Pierce is the Most Important Celtic

[Bankshot]

We blew through the league with Garnett out last year, but we can't beat the bottom feeders without Pierce?  I know we beat Orlando, but Orlando played a horrible, horrible game and probably underestimated the Celtics without Pierce.

I read I think in the Sunday Globe where Rondo says that Pierce is the one that calls all the plays and now Rondo has to do it. Not saying Rondo can't do it, but having your play caller and sometimes playmaker out, not to mention leading scorer, that's a pretty big hole in your offense.

[Fafnir]

We blew through the league with Garnett out last year, but we can't beat the bottom feeders without Pierce?

We didn't blow through the league last year without Garnett. We played like a 4th/5th seed in the Eastern Conference and had very little depth. Our margin of victory was only +2.0 or so without him. That's consistent with a team that will 40 or so games over a full season.

Our record may have been 15-7 but we were hanging on by our fingernails. That's why you saw us struggle mightily against the Bulls.

It definitely hurts to go without Pierce, but Garnett is still a better player.

[Celtics17]

Garnett may be a better player but Pierce is our MVP. the thing is, our defense is very good and it seems like Paul is the one player who can get his own shot when he wants it and in a close game that is what we miss the most. Everything else we can make up for.

[moiso]

If Garnett misses time, Pierce shoulders a bigger load and takes more responsiblity.  If Pierce misses time, the reverse is not true.  Garnett plays exactly the same.

[wiley]

Any way you construe it, this thread comes across as anti-Garnett...Garnett lacks this Garnett lacks that....

Just not into that kind of thing....and don't like those Boston media poles asking who's our most clutch player, who's our most valuable player, etc...

[moiso]

I agree.  We're not winning a title without Paul, KG, or Rondo.  They are all equally important in the scheme of things.

[EJPLAYA]

If Garnett misses time, Pierce shoulders a bigger load and takes more responsiblity.  If Pierce misses time, the reverse is not true.  Garnett plays exactly the same.

As he should. Garnett doesn't have the ball in his hands like Pierce. His shots are set up by others. We don't want KG deciding that he is going to break someone down off the dribble just to try and carry more load. He plays the way that he should and within his game. He always gives everything on defense. What do you expect from the guy?!

[BballTim]

Garnett may be a better player but Pierce is our MVP. the thing is, our defense is very good and it seems like Paul is the one player who can get his own shot when he wants it and in a close game that is what we miss the most. Everything else we can make up for.

  Put Pierce back in the lineup and take out Rondo and things are very unlikely to go well.

[Kiorrik]

Garnett may be a better player but Pierce is our MVP. the thing is, our defense is very good and it seems like Paul is the one player who can get his own shot when he wants it and in a close game that is what we miss the most. Everything else we can make up for.

  Put Pierce back in the lineup and take out Rondo and things are very unlikely to go well.

I would pay to see that. Just for a few games.

[moiso]

Yeah, I kind of think subtracting Rondo would kill us more than subtracting Pierce or Garnett.

[Donoghus]

Given our current depth at the PG position, I think the loss of Rondo would probably have a more devastating effect on this team.

That's not to detract from Pierce's importance.  He's certainly a vital cog that's needed (as is KG as witnessed last year).  I just think that Rondo skill set is so unique to this team that his subtraction would throw things in bigtime flux.

[Vermont Green]

I would definitely vote Pierce as our MVP and I don't think that saying it takes anything away from Garnett. Pierce by himself cannot win a championship, he needs Garnett.  Garnett is a very close second.  Same though for Kobe, Bird, Jordan, Russell or anyone else.  They all need teams.  Garnett is probably the closest second best player on a championship team ever.  Pierce is certainly not the best #1 player on a championship team ever but he is the best on this team.

And please, stop with the Rondo is the most important or more important than Pierce.  We would need a replacement if Rondo went down but he would be relatively easy to replace compared to Pierce or Garnett.

[housecall]

The team(Celtics)couldn't win it all without either player Garnett or Pierce.Both players are as important to their success as the other,only in different ways.  

[vinnie]

Given our current depth at the PG position, I think the loss of Rondo would probably have a more devastating effect on this team.

That's not to detract from Pierce's importance.  He's certainly a vital cog that's needed (as is KG as witnessed last year).  I just think that Rondo skill set is so unique to this team that his subtraction would throw things in bigtime flux.

Heh, heh. He said "depth at the pg position."  Heh, heh.

[LB3533]

You can win a title without a legit starting PG, as long as you have a superstar wing player or a superstar big man.