Has anyone seen the Paul Pierce i know?

[Tr1boy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tw828FvNijY <-- i miss this guy

What the heck happen to this guy?? He is only like 32 and injured?

The reason he has been getting injured is that he is out of shape. Look at the video when he first came into the league and how fit he was. Imagine if he was in that shape right now? At one point in his career he was the most underrated best sf in the league.

Now he is old, injured and slow. Dont want to be mean but his arms right now is as big as his legs when he was younger. I don't want to hear excuses that he is just growing this way because ray allen is older and in better shape. He just is not trying to be the best player in the league and thinks playing smart and picking his spots is a better way to play.

He is the reason that we have been losing when having the league because he is running out of gas. And i hate seeing his annoyed looking face at the angry game when we lose like it is not his fault.

Doc can't be serious and starting this guy right now. He should be coming off the bench and getting hungry to want to start. He doesn't deserve his salary right now and if he expects something near that after next season he should be waived.

I would personally bring him from the bench until he can get into better shape (not play him in the clutch period of the 4th) and if he can't come through to earn his starting spot, trade him

anyone else who is not pro pierce get me?

[Andy Jick]

when you're 32 injuries are a part of life...  you'd be wise to get the idea out of your mind that he will ever be the same old paul pierce.  it's sad, but we watch our guys grow old...  we are now in that time for pierce.

also, remember that these guys are coming into the league as younger players.  it's not like 20 years ago when they could only enter the nba after their jr. year of college, in their early 20's.  these guys are coming into the nba at 19...the wear and tear on their body is little different.  it's the difference between playing 100 nba games (preseason, season, and deep into the playoffs) as opposed to college where it's 40 games.

these guys will start to crash and burn in their early 30's because of the mileage they've logged for many years.  that's not a blanket statement for everyone, but we're seeing that with guys like KG and Amare...

[Thruthelookingglass]

Here's my theory (besides the fact that Pierce is hurt):

As I posted on the main page, Paul is being called differently this year.  I know Pierce always initiated a lot of the contact, but correct or not, the refs are simply not letting Pierce get to the line like they used to do.

And I think Pierce is honestly dismayed he’s not getting the foul calls he used to get on his iso’s.  And also I think that this has really affected his motivation, not just his ability to manufacture foul shots. Now people are playing him differently too, more aggressive since by now they know Pierce isn't as likely to get the call. 

He's a pretty chippy guy already; think revoking his "star player pass" doesn't have him frustrated? 

I'd love to have someone who can find and process game statistics take a whack at try to verify or disprove this for me. 

[celticinorlando]

PP's knee isnt right. i do believe it was more than just an infection

[PosImpos]

You're wondering what happened to the Paul Pierce that was throwing down reverse dunks on 2 defenders?

Um...he turned 30.

[twinbree]

He's injured. Before the knee infection for the first part of the season he was playing excellent basketball and was in better shape than he's been the past couple of seasons.

Knowing our training staff I won't be surprised if he's injuries were either misdiagnosed or not fully healed before he got back on the court or both.

[xmuscularghandix]

Get off his back, your the one that keeps screwing up his knee/ankle. 

[makaveli]

He's defense is bothering me, he used to stop guys like Lebron, Carter, Kobe, but now he has trouble guarding anyone.
I hope he's saving for playoffs

[ToppersBsktball10]

these guys will start to crash and burn in their early 30's because of the mileage they've logged for many years.  that's not a blanket statement for everyone, but we're seeing that with guys like KG and Amare...

That's true for KG but Amare? Amare's only 27, he's only played an average of about 34 minutes per game and basically missed a whole season and two half seasons. Amare's just being a wimp and only shooting jumpers, he was never a good rebounder except for that one year after his injury, just got it with his athleticism throughout his career.

[Andy Jick]

these guys will start to crash and burn in their early 30's because of the mileage they've logged for many years.  that's not a blanket statement for everyone, but we're seeing that with guys like KG and Amare...

That's true for KG but Amare? Amare's only 27, he's only played an average of about 34 minutes per game and basically missed a whole season and two half seasons. Amare's just being a wimp and only shooting jumpers, he was never a good rebounder except for that one year after his injury, just got it with his athleticism throughout his career.

microfracture surgery...  and at the age of 27 he's already in his 8th pro season, not old by any stretch, but he will never be the same player following that injury.

[ToppersBsktball10]

these guys will start to crash and burn in their early 30's because of the mileage they've logged for many years.  that's not a blanket statement for everyone, but we're seeing that with guys like KG and Amare...

That's true for KG but Amare? Amare's only 27, he's only played an average of about 34 minutes per game and basically missed a whole season and two half seasons. Amare's just being a wimp and only shooting jumpers, he was never a good rebounder except for that one year after his injury, just got it with his athleticism throughout his career.

microfracture surgery...  and at the age of 27 he's already in his 8th pro season, not old by any stretch, but he will never be the same player following that injury.

He was for one year. And he could be, just isn't aggressive enough.

[Jon]

Let's remember two things:

1) Injuries can happen at any age: see Greg Oden, Amare Stoudemire, and Antonio McDyess. 

2) One can recover from injuries, even at 32.  I feel like some people on this board are like orthopedists talking about 80-year-olds who got hip replacements.  Yes, the Big Three are older, yes they're more injury-prone, and yes, it may take a little more time to recover from injuries; however, in your early 30s, one can still recover and improve. 

[Andy Jick]

Does Paul Pierce lug that wheelchair around with him on road trips now?   

[Witch-King]

Does Paul Pierce lug that wheelchair around with him on road trips now?   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmVSMHWF5W0

^It's not entirely Paul Pierce's fault that the Celtics played in three 7 game series before facing the Lakers in the Finals, literally the toughest road that any team has had to win a Championship (especially considering that they are THE Boston Celtics, so everyone is 'gunning' for them). I'm sure he felt like an old man at certain points of the 2008 playoff run, especially in the finals against a Laker squad that had already won 3 NBA rings/had 4 finals appearances last decade.

Not only that, the Celtics bailed out the NBA as far as ratings were concerned considering the 2008 Playoffs and the NBA finals (Celtics-Lakers) were the highest rated NBA games since the 1998 Finals. Even the Chicago Bulls series is still considered amongst many to be the most memorable series from last season's playoffs, not to compare the Boston Celtics to the Catholic church but it's almost like we are performing a full Mass by the time we get to the playoffs 

I don't know about you, but I've always felt that the best part of a long church sermon (by the way, I'm not Catholic, lol) is when it ends and I get to go home - not saying that I don't enjoy watching the extremely long Celtics playoff romps, however, it might be better for the longevity of our guys to take care of playoff series('s) as soon as possible (aka less game 7's). Just a thought. 

http://www.francetravelguide.com/cathdedrals-of-france.html

^lols @ Gothic Architecture...

[Tr1boy]

Paul Pierce on the court really makes me nervous. He can't defend and now it seems he can't score. All of a sudden he has become a three point specialist?

His penetration skills and crafty way to score the ball is RIP

If he is not 100 percent why rush him back to the lineup is beyond me. Same for KG who is limping on the court.

They either need rest or have aquired a permanent injury (hopefully not).