Pierce's defense...

[Cyclical]

...is the best it's ever looked. It's what we thought it would be when he was showing flashes back in 2001.

7-11 shooting, 18 points, 8 boards, 2 blocks, 2 steals, but what was great to see was his ridiculous relentless defense. He must have taken 4 charges. He was pestering Jefferson in the 2nd half and killing whoever he was switching on. Mr likey.

[Jammer]

...is the best it's ever looked. It's what we thought it would be when he was showing flashes back in 2001.

7-11 shooting, 18 points, 8 boards, 2 blocks, 2 steals, but what was great to see was his ridiculous relentless defense. He must have taken 4 charges. He was pestering Jefferson in the 2nd half and killing whoever he was switching on. Mr likey.

Especially on Jason Richardson.

What, 25 and 34 points in 2 games against the Celts.

That'ell get ya First Team All Defense.

And Pierce is over an inch taller than Richardson.

But, I have to admit, JRich is now flourishing as the first option in Charlotte, playing at small forward.

JRich's jump shot has improved in 6 short months with Micheal Jordon and Sam Vincent.

And, with Gerald Wallace as a second option (Wallace sat out the first Charlotte game), defenses have a tougher time matching up.

Raymond Felton is crafty.

And that trade with Detroit that landed them Nazr Mohammed to play alongside Okafur would make this year's Bobcats, to the Celtics, like last year's Warriors, were to the 67 win Dallas Mavericks.

Yikes. Better do something about that, NOW.

[BillessuR6]

Pierces defence this year has been phenomenal for his standards! Couldn`t be more happy with him on that side of the ball.

So, Jrich scored 34 on him and that means Paul is a bad defender? I watched a few bobcats games this year and richardson had the best games against us. It is not that the individual defense on him was that terrible he just made some crazy shots.

And stop with this nonsense that bobcats are our GSW. We played both games without energy and effort that is why we lost. Bobcats aren`t a bad team but there is no way we would lose to them in a playoff series. I doubt we would even lose one game. We are the better team here is no question about that we just need to play with energy, motivation and heart!

[Rondo_Fan]

I thought that JRich made a lot of tough shots the other night, when Pierce had him well covered. So you can't really put that one on Pierce.

[sunshinekids99]

I thought that JRich made a lot of tough shots the other night, when Pierce had him well covered. So you can't really put that one on Pierce.

I got to agree with you. I thought Pierce played pretty good defense in that game to be honest, Richardson just hit a lot of real tough shots.

I've been really impressed with Pierce's D this year.

[Jammer]

My earlier sarcasm aside, I can't blame J-Rich's performance on PP.

J-Rich always could get his shot off.

It's just going in more.

J-Rich shoots better from outside under the tutelage of MJ and Sam Vincent.

His actual field goal percent and free throw percent are virtually identical to his average of the past 6 seasons.

His 3 point percentage is up over 8 percentage points. That's extremely significant, an improvement of over 25% net. From 3 point land this season, J-Rich is shooting about 10% better than Eddie House (yikes).

[AWalkerREMIX]

I thought that JRich made a lot of tough shots the other night, when Pierce had him well covered. So you can't really put that one on Pierce.

Richardson was coming off of a lot of screens that game and when he wasn't, Pierce was right there on his shooting hand.

[ParticleMan]

I don't think Pierce is Bruce Bowen or anything, but he's a lot better than in years past. He's significantly above average now. The thing that bothered me about the Jrich game wasn't the jumpers, Pierce was right on his shooting hand, there's nothing else you can do. It was the several times Jrich beat him for backdoor layups. That's just lack of mental focus. But it was by no means just Pierce that night, the whole team lacked mental focus.

[vegas_runnin_rebel]

It's a shame Pierce didn't get to play defense in the early 90's hand check era. Pierce's strength is his biggest asset on defense and he only gets to use it when he bangs in the paint.

[humblebum]

I don't think Pierce is Bruce Bowen or anything, but he's a lot better than in years past. He's significantly above average now. The thing that bothered me about the Jrich game wasn't the jumpers, Pierce was right on his shooting hand, there's nothing else you can do. It was the several times Jrich beat him for backdoor layups. That's just lack of mental focus. But it was by no means just Pierce that night, the whole team lacked mental focus.

He might not be Bruce Bowen defensively but the list of wing defenders better than Pierce is real, real short. I'd say Artest, maybe Lebron when he's motivated and using his athleticism to block shots. I can't really think of too many other guys I'd take over him. Maybe someone else can chime in?

Even given those mistakes though, which I think happened exactly twice if I'm not mistaken. I thought it was a pretty spectacular defensive game by Pierce. It just makes that performance by JR all the more great.

[3pt %]

IF pierce keeps this up, he could be looking at some NBA defensive team honours. The national media is already picking up on his two way play, Hollinger has him down as one of the best two way players in the game at the moment.

