WALTHAM - Paul Pierce [stats] is coming back to the Celtics [team stats] lineup for two reasons. His right thumb doesn’t hurt, and it had become increasingly painful to watch his team play.
“It was difficult, man, just watching my team go through what it went through,” the captain said after yesterday’s practice. “I started thinking maybe I shouldn’t have showed up to the games. I didn’t show up for the New York game and we won, so maybe it was something I did.”
Pierce said the Celts have “really no excuses” for the recent losses to Cleveland and New Jersey. And he feels no need to remind people that he’s been out for three games and thus could have made a difference had he played.
“No,” Pierce said, “not at all. I’m part of this team. Regardless of what goes on, I still feel like we should win.
“This is not three years or four years ago when if I sat we had no chance of winning. You know, we have a team out there that we should win. We won when Kevin (Garnett) sat out. We should win when I sit out (or) if Ray (Allen) happens to sit out. You know, these are games I thought, the last couple, we should have won. So there’s no excuses. There’s no excuses at all.
“I think it’s just 48 minutes of concentration, playing through the game,” he added. “We’ve been doing this for the last couple of weeks, not running through the race. When you get into the race, you’ve got to finish the race, and that’s what it’s all about. We played great for the whole Cleveland game, then the third quarter and fourth quarter. It seemed like the New Jersey game we were just pretty much off the whole game. So hopefully we can get things back on track. Guys were really upbeat today, really had a good practice today.”
Asked for reasons why things have slipped, Pierce said, “I think the thing we’re always going to point to is our defense, because we’re a defensive team first. We’ve got to get better in pick-and-roll defense. I think that’s really affecting how we play on offense. When the defense is going well, it seems like the offense is going really well. Then when one thing is not going, it’s vice versa. So one thing that’s got to remain constant is our defense and being consistent there, because there are going to be nights when our shot’s not going to fall and things aren’t going to go our way.”
There have been times when players have said they are slow to rotate because they are not sure the support will be there on their man, and there are other occasions when improper rotations are being made.
“I think it’s a combination of both,” Pierce said. “It’s second and third effort, I think, that’s really hurting is. I think the first effort is there every time, but it’s the second and third efforts are the things that are going to help you win ballgames, help you get loose balls and help you rebound.”
Pierce’s return should help in all aspects. He struggled for 2 games after getting hit on the thumb by Derek Fisher near the end of the first half against the Lakers on Feb. 18. The Celts held him out a little longer to prevent reinjury.
“I feel great,” Pierce said. “It really felt good to get up and down the court. I think the main issue with me was just making sure I could catch the ball, dribble it, shoot it without any pain. And I feel great.
“(The break has) been really good for me. I had a chance to just get my body some rest. I got some conditioning and was able to lift, get my body back stronger, heal some of the injuries so I can be ready.
“I thought if I had played maybe a couple of games ago, if it had gotten hit it really would have hurt really bad. So I’m at the point where if it gets hit it’s not going to really bother me. So I’m ready to go. I did the necessary treatment, I rested it and I should be good.”
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