By A.Sherrod Blakely
CSNNE.com
MILWAUKEEMaybe the Boston Celtics have some of that tiger blood Charlie Sheen has been talking about in them, because all they seem to do these days is just keep on winning.
Boston (46-15) rallied for an 89-83 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday night which extended its winning streak to five.
Beating the Bucks (23-38) is in itself nothing to be overly boastful about.
However, injuries limited the Celtics to having just nine players in uniform on Sunday.
And of those nine player, four -- Nenad Krstic, Jeff Green, Troy Murphy and Sasha Pavlovic -- have been with the team less than two weeks.
While there's no need for players to sport, 'Hello, my name is . . . ' labels, it's clear this group has a long way to go before they truly know how to play well with another.
Boston Celtics
In the meantime, all they can do is keep learning how to find different ways to win games.
"It's been tough," admitted coach Doc Rivers.
Maybe so, but it certainly hasn't reflected in the Celtics maintaining the best record in the Eastern Conference.
"Like I told you before, it really starts with our core group," said Paul Pierce, who led all Celtics with 23 points. "Until we can find a way to get the other guys adjusted to the system, and how we do things . . . it's taking some time. You could see it in lulls in the offense."
Pierce added, "But at the end of the day, we're finding a way to win."
And because of the many changes, the Celtics are getting it done in ways that should make them an even more dangerous team in the playoffs.
Fans are so used to seeing Pierce or Ray Allen come up with a big shot down the stretch.
Well now you have to worry about guys like Jeff Green, who had 11 points off the bench . . . including a 3-pointer with 4:40 to play that gave the Celtics an 82-77 lead.
"Every time I see Jeff Green I'm just more impressed, more impressed," said Kevin Garnett, who had 14 points and 11 rebounds for his 23rd double-double this season. "He's just helping so much right now. We need the fact that he can play multiple positions and he knows the 3, 4 and 5 positions. He picked it up so fast. Must be that Georgetown education. It's great for us now, because we are undermanned. He's just been big for us."
Prior to Green's big 3-pointer, Sasha Pavlovic saw his first action with the C's.
In addition to playing solid defense, Pavlovic also nailed a 3-pointer - his lone made basket of the game - that gave the Celtics a seven-point lead, their largest of the night.
Of course, Krstic continues to play well with the starting unit.
Krstic finished with 17 points, his highest point total since being traded to the Celtics on Feb. 24, and his highest scoring game since he had a season-high 18 in a 99-90 loss at Chicago on Dec. 6 when he played for the Thunder.
Boston's other newcomer, Troy Murphy, chipped in with four rebounds and two assists.
All involved understand that the Celtics are a work in progress.
But that's no excuse for anything less than success.
And like Sheen, the Celtics are all about . . . winning.
"We're definitely not where we want to be, but we're grinding it out," Pierce said. "Any way we can get the win, we'll take it. We're just finding ways to win."
A. Sherrod Blakely can be reached atsblakely@comcastsportsnet.com.Follow Sherrod on Twitter at http:twitter.comsherrodbcsn