"Considering how precious rest has become on this team, the Celtics gave themselves an enormous gift last night.

Paul Pierce had to play just 23 minutes in the team's 100-64 win over Toronto, and still came close to a triple-double over the first three quarters with 17 points, eight assists, six rebounds, and only one turnover. In like fashion, Kevin Garnett played only 17 minutes and Jermaine O'Neal just 14. The Celtics had the good sense to take care of business quickly. They led by 22 points (57-35) at the half, 30 (77-47) with 3:25 left in the third, and 40 (100-60) with 55 seconds left.

Nowhere was that urge to wrap up early more apparent than in Pierce's urgency. He has now had two performances with at least four 3-pointers and eight assists in his last four games. According to CSNNE statistician and Bentley University sports information director Dick Lipe, Pierce accomplished that feat just three times over the first 978 games of his career."