Will the real Paul Pierce please stand up?

[Change]

Would not say he cost us game6, but c'mon man get it together. I don't want to hear excuses. Ray is doing all this chasing & running and still scoring 51 points. Ray is also two years older. It seems that Paul Pierce can't do anything right. He can't shoot, can't pass, and now can't catch a 7 footer.

To all Pierce lovers (including myself), pierce had only 1 1/2 games that he played on his level. Just keep wondering when will he get it together. He's making Sal-Man look like an All-star. I'm sure finals MVP can do a better job. Never take an NBA player too lightly the second you do they will burn you. Some of this blame also goes to Doc, who till this day doesn't know Ray is on our roster. Pierce is having an awful series give the ball to Ray.


Will the real Paul Pierce show up for Game7?

[ACF]

Paul was made for Game 7's.
So chill, because he will.
And that's The Truth, Ruth!

[Roy Hobbs]

The only part of Pierce's game that I really don't like is his tendency to go into "hero mode", where he decides that he's going to win or lose the game himself, regardless of his teammates.  Unfortunately, we've seen this several times this series.

It's something that really hasn't been much of a problem over the last couple seasons; Pierce *generally* makes good decisions.  However, he occasionally has that instinct to put his stamp on a game, when logically it makes more sense to defer to teammates.

Also, of course, nobody complains when Pierce is playing hero and the ball goes in, which it does a high percentage of the time.  It's just tough seeing Ray not getting an opportunity when he's having such an amazing night, and it's even tougher seeing some of the stupid turnovers that come from over-dribbling.

[Kwhit10]

He needs to stop doing his ISO on the sides of the court.  He should only go the 1-on-1 when he is at the foul line, he is great in that area, everywhere else he tries to force it.

[Thruthelookingglass]

He needs to stop doing his ISO on the sides of the court.  He should only go the 1-on-1 when he is at the foul line, he is great in that area, everywhere else he tries to force it.

If we had another money play or two that we used regularly in those situations, Paul would be even more successful.  As it is, team's don't really have to guess what it coming.

[CoachBo]

What I'm getting tired of is all the posts complaining about Pierce's performance.

I'm not sure how many times people have to be reminded that we haven't had a competent 3 behind him off the bench ALL SEASON. We'e asking him to play minutes at such a level in this series that it's simply inevitable that his performance will fall off. Criminally high minutes.

Roy's right, however. It's inexcusable to have the ball out of Ray Allen's hands last night down the several stretches of the game. Absolutely inexcusable. The execution last night isn't something I'm worried about. It's the mental mistakes - including a couple of by Pierce - that concern me, but they're inevitable when you're playing 5 on a full ballclub.

We don't have a bench. Nothing. What have we played now? Seven OTs in this series? If you can't see the correleation with uneven play on the floor, I don't know what to tell you.

[celticinorlando]

paul is counting on his step back jumper way too much. i think he is hurt and can't get to the bucket

[Bankshot]

What I'm getting tired of is all the posts complaining about Pierce's performance.

I'm not sure how many times people have to be reminded that we haven't had a competent 3 behind him off the bench ALL SEASON. We'e asking him to play minutes at such a level in this series that it's simply inevitable that his performance will fall off. Criminally high minutes.

Roy's right, however. It's inexcusable to have the ball out of Ray Allen's hands last night down the several stretches of the game. Absolutely inexcusable. The execution last night isn't something I'm worried about. It's the mental mistakes - including a couple of by Pierce - that concern me, but they're inevitable when you're playing 5 on a full ballclub.

We don't have a bench. Nothing. What have we played now? Seven OTs in this series? If you can't see the correleation with uneven play on the floor, I don't know what to tell you.

Agreed.  I'm also sick of the trade Ray Allen threads.  Anyone who starts a negative thread about Pierce or Allen after all they've done for this team should be banned.  Oh, and my boy, Big Baby too.

[TruthSerum]

Newsflash: Paul Pierce is doing his best. If you don't recognize him he probably doesn't recognize himself. His genius is his ability to navigate the trackless rollercoaster ride of his crazy life while playing NBA ball. Anything can happen. Relax, watch a funny movie, tune in tomorrow, have faith in the Truth.

[Jaycelt]

What I'm getting tired of is all the posts complaining about Pierce's performance.

I'm not sure how many times people have to be reminded that we haven't had a competent 3 behind him off the bench ALL SEASON. We'e asking him to play minutes at such a level in this series that it's simply inevitable that his performance will fall off. Criminally high minutes.

.......

We don't have a bench. Nothing. What have we played now? Seven OTs in this series? If you can't see the correleation with uneven play on the floor, I don't know what to tell you.

