Backups let down Celts in the first round.

Byline: Bill Doyle

COLUMN: CELTICS NOTES

BOSTON - When the Celtics signed Stephon Marbury and Mikki Moore as free agents in February, they hoped for the kind of boost that Sam Cassell and P.J. Brown gave them last season.

But they had fallen far short of that goal entering Game 7 of the first round last night.

Through the first six games, Marbury was shooting only 25.9 percent (7 of 27), and Moore had totaled just five points and eight rebounds. Celtics coach Doc Rivers had lost faith in both of them as well as just about everyone else off the bench.

But in the second quarter last night, Marbury played tough defense, while the Celtics took the lead and Moore scored four points.

The bench clearly missed Glen Davis, who started in place of the injured Kevin Garnett at power forward, and Leon Powe, who tore up his knee early in Game 2.

Eddie House set a franchise record by making 44.4 percent of his 3-pointers in the regular season, but he was limited to 27.8 percent in the first six playoff games.

Tony Allen, who reportedly received death threats when the Celtics played in his hometown of Chicago, scored only two points in the first six games. Allen normally plays strong defense, but no Celtic did during this series.

The Celtics subs averaged only 12.6 points, the fewest of any playoff team this year, over the first six games, and that included seven overtime periods. Who would have guessed that Brian Scalabrine would be the most effective sub late in the series? Scalabrine was sidelined for two months after suffering his third concussion of the season and didn't return until Game 3.

Because his bench was so ineffective and the games were so close, Rivers stuck mostly his starters, all of whom averaged at least 39.2 minutes a game. Rajon Rondo averaged a team-high 46.5. Their fatigue was obvious late in Game 6.

Rookie back in Boston

Rookie J.R. Giddens rejoined the Celtics, but did not suit up. Giddens and the Utah Flash were swept, two games to none, in the NBDL Finals by the Colorado 14ers. Giddens averaged 18.5 points, 12.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists in the playoffs after averaging 17.2 points and 6.3 rebounds in 26 regular-season games.

"I learned what these guys are going through right now," Giddens said, "how to play through little injuries and being fatigued and being the leader on my team down there. I tried to will my team to a championship, but I came up short, but it was a great experience."

Giddens watched the first six games of the series on television.

"It's an instant classic," Giddens said.

Early ousters 

The last defending champion to be eliminated in the first round was Miami two years ago. The Bulls swept them four straight. Miami was the fifth seed and didn't have home-court advantage, however.

The last defending champion to lose in the first round with home-court advantage was the 2000 Spurs to Phoenix. San Antonio was the fourth seed.

Entering last night, no defending champion seeded as high as second as the Celtics were had ever been eliminated in the first round.

What more to say?

No matter how often the Celtics say that they don't expect Kevin Garnett back in the playoffs, the media keeps expecting to see him return to practice.

"You guys have said it all the last two days," Rivers said. "It's amazing. I thought someone was going to report they saw Big Foot and Sasquatch."

50-point club

Ray Allen became the fourth Celtic to score 50 or more points in the playoffs when he poured in 51 in Game 6. Unlike Allen, however, the other three Celtics reached 50 in victories.

John Havlicek scored 54 on April 1, 1973, as the Celtics opened the playoffs by beating Atlanta. Sam Jones had 51 as the Celtics eliminated the Knicks from the division semifinals on March 28, 1967.

Bob Cousy scored 50 in four OTs to help eliminate Syracuse in the opening round on March 21, 1953.

NAME: BOSTON CELTICS

ART: PHOTO

CUTLINE: Boston's Rajon Rondo, right, and Chicago's Joakim Noah fight for a loose ball.

PHOTOG: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS