NEW YORK — LSU rookie Glen Davis was so good Saturday night (16 of his season-high 20 points in the formidable fourth quarter), Press Maravich exhumed himself and claimed he was "Big Baby's" father.

On a night where the Celtics starting five shot a combined 16-for-48, Davis (8-for-10) became the first non Big 3 player to lead Boston in scoring.

Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen made it possible; Doc Rivers, too, of course.

With Kendrick Perkins shrunk to non-scoring size after the opening minutes when he notched the Celtics' first six points (one thereafter; there's no discounting his nine rebounds) and Garnett in foul trouble, Rivers relied heavily on Davis down the stretch despite little evidence he deserved prime time.

Early on, Rasheed Wallace voided two drives on successive possessions, yet due to him not giving up on the plays, the Celtics retained each time, turning one recovery into a basket and the other into free throws.

Coaches eat that stuff up; even retired ones like Tommy Heinsohn, who bestowed a couple hustle points on Davis.

I ate up Davis' offensive adjustment (usually there's no realization of what happened until a game-film session the next day) to Wallace's wing span, timing and superiority complex.

You could tell Rasheed believed he had Davis' number, no sweat, after swatting away those shots, though credited for just one.

But at the appropriate moment, late in crunch time, Davis darted left past Wallace immediately upon receiving the ball and finished left and got the foul for a 3-point play.

Moments later, after catching another clever pass from Pierce, Davis spun baseline and banked in a lefty reverse drive on the other side of the rim, using it to ward off the long arm of Wallace.

All eight of Davis' baskets didn't dimly add up to the distance of a single mid-range jumper; all layups, in other words. The second-rounder (No. 35 by the Sonics and packaged with Ray Allen for Wally Szczerbiak, Delonte West and Jeff Green's draft rights) knows his limitations and doesn't try to exceed them.

By my count, half of Davis' scores were compliments of Magic-esque penetrations-and-finds by Pierce, who accounted for seven of Boston's 14 assists.

The dropped dime that jerked me up off my leather recliner was when Pierce infiltrated, looked off K.G. and dumped it to the cutting Baby for a strong (what else!) and sassy flush.

Pierce is demonstrating regularly why Garnett is no lock for team MVP, much less NBA-wide.

Undisturbed by 5-16 shooting from the field, he made all eight free throws, snatched nine defensive boards and created opportunities for teammates after Rivers removed Rajon Rondo (1-for-7 from the field, zero assists) late in the fourth.

Replacing Rondo was the exceptionally frisky Tony Allen, who remained unrattled and full of himself (a plus) in spite of critical turnovers.

Look out below; he figures to become more and more of a factor as he gets healthier and Rivers' confidence in him swells.

Pierce took over the game the way Garnett wishes he could but rarely does.

K.G.'s incessant flexing and strutting far outbalanced his 15-point, five-rebound production.

And then there was Ray Allen's second straight discouraging display of duds; after shooting 9-for-9 blanks the previous night against Memphis, he went 3-for-8.

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PROPS TO Phil Jackson, who passed Red Auerbach for seventh place (939) in coaching wins as the Lakers blasted the Sixers by 31.

"I just hope to remain as grounded as Britney Spears," the Zen Hen said.

Forty-two-year-old Scottie Pippen scored 12 and nine points, in his two games with Finnish league leader Torpan Pojat.

"It was great. I did not know what to anticipate without a game for the last three years," Pippen said in a wire report.

Despite Pippen's heroics, Michael Jordan was voted MVP for both games.

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IS THERE anything more meaningless than a Zach Randolph double-double?

Last night he scored 18 points and grabbed a career-high 22 rebounds, his 16th double-double this season.

Love to know what Portland's record was when Zach recorded a double-double and when he didn't.

We know what it is this season: 21-13.

I suppose I should cut Zach some slack, Jack. According to The False Prophet, it's now a "small man's league."

Peter Vecsey covers the NBA for the New York Post.