The Kent Reporter reported Sunday evening that police are investing a domestic violence case involving the Celtics guard. They were called to the victim’s home around 1:55 p.m. on Sunday after an argument began in the parking lot, where Williams allegedly pulled a gun on the victim, who he has a 10-year-old son with.

Williams was there for a scheduled visit and left before police arrived. He was later found and taken into custody.

“We investigate and treat all cases such as this very seriously regardless of the status of those involved,” Kent police detective Melanie Frazier told The Kent Reporter.

Williams was signed a 10-day contract with Boston in February after spending the early part of the NBA season playing in China. He was signed for the rest of the season and through next year, and is scheduled to earn $947,907 if he is not waived on or before October 31.

Williams averaged 4.6 points, 1.6 assists, and 1.8 rebounds in 24 games for the Celtics during the 2012-13 season.

Some thought Doc Rivers may retire following Boston’s frustrating 2012-13 campaign, but the head coach will be back for his 10th season on the Celtics bench according to multiple reports.

Celtics general manager Danny Ainge confirmed the news with the Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn, saying “we’ve got a coach everybody would love to have.”

Danny Ainge confirms that Doc Rivers is returning next season as #celtics coach. "We've got a coach everybody would love to have."—
gary washburn (@GwashNBAGlobe) May 16, 2013

Scal On Toucher & Rich: Keep Celtics Together

Rivers, who has guided the Celtics to 416-305 regular season record in his nine years, has three years remaining on his current contract.

The Celtics still have plenty of unanswered questions remaining for the off-season, mainly if veterans Paul Pierce or Kevin Garnett will return.

But at least if Doc Rivers is coming back, the future doesn’t look as dim — whether it be continuing on with the veteran group or starting the rebuilding process.

For that, Bradley was voted to the NBA’s All-Defensive second team on Monday.

Bradley received 10 first-team votes and five second-team votes from the other 29 NBA head coaches (Doc Rivers cannot vote for his own players), and was the only Celtics player to receive votes this season.

Bradley was named to the second-team along with Memphis’ Mike Conley and Marc Gasol (the NBA’s defensive player of the year), San Antonio’s Tim Duncan and Indiana’s Paul George.

Former Celtic Tony Allen led all players in total points for the voting, and is joined by Miami’s LeBron James, Oklahoma City’s Serge Ibaka, New York’s Tyson Chanlder, Chicago’s Joakim Noah and Los Angeles Clippers’ Chris Paul on NBA All-Defensive first team.

Keep it together or blow it up? That’s what everyone is asking these days, though it’s a question that has been on people’s minds for a few years. The Boston Herald’s Steve Bulpett joined 98.5 The Sports Hub’s The Adam Jones Show on Thursday night to break down what the Celtics should do this offseason, and how close they got to blowing it up during the season.

Bulpett said the rumored trade with the Clippers around the All Star break that would have sent Eric Bledsoe, DeAndre Jordan and a pick to Boston for Kevin Garnett was never really an option, because Los Angeles didn’t want to make the move.

So will Ainge look to move Garnett and fellow veteran Paul Pierce this summer?

“I think it’s entirely dependent – as it was last summer, as it was at the trade deadline – on what he can get. He’s been through this and open to everything,” said Bulpett. “For a while now, he’s realized this run is going to end and he does not want it to, he was part of the team here that let itself get very old in the late 80’s and early 90’s – he doesn’t want that to happen again but I think it comes down to choices; what are his options.”

“If Ainge could get something of decent value I’m sure he’s open to anything, but Garnett has that no-trade clause that he never had the chance to exercise this season.”

Should the Celtics deal Garnett and potentially amnesty Pierce, what would they look for on the free agent or trade market to start the re-building process?

“The Celtics would love to have good young trading chips, as they had when they got Garnett, but the problem there is who do you have to put around a guy that you get? You had a relatively young Paul Pierce and you had Ray Allen (when they acquired Garnett). Now you have Rondo, if he’s not part of a deal, with Jared Sullinger and Avery Bradley. Rondo is an elite player, the other guys are very good NBA players and up-and-coming, but not the guys you would say are ready to lead you any place major.”

Brian Scalabrine joined 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Toucher & Rich on Thursday, and painted a very different picture than most when it comes to the future of the Celtics.

“Everyone is talking about blowing the team up. I think they’re in a good position at least for the next two years,” said Scalabrine. “Even if Garnett retired and Paul went somewhere else, they still wouldn’t have cap space to make major moves. They could make trades, but I’m talking about what they have now. Why not keep these guys and play this thing out for the next two years?”

“Kevin Garnett was an All Star this year; don’t think of him as the Garnett of five years ago but he’s a very serviceable big. Garnett makes $13 million; (Golden State’s) Andris Biedrins doesn’t even get off the bench and makes ($9) million. There are a lot of guys out there that KG is 10-times, 100-times better than at his age,” said Scal. “Garnett at $13 million is worth it.”

“Pierce, even if you don’t want to pick up his option, it doesn’t hurt you long term. Everyone says he was exposed in the playoffs, but I think that’s because Rondo wasn’t out there and he had to do too much,” he said. “I think they keep these guys together and go to the draft and try to find a big that is strong that can bang and rebound, and I think that can help them a lot.”

Scal, who is currently working with players getting ready for the June draft (just for fun), has one name the Celtics should consider when they pick 16th overall: seven-footer Steven Adams out of Pittsburgh.

“I haven’t seen him in action like 5-on-5, but this kid would be a tremendous asset for the Celtics,” said Scal. “He’s strong and big and would take so much pressure off guys like Garnett. He’s athletic and pretty intelligent, and would fit in pretty well.”

“He’s from New Zealand, a freak athlete. I always talk about Omer Asik and he’s similar to that; big and strong, and with guys like Garnett and Doc Rivers teaching him, this guy would be very valuable for the Celtics.

“If you add a guy like this, it makes the Celtics a different team. They no longer have rebounding issues and you can move Garnett to the four,” said Scalabrine. “People think the Celtics have big problems — I don’t see it like that. I think they have a couple issues to resolve.”

He replaces Lance Blanks, who was fired on April 22 after failing to make the playoffs the past three seasons.

The 33-year-old McDonough spent the previous 10 seasons with the Boston Celtics, including the past three as assistant general manager.

As assistant GM, he worked with president of basketball operations Danny Ainge and was principally responsible for draft evaluations of college and international players.

McDonough’s father, the late Will McDonough, was a long-time columnist for the Boston Globe. His brother, Sean, is an announcer for ESPN and another brother, Terry, is the former director of player personnel for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

Shaughnessy, like many others, says it’s time for the Celtics to re-build and move on from veterans Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett.

“We got six years out of a three-year window. This was great but it really is time to move on,” he said. “Unfortunately in that league, it lends itself to keeping you down for a while.”

Shaughnessy was in the locker room after the Celtics lost to the Knicks in Game 6 last Friday, and said it felt a lot like a goodbye session among the players.

“You didn’t get a sense that this was moving forward together. Everything about it looked like a goodbye. I think Pierce is the first domino in this thing, and they will do something. I don’t see them bringing him back, and why would you? If you’re not going to win a title in professional lifetimes of Garnett and Pierce, you start looking to go in a different direction.”

Will head coach Doc Rivers be around for this re-building process?

