Whether Perkins intended it or not, the implication was that the Celtics lacked that leadership. There was no one in green willing to step up and earn the statement win in Cleveland. Where was that veteran leader that could step up and carry the Celtics?
On Monday night, the Celtics came back and delivered a decisive bounce-back win, 119-93 over the visiting Pistons at the TD Garden. It was a big win for the whole team, but no one made a louder statement than Paul Pierce.
With the Celtics trailing 6-2 after the opening couple of minutes against Detroit, Pierce elevated his game and took over offensively, scoring nine consecutive points and seizing the lead for good.
A running jumper, then a couple free throws. Then a driving layup, and one 3. Then he drew another foul, got to the line for two more, and hit them both. In the blink of an eye, the game had gone from 6-2 Pistons to 11-6 Celtics. The C's never looked back.
"It was nice," Doc Rivers said of Pierce's run. "We obviously are really working to try to reestablish him. And like I said before the game, it's coming around. It's still not there, but I mean, that was great to see. He looked explosive. So those are the signs I keep seeing that I think he's getting closer, and our team's getting closer."
This was exactly the impression the Celtics needed to make, coming off of Sunday's loss. They needed to come out with intensity in the first quarter and prove that the competitive fire was still there. And they needed it all to start with their captain, establishing his dominance early.
Pierce's explosion gave way to a beautiful first quarter, with the Celtics sharing the ball perfectly and creating smart shots at every opportunity. Perkins fed Rajon Rondo for a running layup. Kevin Garnett hit Pierce on the wing for an open 3. Rondo found KG down low for an easy bucket. When the dust had settled, it was a 16-1 run for the Celtics, and the game was over before it started.
"It's P and Rondo," Garnett said. "When Rondo sets the tone, everybody else follows. When Paul's aggressive like he is, there's not a forward in the world that can play him and guard him. He's hard to guard when he's aggressive like that. It sets the tone not just for our offense, but for our defense also."
Pierce was quiet for the rest of the night. He had 12 points at the end of the first quarter; he finished with 15, and he played just 17 minutes in the game, fewest of any Boston starter. But everything after the first quarter was inconsequential — this was a game decided by one early run.
"They played well early," said the Pistons' Richard Hamilton. "First quarter, they set the tone of the game, feeding off their fans, getting us to turn the ball over and getting in transition and making shots. I thought that was a big part of the game."
It was really the only part. And after what happened in Cleveland on Sunday afternoon, the Celtics needed it. They were out for redemption after a frustrating loss, and they got it right away.
"Give those guys credit," Pistons coach John Kuester said. "They were hungry for a victory, and they came out and took it to us."
The rest of the way, the Celtics will have to stay hungry. As they showed on Monday, with some good veteran leadership and an aggressive approach, that can happen.
