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Ainge On Toucher & Rich: Who Can Be Celtics' Closer?

BOSTON (CBS) -- The Celtics' three-game win streak came to an end Wednesday night, as they couldn't close out the Dallas Mavericks.

While slow starts had been plaguing Boston to start the season, the script was flipped against the Mavs. The Celtics had the lead after the first quarter for the first time this season, but it was a lackluster fourth quarter that doomed them in the loss. The Celtics had an 18-point lead in the first half and an eight point advantage heading into the game's final frame, but Dallas outscored Boston 36-24 in the fourth quarter en route to a 106-102 Celtics loss.

The Celtics had a chance to put the Mavericks away but let them hang around all night, and the veteran squad made them pay. Boston did have a shot to tie at the end after blowing the lead, but with nine seconds left Isaiah Thomas sped down the court and ended up losing the ball before anyone could get a potential game-tying (or game-winning) shot off.

Celtics president of basketball operations joined Toucher & Rich on Thursday morning to discuss the frustrating loss, which dropped Boston to 6-5 on the season. Ainge was asked if the team needs a definitive go-to guy for the end of games, but thinks as long as the team can create a good look, it shouldn't matter who takes the shot.

"We have a lot of guys who can make the big shot, but it's about creating the big shot. Isaiah is probably our best creator right now, and there aren't many of them in the league. There are probably only 12-15 of those guys in the league, and some teams have three of those guys," said Ainge. "We have to do it in a different way, with effort. The bottom line is we still had a chance. I liked that situation; Isaiah pushed it up the court in transition. It looked like he had his way to the rim and just lost control of the ball.  It was an opportunity that went awry. We had many chances in that game.

"Last night is a lot how we played this year, where we played great stretches of basketball and we had some droughts. In the games we won our droughts came early and hot streaks came late. Last night was the opposite," explained Ainge. "Dallas is playing some great basketball and Rick Carlisle is doing a great job with that group of veterans. They're probably the surprise of the league."

Ainge also discussed the recent firing of his friend Kevin McHale, who was let go by the Houston Rockets after his team was embarrassed by the Celtics on Monday night. After leading McHale to the Western Conference Finals last season, Ainge said the move shocked both him and his former teammate, and that McHale will always have a standing offer to come back to the Celtics.

Read: Ainge Calls McHale Firing A 'Rash Decision'

"We talk all the time and I knew that things weren't perfect in Houston. He was really shocked by the news. Kevin is such a bright basketball mind and a very end-of-the-radar coach. He finally got recognition last year when they made the final four. Every organization could use Kevin McHale, so he knows he has a standing offer from me," said Ainge. "He knows how much I'd love for him to come and we've been working together for 30 years. I don't know what he'll do. He's well compensated to go to Minnesota and be a grandfather, and I know he'll have TV offers as well."

Ainge-McHale
Celtics teammates Danny Ainge and Kevin McHale sit on the bench during the 1988 NBA All-Star game in Chicago. (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

Ainge also discussed Avery Bradley coming off the bench of Boston, and the relationship a team president should have with his head coach.

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