Pierce always steps up his game against the best players

[GonzoLays]

There is something to be said about a player who raises his level of play when the best is on the court. Larry Bird use to raise his play (score and shoot more) whenever Magic, Jordan or Benard King was on the court. Is this a detriment to the team when players take on other players as an individual challenges? Sure, but thats what great players do. Great players need those types of challenges to keep them going. You take the good and the bad with those guys.

Pierce has said many times there isn't a wing player in the NBA that is better than him. Lets take a peak at the numbers for further clarification:


Pierce v Wade (8 games):
Pierce 27.6 pts Wade 23.0 pts

Pierce v Kobe (12 games)
Pierce 26.8 pts Kobe 26.8 pts

Pierce v Lebron (11 games)
Pierce 27.5 pts Lebron 29.6 pts

Pierce v Ray Allen (22 games)
Pierce 23.6 pts Allen 21.5 pts

Pierce v McGrady (28 games)
Pierce 22.3 pts McGrady 22.6

Pierce v Iverson (27 games)
Pierce 26.4 pts Iverson 27.5

Pierce v Carmelo (7 games)
Pierce 30.1 pts Carmelo 26.0

Pierce v Bruce Bowen (9 games)
Pierce 24.7 pts vs Bowen 7.1 pts (threw that one in there because Bowen is widely regarded as the best defender in the NBA)

[BillessuR6]

I hate it when Pierce tries to turn the game into a one man show in order to prove he is just as good as the opposing player, whoever that might be, Tmac, Lebron, Wade...

When he thinks about himself and not about the team then the bad Pierce comes out. The one that is turning the ball over, taking ill advised shos and isn`t passing out of the double teams. Luckily this year he has two guys around him who won`t tolerate that...He still sometimes gets carried away a bit but I think he realizes that it is the team basketball that wins games.

[PPAW4Life]

I hate it when Pierce tries to turn the game into a one man show in order to prove he is just as good as the opposing player, whoever that might be, Tmac, Lebron, Wade...

When he thinks about himself and not about the team then the bad Pierce comes out. The one that is turning the ball over, taking ill advised shos and isn`t passing out of the double teams. Luckily this year he has two guys around him who won`t tolerate that...He still sometimes gets carried away a bit but I think he realizes that it is the team basketball that wins games.

You must have hated it when Bird did the same then.

[cisco]

Just more evidence that Paul Pierce is The Truth.

[Man_Up]

I think this personality trait is present in a lot of players and sometimes hurts them. The last two games against the Laker's Kobe was too focused on going at Ray instead of winning. The Last time this trait hurt us was when we played Cleveland. Pierce doesn't fail to show up often so I'll definitely like this part of his game.

Also I'd like to see the complete stats if possible, and would also like to see PP vs Tayshuan Prince, whom I'm convinced can't cover PP.where do you get the stats? Is there a site?

[avi623]

I'd much rather a guy with no fear who we sometimes criticize for trying too hard to take a game over, than someone who shies away on the biggest stage....See Chris Webber

[Wade3Iverson]

Why not look at FG% while you're at it. You simply can't look at raw points and determine who played better by just looking at who scored more. Anyways I dug up the FG%'s (pierce is the first one)....

Pierce v Wade (8 games):
Pierce 27.6 pts Wade 23.0 pts
46.2% vs 45.8%

Pierce v Kobe (12 games)
Pierce 26.8 pts Kobe 26.8 pts
45.3%% vs 39.9%

Pierce v Lebron (11 games)
Pierce 27.5 pts Lebron 29.6 pts
40.9% vs 48.8%

Pierce v Ray Allen (22 games)
Pierce 23.6 pts Allen 21.5 pts
41.6% vs 45.1%

Pierce v McGrady (28 games)
Pierce 22.3 pts McGrady 22.6
43.0% vs 46.3%

Pierce v Iverson (27 games)
Pierce 26.4 pts Iverson 27.5
42.0% vs 41.2%

Pierce v Carmelo (7 games)
Pierce 30.1 pts Carmelo 26.0
53.8% vs 46.6%

Pierce v Bruce Bowen (9 games)
Pierce 24.7 pts vs Bowen 7.1 pts (threw that one in there because Bowen is widely regarded as the best defender in the NBA)
45.1%....(doesn't matter what Bowens is)

Doesn't really seem to step up his game up really. He really only outplays (just by looking at points and FG%) Kobe (and does a good job on Bowen). He outplays Carmelo and Wade but that takes into account their rookie and sophomore years. Taking a brief look at the last 3 matchups against Carmelo it is a dead heat (in scoring).

He gets outplayed against McGrady, Ray Allen, and Lebron.

Honestly, since you already dug up the points, you might as well have included rebounds and assists for a better picture.