“I was shocked two years ago when he re-upped.” said Shaughnessy. “I think the other night, he was non-committal, but it surprised me that he was as noncommittal as he was. It never surprises me if a guy like that walks away; he has his money, he has his family and he could get a cushy TV job and work a lot less. I don’t think he wants to be the coach of a team led by Rajon Rondo going forward.”

On ESPN’s First Take, Smith hinted that the Celtics and Clippers could start talking about a blockbuster swap that would send Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and even Doc Rivers for Blake Griffin, Eric Bledsoe and Caron Butler.

Stranger things have happened, right? Not really.

Sports Illustrated’s senior basketball writer Ian Thomsen joined 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Toucher & Rich on Tuesday morning, and said Smith’s rumor deal is very laughable.

“Stranger things have not happened,” he said. “(The Clippers) would send their best player (Griffin), the guy that keeps Chris Paul in L.A., for two guys who are going to retire, who couldn’t get out of the first round? And then, Doc Rivers is going to go too; that’s the best part.”

“If Doc Rivers does end up going to coach somewhere else, and he’s young enough that he could do it, he’s not going to leave the Celtics and coach the Clippers the very next year,” said Thomsen. “He’s not going to rub everyone’s nose in it. The guy is in love with the Celtics tradition, what it means, and has the ultimate respect for the franchise.”

Felger & Mazz: Will Pierce, Garnett And Doc Be Back?

Of the three mentioned in the rumor, Thomsen thinks Rivers is the most likely to return. Chances are though, Boston’s two veterans will either be playing elsewhere or enjoying retirement.

“Garnett, I don’t think he will be back. My understanding was if he was feeling great during the playoffs that might inspire him to come back. But he wasn’t, and he played out of his mind despite that,” said Thomsen. “Jason Terry was telling me ‘you don’t know how hard this guy works just to get ready for practice.’ With that and the (final) All Star Game comments, even Doc thinks there is a better chance (Garnett) retires this year.”

Listen: Drunken Celtics Recap: ‘Hubba Hubba’

“Then there is Pierce, the one of the three they can trade,” he said. “His contract can be bought out at the time of the draft for $5 million. They can trade Pierce’s contract to the Utah Jazz and do a sign-and-trade for Paul Milsap, and then Utah would buy-out Pierce and save $10-11 million and get a couple of the young players on the Celtics, and the Celtics would have Milsap. Even that is a long reach though, because I don’t know if the Celtics have the right stuff to put into a trade like that.”

Thomsen also talks about why a Kendrick Perkins reunion isn’t likely, a few other sign-and-trade/ free agent options for Boston, and if Jeff Green is ready to step in for Pierce:

Will veterans Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce be back, or will the Celtics start that rebuilding process we’ve been hearing about for the last three years? And if Pierce and KG are gone, what does that mean for head coach Doc Rivers?

The Celtics face a very important summer as far as the future of the franchise, though none of their options spell out a championship in the near future.

98.5 The Sports Hub’s Felger & Masssarotti kicked off the week talking about the future of the Boston Celtics. Celtics analyst Cedric Maxwell said on Sunday that he believes Pierce, Garnett and Rivers will all be gone next season, so what does that mean for the C’s?

“To cut to the chase I think they’re hosed,” said Felger. “I don’t think they have any way out, unless they trade Rondo, trade everyone and go to last; trade them for pennies on the dollar just to go to last place.”

“But I don’t think the owner wants to trade Rondo,” he said. “If they keep him, I think they’ll be too good (and sneak into the playoffs).”

“The worst case scenario is that everyone comes back,” said Mazz. “Pierce, I think is done as a starting player in the league that you can win a championship with. If they all come back with the same group, I don’t like that. This has gone on too long already.”

“If Garnett wants to come back, he is not toast like Paul Pierce. I think KG still has something left on the floor and value off the floor,” said Felger. “If Garnett stays and you use Pierce and Rondo to get something around those two (Garnett and Rivers), get the last little bit out of KG and then blow it up, that’s the middle play. But is that even a good option?”

There is also a rumor out there from ESPN’s Stehpen A. Smith, who said on Monday’s First Take that there are rumblings the Celtics and Clippers could begin discussing a blockbuster deal that would send Garnett and Pierce to Los Angeles for Blake Griffin, Caron Butler and Eric Bledsoe. In turn, Rivers would follow his two vets out West and man the bench for the Clippers.

Listen: I said what's being talked about, scenarios that are being contemplated. Can't rule anything out W/ Clips/Celts. Absolutely nothing!—
Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) May 06, 2013

Smith said basketball officials he’s spoken with say that chatter will increase over the coming days.

“I would do that,” Mazz said of the trade rumor. “You’re at least getting something back for those pieces. I think they lost that leverage by missing their window at the trade deadline. Ainge let this thing run too long. But, you’re in a situation with Pierce where you either buy him out and get nothing, or you bring him back.  You’re better off getting something for him.”

“Is (Danny Ainge) capable of a move like that; that’s what I’m curious about that,” said Felger.

What do you want the Celtics to do this off-season? Sound off in the comments section below!

Gresh and Zo talk about how Boston fans may have seen the last of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett as the leaders of the Celtics.

The team will have to start rebuilding now. Does that mean that Pierce and Garnett are gone? Could Rajon Rondo get traded?

Adolfo was outside the Garden after the loss to talk to the disappointed Celtics fans.

The gentleman that Adolfo met up with seemed he might be attracted to Adolfo. He was proud that the Celtics made as far as they did and think that “we” just needed to play harder.

Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe says Anthony made the New York Knicks relevant again by leading them to their first division title in nearly two decades. Washburn’s explanation was published Monday, one day after James won his fourth MVP award.

Read: James Humbled By 4th NBA MVP Award

“I voted for Carmelo Anthony based on his importance to the New York Knicks, who, if you haven’t been paying attention the past decade, have failed to be relevant,” Washburn wrote. “When the voting was announced Sunday afternoon, I was flabbergasted to learn I was the lone voter among 121 to not give LeBron a first-place vote, truly believing Anthony, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, and perhaps even Kobe Bryant would snag a first-place vote or two.”

Recap: Pacers Frustrate Anthony, Beat Knicks 102-95 In Game 1

Washburn says the Knicks would not have made the playoffs without Anthony, while the Heat have plenty of other talent besides James. Washburn also says that he believes James will eventually become the league’s first seven-time MVP and that his vote was “no LeBron conspiracy.”

James collected 120 of 121 first-place votes. The NBA has never had a unanimous MVP selection.

Washburn joined 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Toucher & Rich on Monday:

(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Both Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce may have played their final game in a Celtics uniform on Friday night, but said it was too early to make any decision — or the decision wasn’t up to them.

“I haven’t really thought about it, to be honest with you. I’m kind of digesting , obviously, the current, and Doc (Rivers) came to me, pulled Paul and I to the side and all three of us agreed to speak later — too emotional,” said the soon-to-be 37-year-old Garnett. “Obviously, it was a big game and a tough loss, especially at home. But more importantly in the future, it’s a different day for that conversation.”

Recap: Knicks End Celtics Comeback With 88-80 Win In Game 6

Garnett has two more years remaining on the three-year extension he signed last summer. But after 18 NBA seasons, it wouldn’t be too hard to picture Garnett hanging them up.

Especially if Pierce is no longer a member of the team.

Pierce has one year remaining on his deal with Boston, but the team has a $5 million buy-out option. When asked about his future with the team, Pierce again said he will play next year, but reiterated what he said earlier in the week: staying in Boston is up to Celtics president of basketball ops, Danny Ainge.

