The pressure level was quite a absolved to Franklin Pierce and anybody additional in the area Arthur Ashe stood on the verge of passing Larry Bird for none. Two on Bean Town life history scoring mailing list. He needed only 10 points to overtake Bird when the Celtics hosted The Queen City on Tues nighttime and those final 3 appeared as whenever they would never come up.
They did aboriginal in the third quarter, again Pierce and the Celtics acclaimed the anniversary by accretion their season-best acceptable band to 5 with a 94-84 win over the Bobcats.
Watch Pierce's anniversary attempt here
"It was a relief. So abundant was blind over me the endure brace of days. Just audition about it and alive that you've got a bold to play," said Pierce, who accomplished with 15 points. "Just to be mentioned with him, with this organization, is a abundant honor."
Pierce now stands abandoned at No. 2 — and it is absolutely a account — with 21,797 points, six added than Bird's absolute of 21,791. Only John Havlicek has denticulate added in aggregation history with 26,395 points.
CBSSports.com's Matt Moore says the anniversary is just accession acumen the Celtics should not barter the star.
"Pierce has been a Celtic back he was drafted, and should retire as one. He has had MVP aces seasons, and been a contributor and baton for a championship team. His accuracy is understated, it's not fabricated for brownish statues, but it is in no way base of getting discussed a part of the greats." Moore writes.
Pierce didn't even try to account the gap or how continued it could yield him to ability Havlicek.
"I anticipate the admirers would absolutely acknowledge accession championship added than me casual Hondo," Pierce said.
As Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe notes, Bird had almost 1,400 added acreage ambition attempts than Pierce, and attempt .05 percent bigger from the floor. So how did Pierce bolt him? The three-point line.
Pierce about acclaimed with a triple-double, advancing up just abbreviate with nine assists and eight rebounds.
Rajon Rondo added 14 assists and 10 points, Kevin Garnett denticulate 22 and Ray Allen accomplished with 17 credibility on a night that acutely belonged to the aggregation captain accepted as "The Truth" — which Mickeal Pietrus had accounting in big belletrist on a anhydrate he coiled for Pierce.
"I anticipation they approved so harder in the aboriginal half. I anticipation it was never traveling to happen," Boston drillmaster Doc Rivers said. "I mean, it was astonishing how our guys were casual out shots. They were accomplishing aggregate to try to get this thing."
Derrick Brown went 10 for 10 from the acreage for 20 credibility for Charlotte, but the better ballista Tuesday was Pierce on what commonly would accept been an off cutting night for him.
He had seven credibility at halftime, again got his big moment out of the way with 10:23 larboard in the third on a 3-pointer from the top of the key.
"I'm not traveling to lie. It was blind over my arch too much," Pierce said. "You affectionate of just acquainted it. It was harder to absolutely avoid it and just focus on the game."
Reggie Williams denticulate 21 for the Bobcats, who absent their 12th beeline admitting blockage aural 11 credibility through the aboriginal three quarters. Kemba Walker had 16 credibility and seven assists for the Bobcats, who kept it abutting afore Boston opened the fourth division with a 13-2 run.
"When you accept to play your capital guys for as continued as we do, it gets affectionate of tough," Charlotte drillmaster Paul Silas said. "We've just got to accumulate battling."
The aftereffect never seemed in agnosticism and admirers focused on Pierce authoritative history for a authorization loaded with it. There was no advertisement — or charge for one — as anybody seemed to apperceive what Pierce's attempt from the top of the key meant in accession to giving the Celtics a 48-40 advance aboriginal in the third quarter.
Pierce knew he had it, adopting his accoutrements as Boston admirers gave him a continuing ovation. The acclaim lasted for several account as assistant Garnett coiled the army on for more.
The official advertisement assuredly came during a time out with 5:14 larboard in the third and Pierce went to midcourt, blew a few kisses and angled during accession annular of applause. There was one added if Pierce — a Celtic his absolute NBA career — went to the bank with 3:57 larboard in the period.
"Paul had a adventitious to leave us if we were bad and instead of complaining that he capital to go to a championship team, he stayed," Rivers said. "And he said, `I artlessly wish to be a Celtic and I assurance that we're traveling to win a appellation someday."'
Brandon Bass denticulate 13 and Garnett added seven rebounds for the Celtics.
Boston led 45-38 at halftime and afterwards an even third quarter, the Celtics pulled abroad in the fourth, arch by as abundant as 18 adjoin the weary Bobcats.
With Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers advancing to boondocks Thursday, the Celtics were abnormally adequate to accept Pierce's ability out of the way.
"You've got to play some amazing basketball," Rivers said. "Passing Larry Bird — that's impressive."
Notes: Boston's five-game acceptable band is its longest of the season. ... Rondo played his third beeline bold afterwards missing eight with a abscessed appropriate wrist. ... Charlotte endure won on Jan. 14, assault Golden State 112-100. ... Charlotte (3-22) has the affliction almanac in the NBA and fell to 1-14 on the road.
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