Tag: Paul Pierce

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Paul Pierce listed among LeBron James’ greatest rivals

Paul Pierce and the Boston Celtics are among LeBron James’ greatest rivals.

The Boston Celtics and LeBron James have a long history. The veteran superstar has endured multiple battles against Boston during his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers and then the Miami Heat. Some of the more memorable battles entailed some tough matchups against Paul Pierce, who helped eliminate LeBron in the second round of the 2008 playoffs and in the conference semi-finals in 2010.

LeBron also enjoyed some success against the Pierce-led Celtics, winning multiple playoff battles against the franchise. As such, in a recent piece for Bleacher Report, Grant Hughes listed Pierce among the most fierce of LeBron’s rivals.

“Pierce is a Hall of Famer who had already made a pair of All-Star teams by the time James entered the league in 2003-04,” Hughes wrote. “That he was last a regular starter in 2014-15, the year Curry began his string of playoff meetings with James, speaks to LeBron’s unmatched staying power.”

Considering the Lakers forward has spent 21 years in the NBA, which means he’s been in the league longer than smartphones have been on the market, Pierce’s place on the list is an impressive feat. It speaks to LeBron’s longevity and Pierce’s importance to the Celtics during that era.

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There’s a reason why Pierce is a legend to Celtics fans. His duels with LeBron are part of his legacy and are another reason why he’s viewed among the greatest Celtics in history.

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What makes a superstar in the NBA?

Former Boston Celtics stars Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce discuss what makes a superstar in the modern NBA.

The term ‘superstar’ is overused in the NBA. That title should be reserved for the league’s top five or ten players. Fortunately, the Boston Celtics have had plenty of superstar talent throughout the years. From the great Bill Russell to Kevin Garnett and Tommy Heinsohn to Larry Bird. A superstar transcends the sport of basketball.

In a recent episode of Garnett’s “KG Certified” podcast, he and Paul Pierce discuss the different aspects that go into a player elevating themselves from being a star to becoming a genuine superstar within the NBA. Both former Celtics’ enjoyed being labeled with the ‘superstar’ title during their careers and are revered as such within the city of Boston.

The discussion is likely centered around the rise in superstar-level talent emerging in the NBA today, including Boston’s own Jayson Tatum, who continues to prove his value as a do-it-all forward operating as the best player on the best team in the league.

You can watch the full discussion by clicking on the embedded video above.

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On this day: Kelvin Upshaw born; Boston holds Nuggets to 58 while Paul Pierce gets 45

On this day, former Celtic shooting guard Kelvin Upshaw was born, and Boston held Denver to just 58 points while Paul Pierce scored 45.

On this day in 1963, former Celtic shooting guard Kelvin Upshaw was born in Chicago, Illinois.

An alum of both at both Northeastern Oklahoma A&M and the University of Utah, Upshaw went undrafted. He worked his way up from the Continental Basketball Association (CBA — an equivalent to the G League in that era) to the Miami Heat. He started the 1988-89 season, appearing in nine games before returning to the CBA club he’d been with at the start of the season, the Albany Patroons. Upshaw managed to fight his way onto the Celts’ roster on the merit of his work over two ten-day contracts, only to find himself waived when summer came.

He found himself back in green in the fall, though, signed as a free agent in late November 1989. The stay was brief, however, as he was waived just a month later, the day after Christmas.

Is Celtics HoFer Paul Pierce serious about making an NBA comeback?

We have our doubts, but be the judge for yourself.

Most fans of the Boston Celtics have seen the videos of All-NBA Celtics forward Jayson Tatum working out with Celtics Hall of Famer Paul Pierce. The general assumption has been that The Truth was inspired by his presence at Taco Jay’s workouts to join him.

Now, a much leaner and more fit version of himself, Pierce flirted with the idea of making an NBA comeback on a recent episode of the Showtime Basketball “KG Certified” podcast in a bit of a joke. Or at least, we THINK he was joking given the Kansas alum is closer to 50 years old than he is to getting a real NBA contract. Or is he serious about this?

Judging by how cohost and fellow Celtics HoFer Kevin Garnett was taking his 2008 title brethren on the show, we’re inclined to think it was in jest, but be the judge for yourself.

Check it out above!

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Celtics legend reveal details from internal locker room fight

The Boston Celtics legend discussed what led to a locker room fight between the entire team during the big four era.

When Doc Rivers was the head coach of the Boston Celtics, he had some exceptional talent at his disposal. The quartet of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, and Ray Allen helped lead the team to a championship in 2008, along with an NBA Finals appearance in 2010. There’s no doubt that it was one of the best teams Boston had at their disposal in recent memory.

However, it would appear there was a legitimate competitive edge within the locker room. During a recent episode of the “KG Certified” podcast, Rivers, Garnett and Pierce discussed a locker room brawl involving the whole team following a game against the Indiana Pacers.

In the episode, the trio share the details behind what led to the brawl and who was on each side of the argument.

If you want the full scoop, you can watch the full segment by clicking on the embedded video above.

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Is this the year the Boston Celtics hang Banner 18?

After a long time banging on the door — one time even getting their foot in — the Celtics look like the best ball club in the Association.

Is this the season the version of the Boston Celtics led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown finally break through to win it all? After a long time banging on the door — one time even getting their foot in — the Celtics look like the best ball club in the Association halfway through the league’s 2023-24 season. But it’s what comes after that will make or break hanging a banner this season.

Two players as qualified as anyone is to judge whether a version of the Celtics is truly ready to win it all are Hall of Fame alumni Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, having done that very thing in 2008.

The pair recently weighed in on what they are seeing from Boston so far this season, and whether we will finally see Banner 18 hanging in Boston this summer on a recent episode of the Showtime Basketball “KG Certified” podcast.

Check out the clip above to hear what they had to say.

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The birth of the Boston Celtics’ Big Three according to Doc Rivers, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett

Ainge made bold moves to bring star talent to Boston by adding Garnett and Allen to Pierce, and the rest was, as they say, history.

The Boston Celtics formed one of the most dominant trios in NBA history with Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen in the late 2000s. This powerhouse team was very well constructed through the combined efforts of coach Doc Rivers and team president Danny Ainge.

Rivers and Ainge had a strong partnership built on mutual trust and respect. Though they sometimes disagreed on personnel decisions and basketball strategy, they always presented a united front, and their synergy was critical to the team’s success. Ainge made bold moves to bring star talent to Boston by adding Garnett and Allen to Pierce, and the rest was, as they say, history.

Now, on a recent episode of the Showtime Basketball “KG Certified” podcast, KG, Pierce, and Doc reconvened to talk about the origin of the 2008 title team.

Check it out above!

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What were Kevin Garnett’s and Paul Pierce’s best moments of 2023?

Here are the best moments of the KG Certified podcast from 2023.

The Boston Celtics enjoyed a stellar 2023. They made it to the Eastern Conference Finals and followed that up with a flurry of trade moves that positioned them as arguably the most talented team in the league. Still, as we learned during the 2019-20 season, all the talent in the world doesn’t matter unless everybody’s on the same page.

Fortunately for the Celtics, the 2023-24 roster appears to be locked in. They closed out 2023 strong and ensured there were plenty of high points to pick from throughout the calendar year. It would appear some of the team’s former players have also enjoyed a strong 2023.

In the latest episode of the “KG Certified” podcast, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett look back at some of their best moments on their media journey, from being in Las Vegas to taking their show on the road. Fans have been enjoying getting to know two of their favorite players on a deeper level.

You can watch the full highlights episode by clicking on the embedded link above.

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