“That’s a decision for the management,” said Pierce. “Who knows what the future [will be]? I’ve been here 15 years and I’ve seen a lot of changes each and every year. So I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of changes here and we’ll see what happens.”

When asked, Garnett made his feelings on Pierce as a Celtic clear.

“One of the big reasons I came [to Boston] was because of Paul,” said Garnett. “Obviously, you want to be in a situation where it’s better. I want to make sure that I’m able to always help a team. I want to be in positions to where I’m giving something. I demand a lot of myself, both physically and from a skill level. But I’d be lying to you all if I said Paul didn’t play into that factor. Like I said, it’s too soon of a conversation for me right now.”

When asked if he wants his veteran teammates to return, Jeff Green answered, ”if I had a wish, everybody would be back, healthy, the way we started.”

The Celtics 2012-13 campaign was one marred with injuries, losing both point guard Rajon Rondo and rookie Jared Sullinger for the season in late January. That might be leaving Ainge wondering “what if” once again, and it’s possible he decides to make one more run with his Pierce and Garnett with the young talent he now has around them.

Or, it could be time to rebuild around those young stars like Rondo and Green and other young pieces like Sullinger and guard Avery Bradley.

Pierce will likely be the first move that gets things going this off-season. If he stays, chances are Garnett will too. But if Pierce is traded or bough-out, there is a good chance Garnett will retire.

It will be an interesting summer for the Celtics and their fans, one that could see some major changes with the franchise. Those changes could start with Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett no longer wearing green; an odd and strange thought for the Celtics faithful.

But why bother? This series has been “bizzaro world” when it comes to the Boston basketball team.

We could say they need to get off to a hot start, but that hasn’t really meant anything this series. The Celtics had leads in Games 1, 2 and 4 before ultimately letting them slip away (the only difference is in Game 4, they caught fire in the final minutes and in overtime). We could say letting the Knicks get an early lead would be a recipe for disaster, but the 11-0 advantage they jumped out to in Game 5 meant little when the final buzzer went off.

I’ll go ahead and say this; whoever has more points at the end of the game will win. It’s pretty much the only certainty in the game, unless of course David Stern changes the rules at halftime – which is entirely possible.

Read: Celtics-Knicks Game 6 Preview

There’s more clichés and obvious statements to be thrown out there. The Knicks are the better team, but the Celtics are the better “team.” Boston will use their “grit and balls” to give it everything they have, leaving it all out on the floor like it’s a Game 7. Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett will have to lead the way, and Jason Terry and Jeff Green will need to give them plenty of support while Brandon Bass needs to continue his strong defense on Carmelo Anthony. And for good measure, let’s add that Jordan Crawford needs to keep quiet on the bench — where he will (or at least should) remain for another 48 minutes on Friday.

The Celtics are their best when everyone touches the ball and when everyone gets involved in the offense. They’ve said it ad nauseam since Game 1, and finally showed it with the balanced box score from Wednesday night in New York. More of the same should lead to a victory and a winner-takes-all Game 7 on Sunday, but just as easily could lead to more the C’s making more of those unnecessary extra passes that either sail into the stands or right into the hands of a New York defender.

Listen: NY Daily News’ Frank Isola On Gresh & Zo

The Celtics are the team with the momentum, but they also threw all they had on Wednesday with Pierce, Bass and Green each playing over 40 minutes, KG logging 39 minuets, and Terry hitting the 35 minute mark off the bench. Hopefully the team had a good hyperbolic chamber session when they returned to Boston on Thursday, otherwise we could see an exhausted bunch on Friday night.

Do you have a popsicle headache yet?

Here is what we know for sure about Game 6: with a win, the Celtics would become just the fourth team to ever force a Game 7 after falling behind 3-0. It’s one of the stats that has been ingrained in our minds since the C’s fell into that supposedly insurmountable hole, as is the fact no team has ever actually completed the amazing 3-0 comeback.

The Celtics defined the phrase “flipping the switch” last year, and maybe it just took the team a little longer this time around. Or maybe, while the Knicks are a talented bunch, they just aren’t ready to win the franchise’s first playoff series in over a decade. While it’s hard to call the Celtics a classy bunch, the Knicks haven’t exactly been an example of model citizenship. They approached Game 5 like it was the Celtics’ funeral, have swung some elbows towards Terry’s cranium, and keep running their mouth despite the series inching closer and closer to a historic collapse.

CBS New York: Knicks-Celtics Far From 2004 Yankees-Red Sox

But will they use the potential embarrassment as fuel tonight, or will they use it as a reason to keep folding? Again, we don’t know these answers, and to begin to speculate would have about as much purpose as trying to figure out the meaning behind all of Kenyon Martin’s tattoos.

We could be watching history in the making Friday night, but it could just as easily be the end of an era in Boston. No one knows for sure, and we won’t have that answer until roughly 9:45 Friday night.

But it’s been a heck of a ride the last two weeks, one that will hopefully continue into Sunday – and beyond – for the Boston Celtics.

Gresh and Zo talk about how the Celtics have been able to put the pressure on the Knicks in the first round of the NBA playoffs. The Knicks have been relying too much on Carmelo Anthony and their immaturity and inexperience is evident in their last two losses

Gresh and Zo talk to NY Daily News writer Frank Isola on the atmosphere in New York prior to Game 6. Isola says the Knicks and their fans are getting ahead of themselves and they need to show more composure; they haven’t had a chance to win a playoff series in over 10 years.

For the first time in a long time there isn’t much to complain about in these parts thanks to our sports teams.

How About Them Celtics?

The Celtics are putting up a pretty good fight against the Knicks in round 1 of the NBA Playoffs. Let’s be honest, who thought they’d make it to a Game 6 after the first three games? I sure didn’t.

After watching them play Wednesday night, they could actually be the first team in NBA history to comeback from a 3-0 deficit. Their season has been fraught with injuries and obstacles, yet here they are.  So anything is possible, right? A few weeks ago KG said “I know who’s willing to fight, who’s not going to lay down. I’d take a bunch of fighters over some skill people any day.”

Read: Celtics-Knicks Game 6 Preview

That fight continues tonight at the Garden, and I have a good feeling about this game.

Bruins Start Playoffs Strong

The Bruins have finally emerged from their funk. Even though they wrapped up the regular season losing seven of their last nine games and never scoring more than three goals in any of them, things changed on Wednesday night.  They scored four unanswered goals in Game 1 against Toronto en route to a 4-1 victory.

It was as though they remembered how to play like the team we’ve all been waiting to see. What took so long guys? On Wednesday I saw a glimpse of the team we saw two years ago when they won it all.  Let’s hope this momentum carries them through the first round and that they’ve abandoned the blown third period leads we were accustomed to seeing back in the regular season.

Listen: Johnny Boychuk On Toucher & Rich

After last year’s first round exit, I’m expecting better results this year in the form of a deep playoff run–especially since a majority of the guys who brought the Cup to Boston are still here.  The Stanley Cup hangover is no longer an excuse. Claude has been experimenting with his lines recently, but Wednesday night it looked like the chemistry was there.  Sure, there are still tweaks that need to be made, but the power play saw improvement and the Lucic-Krejci-Horton band seemed to be back together.

The only sour note is Andrew Ference’s one game suspension which he’ll serve Saturday.  Ference made contact with Leafs forward Mikhail Grabovski’s head as the two battled for a loose puck Wednesday night. No penalty was called at the time and Grabovski remained in the game, but according to the league’s ruling, Ference made the decision to check Grabovski after playing the puck so now he’ll a get some forced rest on Saturday.

Best Team In Baseball

And then there are the Red Sox, who currently own the best record in baseball (20-8). They’ve gone from worst to first in six months.

Like I said, anything is possible. They’ve won four of six games against the Blue Jays this season—a team whose high profile acquisitions this winter made them the talk of baseball. Heck, many had them favored to win the American League East, and maybe even the World Series.  Currently Toronto is 10.5 games behind the Red Sox in the division.

Unlike last year, there’s not a lot to complain about. The managerial situation has done a 180. John Farrell is saying and doing all the right things, and for the most part, ownership has remained relatively quiet. The starting pitching and bullpen have each been strong, not to mention the monster half-April for David Ortiz. So far, his comeback from his Achilles injury has been impressive. (Jackie Bradley Jr. who?)

Roche: Buchholz Accusations ‘Laughable’

There’s a lot of baseball left to play, but so far so good. This team is slowly winning back its fans, thanks to the return of the team’s likability.

On Wednesday night, all of our teams chalked up a win. It was a great feeling, and I only wish I had a trio of televisions in my living room so I could have watched the Sox, Celtics, and Bruins at the same time. Instead, I was an incessant channel changer annoying everyone in the room.

But I didn’t care. I wasn’t about to miss the possibility of never seeing Pierce and KG playing together again, the excitement of the Bruins first playoff game, and now that the Sox are no longer a train wreck, I find myself wanting to watch them, too.

The weekend kicks off with the Celtics-Knicks Game 6 and the Red Sox opening a big series in Texas. That’s followed up with Bruins-Lefas Game 2 on Saturday night at the Garden.

For the first time in a long time, all three teams are trying to reinvent themselves in their own way. So far, so good.

Tracy Clements is a weekend producer on 98.5 The Sports Hub. You can follow her on twitter at @clementine_12.

Felger & Mazz started off discussing the Celtics and their playoff series with the Knicks. Wednesday night the guys both believe that the Celtics were the better team on the floor. What was the difference in this game?

They went on to discuss the offense of the Knicks. Do they really have one beyond getting the ball to Carmelo Anthony, J.R. Smith or Raymond Felton so they can just throw up a shot?

They also discussed Kevin Garnett’s post game comments from the floor and the Knicks wearing black before the game to celebrate the funeral of the Celtics.

Crawford had some less than flattering things to say to Carmelo Anthony (if you read lips, it looks like it has something to do with Melo’s wife), which set the Knicks star off. Some shoves, and likely a few more profanities, were exchanged, but no punches were thrown before order was restored.

Read: Tempers Flare After Game 5

But in doing so, did Crawford wake up the Knicks? We won’t know for sure until Friday night’s Game 6 in Boston, but 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Michael Felger is none too pleased with Crawford’s actions following the game.

“If I’m Doc Rivers, if I’m Danny Ainge you know what I’m doing today? I’m calling up Jordan Crawford’s agent and telling him to get your player the hell out of here; goodbye, see you later LOSER!” said Felger. “You jackass. You clown. What are you doing? You are keeping your mouth shut and winning games, you’re not instigating or poking them.”

“The Celtics said within the last 48 hours ‘let them talk, let them do their thing. Let them put pressure on themselves’… (The Celtics have) clawed their way back into this series, and this loser, who has no idea how to win, this loser on the end of your bench is going to say something and give Carmelo Anthony more reason.”

Read: Celtics Putting Pressure On Knicks, But Not Getting Overexcited

“Doc Rivers finally said enough and sat him down, and this is the guy to give the Knicks reason — to poke that bear? What are you doing? If I’m Doc Rivers, I’m saying see you later clown.”

But they don’t give any banners just for forcing a Game 6. The good thing is, you don’t need to tell that to these Celtics.

“We’re not getting overexcited. When we lost our games we didn’t get too down, and now that we won a couple we’re not getting overexcited,” said C’s captain Paul Pierce, who scored 16 points in Boston’s 92-86 win Wednesday night. “You have to maintain a certain calm and take it one game at a time; keep climbing that mountain.”

“We’re down 3-2, the next game we lose is it. I don’t know why everyone is talking about getting comfortable or feeling good; we’re down 3-2,” said Kevin Garnett, who scored 16 points and pulled down 18 rebounds. “Our mentality has to be all-out.”

That mentality has worked the last two games, and now with the series shifting back to Boston for Game 6, the pressure is mounting on the Knicks. They came into the series a cocky bunch, and haven’t stopped talking since taking that 3-0 lead. They arrived to the TD Garden and Madison Square Garden the last two games dressed in black – or showing up for the Celtics funeral.

Read: Tempers Flare After Game 5

The talk was still there prior to Game 5, but reality is starting to set in with the series getting a little tight.

“Well, we was going to a funeral, but it looks like we got buried,” said Knicks guard J.R. Smith – who shot an abysmal 3-for-14 following his return from a Game 4 suspension. “Basketball is a very humbling game.”

After woeful showings in Games 1-3, everything seems to be going the Celtics way. They fought back from an 11-0 start by the Knicks on Wednesday and trailed by just two after the first quarter. They jumped out to a 15-point lead in the second half and held off a couple of late runs by the Knicks — something they couldn’t do in their three losses.

“Everybody just wanted to be in the fight, and everyone did their part,” said Celtics head coach Doc Rivers, adding this was the first game the team really trusted each other. “They made a ton of runs – third quarter they made a run, fourth quarter they made a run – and we just hung in there.”

Rivers only used a seven-man rotation on Wednesday night, but everyone who hit the floor was effective. The stat-sheet shows a balanced attack with four of Boston’s starters scoring in double figures, and Jason Terry was again a big part of the offense off the bench with 17 points. Jeff Green led all Boston scorers with 18 points on an aggressive 5-for-8 shooting night that saw him get to the free throw line six times. Brandon Bass was not only solid again guarding Carmelo Anthony, but he scored 17 points on 6-for-7 shooting and added five rebounds. Garnett led the way on the glass, pulling down 18 more rebounds to give him 52 over the last three games.

“This team has the will, and I think that comes from our coach and our leaders – Kevin and myself,” said Pierce. “We’re at our best when you look at the stat-line and see four or five guys in double figures. When we defend, rebound, have a number of guys touching the ball able to contribute, that’s when we’re at our best and that’s what you saw (in Game 5).”

“I thought we moved the ball, we trusted each other,” said Garnett. “We put ourselves in this 3-0 position so this is what is it; we have to trust each other at this point. One-on-one basketball doesn’t work against this team. For us to be successful we have to lean on one-another, and that’s what we did.”

Listen: Brian Scalabrine On Toucher & Rich

While the rhythm and chemistry were present on Wednesday, the downside of the seven-man rotation is the number of minutes each player saw the floor; Pierce played a game-high 44 minutes with KG clocking in at 39, and Bass and Green both went over the 40 minute mark. With just one day of rest before Game 6, fatigue will likely be a factor come Friday night.

But as the pressure builds for the Knicks, the Celtics will continue to take each game they get as potentially their last. The “Game 7 mentality” has worked for two games as the team sat with their backs against the wall, and the Celtics are hoping that approach continues to bring success on Friday night.

“We’re taking it one game at a time, grinding out these games and trying to find a way,” said Pierce. “We keep finding more and more about this team, more about the guys we put out there; just their will not to want this season to end.”

The two teams are headed back to Boston and the Celtics have a chance to tie the series at three games a piece to force a winner take all Game 7.

Former Celtics forward Brian Scalabrine joined 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Toucher & Rich to discuss the success the Celtics are finally having, the way the Knicks play, Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith.

They discussed the success the Knicks have with Carmelo off the ball. Why don’t they do it more? J.R. Smith didn’t have a great night shooting, did it have more to do with great Celtics defense or is all of Smith’s smack talk getting in his own head?

Plus, do the Celtics have a chance to win this series?

Celtics guard Jordan Crawford was seen jawing at Knicks star Carmelo Anthony as the two teams left the floor, and reserves D.J. White and Terrence Williams needed to step in to help defuse the situation.

Other players and coaches were eventually needed to help calm things down on the court. In the end, it was just words being exchanged — as it is most of the time in the NBA.

Still, Celtics head coach Doc Rivers wasn’t too pleased at the events that followed his team’s win.

“Let’s play basketball. Let’s play real physical basketball and let’s walk off the floor,” he said. “I don’t know what happened. I’m glad [John] Starks wasn’t there.”

After the game, Anthony had little to say for the situation.

“I’m not thinking about no Jordan Crawford,” he said. “Not at this point in time, I’ll tell you that. I don’t think he deserves for you to be typing right now.”

The Celtics-Knicks rivalry has enjoyed a rejuvenation over the last couple seasons, but really ramped up this season.  In January, Kevin Garnett and Anthony got into a verbal spat — allegedly involving a comment that Garnett made about Anthony’s wife — that spilled over to the Celtics bus area at Madison Square Garden.

Things picked up this series in Game 3 when Knicks guard J.R. Smith elbowed Jason Terry in the face and earned a suspension for Game 4. Smith added more fuel to the flames when he said if he wasn’t suspended for Game 4, he and the Knicks wouldn’t have had to worry about a Game 5 and would have been golfing rather than practicing. He also pretended not to know who Terry was when asked by reporters.

The Knicks wore black to Games 4 and 5 per request of Kenyon Martin, saying they were heading to the Celtics’ funeral.

Meanwhile, the Celtics haven’t had much to say.

“I have not paid attention to none of their shenanigans,” Garnett said prior to Game 5.

Frustration is mounting for the Knicks as their 3-0 lead is now down to 3-2. They still just need one win to clinch the series, but are just two losses away from becoming the first team in NBA history to let a 3-0 series lead slip away.

And for some, it could be the final time they put on a Celtics uniform.

Whenever the Celtics are eliminated from the playoffs, which looks to be sooner rather than later as they trail the Knicks 3-1 heading into tonight’s Game 5 in New York, they’ll enter an offseason of uncertainty.

Read: Celtics-Knicks Game 5 Preview

That includes captain Paul Pierce, who has donned a Celtics jersey for all 15 seasons of his NBA career. Pierce is set to make $15.3 million next season, the final year of a four-year, $61.3 million extension he signed back in 2010. Only $5 million of that is guaranteed though, so there is a chance the Celtics may part ways with their captain.

But Pierce isn’t concerned about that far down the road. He is focused on Wednesday night’s Game 5, and will leave the offseason decisions up to the team.

“Truthfully, I haven’t put too much thought into it,” Pierce said of his future at Wednesday’s morning shootaround in New York. ”The organization is going to do what they’re going to do. There’s nothing that’s stressing me out. That’s what it is. Every year they’ve got decisions to make and those are their decisions. So I’ll leave it to them.”

“I always said I want to end my career as a Celtic,” Pierce continued. “I have a contract for next year, but it’s not guaranteed. So the decision is in their hands. Whatever decisions they make, maybe if they trade me somewhere or I end up somewhere else, maybe it can be a situation where I come back for a one-day deal and retire a Celtic.”

Read: Celtics Sticking With Game 7 Mentality For Game 5

“I’ve always been a guy that said, ‘Things happen for a reason,’” he said. “I was the No. 10 pick (back in the 1998 draft) — I didn’t anticipate that. I’ve just always felt like, throughout my whole career, everything is going to fall into the right place for me. So I don’t really put much thought into after the season. But I know at the end of the day, whatever they do, whatever I do, it’s going to fall in the right place for me.”

Pierce led the way for the Celtics in the regular season averaging 18.6 points per game, and leads the team with 21.3 points per game in the postseason.

Gresh and Zo talked some Celtic’s basketball this afternoon and both believe the season ends tonight. They talked about whether or not J.R. Smith’s comments made fans care more about the series and also, what’s the next stop for Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers in building this team.

Jon Wertheim, a senior writer for Sports Illustrated sat with Collins to get his story and help put it in Collins’ own words. Wertheim joined 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Toucher & Rich to discuss what is was like working on this big story.

They discussed Collins’ thoughts on being the first gay athlete to come out publicly. Was he aware of the things that would follow the announcement?

They talked about keeping this story a secret until Collins was ready. Was there fear the story might get leaked or that Collins would change his mind?

Has Wertheim or SI received any calls from other athletes about wanting to come out?

The Knicks’ second-leading scorer was ejected from Game 3 and suspended from Game 4 due to his intentional elbow to the face of Jason Terry. The Celtics ended up winning that Game 4 in overtime, with Smith watching, unable to try to help the Knicks complete a four-game sweep.

But Smith was back at practice on Tuesday, and he made sure to get in a good amount of trash talk against Terry.

“Who? I don’t even know who that is,” Smith said when asked about Terry, according to The Boston Globe.

And when asked another question about Terry, Smith once again pleaded the fifth.

“Who?” he said. “Who is that?”

Terry, of course, is pretty well-known in the NBA, what with his 1,101 regular-season games, 91 postseason games, 1,911 successful 3-pointers and 2011 NBA championship, which he won with the Dallas Mavericks. Most recently, Smith might recognize Terry as the guy who scored 18 points against the Knicks on Sunday.

Game 5 is Wednesday night, and Terry will likely be sure to introduce himself to Smith, one way or another.

Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden is still Game 5 of their playoffs series against the New York Knicks. You didn’t sleep for a week and miss the C’s storming back to tie the series with three straight wins, putting them on the brink of becoming the first NBA team to come back from a 3-0 deficit.

Nope, they’re still down 3-1 and one loss away from a long, long summer.

But for the Celtics, they know it’s win or go home. And because of that, much like Sunday’s Game 4, Wednesday and any other game they play against New York will be a Game 7 in their minds.

“We have to come out, again, like a Game 7. Every possession, every defensive stop means that much,” guard Jason Terry said on Tuesday. “If we come in with that approach you’re going to put yourself in a position to win.”

Read: Celtics-Knicks Game 5 Preview

The must-win mentality worked on Sunday – barely – as the Celtics overcame their own deficiencies to pull out a 97-90 overtime win. They blew a 20-point third quarter lead, a trend that has haunted them all series, and only hit the 90-point mark for the first time thanks to the extra five minutes.

