Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald reports that the Magic used some motivational tapes to get ready for last night?s Celtics game. Magic coach Doc Rivers explained that the team listened to tapes of Celtics color commentator Tommy Heinsohn in the locker room before beating the Celtics 101-95.

``I thought our guys had some extra zest going into this game,'' said Rivers, whose club lost to the Celts twice in December. ``They heard a tape of Tommy Heinsohn before our game. I don't know how the tape got into our locker room, but it just did, and basically he belittled every single player on our basketball team.

``I thought our guys took that personal,'' he added. ``Coach his own team or his guys and leave us alone. We'll do our own job. It's good that guys responded with that win.''

Tracy McGrady added, ``(Heinsohn) must think Larry Bird is still playing. When he disrespects us like that, sure it's going to be on our minds.''

Peter May of the Boston Globe reports that the Celtics may loosen the grip on their wallet long enough to sign an additional player once the new owners take control next week.

The league will announce no later than Monday that the owners have approved the sale of the team to Irv Grousbeck, Wyc Grousbeck, Steve Pagliuca, and The Abbey Group. Once that happens, the new group may allow the C?s to add someone to the roster.

They have played this season with the minimum of 12 players, mostly because of the luxury tax implications of adding any salary to the roster. The new owners are believed to be willing to add at least one player, and don't be surprised if the name of Dana Barros surfaces.

Barros would love to stay home in Boston and play for the Celtics and remains an unsigned free agent. He also has point guard skills and specializes in 3-point shooting, two qualities that Celtics coach Jim O?Brien would love in a player.

Barros would be able to be signed for the $1 million veteran's minimum, prorated. The Celtics would absorb about half of that.

Harvey Fialkov of the Sun-Sentinel reports that Heat coach Pat Riley is warning against being too optimistic after a 3-1 road trip. He wonders if his young roster will produce another "go to" guy to help push the 9-19 Heat into the playoffs.

They have Eddie Jones who has taken the leadership role on the club. They have Brian Grant averaging almost a double-double and playing tough interior defense. Occasionally a third player steps up and produces. "In order for us to win, it's got to be done together. Otherwise, we're not going to get there," Riley said after Thursday?s practice.

The lack of dominant teams in the East give the Heat a hope of possibly making the playoffs, but games like Monday?s loss to the Cavaliers make Riley doubt his team. "This whole thing in trying to do the best that I could, that's good for your children to say. `Daddy, I'm trying to do the best that I could do,'" Riley said. "In the pros, that isn't it. I don't want to hear that.

"`Daddy, I am doing what is necessary to succeed.' That's what I want, and sometimes that takes more than just doing your best.''

Fred Kerber of the New York Post reports that the Nets took advantage of a nationwide television audience to exact some revenge against the Celtics. New Jersey dominated Boston in every conceivable way to demolish the Celtics 117-81 in ABC?s first NBA telecast in 30 years.

The Nets used the win to help heal the wounds of a 96-79 beating they took in Boston on Nov. 20. It was also a way of sending a message to anyone who may have thought that Boston was the better team in last year?s conference finals.

"I do think they're in denial," Nets? coach Byron Scott said before the game. "Last year, they felt we weren't the better team when we beat them. Obviously, we felt we were. I think that there are a bunch of guys over there, especially Pierce and Walker, who feel that we weren't really worthy of being in the Finals."

Boston coach Jim O'Brien waved off the notion, noting, "They beat us, they went to the Finals, that is all that needs to be said."

Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald reports that Paul Pierce isn?t happy. He?s been on the receiving end of some hard fouls recently and he thinks the NBA need to do more to protect the players.

He received a scratched cornea courtesy of Cleveland?s Zydrunas Ilgauskas and had to have reconstructive dental surgery after a run in with Suns? rookie Amare Stoudamire in the last two weeks.

``The refs really do need to crack down on it,'' said Pierce. ``Sometimes I feel that teams aren't looking to make a play on the ball but are just trying to make a play on me.''

