Bird Does His Part, but Brown Is the Star : NBA playoffs: Ailing forward makes his presence felt, but rookie leads the Celtics over the Pistons, 109-103.

The mere fact that an aging, ailing Larry Bird played was surprising. The way young, energetic Dee Brown played was stunning.

Bird’s presence made Detroit’s defenders pay attention and Brown’s shooting and passing made them pay the price as the Boston Celtics evened their playoff series at 1-1 with a 109-103 victory Thursday.

In the fourth quarter, Brown had 15 points and three of his game-high eight assists. The rookie matched his career-high of 22 points and grabbed a key defensive rebound in the final minute.

“We needed somebody to step up,” Brown said. “Somebody needed to make things happen by hitting a shot from outside or making a big pass.”

With starting point guard Brian Shaw struggling, Brown took over and gave the Celtics the victory and a home-court split as they head into a building where they have never won.

They are 0-8 in the Palace of Auburn Hills, where the next two games of the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinals are scheduled for Saturday and Monday night.

Bird’s absence because of severe back spasms was obvious in Detroit’s 86-75 series-opening win on Tuesday night. In Game 2, he had 16 points and eight rebounds in 42 minutes.

“It’s invaluable having Larry out there, just his rebounding,” Boston Coach Chris Ford said. “I don’t know how he does it, coming out there feeling as he does.”

Larry wasn’t the only bird at Boston Garden’s Thursday. A pigeon flew onto the floor during the third quarter and disrupted play. The bird flew into the rafters but returned to the floor one more time before leaving.

Someone who didn’t get any floor time Thursday was Detroit’s Isiah Thomas, who sprained his right foot when Brown landed on him late in Game 1. Thomas suited up but didn’t play.

Reggie Lewis scored 23 points for Boston and Robert Parish had 19. Joe Dumars scored 29 for Detroit and Mark Aguirre added 24.

The game was played in the afternoon because Boston Garden was used Thursday night for the fifth game of the NHL Stanley Cup semifinal between Boston and Pittsburgh and on Friday night for an ice show.