Paul Pierce, Marquis Daniels back in lineup

True to the prediction of both players, Paul Pierce [stats] and Marquis Daniels were given the green light to play in today’s game against Orlando. Doc Rivers, who worried about the state of Pierce’s strained left foot and Daniels’ grasp of the changes that the Celtics [team stats] have made offensively, gave somewhat reluctant permission. Rivers said that Pierce will be kept on a short leash. Just the same, the captain started and played 15 minutes in the first half, scoring nine points on 3-of-6 shooting. Daniels, who is returning after a 28-game absence for left thumb surgery, played with a small protective cast. He scored six points in seven first-half minutes, hitting the first three shots he took. After Saturday’s practice, Rivers said of Pierce, "I didn’t think he looked great. But that could have just been him testing it out. It can fool you. I normally don’t go to a player after (the lineup) is set, but I went to him today and said, ’Are you sure?’ He said the funny thing was that the pain was in the top of his foot, so he could do things like cutting and pushing off of it."