Mood light for Celtics

Celtics forward Paul Pierce was itching to go during the pre-game media session.

"I'm just anxious," Pierce said. "Just sitting at the hotel, the walls were closing in on me."

The Celtics locker room overall, however, seemed pretty light.

Despite being anxious, Pierce told Celtics.com reporter Peter Stringer that if he could do a physical challenge that every media person would have complete access to him.

Pierce told Stringer to sit in a chair, move his right leg clockwise for several seconds and then draw a imaginary No. 6 with his right hand. Stringer failed, as did the media overall.

Pierce got the trick from teammate Ray Allen who had been stumping his teammates all day after getting the challenge e-mailed to him by a friend.

"You got to talk to the person that built your brain," Allen told Stringer.

There was talk before the game that ex-NBA coach and star John Lucas was one of the busload of candidates who have talked to the Bulls about their coaching job. Celtics guard Sam Cassell said: "I hope he gets it. If he does, they'll be straight and back in the playoffs."

Celtics coach Doc Rivers looked a little sleepy during pre-game media access. When asked if he could remember home teams being dominant in the playoffs as they have been in the second round, Rivers said: "I'm sure I have. I just don't remember."