| | LOS ANGELES -- Having lost six of their last seven games, the Boston Celtics got back some much-needed offensive help as they activated swingman Paul Pierce before Sunday's game with the Los Angeles Clippers.
| |  | | | Pierce |
Pierce, who has been sidelined since Dec. 10 with a sprained
left ankle, was not in the starting lineup. He scored 24 points off the bench, but it wasn't enough in a 103-100 loss to the Clippers.
To make room for Pierce on the roster, Boston placed forward Walter McCarty on the injured list with soft tissue damage in his right foot.
Pierce was the team's leading scorer before he went on the injured list Dec. 12, one day after suffering the injury in practice.
In his second year out of Kansas, Pierce has split time between
shooting guard and small forward and has averaged 19.0 points
and 6.1 rebounds per game. He is shooting 46 percent from the
field, including 45 percent from 3-point range.
Pierce inexplicably tumbled in the 1998 draft and the Celtics
were happy to grab him with the 10th pick. Last season, he
averaged 16.4 points and 6.4 rebounds in 48 games and led the
team with 84 3-pointers. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team.
The Celtics lost six straight games in his absence before
defeating Atlanta on Wednesday. Boston, which has dropped to
fifth in the Atlantic Division at 11-14, has not made the playoffs since 1995.
In his third season with Boston, McCarty is averaging 4.4 points and 1.7 rebounds in 24 games. | |
ALSO SEE
After gut check, resurgent Clips tip Celtics
 |
