Last year, the Celtics were in the same round with the same advantage.

They were up, 3-2, having two chances to get one win and advance to the Eastern Conference finals. The Celtics blew a double-digit lead in Game 6 before getting blown out in the second half of Game 7 at home against Orlando.

Fast forward 12 months, and these Celtics entered Game 6 Thursday with a 3-2 series lead and a chance to advance to the Eastern Conference finals with a win over LeBron and the Cavaliers. Any lesson to be learned?

“No, different team,” Rivers answered before Thursday’s contest. “We’re playing a different team. Orlando outplayed us so all we learned there is you have to play better. You have to try to seize the moment when you have the home court but at the end of the day, you have to perform.

“If Cleveland comes out and makes more shots and does their game plan better than ours, we won’t win. If we do ours, we’ll win. Last year won’t help you.”

And Rivers was totally in agreement with Kevin Garnett’s sentiments following the Game 5 blowout win in Cleveland. The Celtics want no part of Game 7 in Cleveland and look at Game 6 as a must win.

“We are, we are,” Rivers said. “We’ve won in Cleveland twice. We don’t want to press our luck. We have to view it the same way they are. It’s a big game for both teams.”

Rivers – an Orlando resident – knows the Magic await the winner and responded with humor when asked what he thought Orlando was thinking watching this series.

“Orlando is a terrific city and so, yes, it’s warm, it’s 80 degrees most likely,” Rivers said tongue-in-cheek. “They’re having a ball. They love it.”

Then he took a more serious approach, pointing out the Magic have earned their rest this round after sweeping through eight playoff games so far.

“They want it to go eight, if it can,” Rivers said of Orlando’s preference in watching the Celtics and Cavs. “There’s no doubt about it. If we were in the position they are in, they would want the same thing. They’ve earned it. They did it quick. They’ve only played eight games when you think about it. That’s pretty remarkable.”

CLEVELAND — For the last few days all the talk around the Celtics has been on the passing of the torch from the Big Three to Rajon Rondo. Funny, but the Celtics don’t look at it that way.

“That’s for y’all, I’m just trying to get them to pass the ball to each other,” Doc Rivers said. “That torch stuff, I’m going to leave that alone. As long as they keep passing to each other, I’m good.”

Doc Rivers speaks to the media following the Celtics 124-95 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

WALTHAM — The NBA fined Danny Ainge $25,000 for “creating an unauthorized distraction” during Game 2 on the Celtics-Cavs series. In other words, he threw a towel up in the air while J.J. Hickson was shooting free throws.

The Celtics have been amused by this episode and Doc Rivers got in a few more one-liners at his boss’ expense Thursday.

“I was surprised, actually, at the fine,” Rivers said. “I know a lot of people were not. I was because he’s just an employee. What’s the difference between that and the mascots do it all the time. I was just wondering if Danny had worn Lucky’s outfit he would have gotten away with it.”

“I laughed because I know Danny,” Rivers continued. “Danny is as competitive of a person as I’ve ever met in my life. They were making a run, you could see them getting back into the game, and he couldn’t do anything about it. It was funny to me. The $25,000? That’s not so funny. Joke’s over now.”

And, hopefully, so is this story.

Doc Rivers (AP)

Celtics coach Doc Rivers made his weekly appearance on the Dennis & Callahan show Thursday morning. To hear the interview, click on the Dennis & Callahan audio on demand page. Rivers provided an update on the status of injured big men Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins. Rivers said Garnett isn’t likely to practice Thursday so he can rest his foot and ankle, but he shouldn’t miss any game action. “I do think he’ll play on Friday, and I think he’ll be OK,” Rivers said. “Perk will be fine. Kevin’s the only concern.”

Rivers was asked about Garnett’s shower room pep talk that inspired Rasheed Wallace to turn in his best performance of the playoffs in Monday’s Game 2 rout of the Cavaliers. Said Rivers: ”We were joking yesterday, maybe it was the ‘Hot Tub Time Machine.’ Whatever works, works. Rasheed was huge for us. We don’t win that game without his performance.”

Paul Pierce has been kept in check through the first two games, and Rivers said the Celtics need him to break out. “We have to get Paul a little more offensively involved and try to get him in spots,” Rivers said, crediting LeBron James’ defense as a key factor. “Paul being in foul trouble in both games has not helped his rhythm, either.”

Rivers also weighed in on the Danny Ainge towel-throwing controversy from Game 2. “I think every fan should have a towel [Friday], and Danny can’t have one,” he joked. “We got a lot of laughs out of that. Danny is so competitive, and he got carried away, which he’ll fully admit. I’m surprised at how much play it got [in the media].”

CLEVELAND — Cavs coach Mike Brown raised a few eyebrows when he suggested that the foul Shaquille O’Neal put on Rajon Rondo late in the game was actually not a foul, and that he asked for clarification from the league. It turns out that Brown was actually referring to a different Shaq foul on Rondo from the second quarter.

The act of asking the league to clarify calls in a specific game is a time-honored ritual for coaches during playoff series.Doc Rivers said he asked the league about four different calls. “I’m scared to tell you which ones because I may get fined for it,” Rivers said before Game 2. “They said I was right.”

WALTHAM — Gamesmanship is as common this time of year in the NBA as game planning.

With that being said, no one will know for sure just how big a role the banged up right elbow of LeBron James will play in the Celtics-Cavs series.

But the Celtics have their own sense of the seriousness of the injury to King James.

“He’s fine,” coach Doc Rivers said with a big smile. “I tell you what, if he goes three or four games and shoots left-handed only, then I’ll believe that it’s hurting. We’re going to be ready for the LeBron we’ve seen all through the playoffs.”

Of course, James DID shoot a free throw with his left hand in the Game 5 clincher against Chicago on Tuesday night with 7.2 seconds remaining the Cavaliers up, 96-92.

Added Ray Allen, “I don’t even pay attention to it. If there’s something wrong with his elbow or any other part of his body, then he won’t play, and we all know that.”