BOSTON — Paul Pierce was thrilled when the Boston Celtics picked up a couple of All-Stars so he wouldn't have to carry the team anymore.

Turns out he did it anyway.

And Danny Ainge, the mastermind of offseason deals for Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen that turned a terrible team into a title contender, gushed after Sunday's 97-92 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers sent the Celtics to the Eastern Conference finals.

"I was cheering," Boston's general manager said after watching Pierce score 41 points in Game 7 of the conference semifinals. "I wanted it so bad for the guys."

They got it despite LeBron James outscoring Pierce 45-41 in a shootout reminiscent of one 20 years earlier between Larry Bird and Atlanta's Dominique Wilkins in another seventh game of the conference semifinals. They combined for 81 points, 36 in the fourth quarter, of Boston's 118-116 win.