Pietrus, who at least hit enough 3-pointers to keep defense honest during the regular season, has tested the rims' fortitude in the postseason. He has fired up 45 shots from beyond the arc and made only 10, and most have been hard caroms off the iron. Since scoring 13 points in Game 3 of the second round series in Philadelphia, Pietrus had gone seven games without scoring more than five points.
That streak held true Sunday, when Pietrus went scoreless in 24 minutes of work in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat. Yet without scoring a single basket, Pietrus made two pivotal contributions to the Celtics' 93-91 overtime victory in the form of clutch offensive rebounds.
"Sometimes, that's what it takes to win basketball games," Pietrus said.
Pietrus' heroics came in the final two minutes of overtime, when the Celtics clung to a 92-91 lead. Paul Pierce and LeBron James had fouled out, assuring that isolation offense would not decide the game.
Coming out of a timeout, the Celtics used only seven seconds to get an open look for Ray Allen, but his shot missed. Pietrus and Marquis Daniels both crashed the offensive glass, and Pietrus swooped in and nabbed the rebound. The Celtics were unable to get off a good shot, though, and Kevin Garnett was forced to take a 3-pointer from the top of the key as the shot clock expired.
In what seemed like an instant replay of the previous rebound, Pietrus leapt in for another offensive board. Although the Celtics did not score on that possession either, Pietrus' rebounds helped the Celtics bleed 1:06 off the clock and eventually win by two points.
Before the playoffs began, Celtics coach Doc Rivers asked the players what they could offer the team if what they traditionally brought was not working. Pietrus in particular was a case study, since the Celtics were able to take him out of his game defensively early in his career by forcing him to miss a couple of those threes he loves to take. That was part of how the Celtics managed to defeat the Orlando Magic, with Pietrus as a member, in the 2010 conference finals.
Pietrus, 30, has done what many NBA players never succeed in doing, though. He has changed the book on himself. Despite missing all three shots he attempted and picking up five fouls on Sunday, Pietrus continued to defend James with fervor and came up with those two timely rebounds.
"There were times earlier in his career where if he missed a shot, he was done," Rivers said. "It's amazing, the growth in that department."
Pietrus probably will never be one to back down from a semi-open three, but now that he is teamed up with Pierce, Garnett and Allen, he no longer considers shooting one of his priorities.
"If I don't have my shot, I won't get frustrated because I know we have legends on the floor," Pietrus said. "You have to respect them. As far as right now, I'm trying to focus on what the team needs the most from me, and that's defense and rebounding."
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