Celtics Lose 18th Straight Game

Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers yells at his team during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Minneapolis, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2007. The Timberwolves beat the Celtics 109-107. (AP Photo/Ann Heisenfelt) (Ann Heisenfelt - AP)

-- The Boston Celtics lost their 18th straight game last night, 109-107 to the Minnesota Timberwolves. They are in a record-breaking rut that has shaken their confidence and damaged the image of a once-proud franchise.

"You can feel it in the locker room, each loss definitely hurts," Paul Pierce said. "These guys are going to keep playing hard. We just need to get it out of our head."

Easier said than done, especially when you've lost a franchise-record 18 consecutive games. The latest loss came Sunday when Ricky Davis' jumper from the corner with 0.2 seconds remaining lifted the Timberwolves to victory.

"It is tough, the guys played so hard and deserve to win," said Pierce, who scored 29 points. "We did everything we could. Down the stretch, they made the last play."

The Celtics' previous franchise low was 13 straight losses in 1993-94 and 1996-97. They've blown past that mark, and haven't won since beating Memphis on Jan. 5.

The Utah Jazz also lost 18 straight in 1982 and seven teams have lost 19 games in a row. The Celtics still have a ways to go to get to the NBA record of 24 straight losses by the Cleveland Cavaliers, a streak that spanned the end of the 1981-82 season and start of the 1982-83 season.

In other NBA games, it was: Chicago 116, Phoenix 103; Seattle 114, Sacramento 103; Cleveland 99, the Los Angeles Lakers 90; Miami 100, San Antonio 85; Indiana 94, the Los Angeles Clippers 80; Portland 94, Washington 73; Dallas 106, Philadelphia 89; and Atlanta 106, Golden State 105.

At Minneapolis, the Celtics led by 10 points in the first half and 107-105 with 1:17 to play after Pierce fed Al Jefferson for a dunk.

But Kevin Garnett tied it with two free throws, then got a steal on the defensive end to give the Wolves a chance to win it with 3.6 seconds left.

Rookie Randy Foye blew past Delonte West into the lane, forcing Pierce to leave Davis wide open on the wing to prevent an easy layup.

"Paul had to help. Paul had no choice," Boston coach Doc Rivers said. "He is beating himself up in there, but he did the right thing. He had no choice but to help on that play."

Davis, a former Celtic who spoke openly about not wanting to be the team that lets Boston snap its skid, had 18 of his 28 points in the third quarter.