Paul Pierce is gettin old

[Humble G]

I love Paul Pierce and I know he is a great player, but honestly, I hate when he tries to win by himself. I wasn't able to watch the Spurs game last night, but I imagine that paul pierce got the ball with 7.9 seconds to go, dribbled, got doubled teamed and then forced a fade away jumper that hit rim but that was all. I have seen it too many times! The truth might be 40% on shots like that to win the game(just a guess) but I feel like he has lost a step when it comes to getting a shot like that to go in at the buzzer. I feel as if we would be better to give the ball to rondo and let him get someone open or drive the lane and get fouled. I know he is a bad foul shooter but i'd rather take my chances that way. I know the truth has hit a few of those gamewinners(even this year) but nonetheless I feel as if we could be more effective and hit the wide open guy. OR maybe let avery have the last shot, he broke lebrons ankle at least once against the heat and he is fast! so why not?

Am I crazy?

[TheReaLPuba]

I love Paul Pierce and I know he is a great player, but honestly, I hate when he tries to win by himself. I wasn't able to watch the Spurs game last night, but I imagine that paul pierce got the ball with 7.9 seconds to go, dribbled, got doubled teamed and then forced a fade away jumper that hit rim but that was all. I have seen it too many times! The truth might be 40% on shots like that to win the game(just a guess) but I feel like he has lost a step when it comes to getting a shot like that to go in at the buzzer. I feel as if we would be better to give the ball to rondo and let him get someone open or drive the lane and get fouled. I know he is a bad foul shooter but i'd rather take my chances that way. I know the truth has hit a few of those gamewinners(even this year) but nonetheless I feel as if we could be more effective and hit the wide open guy. OR maybe let avery have the last shot, he broke lebrons ankle at least once against the heat and he is fast! so why not?

Am I crazy?

Rondo's poor FT shooting prevents him from being a top go-to guy in the clutch.

Pierce wasn't double teamed and he got as good a look as you can get. He probably faded too much because Duncan was on him and maybe he rushed the shot a little on his follow through.

The Spurs had a foul to waste and apparently decided not to use it which may have surprised the C's to an extent.

Everyone wants Pierce to drive instead of miss a jumper but in the game last night Pierce drove on several occasions down the stretch getting hacked and ultimately stripped without any calls and no ref is going to make a foul call at the end of games unless it's blatantly obvious.

Obviously Pierce is getting older but he wasn't the reason we lost last night. Our offense was so weird. We missed dunks, layups, and free throws.

3 different guys missed both foul shots...BOTH of them...that's 6 points gifted away.

I do think the C's can take comfort in that they didn't play well and still had a shot to win the game against one of the best teams and the hottest team in the league right now in the Spurs.

[Humble G]

ok, thanks! I was unable to watch the game but knew we didn't play our best as we lost by 1 lol And myabe I jumped to conculsions when i read paul pierce took the last shot, but I feel as if everytime we get in that situation, its the same thing...give ball to the truth, close your eyes, ignore everybody else and PRAY!.....Paul pierce CAN hit those shots, just gotta be a more effective strategy

[scaryjerry]

The Paul isolation play isnt always thrilling, but he is the guy you should go to in that situation over rondo...Most teams(all) would prefer rondo at the ft line then the ball in pierces hands with a chance to win it..
Give it to KG on the post, paul drive the lane and get fouled...literally everything under the sun before give it to rondo and hope he gets fouled..sorry

[LB3533]

Had KG's jumper been falling in the game, Paul would have passed the rock to KG, who would have shot over Stephen Jackson like he wasn't even there.....swish.....at the buzzer.

[Fred Roberts]

I wish PP was 40% on last second types of situations. I would guess the percentage is closer to 15%.

[cman88]

Ya pierce is washed up...he's only leadung our team in ppg with 19ppg with 5rpg and 5apg

[pearljammer10]

You're getting old to. So am I. I dont see where that comes into play here...

I dont get the criticism for pierce in this situation. He is one of the most clutch players in the NBA over the last 10 years. He had Duncan on his heels and was near his sweet spot by the free throw line. Id let him take that shot ten times out of ten rather than see him throw away a panic pass to someone else as time expires.

[Weird Facts]

I'll level with you - was I thrilled to see Pierce go ISO
for the win last night?  NO!!!!

But did they try to draw up a play previously that the SPURS sniffed out & RONDO had to take a timeout? YES!

Let's dig a little deeper, think back to the past few years when Pierce has not been called on to take the game winner.

Ray took it - & made it quite often.  BUT.....  When Ray didn't take it, I can recall about 10 - 20 game winning "SHOT" attempts that we're not even shots.

In fact we never took a shot, just lost the ball or threw it away.


You are not going to get a great execution play in the last 10 seconds of a game in the NBA.  It rarely happens.  We should just be thankful that we have  a guy like Paul Pierce that can hit that shot on occasion by HIMSELF!


Put it into perspective - Kobe & MJ made less than 40% of their gamewinning shot attempts. 


Not saying Pierce is MJ or KOBE for you smart guys who will point that out.  What I am saying is, the player who can create his own offense will take the last shot 80% of the time.


Please don't call Rondo driving to the basket creating his own offense.  The odds of getting a lay-up in the last 5 seconds of a game are slim to none.

[Marcus13]

Yeah, he's probably the worst go-to ISO Player in the league at this point. 

We don't have a single player on the roster who can create his own shot in that situation though, it's just one of our many weaknesses

[Celts Fan 92]

Ya pierce is washed up...he's only leadung our team in ppg with 19ppg with 5rpg and 5apg

this site gets downright ridiculous after a loss man he JUST got player of the month for march while playin his best ball of the season but he's old nd washed up cuz he had an off game nd missed a game winner lol crazy

[Kane3387]

Move the ball around. I didn't like the hero ball. Never have and never will. I like Pic and Roll/Pop. Pierce had an opportunity to hit KG after the screen before Jackson recovered and didn't. I think he should have.

As for him being old. He is. 34 is old in the NBA. But he is still productive. Age is just a number and production is all that matters. Look at Dirk, Kobe, Kg, and Nash. Pierce is in that category as an older player but still very productive.

He was player of the month. I think Pierce is fine, but I didn't think the final play call last night was. Also in seeing Doc's comments it seemed like it wasn't executed properly.

[Celtics4ever]

Everyone and their brother knows that play.

[TheReaLPuba]

Everyone and their brother knows that play.

Still a pretty good look.

Pierce hits that shot regularly...this is just one of those times he missed.

KG's jumper was off all game long I don't see him hitting a contested shot further out than Pierce's shot.

I'm more upset we missed free throws all game long and didn't get a chance to extend our lead once we got it.

Then we give up an offensive board and a big 3 by Neal which was HUGE.

[ManUp]

I chose Let Paul Pierce double-team and force a fade away. Next time you make a poll try to make it look less bias against a certain player. What your poll should really say is Rondo Iso, Pierce Iso, and AB Iso. Personally I pick the Pierce, our best triple threat player, Iso every time. Other than running an actual play it's the best option.