Pierce will win NBA player of the Week.

[nickagneta]

For this week the Celtics, due to Pierce's efforts went 4-0 and these are his per game stats:

26.2 PPG
7.4 RPG
8.8 APG
1.5 SPG
33-70 FG 47.1%
30-36 FT 83.3%
9-21 3PT 42.8%

He will be the NBA Player of the Week and deservedly so.

With Pierce playing at this level, with the veterans all rounding into shape,(Pietrus, Wilcox, Pierce, KG, Bass) with the youngsters remaining healthy and contributing every night,(Bradley, Moore and Stiemsma) and the wounded coming back to contribute(Rondo, Allen, Dooling and O'Neal) and a rather easy schedule in front of them, is there any doubt that a 10 game winning streak and first place with the Atlantic is very much within their grasp over the next 2-3 weeks?

I know a lot of people are down on this team but with health they could win it all. Deng might be done for the year and Boozer is usually a turtle in the playoffs so so much for Chicago.

Wade has been hurting all year and that team is nowhere near as good if they don't have all three components fully healthy.

Philly will falter. They are young without superstars, expect a second half that brings them back to reality once these young players realize they have to continue to play 4 times a week for another three months.

Atlanta is without Horford and that will show soon.

Orlando sucks and Howard will be elsewhere by March 15th.

Indiana isn't that great and very inexperienced. In a playoff series, they mean nothing.

Boston will have the third seed and is really just an injury or bad series from Miami away from the Finals. IMHO.

[Junkyard Dawg]

i was thinking this.. he deserves it. this has been his best stretch of games in a long time, near triple doubles every night, i don't ever remember him putting those numbers up.

[j804]

I hope he's in the All Star game as well if he keeps producing like this deserves it

[GreenEnvy]

i was thinking this.. he deserves it. this has been his best stretch of games in a long time, near triple doubles every night, i don't ever remember him putting those numbers up.

I remember a stretch in '05-'06 when he was tearing it up. He went over 30 in a franchise-record 8 straight and passed Bird with an exclamation point, a triple-double.

This stretch reminds me of that one. He's doing everything out there - scoring from everywhere on the court, defending, rebounding, and o yeah, running the point.

Our Captain is officially back!

[nickagneta]

i was thinking this.. he deserves it. this has been his best stretch of games in a long time, near triple doubles every night, i don't ever remember him putting those numbers up.

I remember a stretch in '05-'06 when he was tearing it up. He went over 30 in a franchise-record 8 straight and passed Bird with an exclamation point, a triple-double.

This stretch reminds me of that one. He's doing everything out there - scoring from everywhere on the court, defending, rebounding, and o yeah, running the point.

Our Captain is officially back!

Was thatthe stretch of games that got him his nickname from Shaq. After dropping 30+for like the fifth straight game and doing it on the Lakers, didn't Shaq determine Pierce was "The Truth"? Or was that the 2001-02 season? Yeah maybe that was earlier in his career.

[ManUp]

I was actually thinking this as well as I looked at the numbers after tonight's game. Who's the competition?

[Bahku]

Great post, Nick, and I concur ... if he doesn't get it, I'm writing the league office.

Just need to add: I'm impressed with how KG is moving the last couple of games as well ... driving into the paint, elevating for his shot, posting up more than usual ... it feels like our guys are finally getting into shape and finding their groove, and I think they have more left in the tank than most people think.

[stylo617617]

where's the link that deng is done? i cudve swore he was going to tough it out i forgot where i read that but i did lol

[GreenEnvy]

i was thinking this.. he deserves it. this has been his best stretch of games in a long time, near triple doubles every night, i don't ever remember him putting those numbers up.

I remember a stretch in '05-'06 when he was tearing it up. He went over 30 in a franchise-record 8 straight and passed Bird with an exclamation point, a triple-double.

This stretch reminds me of that one. He's doing everything out there - scoring from everywhere on the court, defending, rebounding, and o yeah, running the point.

Our Captain is officially back!

Was thatthe stretch of games that got him his nickname from Shaq. After dropping 30+for like the fifth straight game and doing it on the Lakers, didn't Shaq determine Pierce was "The Truth"? Or was that the 2001-02 season? Yeah maybe that was earlier in his career.

