01:00 AM EST on Tuesday, December 20, 2005

BY SHALISE MANZA YOUNG
Journal Sports Writer

BOSTON -- Before Saturday's game against the Bulls in Chicago, Boston head coach Doc Rivers had a point guard problem.

In this case, the problem was having too many points. Marcus Banks was healthy after missing eight weeks with a stress fracture in his left tibia, so Rivers had four players looking for minutes at the position: starter Delonte West , rookie backup Orien Greene , third option Dan Dickau and defensive stopper Banks.

But before last night's game with Golden State, Rivers had a different problem -- not enough healthy point guards.

West suffered a mild concussion in the first half of the game against the Bulls, and Dickau ruptured his right Achilles' tendon in the second half of that game, leaving the Celts with two players at the one last night.

Dickau is to undergo surgery today at New England Baptist Hospital and is likely out for the season.

"Its tough, man, whenever you have a player go down with that type of injury," Paul Pierce said of Dickau. "Our prayers and thoughts go out to him. Hopefully, he makes a speedy recovery and takes his time and gets back right."

Rivers said he knew almost immediately on Saturday night what had happened to Dickau.

"I've been in the league long enough; when a guy pulls up and there's no one around him, there's only one injury (it could be)," Rivers said. "It's a bad thing for him."

West was thought to be probable for last night's game against the Warriors, and even though West said he felt good before the matchup with Golden State, Rivers told the media the second-year player wouldn't be taking the court.

West, who was hit by Chicago's Michael Sweetney while going to the rim on Saturday night, said he felt like he "had been hit by Mike Tyson " after taking the blow, and couldn't recall heading back up the court.

West didn't participate in morning shootaround yesterday, and went out for a pregame shoot with assistant coach Dave Wohl .

"Literally, in 30 seconds, he had to sit back down," Rivers said of West. "He tried to do it again, but at some point -- he wanted to play -- you have to protect your players from themselves. We need him, but that's dangerous stuff."

Turning the other cheek

With about 8:50 left in last night's game, Ricky Davis went in for a layup and missed, and as Ryan Gomes and Al Jefferson fought for the rebound, Raef LaFrentz went flying on the other side of the baseline.

It turned out that Warriors guard Baron Davis -- about 8 inches shorter and 25 pounds lighter than LaFrentz -- had hip-tossed the Celts forward.

Baron Davis grew increasingly frustrated throughout the game, first with the officials and then with the way the game was going. Though he did try to help LaFrentz up, Davis was tagged with a flagrant foul. Initially appearing angry, LaFrentz stepped up and made his two free throws and the incident did not continue.

"To me, that's better toughness," Rivers said of LaFrentz's decision not to retaliate. "I like getting up and making the two free throws."

Double dribbles

As Rivers was conducting his pregame media chat and talking about sitting West, Golden State head coach Mike Montgomery came over and asked if Rivers would be sitting Paul Pierce and Ricky Davis, too. "Oh, sure," Rivers deadpanned. . . . Pierce called the Warriors' Baron Davis "the best point guard in the league. I don't think he's had the recognition. When you look at what Baron can do as a point guard; he's the most athletic point guard, one of the better passing point guards, one of the best scoring point guards, one of the best defending point guards, if not the best. I look at a combination of things when I rank top point guards, and he pretty much has it all. . . . On Sunday, Ricky Davis, his fiance Vanessa Rameriz and their son Tyree were at the Toys 'R' Us in Cambridge, where they provided Christmas for 94 children in the Massachusetts' Department of Social Services system. Each child received a $100 gift card and tickets to an upcoming Celtics game. Some of the children had never even been in the toy superstore before.