Joseph Forte's antennae went up when Kenny Anderson went down - and when Milt Palacio twisted his ankle and Erick Strickland banged his shin.

Any chance to get back on the court has to interest a player. But Anderson's lower-back soreness has subsided enough, and Palacio and Strickland are both fine, so Forte will continue to confine his game to the quiet court far from the crowd - practice.

Barring any meteor showers, the rookie from North Carolina will miss his 29th straight game tonight when 12 of his Celtics friends suit up against the Rockets. Forte, who last took the floor against Atlanta on Nov. 21 (four minutes, one rebound, no points), is technically on the injured list with a sprained right ankle, but growing pains would probably be a better way to describe his affliction.

Thankfully for the health of his head, the 20-year-old understands the