BOSTON -- Remember the plan?

With Paul Pierce approaching the twilight of his career -- although the Celtics brass was savvy enough to not utter the infamous words that earned former Red Sox GM Dan Duquette a decade of derision for his description of Roger Clemens -- the Celtics publicly laid the groundwork in advance of the 2012-13 season that perhaps it was time for Pierce to come off the bench, to diminish his burden as the primary scorer, to cut down his minutes so his 35-year-old body would be fresh for the postseason.

Both Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers suggested this course of action. Pierce merely shrugged and agreed to do what was asked of him, even though he believed he was capable of successfully holding down his starting job.

"You know coaches," said Pierce, laughing heartily. "Sometimes they ramble."

That plan was hatched before Rajon Rondo was lost for the year with a torn ACL and Jared Sullinger followed with season-ending back surgery.

The Celtics arrive in Oklahoma City for a nationally televised tilt Sunday with a five-game winning streak in tow and Pierce assuming a role that's more expansive than ever.

He is still asked to hit the game winner (see Utah on Feb. 25), but he has also assumed the role of master facilitator. Look no further than Friday's overtime win versus Atlanta, when Pierce dropped a team-high 27 on the Hawks (on 10-of-16 shooting) and kept his team alive with clutch baskets in regulation. He also penetrated, drew enough attention to host a small dinner party and kicked the ball out to Jeff Green for a hideous one-bounce, "did-that-go-in?" 3 in overtime. Pierce did the same for Jason Terry so he could get a clean look at a monster 3 in OT.

Since Rondo went down, Pierce is averaging 40 percent more assists per minute than at any other time of his career, according to ESPN.com's Kevin Pelton. Pierce's rebounding production has also spiked significantly. When this season began, he had submitted seven triple-doubles in his career, yet none since 2010.

Pierce has since conjured up two triple-doubles within a month: a Jan. 27 gem (17 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists) against Miami in a double-overtime win and Feb. 10 against Denver (27 points, 14 rebounds, 14 assists).

"Honestly, I don't understand why Paul hasn't gotten more credit," said Green. "This is a stage of his career where he's supposed to be pulling back, and instead he's leading us in just about every way."

Since Rajon Rondo went down, Paul Pierce is averaging 40 percent more assists per minute than he's ever handed out in his career. Jared Wickerham/Getty Images

Pierce's season began with one of the most woeful shooting slumps of his prolific career. At times, he looked anchored to the parquet, with no lift and a shot that was flat and lifeless. He shot 39.9 percent from the floor in January, including 28.9 percent from the 3-point line.

He preached patience and promised his numbers would improve.

"I wasn't worried," Pierce said. "I felt fine. The shots just weren't going."

After Rondo's devastating injury, Pierce and Kevin Garnett gathered the team in the locker room and challenged them to do more.

"It could have gone two ways," said Pierce in an interview Friday night. "We could have sulked, got down on ourselves and the team, or we could do what we're doing, which is rally together and use this as an opportunity to step up and prove everybody wrong."

Pierce acknowledged that when local and national pundits declared the Celtics' season doomed, it became a rallying cry in the locker room, with Garnett generating the most noise.

"We heard a lot of stuff after Rondo and Sully went down," Pierce said. "A lot of the guys in here didn't like it. They have too much pride.

"You couldn't help but hear it. All the time. I don't watch a lot of TV, because I don't have time with my kids and all, but it was impossible not to know what was being said. It was all around."

Boston is 14-4 since Rondo's injury, and the debate rages on whether the Celtics could possibly be better without their All-Star point guard.

"We're different," Pierce said. "We're more opportunistic. If you go back to last year, we were struggling with Rondo before the All-Star break. But then we got it together, and we were one game away from the Finals -- with Rondo."

The superb ball movement and renewed defensive commitment since Rondo went down suggests the point guard will need to make some adjustments to his game when he returns next season.

"I don't know what adjustments will be made," Pierce conceded. "I don't know if it will be a change in the coaching philosophy, the offensive style. Who knows? Who knows who is even going to be on this team next year?"