What Paul Pierce Meant to the Boston Celtics

Looking back at what Paul Pierce meant to the Boston Celtics

Recently, Doc Rivers was in Boston for the ABCD Hoops Dream fundraiser. The former Boston Celtics head coach, and current President of Basketball Operations and head coach for the Los Angeles Clippers, had time to catch up with some of the local reporters. As you can imagine, many of the questions were in regards to the glory days of the old Big Three in Boston and the championship run of 2008. However, the topic that sparked my interest was in regards to Paul Pierce‘s future with the NBA.

Ever since the Celtics traded away Paul Pierce in 2013, Pierce’s level of play has diminished.

SPOILER ALERT!

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Father Time waits for no man, professional athletes are no exception. Since the trade from the Celtics, Pierce has bounced around the league playing out brief stints for the Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards and Los Angeles Clippers. Each stint becoming somewhat of a blemish on an otherwise legendary career due to his inability to log significant playing time and his team’s inability to play in significant games.

Perhaps the one shining moment on an otherwise disappointing twilight of Pierce’s career was the legendary post game interview with Chris Broussard. After banking in an incredible buzzer beating game winner helping lift the Wizards over the Hawks in a home playoff game. Broussard asked “Did you call bank?” to which Pierce replied “I called game!”

Ladies and gentlemen, that’s Paul Pierce. A baller, through and through who always had a knack for a special ending.

So now the question looms, is Paul Pierce ready to call “game” on his NBA career?

Despite previous reports of the 38-year-old forward returning for his 19th season, Pierce is reportedly still deciding if he will return to the Clippers for this upcoming season, according to Doc Rivers. He also added that Pierce needs to retire as a Celtic.

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If you were going to theoretically design a Mount Rushmore to honor the greatest Celtics ever, it would be very hard to leave Paul Pierce out. As a Celtic, Pierce ranks second in all time scoring, fifth in assists, seventh in rebounds, first in steals and third in most games played. Where he ranks all-time in franchise history is remarkable considering the history of the Celtics.

If Paul Pierce was to return to the Boston Celtics it would likely be purely for a rightful retirement in the TD Garden in front of the city and fan base that he shares such a strong connection with. I’m sure I’m not alone when I say that I would like to see Pierce retire as a Celtic. Celtics fans and NBA fans alike could enjoy the nostalgia of a childhood hero returning home to write the final chapter of his legacy.

Paul Pierce embodied what it means to be a Celtic by never quitting on his team throughout his career. Pierce always played the game with class and put team success above individual success.

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For my generation Paul Pierce is the Celtic. Much like when you think of Chicago Bulls you think of Michael Jordan. When you think of Boston Celtics, you think of Paul Pierce, number 34. And before long number 34 will be the newest addition to the Garden’s rafters.

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