34 points. 10 assists. Eight rebounds.
It’s safe to say that **Paul Pierce** still has it.
The Boston Celtics star was thisclose to a triple-double on Sunday as he willed a short-handed Celtics squad to a 100-94 victory over the hometown Washington Wizards. He shouldered the load on a day when point guard Rajon Rondo sat out and shooting guard Ray Allen left with an injury. Pierce shot the ball well (10-15 FG, 2-5 3PFG, 12-15 FT) and had a sensational fourth quarter, where he scored 10 straight points in a four-minute span. Pierce played 36 minutes and also had three steals and five turnovers ([full stats here][1]).
Best of all for Boston/Pierce fans, The Truth looked back to his old self, setting season-highs in points, assists, steals and tying his season-high for rebounds. [From ESPNBoston.com][2]:
>Pierce’s comfort level on the floor Sunday can’t be overstated. Sure, this performance came against a handful of players not known for their defense, but Pierce’s classic mid-range game, which has been all but absent this season, was back in full form, and he utilized it expertly to repeatedly sink the Wizards.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1AOaBwSW2o
—
Sunday summary
————–
– Things fell apart for **Mario Chalmers** (Miami Heat) on Sunday. Chalmers hit only 4 of 14 shots, coughed up six turnovers (after having zero the night before), [injured his knee][3] and [committed a “cheap shot” flagrant foul in the final minute][4] of a 91-82 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. He scored 12 points, with two rebounds and two assists, in 34 minutes ([full stats here][5]).
It wouldn’t be a Heat game without a highlight, though:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ss7eL_F5A-g
– **Drew Gooden** (Milwaukee Bucks) had two points, three rebounds and two assists in 13 minutes as the Bucks beat the Miami Heat, 91-82 ([full stats here][6]).
—
Other Jayhawk pros
——————
– **Brady Morningstar** (NBA D-League – Tulsa 66ers) was due for an off night. After [four good-to-great games in a row][7], Morningstar couldn’t get his shot going on Sunday night and made just 4 of 12 attempts for 10 points. He added two rebounds, three steals, a block and three assists to three turnovers in 43 minutes — his second 40-minute stint in as many nights ([full stats here][8]).
– **Keith Langford** (Israeli Premier League – Maccabi Electra) scored just eight points with four assists and a rebound in 24 minutes on Saturday ([full stats here][9]). His team (16-1 in the Adriatic League) won its fifth league game in a row.
– **Marcus Morris** (Houston Rockets/Rio Grande Valley Vipers) [told the Houston Chronicle][10] that he could be 100-percent healed from an ankle injury by next week. Marcus sprained his ankle in a game with the D-League Vipers on Jan. 12. He has been rehabbing in Houston since then but said:
>”(The Rockets) haven’t told me anything yet,” Morris said. “Hopefully I’ll stay here (in Houston). I feel like I’ve done my part down there. They might still want me to play because I was out.
—
Jayhawks in upcoming NBA games
——————————
**[Monday, Jan. 23][11]**
– 6:30 p.m., NBATV, **Paul Pierce** and the Boston Celtics vs. the Orlando Magic
– 7 p.m., **Kirk Hinrich** (shoulder injury) and the Atlanta Hawks vs. **Drew Gooden** and the Milwaukee Bucks
– 7 p.m., **Xavier Henry** (ankle injury) and the New Orleans Hornets vs. the San Antonio Spurs
– 7 p.m., **Nick Collison**, **Cole Aldrich** and the Oklahoma City Thunder vs. the Detroit Pistons
– 7:30 p.m., **Markieff Morris** and the Phoenix Suns vs. the Dallas Mavericks
– 9:30 p.m., NBATV, **Brandon Rush** and the Golden State Warriors vs. **Josh Selby** and the Memphis Grizzlies
[1]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120122/BOSWAS/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100237#nbaGIboxscore
[2]: http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics/post/_/id/4688776/observations-from-cs-win-over-wizards
[3]: http://twitter.com/#!/IraHeatBeat/status/161238425696079872
[4]: http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/miamiheat/post/_/id/11759/tired-heat-experience-their-first-clunker
[5]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120122/MILMIA/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100240#nbaGIboxscore
[6]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120122/MILMIA/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100240#nbaGIboxscore
[7]: http://www2.kusports.com/weblogs/hawks_nba/2012/jan/22/mario-chalmers-continues-improvement-at-/
[8]: http://www.nba.com/dleague/games/20120122/DAKTUL/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp2021100169
[9]: http://www.eurobasket.com/boxScores/Adriatic%20League/2012/0121_170_159.asp
[10]: http://blog.chron.com/ultimaterockets/2012/01/rockets-rookie-marcus-morris-bides-time-while-hurt/
[11]: http://www.nba.com/gameline/20120123/
