Technically, a big mistake

Call on Pierce put team in hole late

ATLANTA - Paul Pierce flung his headband to the floor and was slapped with a technical foul by referee Bob Delaney in an instant. Not only was Pierce out of the game with his sixth foul, but the Hawks' Joe Johnson stepped to the foul line and sank the free throw that went with the technical.

There was 4:44 left in the fourth quarter, and who could know 1 point would make such a big difference in a game Boston went on to lose, 103-100.

Coach Doc Rivers knew.

It is a team mandate, Rivers said, that his players not give away points in the fourth quarter because of technicals. Rivers said he can live with outbursts in the first three periods when there is time to make up the point, but in the fourth quarter, technical fouls are inexcusable.

"I was disturbed by it because we should never get a fourth-quarter technical; that's been our rule all year, no fourth-quarter technicals," Rivers said. "I can take the first three, but the fourth quarter, you can't make up for a technical. It's just not enough time to make up for it in the fourth."

Rivers was dismayed by the technical but he could not argue because a player is automatically given a technical if he throws a headband or wristband to protest a call.

"[Delaney] said it is an automatic, he said it's a league rule," Rivers said. "He said 'I had to' and he's right."

Johnson's free throw gave the Hawks a 96-89 lead. The 1 point helped force the Celtics into shooting more 3-pointers in the closing possessions, when they trailed by 3 or 4 points.

Rivers said Pierce was angry that he was whistled for the foul because he was not on the ball when the Hawks' Josh Childress drove the lane and scored. Delaney said Pierce fouled the Hawks' Zaza Pachulia away from the ball.

"He was trying to figure out how he got the foul and not Kevin [Garnett]," Rivers said. "It was a foul, but I didn't see Paul in the picture."

Pierce did not make himself available to the media after the game and did not respond to a question as he walked down a hallway off limits to reporters.

Before the game, Pierce had said he would have nothing to say until the series is over. He is miffed about the controversy over his alleged menacing gesture during Game 3 and the subsequent fine imposed by the NBA.

"I'm boycotting you all until the series is over," Pierce said.

Pierce finished 7 of 12 from the field, but that was after sinking 5 of 7 shots in the first period.

It did not help that Pierce got into foul trouble and had to come in and out of the game, losing rhythm. He played 35 minutes and finished with 17 points.

"Losing Paul was pivotal," Celtics guard Rajon Rondo said, "but we have other players who can step up in situations like that."

The Celtics could have used another shooter on the floor because by the fourth period, Ray Allen's legs were wasted. One jump shot from the baseline by the Celtics' best shooter hit the backboard. Other shots were straight and flat.

Allen hit just 1 of 8 3-pointers, and the Celtics finished 4 of 19 from beyond the arc.

This was not the game to give away a late point because of a technical. Rivers knew it better than anyone.