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Paul Pierce’s Ceremony Brings Perspective After Devastating Loss

By Joshua Bateman

BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 11: Former Boston Celtics player Paul Pierce #34 looks on during a game between the Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers at TD Garden on February 11, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. Paul Pierce's jersey will be retired following the game. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 11: Former Boston Celtics player Paul Pierce #34 looks on during a game between the Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers at TD Garden on February 11, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. Paul Pierce's jersey will be retired following the game. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /
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Paul Pierce brought some much needed perspective after a terrible loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers

There really is no way to sugar coat it, the Boston Celtics were an utter disaster against the Cleveland Cavaliers, as they failed to play any kind of competent basketball on either end. This is the third time in four games the Celtics have been down by over 20 to an opponent, putting the team in one of the worst spots on the season.

When you see the way the Celtics have been playing, clearly something has to change, and pretty much everyone should be excited about getting a chance to regroup at the All Star break. The Celtics were at one of their low points on the season, but then the focused shifted, and all eyes were on Paul Pierce.

Who knows what kind of impact watching that ceremony could have on this team, but maybe that was the wake up call they needed. The Celtics have been playing poorly and a lot of people are going to be questioning their ability to get out of the East this season.

Pierce’s ceremony, however, is a reminder of how completely irrelevant all that noise is, and that this one loss is just the next step in getting them to where they need to be. The Celtics know as well as anyone how unacceptable their play has been, but they should also realize that these ups and downs need to happen for the team to grow to their full potential.

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The Celtics have played in the extremes all season long, so when it is bad it is going to be really bad. What is important, however, is that they do not get too caught up on these particular performances, and watching Pierce’s ceremony is a reminder of what this team really wants to achieve, and the immense amount of work and time that needs to be put in before your day might come.

These struggles and these doubts have to be a part of what they are building. There is a good chance that the Celtics are not going to be ready to contend for the title come playoff time, but this team has been built with a lot more than just this postseason in mind.

Pierce had to go through an entire generation of struggles, while carrying an untalented team for too many years. Pierce put in the work in a way that very few players in the history of this game ever has, especially for one team. Then, when the real opportunity presented itself, he took it all, and brought the Larry O’Brien trophy back to where it belongs.

Hopefully the players were able to take in everything that the ceremony meant. It would be unfair to expect any player on this team to come close to the kind of legacy Pierce had on this franchise, but they just got to see what their future can look like if they do things the right way with this franchise. If they stay patient, trust what the organization is doing, and stay loyal through any bad times, they could have an opportunity to become a part of the most celebrated and greatest collection of players in the history of this game.

After one of the hardest loses to take in from this season, the entire team should come out of that moment feeling as good as they have all season long. You do not want that kind of false hope or overconfidence, but this is a team that needs to believe in themselves and what they are capable of doing on the court.

Everyone can see that it is only a matter of time before the Celtics have the talent to be perennial contenders, but that Pierce video should be a great reminder that talent is just one part of the process. The Celtics need to embrace these struggles because it is how they will grow.

Very few players had to endure the kind of struggles that Pierce did in his first years with the Celtics, but he never wavered, he continued to put in the work and the moment things came together, he ended the longest championship drought in the history of this team.

The Celtics will never got another Paul Pierce, but the most important thing is making sure that he remains a part of every player that ever touches the court for the Celtics. Pierce is the kind of legend that should not be quantified or described, because the impact he had on Boston is something you have to feel.

Next: Ushering a new era in the East

Tommy Heinsohn called him family, and that is exactly what he is. For the organization, the players and the fans, the impact of Pierce on this franchise is far from over, because if you do not think that ceremony will have an impact on this entire core, you do not understand what is means to be a part of the Boston Celtics.

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