Paul Pierce, on the other hand, had no qualms with making the trip.

``I believe it,'' he said. ``I believe if we just had Leon (Powe) we would have. That's just my belief.''

Garnett's knee injury spoke volumes, but the Celtics' transgressions may have been louder.

You may recall they blew a Game 6 lead. Or you could note the embarrassment of Game 7, when they entered the final period down just five and on a roll - and proceeded to surrender 11 straight points. On their own floor.

Garnett remembers how he felt when he left the Garden that night.

``(Ticked),'' he said. ``Probably like everybody else. Very (ticked).''

There are significant active roster differences for both clubs as they meet tonight on that same parquet, but some emotions will remain. Beyond that, it will be two very good teams trying to gauge their measure vs. one another.

``We went to a seventh game at home and didn't win it, so that obviously leaves a bitter taste in your mouth,'' Rivers said. ``But I thought they were the better team. Could we have done things differently or better? I hope we could have. But we didn't, so we didn't win.

``With Kevin healthy and the way we played last year going into playoffs, I don't know if we would have won the series or not, but we wouldn't have been the winner (of the championship). You know, we went out and got Rasheed (Wallace) and we added Kevin back and we're a better Basketball team.''

The Celts defense certainly shouldn't look as bewildered as it did trying to deal with the Magic's pick-and-roll game and outside shooting.

``It's a big difference because Kevin could go out and guard Rashard Lewis, who plays on the perimeter a lot,'' Kendrick Perkins said. ``Ticket could show on the pick-and-roll and get back to him. When they were iso-ing Baby (Glen Davis) last year and sometimes myself with Rashard Lewis at the top, it kind of was a tough matchup for both of us. But Kevin is quicker. He's longer.''

But he's still not quite Kevin Garnett.

``I'm not where I want to be at this point,'' he said, ``but it's about the team, not me.''

Celtics notes

Rajon Rondo ended a streak of 10 missed free throws in Wednesday's win against Golden State, but he's still in a 1-for-13 stretch and is 4-for-16 on the season.

Rondo sought out Ray Allen following the victory Wednesday at the Garden.

``I think he's trying to understand what it means to be a good free throw shooter, because he does have the ball in his hands a lot and he's going to the hole a lot and he's getting fouled a lot,'' Allen said. ``So he's going to be on the free throw line. That's something he's got to come to terms with, how to get there, step up confidently and be able to knock those free throws down,'' . . .

Rivers wasn't stunned to hear Wallace has mentored Orlando's Dwight Howard.

``I think Rasheed mentors a lot of guys,'' Rivers said. ``He mentors officials all the time.'' . . .

With his 19 points Wednesday, Pierce passed Isiah Thomas and moved into 48th place on the NBA's all-time scoring list.