Pierce talks about his return from a heel injury.
Boston Celtics' Paul Pierce, second from right, gets a massage on his right leg as he sits on the bench in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Detroit Pistons in Boston, Friday, Dec. 30, 2011. The Celtics won 96-85.BOSTON – The Boston Celtics never quite appeared themselves during their first three games of the season.
The defense wasn’t what it should have been and the ball often stuck with one man on offense. As a result, they lost all three games.
So perhaps it wasn’t a coincidence that all of their problems were seemingly alleviated when Paul Pierce returned from a heel injury Friday night to lead the Celtics to a 96-85 victory over the Detroit Pistons.
“We’re more familiar with one another than having Sasha, Marquis, those guys not really playing with the starters a lot, or as much as I have,” Pierce said. “There’s a little more defensive chemistry when I’m out there. We talk a little bit more; know each other’s tendencies. That’s what it is, truthfully. We’re more comfortable on both ends of the court.”
Pierce said that he felt good after the game but that it will be a battle over the next few weeks to get himself back into game shape.
Even at less than 100 percent, it appears that his presence is exactly what the Celtics needed.
Here’s what he had to say about the game:
On how it felt to play: “It felt good to finally get out there with my teammates. Didn’t really have any practice time, so just got to get in shape in these games.”
On expectations: “I was expecting to be me. I don’t settle for anything less. I work tremendously hard. I did what I could do coming into the game, other than practice. I stayed focused. Took my shots every day and was on the bike.”
On how he feels physically: “It felt good. I think the rest of my body is little bit more sore more than anything being that I didn’t have any physical contact or up and down basketball in quite a while.”
On his approach: “Moved the ball, of course. I just wanted to try and be aggressive. Everything is going to come if I just continue playing hard – the timing, the rhythm. I’m not going to hold anything back.”
On if he wanted to come out in the first quarter: “Doc was about to sub pretty early and I said I was having too much fun right now, especially when I got the first basket. It’s going to take me some time to get back in pretty good game shape, the shape I want to be in.”
On coming back: “At this point, we were 0-3. So it was kind of like a business approach and get a win. First and foremost, just got to get back on track. “