Pierce?s coach, Jim O?Brien agrees. ``I don't think the guys in this league purposely try to hurt people, but there's a frame of mind that says not to let the ball get to the rim,'' O'Brien said. ``It's important for the NBA to call those situations, not only against Paul but on the part of anyone who drives to the rim. We don't like people driving to the rim, either, but there are limits,'' he said. ``Attempting to block the shot is one thing, but if you attempt to block the guy, well, that's quite another matter.''

Pierce added that if the rough stuff continues, he wouldn't be adverse to calling someone like Stu Jackson, the NBA's discipline czar. ``If I feel it's getting out of hand, I will,'' he said.

Phil Jasner of the Philadelphia Daily News reports that the Sixers filled their open roster spot yesterday by claiming Kenny Satterfield off of waivers from the Denver Nuggets. Sixers GM Billy King had hinted that they were looking for a backup point guard to reduce the minutes played by Eric Snow and Aaron McKie.

Jasner reports that the Sixers and the Boston Celtics had an interest in veteran John Crotty, but he signed with the Nuggets. After Atlanta lost Emanual Davis for the season, that meant that another team would be trolling the free agent waters.

King thinks that Satterfield is a quality pick-up. "He can change a game with the way he can get the ball up the court," general manager Billy King said. "He could be a kid we're getting at the right time, playing with a veteran group."

Roman Modrowski of the Chicago Sun Times reports that Boston?s Antoine Walker was not impressed with the Bulls after splitting the season series between the two teams. On Monday the Bulls beat the Celtics 94-83 but Walker had a parting shot for the Bulls.

"We lost to a bad team,'' Walker said. "This is a bad team, and we didn't come ready to play. This is a disappointing loss.''

The Bulls? Jalen Rose, who is friends with Walker, answered back.

"They lost, and he was just hating,'' Rose said. "The bottom line is it's his hometown team, and he's lost five out of seven [at the United Center since the 1999-2000 season] and was upset he didn't have his 30 points.''

Walker might have felt some freedom in making those remarks, considering the Bulls and Celtics are done with their four-game season series. Despite the Celtics having a much better overall record, the teams split the series.

"We don't see them anymore,'' Rose said. "That's why he was talking.''

Paul Pierce is publicly lobbying for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team.

But Peter May of the Boston Globe reports that he has as much chance of making the team as Rasheed Wallace.

Pierce?s comments after the U.S.? sixth place finish this year work against him, and so does his growing reputation as a selfish player.  This in spite of his career-best average of 4.6 assists per game so far this season.

Word is that Antoine Walker has a better chance of making the team than Pierce.

In his weekly column, May also talks about the dominance the western conference has had over the east for the past few years.  And ?dominance? is a charitable term to teams on the right hand side of the continent.

But that dominance is easing up this season.  Last year only two eastern teams won over 60 percent of their games, while the west had five.  This season the east has seven, and the west has four.  And the top six eastern teams have gone 27 ? 11 against the west so far this year.

However, May notes that the Lakers will improve, and so will at least one of Portland or San Antonio.  He cautions people not to expect the championship to move east for at least another season.

May also talks about how well Sacramento is fighting through the injury bug, the struggles of Vin Baker and the class act that is Yao Ming.

Now that Rodney Rogers is a mere memory, moving to the team which Boston challenged for the Eastern Conference crown last season, does Boston regret trading away lottery pick Joe Johnson so quickly?

``You know, I forgot actually Joe was on the team,'' Paul Pierce said before laughing at himself yesterday. ``I mean, because when you think of Phoenix you think of Stephon (Marbury), Penny (Hardaway), Shawn (Marion), and Joe is one of the younger players on the team who has a lot of talent. I think he's going to be a great player in this league. It just depends on how hard he works. But it'll be nice to see him. I'll see how his development has come over the last year.''

``I would rather . . . I'm not going to really get into talking about Joe,'' added coach Jim O'Brien. ``He's just one of their players.''

It is always great to feel wanted.

Boston Celtics center Tony Battie will be missing from action tonight against the Phoenix Suns after the NBA yesterday suspended him for one game.

Shira Springer of the Boston Globe reports that with just over 6 minutes remaining in the third quarter against Orlando Monday night Battie, after disagreeing with a call, kicked the ball at referee Mark Wunderlich which  resulted in his ejection.

Battie clamed the incident was accidental, calling his actions a ''foolish mistake'' after the game.