C's looking for height; Powe, Davis are solid players, but not too tall.

• Position: SPORTS

Byline: Bill Doyle

COLUMN: CELTICS NOTES

BOSTON - The Celtics will have to look elsewhere to add a big man now that P.J. Brown insists he plans to stay retired and Dikembe Mutombo has re-signed with Houston, but center Kendrick Perkins wouldn't mind if they kept searching.

"It would probably be best for the team," Perkins said. "Just make sure that nobody takes it personal and knows that we're doing what's best for the team."

Leon Powe and Glen Davis provide hustle and heart off the bench, but not height. Powe is listed at 6-foot-8 and Davis at 6-9, but they may not even be that tall.

Powe and Davis have combined to average 10.6 points and 6.8 rebounds this season, but in a 91-86 loss at Portland Tuesday they totaled only one rebound. Last night they combined for 10 points and nine rebounds. Powe insists he feels he's at no disadvantage going up against taller foes.

"I still do what I want to do - play defense," he said. "Nobody has really given me much of a matchup problem because I play defensive angles and I do my work early. But whatever this team feels they need or they want, they're going to go get. You've got to be on board with it because it's a business and whoever comes in here we're going to welcome them like a family member."

Perkins refused to blame fatigue for the Celtics losing three out of four on their West Coast road trip.

"We were probably just too relaxed," Perkins said before last night's game. "We took things for granted. I don't think we've been ourselves lately, competing at a high level of intensity. We've just got to get back to being hungry again."

"We came off an emotional loss to the Lakers," Powe said, "but I'm not blaming it on that. I think we have to be more focused starting games and after getting leads and keep our foot on the pedal and not let up, not even an inch to give the other team confidence. If a team gets confidence, you probably can't turn them off late in the game."

"We just didn't play well," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "We're probably not as good as 19 in a row, but we're not as bad as 1-3, that's for sure."

The Wizards realized that the Celtics would try to take our their frustrations on them last night.

"We're aware that they might be in a bad mood," Washington coach Ed Tapscott said.

No comment on Marbury

Rivers refused to comment on an ESPN.com report that Stephon Marbury's preference would be to sign with the Celtics if the Knicks release him. Marbury, 31, hasn't played since last...