Big-time rebound continues for Jefferson.

Byline: Bill Doyle

COLUMN: NBA NOTES

The Celtics obviously won't win their first NBA championship since 1986 this June, but another 21-year drought could come to an end.

If Al Jefferson wins the NBA's Most Improved Player Award, he'd become the first Celtic to win a major league-wide honor since Larry Bird was voted Most Valuable Player and Bill Walton was honored as NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 1986.

More than half of the season remains, so a lot can happen, but Jefferson certainly deserves to be considered for the MIP Award. The 6-foot-10 forward-center has been one of the very few bright spots in an otherwise dreary C's season.

Jefferson is averaging 13.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks, up from 7.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 0.8 blocks a year ago and roughly equivalent to what he averaged during his first two seasons combined.

"It would mean a lot, but I doubt I'll get it," Jefferson said. "A lot of guys have stepped up this year. It would mean a lot if I get it, but I'm not waking up every morning with that on my mind."

Jefferson, who turned 22 this month, is tied with Tim Duncan for 10th in the league in rebounding. That's pretty good company. He ranks ahead of two-time NBA rebounding champion Ben Wallace and Yao Ming. Of those ranked ahead of Jefferson, only New York's David Lee (29.9) averages fewer minutes than him (30.3).

"I think I can lead the league in rebounding one day," Jefferson said confidently.

Jefferson trails NBA co-leaders Dwight Howard and Kevin Garnett by only 2.3 rebounds a game. All three have a common bond - they all jumped from high school to the NBA.

"Dennis Rodman was shorter than me," Jefferson said, "and he led the league in rebounding, so I know I can do it."

Celtics coach Doc Rivers isn't as confident that Jefferson could lead the league.

"I think it's tough for scorers to ever lead the league in rebounding," Rivers said. "It doesn't happen very often, if it has ever happened. I guess Wilt (Chamberlain), but he was everything. So that would be what held him back."

Moving to center helped Jefferson's rebounding totals because he was closer to the basket.

"Now, they're finding me," Jefferson said of his rebounds. "I'm not going out to get them."

More importantly, he has been able to stay on the court longer by avoiding the foul trouble that plagued him during his first two seasons. Jefferson has rebounded in double figures 18 times in his last 22 games. Prior to that, Jefferson had only 12 double-figure rebounding performances in the first 141 games of his career.

After Rivers got on him for not grabbing enough offensive rebounds, Jefferson collected 12 in his next two games and 39 boards in all even though he started both games at power forward.

"Defensive rebounding, he's been doing that all year," Rivers said. "He learned early on that if they're going to trap him, he has to find a way to stay on the floor. He knows he still has to improve defensively. He knows that if he's not scoring offensively and he's not doing anything else, he's probably going to come out. So I think he's a pretty smart player, and he figures if he rebounds well, he stays on the floor."

With Paul Pierce sidelined with a foot injury and Kendrick Perkins slowed by one, Jefferson needs to collect every rebound he can. On the other hand, Jefferson has found it more difficult to score of late because he's being double-teamed with so many of his teammates injured.

"It's a sign of respect," Jefferson said, "but it was frustrating for me at first because they find a lot of different ways to attack me and trap me. It tests my skills to be smart and pass out of the double teams and try to find other ways to score."

Jefferson has improved his rebounding technique this season.

"I used to just try to jump at the ball," he said, "instead of hitting the body first, then going and getting the ball. Now I'm boxing out more. I'm a lot shorter than most fives, so I have to put a body on them and try to get them out so I can get it."

Jefferson credits Clifford Ray, the former NBA center who joined the Celtics as an assistant coach this season, with helping him develop. When Jefferson has the ball on left block and double team approaches, he uses a move Ray taught him - spinning quickly to the baseline to get to the basket. Jefferson likes the move, even though his shot was blocked the first time he tried it.

"Not putting down the other coaches," Jefferson said, "but Clifford Ray is the only one who has played my position. He understands what we're going through as bigs."

No Celtic has ever won the Most Improved Player Award, Defensive Player of the Year or Citizenship Award. Bob Cousy, Bill Russell, Dave Cowens and Bird all won the NBA's MVP. Red Auerbach, Tom Heinsohn and Bill Fitch were honored as NBA Coach of the Year. Auerbach was also recognized as NBA Executive of the Year. Walton and Kevin McHale were voted NBA Sixth Man of the Year. Heinsohn, Cowens and Bird won Rookie of the Year.

The Celtics have fared better in placing players on the All-Rookie teams. Pierce was the last Celtic to make first-team All-Rookie in 1999 and as recently as last season Ryan Gomes was voted to the second team.

Jefferson's chief competition for MIP so far comes from Sacramento guard Kevin Martin, who is averaging 21.1 points compared to 10.8 last year, Golden State guard Monta Ellis, averaging 17.8 points after 6.8 a year ago, and Lee, averaging 10.7 points and 10.4 rebounds compared to 5.1 and 4.5 last season.

While they were winning their 16 NBA championships, the Celtics insisted the team mattered more than individual honors. Well, they're not winning titles any more, so picking up an individual award would be a nice way to get their mind off that.

Missing in action...

Kendrick Perkins hasn't been the same player since he missed 10 games with plantar fasciitis.

In his first 11 games back, Perkins has averaged only 3.4 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 42.9 percent.

Perkins said his foot feels "so so." Some days it bothers him, some days it doesn't.

"It still hurts, but not as bad," Perkins said. "If I can't walk, then I have to sit down. It don't hurt like that."

Asked if he was playing only because so many other Celtics are injured, Perkins replied, "I don't really think I'm making a difference right now any way. I haven't really been playing up to what I'm capable of playing. I don't like to make excuses, but I can't really move like I want to, jump like I want to."

Middle is missing

As far as Rivers is concerned, point guard, shooting guard and small forward have merged into the same position for the most part. On the other hand, he believes power forward and center remain vastly different from one another.

"You can't teach height," Rivers said. "There aren't a lot of bigs walking around. There definitely aren't a lot of bigs walking around who can play, but there are some coming."

Greg Oden, Ohio State's 7-foot freshman center, is expected to be the top pick in this year's draft.

Rivers blames Magic Johnson for the demise of pure centers in the NBA.

"After Magic," Rivers said, "every freaking big wanted to be a guard. They thought they could handle the ball, they started shooting jump shots."

Earl Jones, who played against Rivers in the McDonald's All-American Game in 1980, was one of those big men.

"He was on my team trying to take the ball from me and bring it up," Rivers said. "I was, `Get your (butt) down in the post.'"

NAME: BOSTON CELTICS

ART: PHOTOS

CUTLINE: (1) Celtics forward Al Jefferson is a candidate for the NBA's Most Improved Player Award. (2) Kendrick Perkins is averaging just 3.4 points in his last 11 games.