Julian Benbow, Boston Globe – “They’ll face either the Heat or the Bucks in the first round, Miami more likely to clinch the fifth seed with a game against lowly New Jersey tonight. Boston hosts Milwaukee tonight. A team pegged at the start of the season as one of the favorites to reach the Finals, the Celtics now find themselves as sort of a sleeper. ‘We made our bed and now we’ve got to lay in it,’ Kevin Garnett said. ‘We’ve just kind of got to make the best out of it. I think our goals were a lot higher than this, but we’ll take it.’”

Chris Forsberg, ESPNBoston – “Let’s be honest: The Celtics should get past whoever emerges as the No. 5 seed, whether it’s the Miami Heat (most likely) or Milwaukee Bucks. Given Boston’s inability to string together consistent efforts, it might not be a cakewalk, but there’s little doubt Boston will advance. And the Celtics’ reward, barring the unfathomable, will be a meeting with soon-to-be Most Valuable Player LeBron James and the NBA’s only 60-win team. Win that series and all the troubles are forgotten. Lose and the 2009-10 season will be remembered as one of missed opportunities. The Celtics seemed resigned to their fate. ‘It is what it is,’ said Rivers. ‘I would like a three, two or one, but we didn’t get it. It’s going to be a tough series, whoever we play. We just have to be ready to play.’ Echoed Paul Pierce: ‘It is what it is. It looks like we’re probably going to play Miami. Either way, three or four [seed], it’s going to be a tough road. One game left, we have everybody healthy going into the playoffs, which was the No. 1 goal going into the season.’”

A. Sherrod Blakely, CSNNE – “Garnett had 14 points and nine rebounds in just over 28 minutes. He also had two steals and two assists. ‘Everybody is trying to find some kind of momentum, rhythm, whatever you want to call it. I’m no different from that,’ Garnett said. ‘I’m just ready for it. I think everybody in here has been anticipating this for a minute. The regular season is what it is. But the playoffs is a whole other season. I’m up for it, looking forward to it.’”

Steve Bulpett, Boston Herald – “Interestingly, with 5:28 left and Rose in the midst of a 15-for-22 night from the floor, Rivers sent Nate Robinson in for a struggling Rajon Rondo, who didn’t complain afterward. ‘I couldn’t stop (Rose) tonight,’ said Rondo, who went 2-for-10 from the floor (four points) with six assists and five fouls. ‘It seemed like he was making every shot. (Rivers) had to make an adjustment. I wasn’t going offensively or defensively, so he made the right move.’ Rivers took part of the blame for Rose’s explosion, saying, ‘We should have trapped a little bit more maybe. You always second guess it at the end.’ But whereas the Celts wanted this game, the Bulls simply needed it more. ‘You knew if it came down to desperation we were in trouble,’ Rivers said. ‘I don’t care how mentally tough you are. When you have one team fighting for their lives and the other team that can play in the third or the fourth seed, you knew, no matter what, that would be tough.’”

Julian Benbow, Boston Globe – “‘I’ll let Danny speak for Danny,’ Rivers said. ‘I’m not getting into it. Listen — and I’ve said this only about 50 times now — it’s for you guys to judge our team. And if you all want to make opinions about it, go ahead. “Yeah, if we were healthy all year, there’s no doubt 50 wins were not good enough. Even not healthy, we should have won more games. Having said that, what do you want me to do? Worry about that or get ready for tonight, tomorrow night, and the playoffs? I’ll let you guys keep saying whatever we didn’t do and all that stuff. This is what I know: If we win in the playoffs, you won’t be talking about that. If we lose in the playoffs, you’ll be talking about it.’”

Chris Forsberg, ESPNBoston – “Pierce connected on 12-of-17 shots Tuesday for a team-high 28 points, this after scoring 24 points on 10-of-17 shooting in a win over Milwaukee Saturday. ‘That’s two games in a row that he was basically un-guardable,’ said Rivers. ‘Going into the playoffs, that’s the best timing we could have.’ Added Pierce: ‘I’m feeling good. My body is pretty much healed, this is exactly where I want to be at this point in the season. I feel like I’ve gotten into a nice groove offensively and that’s something we’re going to need going into the playoffs. I hope to keep it going and do the things necessary to help this team win.’”

Jessica Camerato, WEEI – “Pierce stressed the importance of gritty D in the playoffs. ‘The key for us is going to have to be our defense,’ he said. ‘I told the guys we didn’t get one stop the last three minutes of the game. It doesn’t matter what I do offensively — I can help carry the team offensively but if we don’t get these stops, it’s going to be tough for us to win.’”

Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports – “Chicago Bulls executive vice president John Paxson shoved coach Vinny Del Negro twice in the chest and had to be restrained in a postgame confrontation late last month, multiple sources told Yahoo! Sports. John Paxson (right) got into a physical altercation with Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro in March, according to sources. After a loss to the Phoenix Suns on March 30, an irate Paxson walked into the coach’s office at the United Center and confronted Del Negro over a narrow breach of a management-imposed minutes limit on injured forward Joakim Noah(notes). Sources said Paxson first grabbed a hold of Del Negro’s tie and seemingly tried to provoke him with two successive jabs into his chest. Paxson was even heard to angrily challenge Del Negro to a fight.”

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