'It's time to play some real basketball'

Paul Pierce was on his way to airport last year following the team’s last regular season game. With his team the No. 1 seed in the East heading into the playoffs, Pierce stuck around this year.

“Guys couldn’t be more thrilled about how we played this season,” said Pierce. “We’re definitely happy with the position we’re in…I like the way we finished off the season on a winning note despite me, Kevin, and Ray not playing our normal minutes... We’ll enjoy it tonight, but we’re a team on a mission starting tomorrow.

"It's time to play some real basketball."

Pierce credited the team’s preseason trip to Rome for bringing the team together.

“I don’t think we would be a 66-win team if we didn’t go to Rome this year,” said Pierce. “I can’t put a number on how many games we might have won, but I just thought that trip brought us together.”