Something Is Off With Paul Pierce?

[Bastone]

It appears to me that Paul Pierce has been off for approximately two weeks before the all-star break and it continued last night.

I don't like spreading rumours, but there has to be something to this.  Previous to this, Paul was playing great and was the Pierce of old. Then something happened and overnight he lost his game! 

I bet he has heard from his agent that the Celtics are talking trade for Pierce with other teams. This reminds me of Ray Allen of two years ago when he believed he was going to get traded and didn't play well for that period of time as well.

[Inside-Out]

He played like crap to start the season.

He played like an allstar while Rondo was out.

He made the allstar team.

Rondo came back.

His play immediately declined.

Go figure.

[PosImpos]

He came into the season out of shape and is probably still dealing with that.

He's also old.  If anything, that's what's off with him.

[apc]

He is depreciating his value so he doesn’t get traded.
Once we pass the trades deadline, he will pick up his game.
 

[Donoghus]

Age and I wonder if he holds back at some points.  Conservation of energy for down the stretch.

I think the age is a definite, the conversation idea is pure specualation on my part.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

It appears to me that Paul Pierce has been off for approximately two weeks before the all-star break and it continued last night.

I don't like spreading rumours, but there has to be something to this.  Previous to this, Paul was playing great and was the Pierce of old. Then something happened and overnight he lost his game! 

I bet he has heard from his agent that the Celtics are talking trade for Pierce with other teams. This reminds me of Ray Allen of two years ago when he believed he was going to get traded and didn't play well for that period of time as well.

That was the first thing I thought of -- that he's heard the talk (not just trade chatter among the media, but something legit, from Celtics brass or his agent) and it's affecting his play. Another thread on here addresses the Wojnarowski video in which he says Pierce is the most likely to be traded, and some CBers are downplaying that as mere media hype, but I consider Woj to be the most authoritative, in-the-know NBA writer, so if he says it, I tend to believe it.

Now, whether a move will be made is another story, but I've no doubt that Pierce is coming up in a lot of trade talk between Danny and other GMs. A lot of that (perhaps all of it?) could simply be coming from "the other side," and Danny is simply doing his job in fielding whatever calls he gets, but Danny has always said he wouldn't repeat Red's "mistake," so it wouldn't surprise me to see him ship out Pierce, though I would hate to see that. But hey, I'm just a fan, and I have no say, so whatever they do, I've gotta just roll with it, right?

[2short]

pure cold business wise PP would be traded
danny is that way see mormons and % of pay back to church 

maybe this is a bigger picture you've hit on, kg takes 2 days off to be with family, rondo's play, ray's play etc
maybe danny has already talked to people behind closed doors about what might be coming down

[jbaerg]

He's old.

[rutzan]

i put this in another thread...something is going on in the locker room between pierce and rondo over whose team this is...when one plays good then the other pouts...it is a definite trend...

[Celtics4ever]

He was tired from all star weekend?

[coco]

He's old.

Ditto.

At times, I think Pietrus is giving us more. 

[greenpride32]

Pierce's numbers have been down since Rondo returned from injury.  He's obviously getting less touches and involvment in the offense with Rondo back, as he was carrying the ball up often in Rondo's absence.  I think it's been tough for him to get in the flow of the offense at times.

Pierce did put up 20 and 23 points in the 2 games Rondo missed due to suspension.

[apc]

He was tired from all star weekend?

His All-star performance was embarrassing.
A game with no defense, and he still couldn’t get his shot to fall.

[Employee8]

Let's crunch some numbers shall we?

2008-2009: 20.5 PPG, .457 FG, .391 3PT, 5.6 RPG, 3.6 APG
2009-2010: 18.3 PPG, .472 FG, .414 3PT, 4.4 RPG, 3.1 APG
2010-2011: 18.9 PPG, .497 FG, .374 3PT, 5.4 RPG, 3.3 APG
2011-2012 (so far): 17.4 PPG, .415 FG, .362 3PT, 4.9 RPG, 5.4 APG

Yeah, numbers are down across the board but is the question is, is this an aberration or is he just not well adjusted for the shorter season?  Is he injured but not telling anyone about it?  The FG percentage is a drastic drop so this is an indicator he's got stuff going on that we don't necessarily know about.

[timpiker]

I agree, something's up.  Last night I just yelled at PP 10 times for sucking and dogging it.  His game went south when Rondo came back.  Something's going on and I have seen PP play this year and looked like the PP of old so its not age.  And the way this team protects its players even when they have a hangnail, its not an injury.  It may be Rondo, not sure.  They both sucked last night.

Maybe its the potential trade - and you know what?  Trade him.  Trade them all.  I want championships and this team just plain sucks.  There's a few bright spots but not very many.  Too many players just play like zombies...no passion, no hustle, no rebounding, no boxing out, no passing....too many guys have 1 good game, then take 3 games off.

Normally, you'd blame the coach.  Its not age.  If it was age, then we'd just be sucking on back to backs.  But these guys suck after a 5 day layoff.

I want championships or at least something to build upon, team that shows improvement, hustles, plays a little better game after game, etc.  These guys are definitely underachieving this year and as a fan, looking at them, they look and act like they don't care.