The first two times the Celtics and Wizards matched up this year the refs decided the games on dubious calls down the stretch. Last night they let the players decide the game and unfortunately for Washington, Paul Pierce had the ball last. Pierce, who led the NBA in scoring for the month of February, made a deep, off balanced 22 footer over Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler as time expired in OT to give the Celtics a thrilling 116-115 win. The Wizards have now lost three of four and are 0-3 this season when wearing their retro Bullets jerseys.

“We did everything we wanted to do,” Wizards forward Antawn Jamison said of Pierce on the last play. “We sent him the right direction, we had two guys on him, and he hit an unbelievable shot. It was a tough shot but that’s why they call him ‘The Truth.’ He was the truth tonight.” Pierce scored Boston’s last seven in overtime to finish with 31, and has scored 30+ points in 11 of his last 12 games, including six straight.

It was a sloppy (43 combined turnovers) but exciting game, with 22 lead changes and 16 ties. The Wizards led by as many as 13 points in the final period but a 17-4 run by the Celtics tied the game late. Arenas, who played 51 minutes and scored a game high 39, had a chance to win it in regulation but his jumper bounced off the back iron. The endgame came down to a duel between Pierce and Arenas, who traded baskets on the final three posessions. Pierce hit a three pointer with 28 seconds left to put Boston up one, but Arenas came back with a jumper of his own with 14 seconds left. Arenas may have fueled Pierce’s fire after that shot however, as he apparently made an obscene gesture towards Pierce as he returned up the court, setting up the dramatic finish.

Both teams started the game undermanned; area native Delonte West missed the game for Boston with a strained groin, while Jared Jeffries sat out for Washington with a left calf strain, giving rookie Donell Taylor his first NBA start. Antawn Jamison scored 25 points and Caron Butler added 23 for the Wizards while rookie Ryan Gomes scored a career high 27 for the Celtics and also added nine rebounds and five assists with just one turnover.

The Wiz must now regroup as they travel to Miami for tonight’s game against the Heat.

Filed Under: antawn jamison, antawnjamison, boston, caron butler, Celtics, court, Delonte West, fire, games, gilbert arenas, heat, Jared Jeffries, Kyle Gustafson, miami, nba, Paul Pierce, Ryan Gomes, sports, the game, the truth, The Wiz, The Wizards, thewiz, thewizards, travel, washington, wizards,