Correct, Shaq gave him his nickname back in '01-'02 (can anyone believe that was a decade ago?).

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/p/piercpa01/gamelog/2006/

This stretch I remember vividly, and can only imagine the stretches KG and Ray put up in their primes. Although it is a shame they couldn't team up earlier, better late than never.

[GreenFaith1819]

I agree with Nick - as far as the opportunity that Boston is giving themselves with their play as of late.

And Paul? He is putting up 2001-02 like numbers, and would (IMO) certainly deserve Player of the Week consideration.

Great run by the C's, and he has been the engine of it all.

[kgiessler]

i was thinking this.. he deserves it. this has been his best stretch of games in a long time, near triple doubles every night, i don't ever remember him putting those numbers up.

I remember a stretch in '05-'06 when he was tearing it up. He went over 30 in a franchise-record 8 straight and passed Bird with an exclamation point, a triple-double.

This stretch reminds me of that one. He's doing everything out there - scoring from everywhere on the court, defending, rebounding, and o yeah, running the point.

Our Captain is officially back!

Was thatthe stretch of games that got him his nickname from Shaq. After dropping 30+for like the fifth straight game and doing it on the Lakers, didn't Shaq determine Pierce was "The Truth"? Or was that the 2001-02 season? Yeah maybe that was earlier in his career.

Correct, Shaq gave him his nickname back in '01-'02 (can anyone believe that was a decade ago?).

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/p/piercpa01/gamelog/2006/

This stretch I remember vividly, and can only imagine the stretches KG and Ray put up in their primes. Although it is a shame they couldn't team up earlier, better late than never.

Holy moly, if it wasn't for that one 20 point 'mishap' he would have had 14 consecutive games over 30 points.  I remember that streak but I didn't remember it as being that crazy.  That's crazy.

[Celtics18]

If Paul Pierce continues to up his trade value like this, the only fair returns for him will be Lebron James or Kevin Durant.

[Roy H.]

I think, as a whole, many fans didn't appreciate exactly what Pierce was doing prior to the "big three" era.  There's no doubt this has been an amazing, electric week for Pierce.  Well, back in 2006, he practically did this for a full season:  27 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 47% shooting, 1.4 steals.

It's just crazy to look back at some of Pierce's stats, and then his playoff numbers, and ask yourself "Were we underrating him?  Was he a top ten player all along?"  Because, as easy as it is to now misremember, nobody was calling Pierce a top ten player.  Instead, it was "great player on a bad team", despite some of his playoff heroics.

As Paul's career winds down, and the prospect of not seeing him in a Celtics uniform becomes more and more real, it makes me reflect on just how lucky we've been.  I vividly remember the 1998 draft, and praying for Pierce to fall to us.  When he did, I was cheering, and my buddy's father asked "Is he any good?", and me saying that he was going to for sure be the steal of the draft.  I had no idea just how lucky we were at the time, though. 

I will miss Paul when he's gone.  I hope that's not for a couple of more seasons, at least.

[nickagneta]

If Paul Pierce continues to up his trade value like this, the only fair returns for him will be Lebron James or Kevin Durant.

The best trade a team can make at times is to not make a trade at all.

Pierce's trade value will never be higher but it pales in comparison to his value to this team and their hopes at one last gallant shot at a ring.

[CelticsFanNC]

   I have to admit I thought we had seen the last of the dominant Paul Pierce a little over a week ago.  I thought he would have some amazing games and would on some nights resemble the Paul Pierce we have known for the past decade plus but I didn't believe he could bring that kind of game on consecutive nights let alone bring it over the length of a very busy week. 

  If he can maintain close to this level of play maybe we do have an outside shot of contending this season.  I don't expect him to put up the same kind of numbers once everyone is back healthy but maybe he can maintain this level of play over the long haul.  He has more left in the tank then I thought he did a week and a half ago.

  I am eating crow right now and you know what??  It tastes just fine.  I have my opinions and I am not afraid to voice them even if I know they wont be widely excepted but I also am more then willing to admit I am wrong.  I was clearly wrong about how much Paul Pierce had left in the tank.