Maybe it's a sense of loyalty to Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, or perhaps it may be due in part to the Celtics current 6-game winning streak, but Danny Ainge said that changes to Boston's lineup are not likely this trade period. Talk has been rampant over the past week that either Pierce or Garnett could be moved to help usher in the rebuilding process for the franchise. Pierce went as far as to say that he would accept a trade - to a contender - if the Celtics chose to go down that path.

Ainge said after the Celtics win against the Lakers last night that the stars will most likely stay together.

"Yeah, I think that's by far the most likely thing. Sure," he said when asked whether he was comfortable saying the two stars will remain in Boston. I'll just repeat what I always tell you guys -- the things that are out there are the things that aren't true and the things that are happening are not being reported," he said regarding trade rumors.

"I can't give you much juice other than it's this time every year. There's a lot of conversation, and usually at this time of the year, the conversation isn't as serious. As it gets closer to the deadline, it gets a little bit more serious. You get a little bit better offers. It's still most people trying to make one-sided deals, as opposed to doing what's best for both teams. Which is -- a trade like a Rudy Gay trade is fairly unusual this time, this early before the deadline."

Garnett would have to approve any potential deal anyway - he has a no-trade clause in his three-year extension signed last off-season.

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