BOSTON: Paul Pierce scored 22 points in the final quarter to help the defending champion Boston Celtics rally to a 94-87 win over the Toronto Raptors on Monday.

Boston (7-1) trailed 48-36 at the half before Pierce's late heroics left Toronto coach Sam Mitchell shaking his head in disbelief.

"You look at the shots Paul Pierce made," Mitchell told reporters. "He drove the basket a couple of times, but he was making a lot of 18, 19-foot shots with guys contesting him."