Paul Pierce is nicknamed “The Fact” however do his phrases mirror his moniker? It has been over three years since Pierce appeared on ESPN in 2019 and spoke his thoughts about who had a greater profession, him or Dwyane Wade?
“That’s simple. I can say that off the bat, that’s me,” Pierce stated then. “I’m 24 or 25, and also you give me LeBron James and Chris Bosh, I’d be sitting on 5 – 6 championships, simple.”
Wade took the high road when requested about Pierce’s feedback– displaying his respect relatively than clapping again at his former Jap Convention foe. That was the tip of it. Or so we thought.
Throughout a latest look on IT IS WHAT IT IS TALK, Pierce dug his emotions about Wade out of a shallow grave. His strategy to this double-down rendition modified from his earlier sentiments– however the level remained the identical.
“For a very long time, my expertise went unappreciated as a result of I didn’t get to play with plenty of nice gamers. After which I received to play with KG (Kevin Garnett) and Ray [Allen] previous their prime. 4 years earlier, you place me, Ray, and KG collectively–you assume we’re not strolling away with three chips?”
-Paul Pierce
Discover how his feedback went from not taking part in with Wade’s championship teammates to getting his co-stars too late into their careers.
To be honest to Pierce, there’s some fact to what he stated. The Celtics fashioned their Large Three in 2007. Months later, the parade occurred in Boston, Pierce’s lone Championship yr. So let’s take a look at the 4 years that led as much as it.
Garnett was the MVP for the 2003-04 season, the identical yr Wade, James, and Bosh entered the league. He led the NBA in win shares from 2003 to 2005 and rebounds per recreation from 2005 to 2007. In the meantime, Allen averaged 24.6 factors per recreation, taking pictures practically 40 p.c from three via these years.
Pierce wasn’t doing too dangerous himself, averaging 24.1 factors, 6.4 rebounds, and 4.5 assists earlier than Boston received him the assistance he wanted to win a hoop. So sure, had they joined forces in 2003, they might have gained extra championships. You primarily had the centerpiece of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Seattle SuperSonics, and Boston Celtics in a single group.
It will have been nice earlier than age grew to become an element and the celebs aligned in South Seaside. As soon as each squads had been constructed, they delivered some classics within the Jap Convention playoffs, with Miami popping out on high every time.
Credit to Pierce for not getting this fully fallacious. However on the finish of the day, we reside in actuality and never via hypotheticals. Wade gained three rings to Pierce’s one– so the purpose goes to Wade on this.
“He received extra accolades than me. Yeah, he received three championships, I received one. If you happen to want a bucket down the stretch, who [do] you need– Wade or me? If you happen to wanna win the sport down the stretch– who [are] you giving the ball to?”
-Paul Pierce
The reply is Pierce.
The numbers don’t lie, and Pierce has seven profession game-winners to Wade’s 5. However Pierce answered the overarching query with this assertion; who had a greater profession? He alluded to accolades and championships, which each matter greater than game-winners in the long term. Simply because Joe Johnson had extra game-winners than Pierce, Wade, and James doesn’t make him higher than them.
Look no additional. Pierce already solved this for us by contradicting himself. However if you wish to get particular, Yahoo Sports did a story of the tape for these two gamers.
Pierce barely edged Wade in video games performed, complete factors, rebounds-per-game, three-point taking pictures share, win shares, and VORP. In the meantime, Wade leads Pierce in 16 classes, together with All-Star and All-NBA Picks, All-Protection nods, scoring titles, and playoff wins.
Each males had spectacular careers. Pierce was inducted into the Basketball Corridor of Fame in 2021– an elite group that Wade might be becoming a member of this yr. But when we examine one to the opposite, it’s time to place this one to mattress.
