Has Pierce really changed all that much?

[BballTim]

Pierce has changed.   He always had the talent.  But in the past few seasons, he has grown greatly in terms of leadership and maturity.   That made him a better player. 

I agree, but generally I believe that, forr example, he always had some good defensive awareness, he has just been lacking of motivation for some years!!another example, the assists! I don't think he has been so selfish for the last few years(before this season), he would have more assists if he had some better teammates! This season's stats prove that!!

Anyway, I think it's a matter of circumstances, Paul was an elite player,always...

  I think that the "lack of motivation" is way off. For one thing, it's tough to play great defense when you have to carry your team offensively for most of the game. For another thing, even if you are playing good defense it's harder to spot when you're playing with so many weak defenders. Paul was surely frustrated but he did what he could to get the team wins.

[TruthSerum]

That potential 4-point play -- when Pierce was hit and made the bucket anyway -- I think was the defining moment in the last Detroit game. It was a potential disaster but Pierce's non-reaction to the unfair call gave a huge lift to his team.

[TitleMaster]

I agree with the OP, Paul Pierce didn't really change.

Realize, Shaq gave him his moniker back in 2001. Yes, Shaq saw the truth!

In essence, it's like dumping a John Havlicek, but instead of on the Cousy-Russell Celts, the LA Clippers. He would never have had the "steal heard around the world" or any of those famous mid-70s duels with the Knicks, Bucks, and Bullets. This is why Hondo became a hero so early in his career; the same goes for Bird, since Red had to wait a bit for his arrival during the late 70s drought with the first Gaston, I mean Brown, as the owner.

If you look at a younger Pierce, and put him in the exact spot as Bird, circa 1979, with Fitch as a coach, Maxwell, Robey, Tiny, Henderson, and retiring Cowens as peers, we would have gone just as far in the playoffs before the arrival of Parish and McHale.

[TheReaLPuba]

Paul's talent hasn't changed.

His maturity and leadership has improved immensely though.

Before he didn't know how to lead vocally and now he does....it doesn't matter if its with young guys, vets, or stars he's shown he can voice out his own reasonings and also be open to positive criticism.

PP's perception of being selfish was greatly overblown via the World Games in 2002.

He's always been a guy who passes the ball, scores, and rebounds.

But he's been on a lot of bad teams so no average basketball fan really took the time to really find out what he truly was about.....they just thought he was a great scorer on a terrible team.