"The 5-5-5 plan remains. Or at least this Kevin Garnett minutes-rationing system appears to have more life than Herman Cain and his 9-9-9 plan.

After last night's 88-79 loss to the Bulls, Doc Rivers said he's not sure Garnett is responding well to these shorter bursts of playing time. However, the coach will continue to employ the strategy for now.

"I don't know, it's tough," Rivers said of the effect on Garnett, who finished with eight points on 4-of-11 shooting in 34 minutes last night. "He wanted to go longer, and then he looked over at me after seven (minutes) and said he needed a blow. It's just a tough one. I'm still working on that one.

"I like it, honestly," Rivers said. "But three times tonight, after giving you nothing for about four minutes, all of a sudden in the fifth minute he makes a shot. And then your impulse is, 'My gosh, I have to keep him in.' And then you risk the rest of the game. So it's just a tough call right now. I still like it. I don't love it. But I think it's what we have to do.""