

O'Neal walked through the crowded visitors' locker room in game shorts and a T-shirt moving about as well as we've seen in recent weeks. The series features three full offdays between Tuesday's Games 2 in Miami and Saturday's Game 3 in Boston, which would allow the Celtics extra time to get O'Neal right if he's not ready. The biggest hurdle now appears to be post-activity soreness.

"He’s getting there," Rivers said. "He tried to do some stuff, but he keeps getting really sore afterward. So we’re just going to wait."

A few more pregame quick hits:

* The Celtics made a slight adjustment to their roster, moving Carlos Arroyo into an active spot and shuffling Sasha Pavlovic to inactive. O'Neal and Avery Bradley are the other two scratches for Boston.

Asked why he made the switch, Rivers said, "Guard play, No. 1. No. 2, [Arroyo] knows this team. He was in their training camp, in their practices. He knows their personnel and I just felt like he may be able to help us in some way."

* Game 1 referees: Dan Crawford, Derrick Collins and Ed Malloy. Crawford reffed the final regular-season meeting between the teams and Game 3 of Boston's first-round series against the Knicks. Collins was on the crew for Game 4 of the Knicks series.

* Rivers on his team's mood after a long week of practice: "I think they’re ready to play. They’re very serious. I think they’re tired of me, tired of all the talk, tired of hearing all the different announcements from other teams and other people about what this series means. I think they’re in the 'I'll show you' mode. And that's a good place to be."

NEW YORK -- A quiet pregame here at Madison Square Garden, but Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni livened things up a bit by taking a subtle shot at Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo in advance of Sunday's Game 4 of an Eastern Conference quarterfinals series.

Asked about Rondo's triple-double performance the other night (and his stellar play overall in this series), D'Antoni seemed to question whether Boston's All-Star point guard would put up the numbers he does if he was playing without a Hall of Fame supporting cast.

"He's a very good player," said D'Antoni. "I'd like to see him play in Minnesota and see how he does. Everybody's tied together and they have three Hall of Famers playing out there. Rondo is a very good basketball player -- really good. But if you look at their team and you have to say, ‘What can we take away? What do we have to give them and play the odds?’ You have to give him his shot and you have to try to close up the middle on him and that’s kind of how we did it. We think that’s the best way to go. Nothing might work because they’re that good. He’s a very good basketball player, there’s no doubt about it."

Rondo is coming off a performance in which he produced his sixth career postseason triple-double, handing out a Celtics' playoff record 20 assists in Friday's Game 3 triumph.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers admitted that any player in that situation is going to hear that criticism, but said Rondo is deserving of all the praise regardless of what's around him.

"You play with those guys, that’s probably what you’re going to get," said Rivers. "I don’t think he would trade it. I think he enjoys playing with them. If there is a negative side, I guess that would be it. No matter how well you play, the question will be [how much the supporting cast helped]. Some day, that will be answered, too. I got a feeling he’ll answer them all in the way he’s answering them now."

NEW YORK -- Celtics coach Doc Rivers bumped into Knicks star Amare Stoudemire leaving the TD Garden after Tuesday's Game 2 and told New York's star big man that he had to play through the pain of back spasms.

"It's tough, it really is," admitted Rivers. "Spasms, you'd rather have something else at times because you don't know when and where [they'll strike]. One time you leap and feel great; One time you don't. It just comes. You can get through it, and I think he will. This atmosphere will absolutely help him, the adrenaline. But once you have a bad back, you have a bad back."

Rivers said neither Stoudemire's back, nor the knee injury that will sideline guard Chauncey Billups again will affect how the Celtics approach Game 3.

"We were pretty sure [Billups] was not playing," said Rivers. "We were ready either way. It doesn't change our game plan, honestly. We're going to play the same regardless of who plays."

Rivers said tinkering with Boston's game plan based on opposing personnel would only throw his team further off rhythm. And right now, despite a 2-0 series lead, Boston is desperately trying to get back on beat after stumbling to the finish line at the end of the regular season (then needing some late-game heroics to emerge with two wins in Boston to start the playoffs).

