Paul Pierce the Hall of Famer
Paul Pierce headlines the 2021 Basketball Hall of Fame Class. The others include Chris Bosh, Chris Webber, Ben Wallace, Yoland Griffith, Lauren Jackson, and Michael Cooper.
As a 35 year old man who grew up resting his Celtics hopes on the likes of Ron Mercer and paying $10 a ticket for nose bleeds to watch the Milt Palacio’s of the world pretend to be competitive on an NBA basketball court, Paul Pierce was our savior. Correction. Antoine Walker was our savior, but he just shimmied himself out of that role one too many times.
The 4th quarter comeback against the Nets in the 2002 ECF Game 3 was really where we new we had something. Plus Shaq deemed him “The Truth” so, ya. He was our guy. Source
I still get chills thinking of it. It’s probably the first really great Celtics memory I have. If you don’t count watching Larry Bird’s retirement speech where my Mom cried so I cried.
That’s what we had, man. I fucking missed the Bird era. Although I am kind of glad I wasn’t born 10 years earlier or I’d be some lame duck Gen X weirdo who listens to Poison and actually thinks it’s good. I guess missing out on Bird’s prime is worth not being a squid
Pierce was wildly underrated through out his career and really still is. As a scorer he was legit from day 1. But, as a clutch performer he does not get the recognition he deserves.
Even in the BiG 3 Era. With two hall of famers in their own right in KG and Ray Allen it was Pierce with the ball in his hands at the end of games to seal it. And more often than not he did. He was in the Era of Boston Sports where between him, Big Papi, and Brady we didn’t know what it felt like not to be confident in a clutch and late situations. (Even though as New England fans we are inherently pessimistic and believe the world will come crashing down at any minute.)
Pierce got his ring and the finals MVP in 2008 beating the rivaled Lakers and NBA Golden Boy Kobe Bryant. Pierce earned that MVP too. It could have gone to KG as the biggest star, but Pierce balled out in the Finals and through his career he took that match up with Kobe personally. No, Pierce was not Kobe as a player, but the late Mamba said himself that Pierce and the Celtics were some of his toughest competition. They should have had the 2nd ring against the Lakers in 2010 if Perk stays healthy and Meta Fucking World Peace doesn’t morph into Reggie Miller for one shot. I digress.
Of course we have the Pierce vs. Lebron rivalry and Game 7.
Still one of the best performances I have seen out of a Celtics player if not the best. It was my Generation’s Bird vs Dominque.
The Celtics were what drove Lebron to Miami. Lebron just could not top Pierce and the C’s. Pierce’s Celtics in essence created the BIG 3 in Miami and the era of super teams in the NBA. I will go to my grave saying the 2013 Game 6 in Boston was the game “The King” Actually arrived in the NBA. Everyone expected Lebron to wilt and boy did he do the opposite. Just an unbelievable game which pretty much put an end to Pierce’s time with the Celtics, but it took Lebron’s formative years in the NBA to finally get over the big Green hump.
Pierce by the numbers:
NBA champion (2008)
NBA Finals MVP (2008)
10× NBA All-Star (2002–2006, 2008–2012)
All-NBA Second Team (2009)
3× All-NBA Third Team (2002, 2003, 2008)
NBA All-Rookie First Team (1999)
NBA Three-Point Contest champion (2010)
No. 34 retired by Boston Celtics
Consensus first-team All-American (1998)
First-team All-Big 12 (1998)
No. 34 retired by Kansas Jayhawks
Second-team Parade All-American (1995)
McDonald's All-American (1995)
California Mr. Basketball (1995)
24,021 Points. 2nd All Time for the Celtics and 16th All time in the NBA
1823 3pts 1st All Time for the Celtics
6434 FT 1st All Time for the Celtics
1583 Stls 1st All Time for the Celtics
7882 FG 3rd All Time for the Celtics
6651 Rebs 7th All Time for the Celtics
4305 Asst 5th All Time for the Celtics
Pierce played 15 season for the Celtics. Stuck it out through one of their worst times in franchise history. Brought them a championship as the Captain and Finals MVP. Was one of the best players in the NBA in his prime. Congratulations to Pierce on what is sure to be a well deserved 1st ballad Hall of Fame induction.