Not only that but he is also having to play big minutes at the 4.  For the OP that said Ray is having to run through screens...HELLO, they are setting screen after screen for Salmons too.  Not only does Pierce have to run through the screens, he has to box out bigger, stronger opponents which wears you down just as bad.

Also, Pierce's defense has been very good.  I really don't see anything to complain about there. He's made some big defensive plays down the stretches of the last few games, they just haven't worked out. Even Doc said that Paul was doing the right things by helping out but that the other players rotations were either slow on none existent.

Finally, we aren't losing games because of our offense.  PP has made play after play, but how many plays are you going to ask a guy to make because you can't keep the other team from scoring?

How many times are we going to let Brad Miller have a wide open lane to the basket?

[Hoyo de Monterrey]

What I'm getting tired of is all the posts complaining about Pierce's performance.

I'm not sure how many times people have to be reminded that we haven't had a competent 3 behind him off the bench ALL SEASON. We'e asking him to play minutes at such a level in this series that it's simply inevitable that his performance will fall off. Criminally high minutes.

Roy's right, however. It's inexcusable to have the ball out of Ray Allen's hands last night down the several stretches of the game. Absolutely inexcusable. The execution last night isn't something I'm worried about. It's the mental mistakes - including a couple of by Pierce - that concern me, but they're inevitable when you're playing 5 on a full ballclub.

We don't have a bench. Nothing. What have we played now? Seven OTs in this series? If you can't see the correleation with uneven play on the floor, I don't know what to tell you.

Agreed.  I'm also sick of the trade Ray Allen threads.  Anyone who starts a negative thread about Pierce or Allen after all they've done for this team should be banned.  Oh, and my boy, Big Baby too.

haha fair point... Imagine justifying a trade Ray Allen thread after last night?? TP for you.

[guava_wrench]

Would not say he cost us game6, but c'mon man get it together. I don't want to hear excuses. Ray is doing all this chasing & running and still scoring 51 points. Ray is also two years older. It seems that Paul Pierce can't do anything right. He can't shoot, can't pass, and now can't catch a 7 footer.

To all Pierce lovers (including myself), pierce had only 1 1/2 games that he played on his level. Just keep wondering when will he get it together. He's making Sal-Man look like an All-star. I'm sure finals MVP can do a better job. Never take an NBA player too lightly the second you do they will burn you. Some of this blame also goes to Doc, who till this day doesn't know Ray is on our roster. Pierce is having an awful series give the ball to Ray.


Will the real Paul Pierce show up for Game7?

Pierce losing the ball on forced moves is nothing new. It has always been his downside. I can't count the number of times I've seen him lose the ball trying to split a double team. This is all part of the package. You have to accept the bad with the good.

Pierce is an overconfident, cocky player, but that is part of what makes him good.

[drza44]

To all Pierce lovers (including myself), pierce had only 1 1/2 games that he played on his level. Just keep wondering when will he get it together. He's making Sal-Man look like an All-star. I'm sure finals MVP can do a better job.

Will the real Paul Pierce show up for Game7?

Pierce is playing almost exactly the way he did last year in the playoffs.

In round 1 against ATL last year he had 1 - 2 good games and several average/below-average games.

In round 2 against Cle last year he had 1 all-world game, 1 good game, a couple of average/below-average games and 3 or 4 pretty bad outings.

In round 3 against Detroit he had 3 good games, 1 average game and 2 pretty bad games.

In the Finals against the Lakers he had 1 all-world game, 2 or 3 good ones, 1 or 2 average ones, and a pretty bad one.

People tend to remember Pierce's explosions and try to project that memory like it happened on a game-to-game basis last year...but it didn't.  Pierce's forte now is not to carry the team on a nightly basis in the post-season.  That's what KG was for last year, and what Rondo/Allen have been for this year.  Pierce is going to have his average/poor nights, but his strength is to have that one huge game every so often where he just dominates...and he has a knack for having those games at the best possible time.  The same thing is true within any given game...he's likely to have his down periods, but he'll generally have 1 or 2 key stretches where he's brilliant and those stretches will often coincide with crunchtime.

So to me, the real Pierce HAS stood up this postseason.  This is exactly who he is.  And if he continues with his general form, I'd expect Saturday to be one of those games where he tries to put up an All-World performance because this is the time where he generally shines.

[ToppersBsktball10]

paul is counting on his step back jumper way too much. i think he is hurt and can't get to the bucket

i think hes tired but they drill him every time he drives and they also double him

[guava_wrench]

paul is counting on his step back jumper way too much. i think he is hurt and can't get to the bucket

i think hes tired but they drill him every time he drives and they also double him

That's also the move he has been winning games with. That is his go to move. Take away that move, and we lose game 5.