01:00 AM EST on Tuesday, November 29, 2005

BY SHALISE MANZA YOUNG
Journal Sports Writer

BOSTON -- Kendrick Perkins was once again the starting center for the Boston Celtics last night, as Doc Rivers continues to sit Mark Blount .

But unlike Friday's game with Charlotte when Blount recorded a DNP-Coach's decision, he did get in the game last night, and appeared to have gotten the message. Assistant coach Tony Brown signaled toward Blount, at his customary spot at the end of the Boston bench, toward the end of the first quarter, and Blount entered the game with 3:10 left in the quarter.

Though Blount ended up playing more minutes than Perkins, both were effective on the glass. Perkins had 4 points and 5 rebounds in 16 minutes; Blount, 6 points and 6 rebounds in 31 minutes.

After not speaking with the media Friday or Saturday, Blount spoke after practice on Sunday, and said he still has not received an explanation from head coach Doc Rivers as to why he was benched Friday and has lost his starting job for the time being.

He did not speak with the media before the game last night.

Rivers, of course, did, and when asked why he hasn't called the veteran pivot into his office for a chat, he was uncharacteristically curt.

"Because I'm the coach," he said. "And whatever I do is what I do, honestly. I'm not going to get into that. Mark will be fine on this team, I have no doubt about it. I do things for a reason and sometimes I don't have to explain them."

Rivers went on to reiterate that he thinks Blount will be fine.

Celts captain Paul Pierce said the Blount/Rivers episode is not a big deal and just a part of life in sports.

"I just think it's normal you have your ups and downs with players and coaches," he said. "Doc and I were up and down at times (last year) but it worked its way out. I think it's overblown."

The six rebounds Blount recorded last night were a huge improvement over his last outing, when he had just one in 25 minutes against Atlanta last Wednesday.

Pierce, who has been a teammate of Blount for several years, said he thinks Blount is "capable of being a double-double guy, in my expectations."

Blount has been in the NBA since 2000 and turns 30 tomorrow.

Magical times

Rivers stopped his pre-game chat with the media a couple of times yesterday as he greeted his former players from Orlando -- forward Pat Garrity and injured forward Grant Hill -- the only Magic left from Rivers' final season with the team in 2002-03.

While Rivers is no doubt happy to be employed by the Celtics, there's one thing Orlando offered him that Boston doesn't.

"My game-day routine has changed since I got here. In Orlando, after shoot-around, I went home, rode my bike to the golf course, chipped and putt for a half hour and rode my bike back home. I haven't done that here yet," he said.

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Forward Al Jefferson suffered a mild concussion when he was accidentally head-butted by fellow second-year big man Dwight Howard late in the first quarter. Jefferson returned to the bench before halftime and was back on the court with 4:14 to play in the third. . . . Delonte West's return to the Boston lineup means that rookie Gerald Green is back on the inactives list. With West sitting out Friday's game because of a left hip pointer, Green was activated for the first time this season but did not enter the game. . . . Here's the reason why "offense wins championships" isn't a hackneyed adage: the Celtics came into last night shooting 49 percent from the field, including a three-point mark of nearly 46 percent, but they are just 4-5 against opponents hitting 47.6 percent of their shots over that stretch. . . . Boston welcomes the 76ers to the TD Banknorth Garden tomorrow night.