Boston, MA (Best E Casino) - Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce was carried off the court and placed in a wheelchair with a sprained right knee, but incredibly returned to the game later in the third quarter of the opener of the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Pierce had 19 of his 22 points in the final two quarters as the Celtics won, 98-88.

Kobe Bryant drove to his right and then hit a fall-away jumper with just under seven minutes left in the third for the Lakers. Boston's Kendrick Perkins then accidentally collided with Pierce.

"Perkins came down on my foot and I think at the same time I turned my leg when he was on it," Pierce said. "I think that's how I twisted the knee."

Pierce was on his back under the basket holding his leg and was then carried off the court, put in a wheelchair and taken to the locker room.

"I thought that was it," Pierce said. "There were a lot of things going through my mind. I thought I tore something."

Pierce said he didn't test his knee until he got to the back of the locker room. Less than two minutes later on the game clock, the capacity crowd at TD Banknorth Garden erupted as the six-time All-Star walked out of the tunnel.

"Usually when I go down I'm getting right back up," Pierce said. "It was an instance where I turned my knee, it popped, I heard the pop. I was just in pain where I couldn't move."

It was a scene reminiscent of the 1970 NBA Finals when Knicks inspirational leader Willis Reed, unable to play in the sixth game against the Lakers because of a knee injury, hobbled onto the court for Game 7 to a thunderous ovation at Madison Square Garden. He sank the first basket and the Knicks rode that emotion to the championship.

"I wasn't trying to imitate him," Pierce said. "I got hurt, came to the back and tested it out. I'm just glad I was able to get back out there."

Perkins also left in the third with a sprained left ankle and didn't return.