The Boston Celtics have won four consecutive games, but Paul Pierce refutes the notion that the team is better without Rajon Rondo.

“I don’t think so,” Pierce said. “We won a championship with Rondo. We’ve had great seasons with Rondo being healthy. I really don’t buy into that notion. Like I told you, we’re just coming together. We’re using the injuries as motivation — and we’re actually playing for Rondo.”

The Celtics were 20-23 with Rondo in the lineup.

“A lot of people have pretty much written us off, which is fine, but the only people that haven’t written us off is us, in that locker room," Pierce said. "We continue to keep a strong bond [in] there with what we’ve got.”