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Pierce passed Bird with the third quarter’s first shot — a 3-pointer, naturally — and the Celtics briefly flirted with a 20-point lead without quite getting there.

Though the Bobcats closed well, the Celtics closed better for a 94-84 win, their fifth straight and ninth in 10 games.

Pierce, after missing his previous five shots, including three straight 3-pointers at the end of the second quarter, finally hit a trey 1:38 into the third that pushed him a point ahead of Bird at 21,792. By game’s end that number stood at 21,797.

The Celtics captain nearly slipped in a triple-double with 15 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. Though his shooting (6-of-18, 2-of-10 beyond the arc) was clearly influenced by an early desire to pass Bird and get on with his career, for once the moment appeared to eclipse the meaning of the win.

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Related Topics: NBA, Boston Celtics, Paul Pierce