The odds are once again against the Celtics for Game 5 in New York. J.R. Smith will be back for New York, and anything from Sunday’s first half that made you feel halfway decent about this team – Brandon Bass’ defense on Carmelo Anthony, Jeff Green’s scoring touch, and even Kevin Garnett’s crashing the boards – slowly melted as they let their double-digit lead evaporate. It’s been the same story for three of the four games: Celtics get the lead, Celtics blow the lead. Avery Bradley is still playing like he has a bag of rocks on his back, and Paul Pierce’s jump shot looks flatter than the Bruins power play more times than not. The only difference on Sunday was the Jason Terry that hits shots showed up, and the Celtics didn’t fold, at least not completely, down the stretch.

It’s usually been one bad quarter that has done the Celtics in this series, and they know that trend cannot continue Wednesday night if they hope to keep playing.

“The urgency is to play for four quarters,” said captain Paul Pierce. “The first two games in New York we played well for one half, and then there was that one quarter we had mental lapses and lost focus. We have to be cautious of that knowing they’ll have a sense of urgency to close this out.”

“It’s just staying persistent, staying in the moment and knowing every possession is critical,” said Terry. “We can’t turn the ball over; that’s been a struggle for us this series. If we don’t turn it over, stay persistent and keep defending the way we are, we’re going to have a great shot to win this game.”

Listen: Mike Gorman On Toucher & Rich

The Knicks have thrown a swarming defense at the Celtics, putting pressure on their non-ball-handlers handling the ball in Rajon Rondo’s absence. While Pierce has done an admirable job as a point-forward throughout his career, his 5.5 turnovers a game are evidence he is rushing plays – along with anyone else who may have ball-handling duties on a given possession.

But it’s not just Pierce. For the series, the Celtics are turning the ball over nearly 16 times a game. Most are caused by the Knicks pressure, but others are caused by their own poor play.

Pressure or not, it’s got to change and fast.

“We can’t allow their ball pressure to get to us,” said Pierce. “I think sometimes we’re rushing. We have to be patient and not have any unforced turnovers. When we drive to the basket, when we get to the paint, we have to be aware of their slap downs.”

All signs are pointing towards the Celtics losing this series, likely on Wednesday. The Knicks would hate to have to return to Boston for a Game 6, and squash any chance of a potential winner-takes-all Game 7 back in New York.

With the Celtics already in a Game 7 state of mind, they’ll be ready for anything that happens Wednesday and going forward. The longer the series goes, the more pressure mounts for the Knicks — a team that hasn’t won a playoff series since Playstation 2 was the coolest game console on the block.

“We have no pressure at this point,” said Kevin Garnett. “It’s an all-out mentality and you should play with a free mind, an aggressive mind. We put ourselves in this position, so we can’t (another word for complain) and moan about it too much.”

They may be 48 short minutes away from elimination, but the Celtics aren’t feeling any of that. They’ll put it all on the line on Wednesday, and if it’s enough, do it again on Friday.

And if they’re lucky enough, the Celtics may get to have that Game 7 mentality in an actual Game 7.

On Monday, the 34-year-old Collins came out as the first openly gay athlete in the four major U.S. sports.

Collins actually called Celtics captain Paul Pierce on Monday morning before the article he wrote for Sports Illustrated broke the news to the world.

“To each his own; I think it’s going to open a door to many more,” Pierce said at the Celtics practice facilities on Tuesday. “There are so many professional athletes, and human beings, that live a dark life that are afraid to expose it because it exposes your sport and what people might think about them. What he did was a great thing, to just open a door to a number of athletes that are going to have the courage to come out.”

“I’m happy for him; being able to be himself,” said Kevin Garnett. “We here support everything he’s doing and I’m just happy for him.”

“It looks like he had a huge weight lifted off of him,” said Jason Terry. “That’s all you can ask; for any man and woman to be at peace with themselves and then you can find that ultimate happiness. I think that’s where he is.”

Though Collins only spent half a season in Boston before being sent to Washington at the trade deadline, his former teammates remember him as being the consummate professional on and off the court.

“While he was here I thought he was very professional, and we need more guys like that,” said Pierce. “The way he carried himself and what he did off the court; in practice he was one of the more professional players you’ll see. There was the time at the beginning of the year when he didn’t play much, but what you saw from him was a guy who came in and got his work done and didn’t complain. We need more guys like him.”

“Being a teammate of his, I know how hard he works and how dedicated he is to his craft,” said Terry. “He was a great teammate. Regardless of his sexual preference, it didn’t matter to me, I liked him as a teammate and I still do.”

Terry said he would love to have Collins and his work ethic back next season, and it’s something the Celtics could use now as they fight for their playoff lives against the New York Knicks.

“We need his toughness; we would love it in this series,” said Terry. “He was one of the toughest guys in the NBA.”

Celtics head coach Doc Rivers agrees with that assessment. Collins broke the news to Rivers recently, and Doc was one of the first to praise Collins on Monday.

“I told him before he said it, ‘Jason I could care less about what you’re about to tell me.’ I could care less what any of you guys do. It’s a non-factor to me, and I know it’s a factor to a lot of people. I just never understand why anyone cares about what someone does – you know what I mean? I said it will be a non-issue eventually, but it will not be right now.”

Rivers also thinks Collins can handle all the questions and potential backlash that will follow him after the announcement.

“Every time he goes to a new city someone will want to talk about it,” said Doc. “There may be some guy in the crowd that may want to voice his opinion, but they voice their opinions pretty well when we’re on the road; it’s just white noise at the end of the day.”

“I’m sure when Jackie Robinson went on the road, some of the things he heard all went away eventually,” said Doc.

Collins is a free agent, and will have to find a new team to continue his 12-year NBA career. But Rivers doesn’t think he’ll have any issues no matter where his new locker room may be.

“I just think we’re passed it,” he said. “I just think players want to play and they want to win. I think that’s all they care about, and that’s all they should care about.”

It looked like the Celtics figured out their issues on the offensive end of the floor in Game 4, but they still let a 20-point, third quarter lead slip away. Celtics play-by-play man Mike Gorman joined 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Toucher & Rich on Tuesday, and thinks the Celtics have done all they can do against the Knicks, and expects a defensive battle come Wednesday night.

“I don’t think they can give anymore. I think it’s going to be a defensive struggle,” Gorman said. “I think the pressure on the Celtics is on the defensive end of the floor. I think they have broken out of the malaise they were in that carried those two record-breaking halves in New York; I’d be surprised if we saw something like that again. I expect a really close game in New York. I think it’s going to be a hell of a game.”

Doc Rivers has shuffled his starting lineup throughout the series, but seems set on a starting five of Avery Bradley, Paul Pierce, Jeff Green, Brandon Bass and Kevin Garnett. Gorman said that will be the starting five we see on Wednesday, thanks in large part to Bass’ solid defense on Knicks star Carmelo Anthony.

“It’s funny to say someone did a tremendous defensive job on someone who scored 30, but Brandon Bass did a wonderful job on Carmelo,” said Gorman. “I think Brandon needs to play a lot of minutes, and he needs to play a lot of minute on Carmelo like he did on Sunday. I do think Doc goes back to the lineup he went (in Game 4) and goes with it as long as they continue to play.”

Gorman also touched on the future of Kevin Garnett with the Celtics. While he believes Garnett will play at least one more season, and possibly two, that will depend on if Paul Pierce — who can be bought out of the final year of his deal — is still on the team next year.

