WALTHAM  –  Paul Pierce returned to practice on Tuesday at the Celtics’ practice facility after missing Monday with a sore left knee, injured on Friday night against Atlanta.

Pierce said it was only a slight sprain and he took part in the team’s workout, with coach Doc Rivers giving him an occasional rest on the sideline.

“I got a good response from the last couple of days of rest and I felt good about it. It went smoothly. I went the whole practice and felt really good about it. It was a slight sprain in the knee but normally I’m a fast healer so I felt good,” Pierce said.

Pierce and head coach Doc Rivers expect Pierce to be available and start when the team takes on Golden State on Wednesday night at TD Garden.

“He looked good,” Rivers said. He went half-and-half. We got him in, got him out. He really wanted to do something because he said, ‘I don’t want to go through three days of nothing and play a game,’ which I agreed with. It was more about rest than an injury thing. He’ll be fine.”