The Celtics aren't so sure their battle against the Knicks on Wednesday night should be considered a rivalry game.

New York has won eight straight and are four games back of the defending Eastern Conference champions in the Atlantic Division.

"It's a rivalry?" Paul Pierce asked. "Man, y'all are letting me in on all the new stuff, all the talk. I didn't know we had a rivalry going."

The Celtics will take a 10-game winning streak into the game at Madison Square Garden.

"Hey, if that's what y'all want it to be, if it'll sell more tickets and get more viewers, then I guess so," Pierce said. "[The media makes] up the rivalries, we don't. To be honest, New York is playing well, they're in our division, and both teams are streaking, so it's going to be an exciting game."

Celtics coach Doc Rivers, who spent time with the Knicks during his playing career, agreed with Pierce.

"I don't know what it is, this rivalry thing, it hasn't been one," said Rivers. "We both were bad for a while. Now we've been good for a while. The two teams haven't exactly matched up for a long time. You know when they do, it will be great."