Two more quick pregame notes:

* Rivers on what he expects in the first playoff game at Madison Square Garden in seven years: "It’ll be loud. There will be a lot of energy in the building. That’s good for everyone, honestly. I think players love the atmosphere, not just our team. If you really want to bother us, tell no one to come, that will freak us out. The fact that there will be a lot of New York fans, caring about the Knicks, that's good."

* It wouldn't be a Rivers media confab without a Shaquille O'Neal question. Asked by the New York press about O'Neal, he basically reiterated his stance from this morning's shootaround.

"I don’t know know what his status is," said Rivers. "Listen, he’s on the road, which means he’s getting better. He’s closer. I don’t know if he’ll play Sunday [in Game 4] or not, we’ll probably find out a little bit more [Saturday]. He’s working and he’s doing everythig he can, that's all I can say. Whatever is required to get on the floor, he’s doing that and then probably doing more than that."

BOSTON -- Despite the fact that Knicks guard Chauncey Billups is inactive for Game 2 because of a strained left knee, the Celtics continue to stress that they don't feel any sort of advantage because New York will be without a key member of its starting five.

The Knicks will start Toney Douglas in Billups' place, one game after Douglas nearly lifted his team to victory with a late-game 3-pointer.

"I don’t know if we’re going to take advantage of [the Knicks not having Billups] honestly," coach Doc Rivers said. "If Chauncey plays, we’re going to play our game; if Chauncey doesn’t play, we’re going to play our game. We’re not going to change our game plan any obviously. With Douglas, it gives them more speed in some ways. They’ve been pretty good with Douglas as a starter. We told our guys, 'He's only leading league in 3[-pointers] since the All-Star break.' He's made more 3’s than any player in the NBA since the All-Star Game. He's been pretty good."

The Celtics did up their ball pressure on Douglas late in Game 1, taking advantage of Douglas' lack of playoff experience to help deny passes to Amare Stoudemire, who had dominated the early portion of the fourth quarter. Stoudemire did not touch the ball on New York's final seven possessions due to that pressure, but Rivers admitted that his troops would be hard-pressed to sustain that intensity.

"That’s tough to do for 48 minutes," Rivers said. "Most of the time, when you’re denying a guy, it puts you in bad defensive position. But the way [Stoudemire] was going, we felt like we would take our chances on someone else. It was the 'Anyone But Amare' defense at the end. They’ll counteract that [in Game 2]."

A couple other quick pregame notes:

* Guards Carlos Arroyo and Avery Bradley are the healthy scratches for Boston; center Shaquille O'Neal (right calf/Achilles) is the other inactive. That's an encouraging sign for anyone worried about point guard Rajon Rondo, who displayed a bit of a limp leaving the locker room after Game 1.

* Celtics guard Ray Allen said Boston can't take its foot off the accelerator after winning the first game.

"We've been in long playoff series, where you take the previous game into play and you think the same things are supposed to happen," said Allen. "You're going to score different ways, there's going to be different plays, we're going to find different options, the ball's going to bounce differently, so I don't want to predetermine anything. That's the great thing about it, it's like you don't know what's going to happen."

BOSTON -- As the Boston Celtics prepared to dive into postseason play, those who haven't been around for recent playoff runs admitted to some nerves as the quest for a world title shifts to another gear.

"Anxious, just to get going," said Jeff Green, acquired with Nenad Krstic at the trade deadline in the deal that sent Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson to Oklahoma City. "We've been watching [playoff games] for the past day and a half now, so we're ready to start our own series and get going on our quest to win a championship."

The Celtics utilized the last three days of practice to get Green and Krstic further acclimated to the Boston system, granting them the extended practice time that didn't exist during the grind of the final month of the season.

"Practices were great, very competitive," Green said. "I mean, that's what you've got to do to get ready for this type of thing that we're about to try to do, and Doc has put me in positions where I'll be with the first group, second group. It's been a wonderful couple of days and now it's time to put it to use on the court."

A few more pregame nuggets:

* Reserve guards Carlos Arroyo and Avery Bradley were the healthy scratches along with Shaquille O'Neal (right calf strain). Given the amount of minutes Rajon Rondo logs, the Celtics seem content to go with just him and Delonte West as ball-handlers. That provides a little more depth behind Paul Pierce should the team enter foul trouble on the wing.

* Krstic admitted he's hobbled a bit, not just by the bone bruise to his right knee suffered in late March, but a similar (yet minor) injury he endured to his left knee at Saturday's practice.

"I'm not 100 percent healthy because I have two bone bruises in my knees, but it's nothing really serious," Krstic said. "But I can't really say I'm 100 percent."

Pressed on where he'd put himself, Krstic added: "I don't know. I don't really know. I never really think in that way, like 85-86 percent. I'm not 100 percent, but in this part of the year, not a lot of guys are 100 percent. A lot of guys are sore, but then you go out there and play and forget about everything."

* Rivers downplayed any fallout after Glen Davis offhandedly, and rather harmlessly, suggested at Saturday's practice that guarding Amare Stoudemire is no big deal. Essentially, Davis was trying to say he sometimes psyches himself out going against a big name. Rivers says it'll all play out on the court.

"It’s all talk," Rivers said. "I don’t like it, I never liked it. But it’s going to happen and it's all talk at the end of the day."

Asked if he had warned his players to avoid bulletin board material, Rivers shrugged it off.

"You want me to warn them against [the media]?" he quipped. "We talked about it a little. Honestly, I’m more focused on playing basketball. At the end of the day, if you can talk and play, that’s good. If you can’t talk, play and stop talking. We’ll find out who does what."

BOSTON -- The Celtics' list of available bodies Wednesday is about as long as the list of those that are not.

Coach Doc Rivers said he will rest Delonte West, Jermaine O'Neal, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Shaquille O'Neal, and Rajon Rondo in Boston's regular-season finale against the visiting New York Knicks. The Celtics will trot out a starting lineup of Carlos Arroyo, Von Wafer, Jeff Green, Glen Davis, and Nenad Krstic. That leaves Avery Bradley, Troy Murphy, and Sasha Pavlovic available off the bench.

While Rivers admitted there's still some competition for the final spots on the active playoff roster, he downplayed the significance of that battle.

"I don't think that's newsworthy, personally," said Rivers. "I mean, it's more newsworthy if the 12th man on either roster is playing a lot [in the postseason]. I'm not set, honestly, but I think the game the other night [versus Washington] helped and this game will actually help, along with the [pre-playoff] practices."

Rivers went on to note again how it's not that big of a deal any more as rosters can be modified game-to-game, unlike in the past. Rivers recalled how he had to sit out an entire postseason because there wasn't room on the 12-man active roster, even when injuries opened potential doors.

"I was one of the reasons it was changed," said Rivers. "Because it sucked."

Rivers said he expects to have West (sprained right ankle; more on that in the blog shortly) available for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals against the Knicks on Sunday night, but said practice will dictate whether Shaquille O'Neal (sprained right calf) can be ready.

"With Shaq, it's probably too early to tell, but I think [he'll be able to play in Game 1]," said Rivers.

O'Neal was at the arena prior to Wednesday's game, getting in a workout with the training staff.

MIAMI -- Celtics coach Doc Rivers continues to downplay the "sending a message" aspect of Sunday's showdown against the Heat, but admitted it's a big game because of the postseason implications.

"I heard [Miami's Chris] Bosh say this is a message game and all that crap," said Rivers. "I think it’s an important game in that the winner gets home court [in the conference semifinals if top seeds advance]. Other than that, the whole message thing -- if we win this game, I don't think that’s going to make them not want to play us in the second round. If they win, I don’t think it’s going to send a big message to us. A win means you have a chance to have home court in a seventh game -- and the first two games, which people overlook. I think that's important."

Down the hall, Miami coach Erik Spoelstra suggested his team is already in playoff mode.

"It started to feel like the playoffs last week," said Spoelstra. "We wanted to really treat the Charlotte game as the first game of a playoff series. We changed our approach and our preparation. We did the same thing going into this game."

With that in mind, LeBron James didn't hold his normal pregame chat with the media. Yes, there's a playoff-like intensity around this one.

A couple other pregame nuggets:

* Rivers said it was a pretty simple decision not to bring Shaquille O'Neal (right calf strain) on this final road trip of the season and didn't want to predict whether the 39-year-old center would be back on the court in Wednesday's regular-season finale against the New York Knicks.

"Honestly, I didn't talk to him, I just talked to [team trainer] Eddie [Lacerte] and he said he wasn't ready," said Rivers. "It wasn't a long conversation. I just said, 'Is he ready or not?' He said, 'No.' That was it."

Pressed on O'Neal's potential return, Rivers said: "[Wednesday is] possible, but I’m just going to wait and see. To be honest, that's the last thing I’m thinking about."

* Jermaine O'Neal is back in the starting lineup after getting a maintenance day Friday against the Wizards. J.O. had played five games in eight days before that coming off left knee surgery. Rivers reiterated that he wants to change the way he's utilizing his veteran center, limiting the length of time he spends on the bench.

"I don’t think I’ve done a very good job with the way we’ve played him," said Rivers. "I thought resting him for long periods was good. It turns out it probably was not, so we'll try to tweak that a little bit."

BOSTON -- Celtics center Jermaine O'Neal, who has appeared in five games over the last eight days since returning from left knee surgery, is being held out by coach Doc Rivers Friday night. Nenad Krstic will get the spot start against the Washington Wizards.

"I'm holding J.O. out tonight; He wanted to play, but I didn’t think he should play," said Rivers. "I just want to keep him healthy. He’s played a bunch of games and we play Sunday, Monday, [and] Wednesday [next week], and he would like to play that entire week, so I thought this would be a good game for him to sit."

Rivers said everyone else -- save for Shaquille O'Neal, who Rivers had no update on, but seemed to hint was unlikely to play Sunday vs. Miami -- was available Friday night. Boston's helmsman hasn't decided how -- or if -- he'll rest his other veterans as the postseason nears.

"I'm not thinking about it," said Rivers. "We'll think about that when we get there... It's game by game. We're going by what our eyes tell us, by what [team trainer] Eddie [Lacerte] tell us, and what [the players] tell us. Right now, they're good."

As for Jermaine O'Neal moving forward, Rivers said one tweak he will initiate when he returns Sunday is to limit the long layoffs between getting him back on the floor.

"We're sitting him too long," said Rivers. "I'll try to play him the same [minutes] -- he only plays five or six minutes in a row -- but then we'll sit him five minutes and let him play again. I think that's easier for him."

A couple other quick pregame notes:

* Rivers confirmed that he and Rondo had a postgame powwow in Chicago, but suggested it's not that uncommon. "Rondo's come in, probably a lot," said Rivers. "We have a very good relationship. He loves to [talk], especially after games, or the next day after a loss he'll come in early if we lose. He wants to know what I saw, first with him, then he always wants the temperature, at least what I have, on the team. We've pretty much done that all year."

* Rivers admitted he was disappointed in his team's sense of urgency Thursday vs. the Bulls. "You just have to see it. We can talk about it and we've been talking about it. We had it against San Antonio, but we didn't have it the next night [vs. Atlanta]. That's who we've been. Whether we get out of that or not will decide where we go [in the postseason]."

CHICAGO -- Celtics coach Doc Rivers flew to Chicago last week to watch his son participate in the McDonald's All-American high school All-Star game at the United Center. The matchup with the Bulls was still eight days away, but Rivers enjoyed the chatter from Bulls fans that spotted him.

"I flew down last week to see my son [Austin] play and going through the airport, I heard all this trash talking," said Rivers. "Everybody was talking and I thought to myself, 'My God, Chicago is awake again.' That's nice, it is. Part of it is fun."

That trip to Chicago came the day before the Celtics put together an inspired effort in a road win over the Western Conference-leading San Antonio Spurs in another nationally televised showdown. Rivers said the in-game intensity that night was phenomenal and he expects the same atmosphere Thursday against the Eastern Conference-leading Bulls.

But don't expect Rivers to put too much stock in the outcome, even with the playoffs looming in little more than a week. Rivers simply wants his team to play at a high level as that second season nears.

"Oh, it's a big game today, but tomorrow's another game," said Rivers, whose troops fly home immediately for the second night of a back-to-back against the Wizards Friday at the TD Garden. "It's fun to play these games, the crowd will be into it... Both [Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau and Rivers] want [their teams] to win and both of us want to play well. But I think we both want to be playing well going into the playoffs, that's important."

A few more notes from pregame:

* The Celtics brought 13 healthy bodies to Chicago and, as expected, rookie Avery Bradley is the healthy scratch. Von Wafer and Shaquille O'Neal, both of whom did not make the trip, are Boston's other inactives. In the nightly Shaq Watch, Rivers said he expects O'Neal to be healthy by the start of the playoffs, but didn't offer a potential return date (though he suggested earlier in the day that Sunday vs. Miami remains a possibility).

* Those hoping to get a glimpse of old friend Brian Scalabrine will have to settle for him in street clothes. Scalabrine is one of the Bulls' three inactives Thursday (John Lucas III and Jannero Pargo the others).

* A glimpse inside the Bulls' locker room: Derrick Rose has two crystal Player of the Month trophies on the top shelf of his stall (maybe a friendly reminder of the level of play he strives to maintain). Across the room, the Bulls' dry erase board was covered by a curtain to discourage wandering eyes (somewhere, Bill Belichick would nod in approval).

BOSTON -- Boston Celtics center Nenad Krstic (bruised right knee) and forward Troy Murphy (sprained right ankle) are back in the lineup for Tuesday night's tilt with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Avery Bradley and Von Wafer are the (rare) healthy scratches for Boston, joining Shaquille O'Neal (strained right calf) on the inactive list. The Celtics know what Wafer can do (even as he works his way back from his own calf injury) and the team likely needs to get a longer look at guys like Murphy and Sasha Pavlovic while determining the 12 players who will make up the end of the active playoff roster.

Rivers said that there is no update on O'Neal and hesitated to project a return date, simply saying that there's nothing new since Monday's practice, when Rivers cautiously suggested a potential return by the end of the week.

Krstic missed the last two games after suffering the knee injury Thursday against the San Antonio Spurs. This will be his first game coming off the bench for Boston, but Rivers noted (with crossed fingers) that that will be his role in the postseason with the team hoping to lean on O'Neal as the starter.

"I feel OK, a little sore, but I went through the whole practice yesterday, so I'll be OK," Krstic said before admitting he needs to get over a mental hurdle with the injury. "It's going to be weird. I was scared, but the injury was nothing serious. It's been in my head, so it'll be weird tonight. Hopefully I just get it quickly from my head."

Rivers said the bench role is good postseason prep.

"That's probably where Krstic will come off of in the playoffs," Rivers said. "So we'll put him there now and let him get used to that role."

Jermaine O'Neal draws his second straight start for the Celtics in only his fourth game back following left knee surgery.

Murphy has been sidelined since rolling his ankle in practice on March 24. Lackluster since being signed off the buyout scrap heap, Murphy needs to show he can be a factor, whether it be on the glass or with his 3-point shot, over the final five games of the regular season.

With Boston still jockeying for position atop the Eastern Conference, Rivers wouldn't commit to getting Murphy back on the floor, but said he'd certainly put him out there if the situation allowed.

Glen Davis sported a pair of ice bags over both his hands, getting one taped by a trainer at his locker stall as curious reporters invaded. Davis swears he's fine and Rivers had his own theory.

"I think he just wanted to talk to you guys," said Rivers. "He's jealous Shaq’s getting too much attention and he wanted some."

With Nenad Krstic unavailable due to a right knee injury, Glen Davis is in the starting lineup for the Boston Celtics on Friday night in Atlanta. It marked the 11th time this season that Davis has started; the Celtics were 6-4 in the first 10 games.

Davis last started on Feb. 24, the day the team acquired Krstic in a trade from the Oklahoma City Thunder for Kendrick Perkins. Since then, Krstic started 18 straight games at center.

The decision means Jermaine O’Neal, in his second game back since undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery, will again come off the bench. He played 11 minutes against the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday, scoring 5 points and collecting 1 rebound in his first action since Jan. 10. Had Krstic not been hurt, Doc Rivers might have given O’Neal the night off.