Good look in OT has Celtics looking good

The first part sounded brilliant. Pierce was working on a 33-point game on 9-of-17 shooting and 9 of 10 from the stripe, not to mention nine rebounds and at that time five assists.

He had been money, and Garnett’s day had been a clunker.

Garnett was 3 for 14 from the floor. He had missed eight jumpers, including a handful from his sweet spot, which surprised Rivers - “Kevin on the elbow,’’ Rivers said. “That’s his spot!’’ - and he had also failed on two shots near the basket.

But with the game on the line, Rivers went with Pierce’s call. Pierce dribbled at the top of the key with Wilson Chandler guarding him. Garnett set a screen to Chandler’s right. When Pierce drifted right, he took Chandler and Garnett’s defender, David Lee, with him. Garnett was inside the 3-point line with a look so open he couldn’t believe it.

Then again, maybe he could.

“I knew I hadn’t made a shot,’’ he said. “So [shoot], I wouldn’t even guard myself either.’’

Garnett pulled up and drilled the 19-footer that gave the Celtics a 107-105 win at Madison Square Garden. He turned toward the Celtics’ bench, clenched his face and fist, gave Will Ferrell, Spike Lee, Mark Wahlberg, Joe Girardi, and the rest of the 19,763 on hand a farewell salute and a peace sign, and walked off.

“It felt good,’’ said Garnett.

Watching Pierce’s plan play out perfectly felt better for Rivers.

“It’s a good thing because he saw it,’’ Rivers said. “And Kevin needed that shot, I’ll tell you.’’

Pierce chalked the call up to a scorer’s instinct.

“Some of them work,’’ he said. “Some of them don’t.’’

Garnett coming through in the clutch, no matter how he had played, was never in doubt for Pierce.

“He’s that type of player,’’ Pierce said. “You’re talking about a Hall of Fame player who’s missed millions of shots. He’s going to keep playing and keep shooting the ball. He stepped up big for our team when we needed it.’’