“From everything I’ve seen and every indication I’ve had is Kevin is around for at least one more year if not two more years until the completion of his contract,” said Gorman. “The big question is what happens to Paul Pierce. That could set off a series of dominoes if the Celtics buyout Paul Pierce or honor the final year of his final contract. That will determine the whole face of the team going forward… Kevin has always said he wouldn’t play without Paul.”

Gorman also talked about former Celtics center Jason Collins coming out as the first openly gay athlete in American pro sports on Monday.

“I always knew Jason as a bright and intelligent guy who was an excellent conversation; you could talk to him about anything,” said Gorman. “I found him to be an intriguing individual and I wish him well. I think it was a courageous thing he did.”

Listen to Toucher and Rich’s entire chat with Celtics play-by-play man Mike Gorman:

But one thing is certain, Terry’s confidence will never waiver. Even as the Celtics sat in a 3-0 hole to the New York Knicks heading into Sunday’s Game 4, Terry still trusted his shot would fall when his team needed it most.

For one of the first times all season, that was finally the case in overtime on Sunday. After the Celtics let a 20-point, third quarter lead slip away and it looked as though their 2012-13 season would be coming to an unceremonious end, the Jason Terry the Celtics were banking on when they signed him over the off-season finally stepped up.

Terry scored the Celtics final nine points in overtime, leading them to a 97-90 OT win and keeping the series alive. It started with a patented Terry 3 in transition (which have not been falling too often this season) and was capped off with a pad-the-stats layup as time expired — a little something extra for all the trash Terry had been talking throughout the game. The 14-year vet finished the day with 18 points on 7-for-10 shooting, and a little more backing on that never-ending confidence.

“I’ve been in the hanger for a while, so I let that out,” Terry — known simply as JET throughout his NBA career — said after the victory. “I’ve just been patient. As long as there is time on the clock and another game, there’s an opportunity for me to do something special. That’s the type of player I am; whether I’ve made every shot or missed every shot I have the same focus, the same confidence.”

“JET played well for us. For us to continue to fight, we’re going to need big games from him,” said Kevin Garnett, who had 13 points and 17 rebounds in the win. “I thought he was huge; he was bigger than anyone.”

“I had all the intentions trying to make and impact on the game some way or another; just any little thing to prolong this season,” added Terry. “I’m going to coach AAU, but I don’t want to do that right now. We’ll go up to New York and it’s all about business. It’s Game 7.”

Terry hit just the one three-pointer on Sunday, going 1-for-4 from long range, but that was the shot to break the final tie of the game and give Boston the lead for good. Now it’s on to New York for Game 5 on Wednesday night.

But as Terry said, any game going forward is Game 7 for the Celtics.

“At the end of the day, this is it,” he said. “Every game, every possession is crucial. This was the first time we really came out with fire in our eyes, and I guess that’s because it’s elimination.”

Garnett On Victory, Terry: 

“We have a lot of basketball in us,” said Terry. “That’s the first time we’ve hit 90 points in this series. We just feel our offense is coming. You can feel it, but it’s been one quarter holding us back. If we can put together four quarters of great Celtics basketball, ball movement and getting out in transition, then this series is going to be a long one.”

Collins, 34, was a member of the Washington Wizards this season, after he was traded there by the Boston Celtics in February.

“I didn’t set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport. But since I am, I’m happy to start the conversation,” Collins wrote in Sports Illustrated. “I wish I wasn’t the kid in the classroom raising his hand and saying, ‘I’m different.’ If I had my way, someone else would have already done this. Nobody has, which is why I’m raising my hand.”

Collins’ contract expired at the end of the season, so he’s currently a free agent. He wrote that he wants to continue his NBA career, which has spanned 12 seasons and has seen him play for six different teams.

Collins wrote that he began to struggle to keep his secret during the NBA lockout last season, when he “lacked the distraction that basketball had always provided,” and that he’s come out to some family members in the time since. He said he was committed to the Celtics and didn’t want to create any distractions by coming out publicly, but he did wear No. 98 for the first time of his career to honor Matthew Shepard and the founding of the Trevor Project.

“The hardest part of this is the realization that my entire family will be affected,” Collins wrote in SI. “But my relatives have told me repeatedly that as long as I’m happy, they’re there for me.”

The bombings at the Boston Marathon were a factor in the timing of Collins’ announcement, he said.

“The recent Boston Marathon bombing reinforced the notion that I shouldn’t wait for the circumstances of my coming out to be perfect,” wrote Collins, who tweeted after the bombings that he lived near where the explosions took place in Boston. “Things can change in an instant, so why not live truthfully?”

One of Collins’ supporters is Massachusetts congressman Joe Kennedy, who was Collins’ roommate at Stanford. Kennedy released a statement shortly after Collins’ news went public.

“For as long as I’ve known Jason Collins he has been defined by three things: his passion for the sport he loves, his unwavering integrity, and the biggest heart you will ever find,” Kennedy said. “Without question or hesitation, he gives everything he’s got to those of us lucky enough to be in his life. I’m proud to stand with him today and proud to call him a friend.”

Cedric Maxwell discusses Jason Collins:

Doc Rivers, Collins’ former coach in Boston, also released a statement supporting him.

“I am extremely happy and proud of Jason Collins,” Riversa said. “He’s a pro’s pro. He is the consummate professional and he is one of my favorite ‘team’ players I have ever coached. If you have learned anything from Jackie Robinson, it is that teammates are always the first to accept. It will be society who has to learn tolerance. One of my favorite sayings is, I am who I am, are whom we are, can be what I want to be its not up to you, it’s just me being me.”

“I am extremely happy and proud of Jason Collins.  He’s a pro’s pro.  He is the consummate professional and he is one of my favorite “team” players I have ever coached.  If you have learned anything from Jackie Robinson, it is that teammates are always the first to accept.  It will be society who has to learn tolerance.  One of my favorite sayings is, I am who I am,  are whom we are,  can be what I want to be its not up to you, it’s just me being me.”

Collins said that he doesn’t mind if fans heckle him, and that he doesn’t fear the extra attention that will be on him going forward.

“After I was traded by the Celtics to Washington in February, I took a detour to the Dr. King memorial,” Collins wrote. “I was inspired and humbled. I celebrate being an African-American and the hardships of the past that still resonate today. But I don’t let my race define me any more than I want my sexual orientation to. I don’t want to be labeled, and I can’t let someone else’s label define me.”

98.5 The Sports Hub’s Gresh & Zo discussed the news of Jason Collins.

“It was very disappointing,” Celtics captain Paul Pierce said after yet another lethargic playoff loss. ”A game — a must-win game — if we had any hopes of tying this thing up come Sunday. Very disappointing. But, like I said, we put ourselves in this situation and we’re the only ones that can get ourselves out of it.”

“I’m definitely surprised. I thought we were a team that matched up well with the Knicks,” Pierce continued. “I thought we played them pretty good throughout the season. We lost a couple close ones, but coming in I knew this would probably be a long series being that the way we matched up. I really am surprised that we are down 0-3 right now.”

Anyone who sat through the last three games isn’t surprised. The Celtics look like a lost bunch, especially on the offensive side of the floor.

The Celtics came out flat once again on Friday, despite an emotional return to the Garden for the first time since the tragedy that occurred on Marathon Monday. That boost from the crowd didn’t translate into anything on the court, as the Celtics scored just 31 points by halftime and made their way to the locker room with boos reigning down on them from their faithful fans.

