Clippers at Celtics
Paul Pierce will make his final regular-season visit to Boston when his Los Angeles Clippers take on the streaking Celtics on Sunday afternoon. The future Hall-of-Famer played 15 seasons - 10 as an All-Star - in Beantown and helped the Celtics win their 17th NBA title in 2008, leaving in 2013 as the franchise's second-leading scorer (24,021 points) behind John Havlicek.
"It's going to be emotional, just knowing this is the last time I'm going to be in the Garden as a player," Pierce told the Boston Globe. "So just stepping on the court and thinking about all the fans that kind of grew with me, all the people I had a chance to establish relationships with over the years." Pierce has not seen any action over the Clippers' last 14 games, during which they've gone 9-5 to help soften the blow of a six-game losing streak that occurred around the holidays. While his star is fading, that of guard Isaiah Thomas is shining brighter by the day in Boston, as he is averaging 36.5 points during the Celtics' season-high six-game winning streak. He fell two points shy of becoming the first player in franchise history to hit the 40-point mark in three straight contests during Friday's 113-107 home win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
TV: 2 p.m. ET, ABC
ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (31-19): The Clippers suffered their ninth straight loss to Golden State on Thursday, falling behind by 11 after one quarter and eventually dropping a 133-120 decision. "They performed at a much-higher level than us, it wasn't even close," coach Doc Rivers told reporters after watching his team take 19 fewer shots and allow the Warriors to hit 52.5 percent of their shots. "They're a better team until we prove differently." Blake Griffin scored 31 points in the loss and is averaging 26.7 on 61.7 percent shooting over his last three games as he appears to be all the way back from a knee issue that cost him 18 contests.
ABOUT THE CELTICS (32-18): Thomas is now averaging 29.9 points, which matches Larry Bird's franchise record established in the 1987-88 season, and he has scored more than 30 in 10 of the 13 games fellow guard Avery Bradley (Achilles) has missed over the past month. Rookie Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart continue to seize most of Bradley's minutes, while Terry Rozier made the most of his chance in Friday's win with 10 points on 4-of-4 shooting in 18 minutes off the bench. After this one, the Celtics play four straight, seven of the next eight and 12 of their next 15 on the road.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Thomas scored 36 points in Boston's thrilling 139-134 overtime win against the Clippers at TD Garden last February.
2. Clippers C DeAndre Jordan has made 13 of his 14 shots over a five-game stretch.
3. Pierce has scored 26,361 career points, just 34 behind Havlicek for 15th place on the NBA's all-time list.