Indiana Pacer coach Jim O’Brien is as familiar with Celtic personnel as any coach in the league who is not on Doc Rivers’ staff. Not only did O’Brien coach the Celtics earlier this decade, he also coached Marquis Daniels in Indiana.

Here was O’Brien’s take on Pierce’s efficiency on offense:

“I don’t see a dramatic difference. He always seemed to me to have a calmness to his game. He felt confident that he could score on anybody in any situation.”

Where O’Brien does see a difference with Pierce is on the defensive end, where he is now surrounded by like-minded players.

As for Daniels, O’Brien is obviously still a big fan.

“He’s a great pick-up,” O’Brien said. “Marquis is a player who does very subtle things offensively. He has an uncanny understanding of how to move without the basketball.” Asked how Daniels will fit with the Celtics when he returns from his injury, O’Brien added, “Marquis will have no problem. He has an exceptionally high basketball IQ.”

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