Paul Pierce played his worst game in this years playoffs, going 3-for-20 from the field, yet the New Jersey Nets still could not do enough to earn the win.  While Game 1 resembled a fast break practice session for the Nets, but as Shira Springer of the Boston Globe writes the Celtics were able to change the game into a contest of defensive will.

Boston held New Jersey to 33.3% from the field (their 34.4% not much better) and had a 60-50 rebounding advantage, but more importantly they had more players stand up and pick up the scoring slack vacated by Pierce?s misguided shot.  Boston?s defensive intensity was able to overcome Jason Kidd?s second triple-double in two attempts in the series which is now tied at 1-1.  The series now shifts to Boston.

''Now, it's a series,'' said Boston?s Kenny Anderson. ''Now, they've got to bring their game. They'll see us like this the next four or five games.?

''This is the kind of defense we need to play: aggressive, helping each other out, swarming. We're going to be about it. We're not going to talk about it. We're going to play like we've been playing the whole year and just stop people.''