BOSTON - Something has to give on Monday night. Both the Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors have lost their last five games and are a combined 8-18 on the season. When they go head-to-head tonight, one streak will come to an end.
While signs point towards the Celtics' losing skid being the one that is snapped, nothing is guaranteed in the NBA. Certainly, it helps when the C's opponent will likely be without it's best player in Andrea Bargnani, who is a game-time decision as he continues to recover from a calf strain.
Meanwhile, no sign of Paul Pierce in the Celtics locker room. But really, what did you expect? Pierce has had his name tossed into the rumor mill once more, with a Yahoo! Sports report indicating that several contending teams have inquired about his availability. Danny Ainge, the C's president and general manager, did pop in but did not answer any questions.
Keyon Dooling is feeling better too, telling me that you can't feel bad everyday. That's a positive step, but he will still miss Monday night's game and appears slated for a return on Friday night against the Phoenix Suns. Dooling was on the court shooting around, while Chris Wilcox has not yet returned to the court and is also out of action for Boston.
Check out more pregame news and notes by listening to the following interviews below.
AUDIO: Dwane Casey (Raptors Coach) Pregame (1-18-12)
AUDIO: Ray Allen Pregame Interview (1-18-12)
AUDIO: Doc RIvers Pregame Interview (1-18-12)
For more Celtics and Raptors coverage, visit our team blogs, CelticsBlog and Raptors HQ.