Now will Paul Pierce finally be recognized as an Elite player by national media?

[Redz]

A classic performance by PP when his team needed him the most.  Hall of Fame type, Game 7 performance really. But he's not going to be considered an elite player until he does this night in and night out on a winning team.  I'm not saying he needs to throw in 40 a night, but he needs to be the MAN, like he was for so many years on bad teams, on a team that goes to the Finals or wins it all.  He certainly moved up a few pegs today in my book.

[Kiwicelt]

All week we've been hearing about how the Celtics had no big time scorer who could take over a game.  Pierce just showed up and shoved it down the throats of the media.   Epic epic game.   Amazing.

I'm really glad for him and the Celtics. I just hope that this will reappear in the games ahead verses the Pistons when the Celts need someone to "just take over"!   

[RebusRankin]

There was an article on ESPN talking about how this game would define the Big 3 and the rest of their careers. Pierce clearly answered the call today. All time great performance.

[GroverTheClover]

Well... Pierce had his hands tied trying to defend LeBron all series.  Really though... guys like Bron and Kobe do it consistently game by game.  I'm pretty sure the night Pierce had a career high... Bron had 50+ and outscored him.  Again tonight was probably the greatest game of Paul's career... and Bron outscored him.   

But it was definitely a remarkable performance and one that should go down in history.  All week we've been hearing about how the Celtics had no big time scorer who could take over a game.  Pierce just showed up and shoved it down the throats of the media.   Epic epic game.   Amazing.

That was the game Pierce went for 50, LeBron had 48 and a triple double in a OT Celtics loss.

[LarBrd33]

Well... Pierce had his hands tied trying to defend LeBron all series.  Really though... guys like Bron and Kobe do it consistently game by game.  I'm pretty sure the night Pierce had a career high... Bron had 50+ and outscored him.  Again tonight was probably the greatest game of Paul's career... and Bron outscored him.   

But it was definitely a remarkable performance and one that should go down in history.  All week we've been hearing about how the Celtics had no big time scorer who could take over a game.  Pierce just showed up and shoved it down the throats of the media.   Epic epic game.   Amazing.

That was the game Pierce went for 50, LeBron had 48 and a triple double in a OT Celtics loss.

Oh right.  That's what it was.  Pierce went off for 50, but Bron has a typical night...43 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists, 4 blocks, 2 steals and a victory.   Bron is consistently amazing.

[saibnel]

Well... Pierce had his hands tied trying to defend LeBron all series.  Really though... guys like Bron and Kobe do it consistently game by game.  I'm pretty sure the night Pierce had a career high... Bron had 50+ and outscored him.  Again tonight was probably the greatest game of Paul's career... and Bron outscored him.   

But it was definitely a remarkable performance and one that should go down in history.  All week we've been hearing about how the Celtics had no big time scorer who could take over a game.  Pierce just showed up and shoved it down the throats of the media.   Epic epic game.   Amazing.

 
That was the game Pierce went for 50, LeBron had 48 and a triple double in a OT Celtics loss.

Oh right.  That's what it was.  Pierce went off for 50, but Bron has a typical night...43 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists, 4 blocks, 2 steals and a victory.   Bron is consistently amazing.

First off let me say i think Lebron is better then PP but everyone throws out clunkers lebron threw out two to start this series. And PP has played huge in playoff games before. If AI showed up in 2001 deciding game PP would probably have had 50 but his 28 in the first half was enough to put philly to bed - or the game where he tooled artest for 25 points in the third quarter to take a team from down 10 to up 10 - or the game he Edited.  Profanity and masked profanity are against forum rules and may result in discipline. slapped artest for 30+ going 21 for 21 from the line (playoff record).... Lebron has the ball in his hands 100% of the time of course his statistics will be consistently impressive, PP is/has been the most efficient wing scorer in the league for 5 seasons now. If he shot 22 times a game he would be at or around 30pp and if he controled the ball like lebron he would be at 7 assists instead of 4 or 5.

It is all perception, Lebron is better, Kobe is better - Tmac is not, Arenas is not

pp has been a top 10/12 player for going on 7 years now. He is legit, this game was not a surprise

[Cooldude5t5]

I think the players think of him as an elite player. I'm pretty sure Artest and LeBron have both said pierce is the toughest SF to play against. Throw in Shaq giving him his nickname and you have all the recognition you need. The players know he is elite, I guess he just does not have the right agent to market him correctly.

[kenrti]

I think among the active SFs today the top 5 would be:
1. Lebron
2. Pierce
3. Melo
4. McGrady
5. Caron Butler/Josh Smith

Feel free to disagree, but no way anyone apart from Lebron is better than Pierce....have to disagree with the all nba team vote on this one....

[KJ33]

The unfortunate answer is, NO. 

When I got home from the game, the first thing I read about was LeBron's "onslaught" and "though he outdid Pierce, the C's got the win".  That might make for a simple story line, but it just isn't true.  Presumably, the measurement of 45 to 41 in points is what was used to declare LeBron outplayed PP, but Paul had by far the superior game.  He shot better (13-23 vs. 14-29) much better from 3 (4-6 vs 3-11) went to the line 7 fewer times, but shot much better (11-12 vs. 14-19).  Their rebound and assist #s were basically a wash, PP outhustled LeBron on the jump that Z tipped towards LeBron but Pierce jumped in and stole then called time out.

Not to mention that PP's team won, the ultimate measure of who had the better game.  So no, PP won't be mentioned as the story, the quietest 45 points I have ever seen in my life will lead the headlines.  Comparing it to Bird-Wilkins '88 is ludicrous, they didn't trade trips to the line like LBJ's absurd 19 attempts in this game.  It's OK though, let the fraud King get his glory, we have the next round to worry about.

[BrickJames]

I think among the active SFs today the top 5 would be:
1. Lebron
2. Pierce
3. Melo
4. McGrady
5. Caron Butler/Josh Smith

Feel free to disagree, but no way anyone apart from Lebron is better than Pierce....have to disagree with the all nba team vote on this one....

Pierce should receive more media recognition, but for it to carry into the long term, he *has* to secure his legacy with a ring, especially on this franchise.  It's as simple as that.

As far as ranking SF goes, does Ginobili count?  He's a great player.  I agree with this assessment though kentri, even the order you put the top 5 in.

[kenrti]

Pierce should receive more media recognition, but for it to carry into the long term, he *has* to secure his legacy with a ring, especially on this franchise.  It's as simple as that.

Pierce has actually been an elite SF since around 2000....so "long term" is really not an issue.....I think without a ring his status will be somewhere along the line of Bernard King and Adrian Dantley, fringe HOFers who might or might not get in.....
If he does get a ring, then he'll be a HOF for sure....

[FatMatt]

Paul has long been underated in the national media leading to his piece with McMullen last year. He has been seen as a good player on a bad team as opposed to the great player that he actually is. I have long thought of him as a top 10 player and could not be happier to se him validate this with his performance tonight. This whole season has ben  about individual sacrifice and to be honest I missed the give it to Paul and then go from there offense a little bit. I have longed for this game, where he just takes over and makes you feel foolish that you wanted to trade him for cap relief and draft picks ( you know who you are). Great game, Paul, about time you got yours.

[BASSTHUMPER]

when u think of the celtic's you think of paul pierce....i think thats enough...i've bragged about paul's game to other fools and they would say..."he is a poor man's kobe"....junk like that..as long we know what he brings to this team what the rest think dont matter..paul is on a mission and he proved that today..

[Bahku]

Paul is easily the most under-rated player in the NBA, and has been for years. I doubt he'll ever get the recognition he deserves, unless he's instrumental in getting one or more rings.

He's my favorite player ... period, but realistically he doesn't stand much of a chance of being as appreciated as some of the other Superstars are. Look at KG ... he hasn't even been here a year, and he's already the most popular Celtic, even though he says time-after-time that Paul is the better of the two.

LeBron has said more than once that, besides Kobe, Pierce has always been one of his favorite players. Shaq has said the same thing many times, and was responsible for naming him the Truth. He is, among other players and coaches, very highly respected, but for whatever reasons, hasn't been embraced by the public as much as some, or as much as he deserves.

I would love to see him take these playoffs over and be responsible for the Championship ... maybe then he'd get at least a portion of the props he deserves.

[BASSTHUMPER]

ainge knows what pauls has inside of him..that's why we gave up so much for kev and ray...it was to keep paul happy and of course for ainge to be apart of hangin another banner..ainge as mucho to gain when this team get a ring..he balled here won rings and then win a nba title as mg...he will never beat bird overall but it will bring him a lil bit closer..