"Shaquille O'Neal is averaging modest numbers for the Celtics. He came into yesterday's affair giving them 11.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 22.3 minutes a game.

It's not the kind of stuff that has him on the first train to Springfield, but, for the Celtics, it may well be the nudge that gets them to an 18th championship.

That has been reasonably visible in this two-month-old season, but it was even more glaring yesterday when O'Neal, who hinted he may prolong his career, fouled out in just 12:39 in an 86-78 loss to Orlando. It was bad enough that he produced just two points and one rebound, but, maybe more than the stats, the Celts missed his presence.

They survived defensively, holding the Magic to 39.4 percent shooting — and self-styled Superman Dwight Howard to two points on 1-for-4 shooting (albeit with 10 free throw attempts and 11 rebounds). But without the Big Magnet to pull the defense inside and settle things down, the Celtics' impatient offense had season-lows of 78 points and 34.6 percent shooting."