[PPAW4Life]

The Truth has always been an extremely capable defender....yet his offensive game has always been ahead of his defense simply because he carried so much of the offensive burden with AW in their early part of their careers.

I remember as early as his rookie season PP would come out of no where and block Centers down low trying to put back a missed shot off of an offensive rebound....or PP flying back down court racing to catch a breakaway layup and smacking it off the backboard.

PP has always been solid when it comes to steals and stripping the ball from players trying to post him up....his hands were so good they reminded me a lot of Rick Fox when he used to be a Celtic.

Frankly though...the C's have been so bad no body even cared just how good PP or any of the C's were.....it didn't matter who it was....we were irrelevant.

I mean it's just now that other people around the league are starting to realize that Big Al is a rare breed.....a potential AS type player who plays down low with uncanny post moves not seen since the early to mid 80s.....all because he was the center piece of the KG trade that was going back to the Twolves.....and yea they're pretty bad record wise but thats because they're way way way too young and that will fix itself over in time.

[greenbeans]

The Truth has always been an extremely capable defender....yet his offensive game has always been ahead of his defense simply because he carried so much of the offensive burden with AW in their early part of their careers.

I remember as early as his rookie season PP would come out of no where and block Centers down low trying to put back a missed shot off of an offensive rebound....or PP flying back down court racing to catch a breakaway layup and smacking it off the backboard.

PP has always been solid when it comes to steals and stripping the ball from players trying to post him up....his hands were so good they reminded me a lot of Rick Fox when he used to be a Celtic.

Frankly though...the C's have been so bad no body even cared just how good PP or any of the C's were.....it didn't matter who it was....we were irrelevant.

I mean it's just now that other people around the league are starting to realize that Big Al is a rare breed.....a potential AS type player who plays down low with uncanny post moves not seen since the early to mid 80s.....all because he was the center piece of the KG trade that was going back to the Twolves.....and yea they're pretty bad record wise but thats because they're way way way too young and that will fix itself over in time.

ya, what he said

[s1ickd]

Ponder this. At the 3, does Pierce actually have any weaknesses? Im not tlaking about things that he's decent at. Im talking about true weaknesses. I can't think of a single one.

[meatball sub]

He fouls three point shooters to lose games because he sucks. That's his weakness.

[bill murray has game]

I'm happy with Pierce's D this year. It is the one thing I didn't like about his game these past few years which was stopping him from being a superstar. I think he now is a superstar. I think we have an excellent chance for another banner this year.

[Kaykoose]

Maybe my interpretation of it is wrong, but I don't think a superstar is determined by defense. LeBron, Kobe, McGrady, and Wade are all examples of superstars who hardly try on the defense end, with the exception of sometimes playing the passing lanes. A superstar, at least to me, is more like a popularity thing. LeBron and other obvious players are household names to casual fans. They are the ones that get the sales on the basketball products, they are the ones who people mark their calendars to see play against their hometeam. If you mentioned Pierce to a casual fan outside of New England, more than not you will get the response of "Who the hell is that?"

That being said, Pierce has always been a superstar to my green eyes

[ParticleMan]

-= original quote snipped =-



He might not be Bruce Bowen defensively but the list of wing defenders better than Pierce is real, real short. I'd say Artest, maybe Lebron when he's motivated and using his athleticism to block shots. I can't really think of too many other guys I'd take over him. Maybe someone else can chime in?

I can think of a LOT of wings I'd take over Pierce if I needed a defensive stop. Most of them aren't stars because in the NBA you attain star status by scoring, not defending. here's a list off the top of my head: Prince, G. Wallace, Josh Smith, Deng, J Howard, Kobe, Marion, Bowen, Artest.

guys who are comparable: Battier, SJax, R Jefferson, Igoudala, Roy, Kirilenko, Bron, Szcerbiak (ok just seeing if you were paying attention lol).

So I'd say Pierce is top-25% defensively but not top-10%. jmo.

[PPAW4Life]

Maybe my interpretation of it is wrong, but I don't think a superstar is determined by defense. LeBron, Kobe, McGrady, and Wade are all examples of superstars who hardly try on the defense end, with the exception of sometimes playing the passing lanes. A superstar, at least to me, is more like a popularity thing. LeBron and other obvious players are household names to casual fans. They are the ones that get the sales on the basketball products, they are the ones who people mark their calendars to see play against their hometeam. If you mentioned Pierce to a casual fan outside of New England, more than not you will get the response of "Who the hell is that?"

That being said, Pierce has always been a superstar to my green eyes

Kobe and Lebron do infact play defense. All 4 names you mentioned are superstars because they are known for their offensive games.

Pierce was the same way, his reputation in the league and to fans is that he is "merely" an offensive type player, but he is not. He does play defense and good defense at that.