Pierce's effort isn't enough in a 99 - 94 loss to Bucks in OT

Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports

It sure feels terrible to rewrite a recap because we didn't lose the game only to lose it again, but Paul Pierce's show of will in the fourth quarter was amazing so I'll still take it. He picked up from where he left off with 35 points on 13-20 shooting and 11 rebounds, but it wasn't just that. He singlehandedly turned around a Jekyll/Hyde type of performance throughout the game which was direly needed as Jason Terry and Kevin Garnett shot 7-36 combined, yet unfortunately it fell short.

There were some other positives in addition to Pierce's second consecutive great performance: we forced the Bucks into many turnovers and scored off of them. Green had a great defensive performance with 4 steals and 2 blocks and Lee looked fine with 11 points and 2 steals. Rajon Rondo was subpar in regulation with 4 points, 8 assists and he gave away 13 offensive rebounds. Oh, and again, Terry and Garnett both shot terribly as we let this game slip from our hands in the 4th quarter instead of sealing the deal. Letting Mbah a Moute score 20+ points for the 4th time in his career and Sanders grab 20 boards surely didn't help us either.

Green's injury at the end and the refs overlooking the elbow Ilyasova threw at him hurt as much as the game did. This was one of those rare games when Heinsohn's complaints about referees were mostly accurate.