But unlike the 18,624 in the stands, he could do more than just encourage the lads. He could directly affect the outcome. Knowing that couldn't happen when he was on the bench, Doc Rivers never let him go there after halftime.

The coach didn't want to ruin the holiday with a loss to five-win Philly. Pierce wasn't about to let that happen either.

``Paul, to me, was the savior of the game,'' Rivers said after the 113-110 slice of Celtics survival.

The captain played the last 30:43 and went for a game-high 27 points to lead the Celtics out of potential horror. They still needed a 17-foot fadeaway turnaround and a prayer from Rajon Rondo . . . with 9.6 seconds left to barely beat the shot clock. But this was a Pierce production. He didn't just wish the Celts a happy Thanksgiving, he delivered it.

``To tell you the truth, I thought this was just Paul Pierce's will on the game,'' Kevin Garnett said. ``You look at all the big shots that were made, it was Paul Pierce making a play for a teammate. I thought Rondo got in there and took over the game for a nice little stretch where he gave us some momentum, but tonight was all P. Pierce.

``It was The Truth. He took charges. When we needed a bucket, he got us buckets. He got me easy shots. He got (Eddie) House easy shots. When you can get your captain going like that, he gave everybody assurance. You just have to follow and listen.

``At the end of the day, man,'' Garnett added, ``it was just all Truth and his impact on the game.''

One of Pierce's largest plays didn't make the stat sheet. With 34.3 seconds left and the C's clinging to a two-point lead, he got in front of a driving Andre Iguodala and took a charge. ``The best play he made was the charge,'' Rivers said. ``We talked about guys stepping up at halftime. He did it.''

Pierce was modest after hitting 10-of-15 shots and picking up six rebounds, six assists, a steal and a blocked shot.

``I'm just doing the things that I know I can do,'' he said.

Doing them very well, according to Rivers.

``He's been the MVP to me, not just with his play but all over,'' the coach said. ``He was on guys in the second quarter and at halftime about our play. You know, defensive urgency getting out after shots, stop making excuses. He's the one that's not. He's doing everything you ask him to do. He's guarding guys. He's rebounding. He's making big shots. He's taking charges. I don't know what else. . . . He can cook Thanksgiving dinner for someone. Then he'll be doing it all.''

Jokingly asked if he'd have come out in the second half had Rivers asked, Pierce began to say of course he would have. Garnett interrupted him.

``No,'' said KG. ``Don't believe that. Don't believe that y'all.''

``I mean, I never want to come out,'' Pierce said.

He didn't exactly get low on gas. He had seven points and half his rebounds and assists in the last quarter. The game didn't officially belong to the Celtics until he pulled down the carom of Jason Kapono's intentionally missed free throw with 1.4 seconds left.

``I played him way too many minutes, but you do that every once in a while,'' Rivers said. ``I told him I'll make it up with a 25-minute game somewhere down the road.

``I didn't have that planned, but sometimes the game makes its own plan for you.''

Sometimes Pierce makes his plan for the game.

- sbulpett@bostonherald.com