INDIANAPOLIS - Jim O'Brien admitted it was a bit hard to envision all this Celtics success back when he resigned as their coach in January 2004.
``Yeah, but I think he pictured it,'' O'Brien, the current Pacers coach, said of C's president of Basketball operations Danny Ainge. ``Certainly the owners pictured it. That's the reason he was brought in, and he did an outstanding job of creating assets that enabled him to get the players he was able to get. So I have nothing but admiration for the job he's done.'' Ainge has said he made O'Brien aware that a number of personnel changes were going to be made, but after the last deal brought in Ricky Davis, the coach believed he wanted to move on.
``It was very difficult simply because I was so close to the team that had gone to the Eastern Conference (finals),'' O'Brien said of the club that lost the last two games of the 2002 conference finals to New Jersey and was swept by the Nets the following year.
``We in essence went from a team - or a bunch of the guys went from being a dismal team to a team that was two games away from going to the Finals. When those people started to leave, I just felt they were better off having somebody else to help Danny rebuild. And it just worked out perfectly for everybody.''
Pierce goes fourth
Paul Pierce had 17 points in last night's 122-117 overtime win against the Pacers, moving to 17,346 for his career and passing Kevin McHale for fourth on the Celtics' all-time list.
Robert Parish is next at 18,245, with Larry Bird and John Havlicek in the distance.
``I really don't think about the past and the guys, but it is a great honor to be mentioned among the great Celtic players,'' he said. ``I'm just going to continue to play hard, and we'll what happens when my career's over.''
Kevin Garnett's 17 points moved him ahead of George Gervin for 29th place on the NBA's list at 20,723. Next up is David Robinson at 20,790.
Tony back in step
Tony Allen was back in uniform after missing the last two games with a sprained right ankle. He scored 12 points in 20 minutes.
``It was still sore,'' Allen said. ``I had no lift on my jump shot. I figure with these two days off I can focus on doing some exercises to strengthen my ankle. I felt the soreness but I fought through it.''
Sam Cassell went back to the inactive list. . . .
Rajon Rondo had more than 100 people in the stands supporting him. A large group from his home place of worship, the Little Flock Baptist Church, made the drive up from Louisville, Ky.
Read the Celtics Insider at bostonherald.com.
