Paul Pierce 'surprised' by ejection

"I was more disappointed in letting my teammates down," Pierce said Monday on the campus of the University of Miami while addressing reporters for the first time since earning two double technicals in a span of 59 seconds, resulting in his automatic ejection with seven minutes remaining in Sunday's 99-90 loss. "That's the first thing I said when I went to the locker room. When you put yourself in a situation that you can control and it hurts your team, that's what I was most upset about, and I can't do that. I'm too important to this team to be putting myself in those situations."

"I probably overreacted," said Pierce. "I thought I was fouled excessively on both plays actually. I thought there should have been a flagrant on both [Jones and Wade], but it's up to me to keep my composure."

Pierce admitted he was surprised to simply be shown the gate Sunday.

"I was surprised at getting kicked out, yeah, I was," said Pierce. "I didn't think what I did warranted ejection. But, you know, sometimes a player gets caught in the hype of the game; sometimes the refs do, too. [Malloy] reacted the way he felt and that's what it was."

"I don't need [any] motivation," said Pierce. "I don't need things to fire me up. I'm going to come out every game the same, regardless of what happens. I'm going to be ready to play, especially because of the fact that we lost. We're trying to get back. Even if we had won, I approach each and every game the same. I have a common goal, just like the rest of my teammates and that's to win a championship, and I'm trying to do whatever I can to make that happen, and that's the only incentive I need every time I suit up."