Anyways, it more important to raise your level of play not when the best players are on the court, but when the best TEAMS are on the court and that happens in the playoffs where Pierce has shot UNDER 40% in his first 3 years in the playoffs (30 games). However he shot well in his last playoff run with a a FG% of 51.....which boosts his overall playoff FG% to 41%

[Wade3Iverson]

double post

[bballcool34]

There is something to be said about a player who raises his level of play when the best is on the court. Larry Bird use to raise his play (score and shoot more) whenever Magic, Jordan or Benard King was on the court. Is this a detriment to the team when players take on other players as an individual challenges? Sure, but thats what great players do. Great players need those types of challenges to keep them going. You take the good and the bad with those guys.

Pierce has said many times there isn't a wing player in the NBA that is better than him. Lets take a peak at the numbers for further clarification:


Pierce v Wade (8 games):
Pierce (46.2%) 27.6 pts Wade (45.8%) 23.0 pts


Pierce v Kobe (12 games)
Pierce (45.3%) 26.8 pts Kobe (39.9%) 26.8 pts

Pierce v Lebron (11 games)
Pierce (40.9%) 27.5 pts Lebron (48.3%) 29.6 pts

Pierce v Ray Allen (22 games)
Pierce (41.6%) 23.6 pts Allen (45.1%) 21.5 pts

Pierce v McGrady (28 games)
Pierce (43%) 22.3 pts McGrady (46.3%) 22.6

Pierce v Iverson (27 games)
Pierce (42.4%) 26.4 pts Iverson (40.7%) 27.5

Pierce v Carmelo (7 games)
Pierce (53.8%) 30.1 pts Carmelo (46.6%) 26.0

Pierce v Carter (30 games)
Pierce (40.2%) 21.2 pts Carter (43.3%) 24.3

Overall (w/o Pierce v Bowen):

Pierce averages 25.7 points on 44% shooting
His opponent averages 25.1 points on 44% shooting

Pierce v Bruce Bowen (9 games)
Pierce 24.7 pts vs Bowen 7.1 pts (threw that one in there because Bowen is widely regarded as the best defender in the NBA)

When has Pierce said he's the best wing player in the game- like in the last three seasons or so? Just wondering because I didn't hear that (I remember he said it once in 01-02).

I'll add in Pierce vs. Carter.

And I'm gonna post the field goal percentages because that's key in seeing how Pierce performs against the other top players in the league.

[GuyClinch]

Psshaw. Field goal percentages don't mean anything either. If he is getting hacked alot and getting to the line a ton - you can live with a lower field goal percentage. Likewise if he is hitting alot of threes you can live with a lower field goal percentage.

If your going to be bring extra stats into this - use them right or don't do it at all. PP does step it up against so called "superior" players IMHO. I am not sure that's 100% positive though as it shows that he could probably play better in some of those generic games if he got more keyed up. But it's nice to know that the ability is still there.

I never heard PP say he is the best player. He just says things like "I don't feel like anyone is BETTER then me when I am on." Which quite honestly is pretty darn true. Did Kobe outclass him in that last game? Hell no.

Pete

[Joselo16]

The only time think it hurts the team is when we play the Lebroniers because he turns it into a game which he can't win because he won't get the calls from the refs against the Golden Boy of the NBA so it hurts the team. Besides that I believe Pierce can outplay other stars especially this season since he has turned up his defensive skills which were never bad but just not at this level. To think many posters here trashed him and considered Manu Ginobli a better player because he was on a better team with one of the greatest player in the game. I wonder what those posters think now?!?

[No1CeltsFan]

I've said it many times and I will say it again. BESIDES LeBron James, Paul Pierce is the best player in the NBA. Laugh if you want, but it's simple as that. If he ever took the # of shots Kobe, LBJ, Melo, Iverson, etc etc etc have consistently, his numbers would be better.

I don't care what anyone says... Paul Pierce is the best player on the Celtics right now, not Kevin Garnett! KG is just as sick as it gets, no ifs, ands or buts about.

The bottom line however is, every time the game has been on the line Doc calls Pierce's #. Sometime he misses like in Orlando or the 1st shot in Charlotte before he stole the inbound and kicked to Ray. Other times he hits like in Utah or vs Mia in Boston. Bottom line Doc calls his # 1st. In the 4th quarter, he is their money man. When they need a bucket, they call his #. Sure the offense needs to run through KG, but Pierce is what's need for the biggest possesions.

People wanted to knock his defense... now what are the saying? I'm not saying it's going to happen and I'd be shocked if it did, but if he keeps playing like this he may make the All Defensive 1st or 2nd team. Like I said, I don't expect it to happen and would be shocked if it did, but he will deserve consideration if he keeps this D level up.

