No question Davis will get a workout from the quick Sixers, but those who know Big Baby realize there is nothing the opponents can do to him that is more brutal than the shots he takes at himself.

Davis might appear the happy-go-lucky kid smiling on the video board and dancing shirtless in the victory parade, but he's deeper than the Charles and not nearly as inclined to let the NBA's seasonal waters flow through his system of locks.

``He's doing all right,'' Rivers said. ``He's just up and down. You know, Baby's emotional. He's still growing up, and that's one thing as a staff we don't forget. He's maturing each day. He has some bad days, but he wants to be a better person and player - and he's going to be. He just needs work.''

Davis' veteran mates have taken him aside, but they know that believing in him isn't enough unless Baby feels the same way.

``He's playing the right way,'' Paul Pierce said. ``He has the right attitude and the right spirit, and that's good for a player in his second year. He just has to get his confidence.

``I think he gets down on himself a lot. He did a lot of great things for us last year, and we're just trying to get him back to doing those same things. He can get offensive rebounds and putbacks, and he's even hitting the jumper for us. It's just about getting his confidence. He's been up and down, and we just need to get him consistent.''

Davis is averaging 4.9 points this season, about half a point better than last year. But his shooting percentage has gone from .484 to .410. Part of that can be attributed to the Celts wanting him to take the jumper now, but he's still lost a good measure of efficiency.

According to Rivers, it shouldn't be this way.

``Not only does he have size, but he also has Basketball IQ,'' Rivers said. ``When he doesn't let the emotional side override his Basketball IQ, he's a very solid player. He's worked on his jump shot and that's starting to fall for him, but he's got to learn to finish better. Baby's shooting around 40 percent right now, and a big should never shoot that low.

``Now in his defense, we're asking him to take more jumpers, but he's got to do a better job of finishing. He goes to get fouled instead of going to make the shot. What happens is he doesn't get the foul and he misses the shot.''

And with his way of processing events, each misstep can easily turn into another one.

``I get down on myself too fast,'' Davis acknowledged. ``Doc's been telling me what I can do. The whole coaching staff's been telling me what I can do as far as my role. I'm just trying to make sure I go out there and do it.

``But time is precious, and when I'm out there every moment counts. When I mess up, I get on myself and it messes me up on the next play in the game. I have to let it go, but that's hard.''

But, said Rivers, ``He's becoming more consistent. He's working at it. He's in better shape honestly than he was at the beginning of the year, and I think that has helped. He's starting to find his niche in what he can do in this league. Keeping it simple (is important). Whenever he tries to complicate it by doing too much, he gets himself in trouble. But I think he's doing that less and less, and that's good for our team.''

Asked his biggest obstacle, Davis looked up earnestly and said, ``Myself. That's the only thing that's stopping me.''

- sbulpett@bostonherald.com