“That was the focus right there,’’ Pierce said. “We understood they’re the No. 1 offensive rebounding team in the league.
“We looked at the tape and [saw] we could get stops on them, we did last game, we just didn’t get the rebound. If we could do that, we could run on them. And I thought we did a good job getting offensive rebounds.’’
A week ago, there was an empty feeling around the Celtics as they fell four games below .500 and were struggling to replace Rajon Rondo (right wrist). There were also questions about Pierce’s consistency as he recovered from a heel bruise.
Pierce, though, has apparently returned to health. As the Celtics have compiled a four-game winning streak, Pierce has regained his shooting touch and also taken on Rondo’s playmaking role, averaging 26.3 points and 8.8 assists. But the Celtics have also increased their intensity defensively and under the basket.
The Celtics were decisively outrebounded by the Pacers in two previous losses, tying a team low with a 25-point first half in an 87-74 home loss Jan. 6. Though the Pacers matched that point total last night, the Celtics’ ability to turn defensive stops into offense and Pierce’s return to form made the difference.
“It’s our defense,’’ said Pierce, after the Celtics limited the Pacers to .350 field goal success. “I mean, you look at the defensive numbers, we’ve been holding teams to really low shooting percentages. We’ve been keeping teams under 100, rebounding the ball a lot better.’’
The game was played less than 24 hours after the Celtics’ dramatic second-half rally for a 91-83 victory in Orlando. The Celtics maintained that momentum, though they faltered early in the second half before Pierce got them back on track.
Danny Granger capped a 14-4 Indiana run spanning the halves, tying the game at 46 with 8:44 remaining in the third quarter. But Pierce took over, sparking an 11-0 run over a 2:04 span, his transition drive providing a 57-46 advantage with 6:21 left in the quarter. He ended up scoring 17 points and adding two assists during the quarter, as the Celtics finished it leading by 10.
