Paul Pierce's shot gives Celtics 3-0 series lead

MIAMI — There was no diagramming of a special play in the final Boston huddle, no brilliant piece of strategy.

Paul Pierce demanded the ball.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers agreed.

And with Dwyane Wade watching helplessly from the bench, cramps rendering him unable to put any weight on his left leg, Pierce put Boston one win from a first-round sweep of the Heat.

Pierce dribbled the clock down to 2 seconds, got to his favorite spot just off the right side of the key and nailed a 21-footer at the buzzer Friday night, giving the Celtics a 100-98 victory in Game 3 of an Eastern Conference first-round series.

Boston could advance to the second round by beating Miami on Sunday.

"It's still a series," Pierce insisted.

Might not be for long.

No team has ever rallied from an 0-3 deficit in a series, and Miami might have even bigger problems.

Wade hurt his left calf after missing a 3-pointer with 14 seconds left, replays showing he landed on Celtics guard Ray Allen's foot. Wade — who changed jerseys during the game because he was sweating so much — crumpled to the court and was carried off by reserve center Jamaal Magloire and trainer Jay Sabol, then chugged a cup of Gatorade so he could play if the game went to overtime.

It didn't. Pierce saw to that, his final shot capping a 32-point effort.

"Get out of the way and get Paul the ball," Celtics guard Rajon Rondo said. "Pretty simple. He made the play."

Boston has made all the plays against Miami this season, winning all six meetings and 14 of the last 15. And when Miami didn't elect to use its foul to give in the last 2 minutes, all Pierce had to do was connect.

For the last play, the Celtics loaded the floor with shooters and ran a bunch of cuts, all of which were merely theater.

The moment would belong to Pierce.

"It was just Paul," Rivers said. "He wanted it. All the movement that you saw, it was just false movement."

Allen added 25 points for the Celtics, who got 17 from Rondo and 16 from Kevin Garnett.