Like my quote below said... ifhe got the national attention he'd be mentioned with the best. This is the 1st year and so far he has 2 straight Player of the Week awards and many more to come. Not too mention has been in the Top 10 of NBA TVs "Race To The MVP" ballot week in and week out. Currently sitting at #6 (KG#1).

[PPAW4Life]

Why not look at FG% while you're at it. You simply can't look at raw points and determine who played better by just looking at who scored more. Anyways I dug up the FG%'s (pierce is the first one)....

Pierce v Wade (8 games):
Pierce 27.6 pts Wade 23.0 pts
46.2% vs 45.8%

Pierce v Kobe (12 games)
Pierce 26.8 pts Kobe 26.8 pts
45.3%% vs 39.9%

Pierce v Lebron (11 games)
Pierce 27.5 pts Lebron 29.6 pts
40.9% vs 48.8%

Pierce v Ray Allen (22 games)
Pierce 23.6 pts Allen 21.5 pts
41.6% vs 45.1%

Pierce v McGrady (28 games)
Pierce 22.3 pts McGrady 22.6
43.0% vs 46.3%

Pierce v Iverson (27 games)
Pierce 26.4 pts Iverson 27.5
42.0% vs 41.2%

Pierce v Carmelo (7 games)
Pierce 30.1 pts Carmelo 26.0
53.8% vs 46.6%

Pierce v Bruce Bowen (9 games)
Pierce 24.7 pts vs Bowen 7.1 pts (threw that one in there because Bowen is widely regarded as the best defender in the NBA)
45.1%....(doesn't matter what Bowens is)

Doesn't really seem to step up his game up really. He really only outplays (just by looking at points and FG%) Kobe (and does a good job on Bowen). He outplays Carmelo and Wade but that takes into account their rookie and sophomore years. Taking a brief look at the last 3 matchups against Carmelo it is a dead heat (in scoring).

He gets outplayed against McGrady, Ray Allen, and Lebron.

Honestly, since you already dug up the points, you might as well have included rebounds and assists for a better picture.


Anyways, it more important to raise your level of play not when the best players are on the court, but when the best TEAMS are on the court and that happens in the playoffs where Pierce has shot UNDER 40% in his first 3 years in the playoffs (30 games). However he shot well in his last playoff run with a a FG% of 51.....which boosts his overall playoff FG% to 41%

Honestly you missed the whole point.

Pierce steps up from his averages when he plays against the best players...it doesn't mean he necessarily "out plays" them.

Pierce's scoring, rebounding, and assists go up when he faces other superstars.

Like-wise when he faces bigger and longer opponents like LeBron, Artest, and Deng his shooting percentages generally go down....but his overall production increases against better players.

That's what it means to step up his game.

For most of his career Pierce has played as the solo superstar on his team....I'm sure Wade is finding how truely difficult it is this year.

[Rondo_Fan]

I hate it when Pierce tries to turn the game into a one man show in order to prove he is just as good as the opposing player, whoever that might be, Tmac, Lebron, Wade...

Agreed.

Anybody care to post wins and losses in those games on this thread, or is that irrelevant?

However, I don't think that Pierce has tried to turn any game this year into a WWF match between him and the other team's best player, which was his tendency in the past. He had a legitimate big game against LA, without taking away from the flow of our offense or the team feel of the game. Now THAT's what I'm talking about.

[GuyClinch]

Come on..in the past Paul had no choice but to try for big games against other stars. That was the teams only chance to win. It's not some magical coincidence that he can defer more this year - or even a change of heart. He played with below-par talent his entire career..

Pete

[Datruth345]

where the artest comparison

[GonzoLays]

-= original quote snipped =-



Agreed.

Anybody care to post wins and losses in those games on this thread, or is that irrelevant?

However, I don't think that Pierce has tried to turn any game this year into a WWF match between him and the other team's best player, which was his tendency in the past. He had a legitimate big game against LA, without taking away from the flow of our offense or the team feel of the game. Now THAT's what I'm talking about.

Nope, he turned the Seattle contest into the Pierce v Durant show. You could hear those two trash talking on the ESPN contest. At the end of the third quarter, Pierce was talking smack to Durant and I heard Durant say, "You are too old." Pierce went on to drop 37 on him. Pierce just wanted to let Durant know how good he is. Hey, if that what floats Pierce's boat, more power to him. All the great ones do that.

What, I know you haven't forgot about those Dominique/Bird matchups have you? And what about that time Bird decided to shoot nothing but left handed shots during a contest? If Pierce did that, he would be crucified.

[Man_Up]

lol, I heard Durant when he said your too old. He definitely got to Durant, I love that about Pierce. There's only one match-up I don't think he'll get the better of and that's the Pierce vs Lebron Match-Up.

[Kaykoose]

Lol, did Durant really say that? Thats corny as hell.