BOSTON (AP) - Boston Celtics All-Star Paul Pierce was carried off the court during Thursday night's opening game of the NBA finals after colliding with teammate Kendrick Perkins and landing badly on his right leg.

Pierce lay on the court near the baseline by the Celtics bench, writhing in pain before he was carried off by two teammates and a team official. He was wheeled down the corridor in a wheelchair.

Pierce was trying to cover Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant on a drive to the basket in the third quarter when Perkins appeared to knock into the back of his right leg.

The crowd rose to its feet cheering when he returned to the bench a few minutes later wearing a sleeve on his knee. He reported into the game with 5:04 to play in the third quarter.

About a minute after Pierce was injured Perkins headed for the locker room favoring his left leg after he was involved in a collision with Lakers guard Derek Fisher.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.