Condensation creates slippery situation for Celtics

The Celtics [team stats] were fortunate to put last night’s game to rest.

A wet floor - the result of unseasonably warm weather and condensation forming on the parquet above the hockey ice - nearly led to a postponement.

“The first seven, eight minutes I didn’t think we were going to finish this game,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said about conditions so wet that a mop-wielding Garden maintenance crew had to dry the floor during timeouts. “It reminded me of the game (in 1989 when Rivers was playing for the Atlanta Hawks) when the court was wet on our side offensively, and (the C’s) got up by 30 and called the game.

“But (Los Angeles Clippers coach) Mike (Dunleavy) and I were very close to calling it. The next guy that slipped in the next two minutes, and the game was over.”

Said Rasheed Wallace: “It made it a little slick out there. Had to play cautiously the whole game. You saw a couple of guys slipping out there like Peggy Fleming tonight. It’s part of it, though, when you play in arenas that have ice under the floor.”

Davis’ name game

Glen Davis, in the wake of his latest trouble, is seeking an image change.

The Celtics forward hasn’t gone as far as Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco, who officially changed his last name from “Johnson” in honor of his jersey number: 85.

But Davis said before last night’s 95-89 win that he no longer wants to be known as “Big Baby.” The new moniker for No. 11, albeit unofficial, is “Uno Uno.”

After he was fined $25,000 last week for cursing at a Detroit fan, anything will help.

“I’m not feeling like Big Baby anymore, I need something different,” Davis said. “Someone get a blog. I need suggestions.”

When a reporter suggested the “Uno Uno” tag, Davis said, “I like that.”

Rivers initially wasn’t so sure.

“Oh boy, no comment,” he said. “Actions change your image most of the time, but we’ll see. It’s a start, right?

“I don’t know what his reputation was, so I’m not so sure,” Rivers said of whether his young forward needs to change his reputation. “He’s young. He has to grow up in front of a lot of people, where most people his age don’t. He’s not a bad kid - we just have to give him time. Some you don’t and some you do. The ‘he’s not a bad kid’ part is the savior of it all.

“I think we can all learn from our mistakes, and he can as well. Usually his mistakes have come from emotion, and hopefully you mature and learn from that. Usually his mistakes are not anything calculated. It’s all emotional. He’s trying to do his best.”

Camby, KG similiar

Marcus Camby, in his 13th season, essentially is the same NBA generation as Kevin Garnett. The UMass legend even possesses a similar skill set. The only difference is in the notoriety between the two big men.

“They’re very comparable. They’re very similar,” Rivers said. “They play with a great deal of intensity. Kevin may play with more energy, Marcus is a better shot blocker. Kevin may be a better on-ball defender, but they’re very similar players.”

An early return

There is a slim chance, according to Rivers, that Marquis Daniels could make his return on Feb. 10 in New Orleans, the last game before the All-Star break.

“We’re hoping the first game after the All-Star break, but there’s a slight chance he’ll be able to play down in New Orleans,” Rivers said. “That would be good for him because he would get one game going into the break, and then we could come out of the break with him on the west coast.”