The Celtics have fared much better at home this season, so the TD Garden will provide a welcome change of scenery. Yet Pierce doesn't want to use home court as a crutch.
WALTHAM -- No NBA team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series.
So when asked Thursday to describe the Boston Celtics' mindset, forward Paul Pierce didn't need to hesitate.
"Desperation," he said before practice at the team's facilities. "That's what it is right now. We're down 0-2, we have to be a desperate team now. Backs against the wall."
The Celtics have fared much better at home this season, so the TD Garden will provide a welcome change of scenery. Yet Pierce doesn't want to use home court as a crutch.
"Just because you have two home games doesn't necessarily mean it's a guaranteed win. We have to go out and play like a desperate team with a huge sense of urgency," said Pierce, "because Game 3 right now our season's definitely on the line."
Teammate Kevin Garnett agreed that desperation fits.
"Absolutely," he said. "When you're down 0-2 to a good team that's playing really well, that has a rhythm, desperation is definitely into play. We can't afford to think otherwise. This is it. We cannot go down 0-3 to any team."
The last time Boston went down two games to begin a series actually came last postseason, when the Celtics dropped the first two games of the Eastern Conference Finals to the Miami Heat. After bouncing back to seize a 3-2 lead, Boston got LeBron'd in Game 6 and fell again in a tough Game 7.
This team isn't exactly like that one. But Pierce still knows that for any chance to advance out of the first round, taking Game 3 is a must.
"We want to give ourselves the best percentage-wise chance of winning the series," he said. "So this is the biggest game of the series so far."