BOSTON — Isaiah Thomas stole the spotlight from Paul Pierce on Sunday (Monday, Manila time), 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.
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. Thomas also had eight assists.
Blake Griffin and Jamal Crawford scored 23 apiece and DeAndre Jordan had 16 rebounds for Los Angeles, which lost for the sixth time in eight games. Pierce's only points came on a 3 after checking in with 19 seconds left and the game out of reach.
The 39-year-old Pierce, a former Celtics captain, has said he will retire after the season. He had not played since Dec. 31, but former Celtics coach Doc Rivers put him in the starting lineup so he could have a fitting farewell.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