“I thought there was a lot of energy in the building,” Pierce said Friday night. “I thought we wanted it so bad, we were so anxious. You want it so bad and you rush, and get real anxious. And I thought that’s what we did tonight. I thought we played hard, had some good looks. The ball just didn’t bounce our way.”

It’s more than the ball simply bouncing their way. The Celtics have yet to score 80 points in a game this series — a claim no other Celtics playoff team can make.

“We have got to figure it out,” said Pierce. “We have got to do a better job of knocking down open shots, we’ve got to get to the free throw line, got to move the ball. Can’t turn the ball over. We turned the ball over a lot tonight and I think that’s something that’s biting us.”

The Celtics committed 18 more turnovers on Friday, leading to 26 Knicks points. On the defensive end, they forced just 11 (and “forced” is being used very loosely) while allowing New York to shoot 50-percent from the floor.

“When a team is making shots and executing and playing very well, that can kill your spirit,” said Kevin Garnett, who had 12 points and 12 rebounds in 34 minutes. “If you haven’t been here and you haven’t experienced playoff play and understand the whole thing of it, those are the times you have to band together, you have to take some punches. We took them, but we didn’t really give none back. I mean, when we messed up, they made us pay for it. Good teams are going to do that.”

It seems like no matter what the Celtics do, the Knicks are simply the better team. Doc Rivers moved Jason Terry into the starting lineup to take the ball handling choirs away from Avery Bradley and Paul Pierce, and though Terry scored 14 points, was a team-worst minus-12 in his 35 minutes of play.

Nothing has worked three games in, and now the Celtics face a likely first-round elimination. But until that clock hits zero and the Knicks are victorious for the fourth time in the series, they won’t stop fighting.

“I’m going to play until it’s over,” said Garnett, who contributed 35 minutes in the loss. “I’m not usually broken. It’s always been my mentality. It always probably will. That’s what it is. I’ve been to the bottom before. I know what it is. I’m a fighter at the end of the day, but it takes more than one person.”

It will take a whole team effort for the Celtics to win a game, let alone pull the first 3-0 comeback in NBA history. While Sunday can be the start of something — anything, really — it’s looking more likely it will mark the end of an era.

BOSTON (AP/CBS) — The TD Garden was swarming with police Friday night for the playoff game between the Boston Celtics against the New York Knicks.

Both outside the building and on the floor.

The Celtics honored the first-responders from last week’s Boston Marathon attack during the game, their first at home since the April 15 bombing at the race’s finish line.

“They’ve been through a lot,” said Celtics coach Doc Rivers, whose father was a police officer in the Chicago area. “I think they can’t get enough support; they can’t get enough love. So I think it will be wonderful for them and for the fans as well.”

The Celtics were scheduled to play Indiana in Boston in their regular-season finale April 16, the day after the bombings. The game was canceled, and the Celtics began the playoffs in New York.

An honor guard from the Boston police, fire and emergency medical services brought out the American flag, and a cappella group Voices of Freedom, in military uniforms, sang the “Star-Spangled Banner” before the game.

Doctors and nurses who treated the injured were to be recognized as “Heroes Among us,” along with volunteers from the Boston Athletic Association.

Fans of the Boston Celtics hold up Boston Strong t shirts that were given out during the pre-game against the New York Knicks. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)

All members of the organization wore commemorative pins on Friday. The team also gave out “Boston Strong” t-shirts to all fans in attendance.

(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Former Celtics forward Brian Scalabrine joined 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Toucher & Rich in studio to discuss this Celtics-Knicks series.

The guys started off discussing how this team really misses Rajon Rondo now that it’s playoff time. When Rondo first went out with a season ending injury the team went on quite a roll, but as the season wrapped up the wheels started falling off.

Scal attributes the scoring struggles to guys not getting that extra second they need to get a shot off, something that Rondo knew how to give.

Is Mike Woodson out coaching Doc Rivers in this series? Plus what happened to Courtney Lee and is there something wrong with Avery Bradley?

So it should come as no surprise the word “desperation” has crept into the team’s vocabulary.

“That’s what it is right now,” Captain Paul Pierce said at the team’s practice on Thursday. “We have to be a desperate team right now; backs against the wall and we have two home games. Just because it’s a home game doesn’t mean it’s a guaranteed win. We have to play like a desperate team with a huge sense of urgency, because with Game 3 our season is on the line. When you go down 3-0, your percentage goes way down. We want to give ourselves the best chance to win this series, so this is the biggest game of the series so far.”

Read: Celtics Ready For Emotional Return Home

“You get down 0-2 to a good team that is playing really well, in a good rhythm, desperation is definitely into play,” echoed Kevin Garnett, who has struggled to find his own rhythm during the series. “This is it; we can’t go down 0-3 to any team. It’s a very difficult situation to put yourself into.”

The Celtics find themselves in the hole thanks to a pair of uninspiring second halves in New York. In each game the C’s have lost their way after halftime, scoring just 48 total points in the two losses. Their slim leads have turned into insurmountable deficits, leaving the head coach Doc Rivers searching for answers.

“We’ve come out flat twice and I don’t know why that is,” said Rivers. “We’re not organized offensively the way we should be. You’re going to have to play some half court in the playoffs; we knew that going into the series but we haven’t handled it well.”

While the Celtics weathered the storm without point guard Rajon Rondo during the regular season, now that the playoffs have begun they truly miss his playmaking abilities. The Knicks are putting pressure on whoever is bringing the ball up the floor for Boston – more times than not it’s Mr. Everything, Paul Pierce – and are not letting the Celtics push the tempo.

This is turning Boston into a team that sits and waits for something to happen, rather than a team in motion that makes something happen.

“Right now we are a first option team and then stand around and watch,” said Rivers. “You get into those ruts during the regular season, you can’t score unless the guy holding the ball is having a magnificent game. We’re not built that way – the Knicks are actually built that way. It’s just not who we are, and we have to keep that understanding.”

Read: Celtics-Knicks Game 3 Preview

While Pierce has drawn Superman comparisons throughout his career, asking the 35-year-old version to do it all – not just on offense, but also the handing him the task of guarding scoring champ Carmelo Anthony – is proving to be too much. That won’t stop Pierce, who leads the Celtics at 19.5 points and 6.5 assists per game this series, from doing his best Swiss Army knife impression, but he knows if the Celtics don’t buckle down on the defensive end, the offense will keep struggling.

“I have to keep doing what I’m doing, probably shoot a higher percentage and turn the ball over less,” he said. “But we have to defend for four quarters; we can’t do it for 2 ½ quarters each night. We let our guard down in the third quarter in both games, and that’s when they were able to make their run.”

For the last two days, Rivers has tried to figure out ways to get his team going. He said he will rely more on Jordan Crawford off the bench, in hopes that the score-in-bunches guard can give the Celtics anemic offense a boost.

But the Celtics will need much more than Jordan Crawford off the bench. Jeff Green, who scored 20 points in the first half of Game 1, has just 16 points in the three halves since. Jason Terry scored nine points in Game 2, but that accounts for all his points in the series so far. Kevin Garnett has battled both fatigue and the officiating, but the 36-year-old needs to find his rhythm fast if he wants to avoid the eighth one-and-done series of his postseason career.

Without Rondo, the Celtics need Paul Pierce to do it all and he is more than willing to step up to the challenge. But it’s clear  that Pierce needs help – and a lot of it – and if he doesn’t get it soon, the word “desperate” won’t matter for much longer.