Paul Pierce says goodbye to Boston in Clippers’ loss
Paul Pierce says goodbye to Boston in Clippers’ loss
Isaiah Thomas stole the spotlight from Paul Pierce on Sunday, scoring 28 points to lead Boston to its seventh straight victory, a 107-102 win over the Los Angeles Clippers in Pierce’s final game in the Garden.
Thomas backed off Pierce in the final seconds, with the game out of reach, to let the 2008 NBA Finals MVP sink one more basket on the parquet floor he called home for 15 seasons.
Playing his last game in Boston, and making his first appearance for the Clippers since New Year’s Eve, Pierce started and played the first five minutes before heading to the bench.
Al Horford had 13 points and a season-high 15 rebounds for the Celtics, who brought Pierce to tears with a first-quarter highlight video.
Kyle Lowry played through illness and injury to finish with 15 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists for his ninth career triple-double for Toronto, which won for just the third time in 11 games.