``Everyone knows (officials) try to keep games close and that they keep scouting reports on guys,'' he said. ``Let the Golden Child or the NBA Without Borders Guys do it, and it's fine and dandy.''

Asked if, by the Golden Child, he meant LeBron James, Wallace said, ``What do you think?''

``NBA Without Borders Guys'' presumably referred to international players, such as Turkoglu and especially the ones who flop.

``This game is watered down,'' said Wallace. ``It's watered down with all of that flopping (expletive).''

``I just said that (Turkoglu) is a flopper,'' he said. ``I didn't use no profanity, and Derrick (Stafford) gave me a tech. Ain't like it's the first time I said it. But everyone knows that he's a damn flopper. That's all that Turkoglu do.

``It's not like I dug my shoulder into him. He hits my shoulder on a pick and he goes, `Oooh,' and he acted like I shot him.''

Taunts not welcome

There was consternation on the Toronto side following Paul Pierce's dunk to open the fourth quarter.

The Celtics captain collided with Chris Bosh, who fell back onto the floor in pain. Pierce then stopped close to his fallen opponent, flexed his muscles, and was whistled for taunting.

``I think Paul made a great play - I just don't think when a guy gets hurt that you stand over him and taunt him,'' Raptors coach Jay Triano said. ``That's why I was upset and the rest of the team was upset. I just don't think that's very sportsmanlike. Great play, but I don't think you need to stand there and taunt afterward.''

Bosh saw something else, in addition to the floor. The impending free agent saw many of his teammates rooted to the bench.

``The Celtics (reserves) had come to midcourt,'' he said. ``And it wasn't even their player who was down.''

Just not ready

Amazingly enough, the Celtics are tied with Orlando and Atlanta for the best record (12-4) in the Eastern Conference.

And they aren't even playing well.

``We're just not ready, but I'm not sure anybody is,'' coach Doc Rivers said. ``I heard Phil Jackson talk about the Lakers, and how they're not a 48-minute team. I don't think anybody's ready. That's not anything different.

``Right now everybody who should be up there is up there, and they're winning games,'' Rivers added. ``I would say if you polled all the coaches and asked if they were ready for the playoffs, very few of them would say yes.''

Almost time

Tony Allen apparently is close to playing in his first game of the season.

Once he returns, management will have a decision to make regarding Lester Hudson, and whether the rookie guard would be best served doing a tour of duty with the Maine Red Claws of the NBDL.

Though the last thing he wants is another stint in the D-League, J.R. Giddens could also be a candidate for joining teammate Bill Walker in Portland.

Walker had an explosive 25-point, 11-rebound debut for the Red Claws in their season-opening 112-95 loss to the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

Read the Celtics Insider at bostonherald.com.