BOSTON — Paul Pierce returned home and made sure the Celtics would play there again.
Boston’s captain scored 41 points — and lost a shootout with LeBron James, who had 45 — but led the team with the NBA’s best regular-season record to a 97-92 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The conference finals begin Tuesday against the Detroit Pistons in the same arena where the Celtics have won 14 straight games and are 8-0 in the postseason.
“Before the year our goal was to be there in Game 1 at home, and that’s where we are,” Boston coach Doc Rivers said. “So we’re exactly where we should be.”
Home teams are 22-2 in the second round of this season’s playoffs. But Boston is 0-6 on the road in the postseason.
Pierce hit two free throws with 7.9 seconds left for the final points, then James missed a 3-pointer on the last shot of the game with 4.4 seconds left.
“I had it going, LeBron had it going and we just didn’t let up,” Pierce said. “Neither one of us wanted our teams to lose.”
Cleveland’s Sasha Pavlovic’s 3-pointer made it 95-92 with 8.6 seconds left and the Cavaliers immediately fouled Pierce. His first shot hit the rim, hung in the air, then fell through. Pierce’s second free throw made it 97-92.
Bynum to have surgery.
Lakers center Andrew Bynum will have arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Wednesday to clean up rough spots and fraying on the underside of the kneecap.
