By Saturday evening, (Paul) Pierce was getting his own workout, playing in a charity game organized by teammate Rajon Rondo.  For now, that’s been the extent of competition for Pierce and his Boston Celtics with the NBA lockout lasting longer than 4½ months. And no one can be sure when it will end.

“I’m optimistic that we will have a season,” Pierce told Yahoo! Sports by phone Saturday. “People ask me that every day when I leave the house if we are going to have a season. I’ve been probably saying, ‘Hopefully in a couple weeks,’ the last two months. That’s how optimistic I am. I just feel like something is going to happen.

“There is going to be something that turns the light on for both sides and gets this thing going. I think there is too much at stake for both sides. The [popularity] that the game is building nationally and worldwide … it’s crazy that we are at this place right now.”

via Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports