Paul Pierce = Top-Tier Player?

A couple of seasons ago, we could consider The Truth one of the best players in the game but could we still consider him one now? Since the 01-02 season, Pierce's statistics have all gone down but that's not what could make him a 2nd-tier player. He doesn't seem like he can take over a game anymore like he could in 01-02.

2001-2002 Statistics
26.1 PPG (44.2% FG, 40.4% 3P)
6.9 RPG (1.0 ORPG, 5.9 DRPG)
3.2 APG
1.88 SPG
1.05 BPG
2.94 TOPG

2002-2003 Statistics
25.9 PPG (41.6% FG, 30.2% 3P)
7.3 RPG (1.3 ORPG, 6.0 DRPG)
4.4 APG
1.76 SPG
0.78 BPG
3.65 TOPG

2003-2004 Statistics
23.0 PPG (40.2% FG, 29.9% 3P)
6.5 RPG (0.9 ORPG, 5.7 DRPG)
5.1 APG
1.64 SPG
0.65 BPG
3.79 TOPG

put his APG has gone up form 3,2 to 5,1 and thats a good thing

i don't really think it's declining.. if you can remember back from 2000, to 2002 antoine walker helped pierce share the offensive load too.. it was a pick your poison kinda thing, that's why a lot of nights pierce could erupt for a shitload of points.. last season tho, he was clearly the focal point of the offense so defensively, everyone tried to shut him down first.. his scoring average dipped 2-3 points, but thats not too bad.. like the person above me stated, his assists went up which is good.. he's still pretty effective imo, definately a top tier player.

Pierce is a good player.. not HOF status but he is pretty underrated imo- not many ppl mention him! I am interested about whether he has anything more to offer to Boston!

If I was building a team I'd take Pierce over McGrady.

2003-2004 is a bad example cause last year scoring was down around the board. Teams like the Celts were puting up 65 points a game. Thank God it looks like it's up this year. Teams are puting up 100 + in the pre-season.

With the help of GP, Pierce will re-establish himself as one of the top-tier players in the NBA. Last year, he had an immense amount of weight put on him compared to the year before where Antoine Walker carried half of it. With the help of Payton and Ricky Davis, Pierce's job will be much easier this year, resulting in a higher efficiency.

If I was building a team I'd take Pierce over McGrady.

I dont really know who i would pick
Both are very promising choices of course, its a brain teaser

i'd take pierce over mcgrady too

i like mcgrady as a player, but he's such a dick, i lost a lot of respect after some comments he made this summer. some reporter asked him the differences between orlando and houston and he replied back (something along these lines): "man, i'm learning so much here compared to orlando, like how to play proper defense"

yeah ok there slanty.

Boston and Orlando last year were much in the same situation. Both teams didn't have much talent at all. But did you hear Pierce bitch about how Ainge fucked up the team? Not really, instead he lead his team to the playoffs while Tmac lead his team to the worse record in the league.

Ya, Pierce can quietly put up 20 points through three quarters and then when you play him one on one he can beat a lot of guys. He has a nice fade too.

when you play him one on one he can beat a lot of guys.

He may be able to beat a few guys but he is in no way, a good one-on-one basketball player which was revealed to us last season. His scoring (and FG%) is down because he can't beat players off the dribble and he often takes forced jumpers. Another result of his one-on-one play is the augmentation of his turnovers, he needs a good 2nd scoring option (then,. Antoine Walker and now, The Glove) so I except him to have a rebound season.

He is like always one of the top free throw shooters in the league, I don't care who you are you don't get trips to the free throw line but settling for jumpers.

when you play him one on one he can beat a lot of guys.

He may be able to beat a few guys but he is in no way, a good one-on-one basketball player which was revealed to us last season. His scoring (and FG%) is down because he can't beat players off the dribble and he often takes forced jumpers. Another result of his one-on-one play is the augmentation of his turnovers, he needs a good 2nd scoring option (then,. Antoine Walker and now, The Glove) so I except him to have a rebound season.

If you watch a lot of Celtics games and watch Pierce in the 4th, it may not matter who is guarding him. And a lot of those times he makes those 'forced jumpers'.

when you play him one on one he can beat a lot of guys.

He may be able to beat a few guys but he is in no way, a good one-on-one basketball player which was revealed to us last season. His scoring (and FG%) is down because he can't beat players off the dribble and he often takes forced jumpers. Another result of his one-on-one play is the augmentation of his turnovers, he needs a good 2nd scoring option (then,. Antoine Walker and now, The Glove) so I except him to have a rebound season.

If you watch a lot of Celtics games and watch Pierce in the 4th, it may not matter who is guarding him. And a lot of those times he makes those 'forced jumpers'.

Hes good, an allstar. BUT not a superstar(KOBE,T-Mac,etc). He doesn't make his teammates better like KG or Tim Duncan.

Are you saying that Kobe makes his teammates better?

I think Pierce is definitely a better leader than Kobe.But Kobe hasnt had a team to himself until now.So we will find out fo sho.I think the truth is a top 10 player when he at his best.He needs Walker back.He needs a sidekick like Jordan needing Scottie

put his APG has gone up form 3,2 to 5,1 and thats a good thing

Not neccesarily considering how many turnovers he commits....

Pierce is good, and will be better this year, but he's not a Hall of fame guy. He's a good slasher, good shooter, okay defender, very good defensive rebounder, and a average passer, his shooting numbers shot go to the 43% and 34% range this season.

2003-2004 is a bad example cause last year scoring was down around the board. Teams like the Celts were puting up 65 points a game. Thank God it looks like it's up this year. Teams are puting up 100 + in the pre-season.

That was just the Raptors....

He is like always one of the top free throw shooters in the league, I don't care who you are you don't get trips to the free throw line but settling for jumpers.

He get's to the line, but takes about the same amount of jumpers as Vince, and takes even more three's, and he only shot 29.9% from 3PT range [huh?], so he did shoot a lot of jumpers, just when he drove he didn't kick it out to Milt Palacio, he actually went in there to score.


Also Pierce is not a good leader, Antoine Walker was the leader of that Celtics team not Pierce, and he really hasn't establihed himself as someone I'd call a leader. Spitting against the Cavs didn't help either, but I'd expect Payton to take more of the leadership role on the team as opposed to Pierce.

Are you saying that Kobe makes his teammates better?

NO KG and Tim Duncan do.

I'm a paul pierce fan.. and celtics fan.. from the time where he was had 1 point in the first half and put up 46 ? in the 2nd half + OT

watching him the last few years.. with walker there.. he was sumwut 2nd man until 4th quarter.. he would put up good jumpers, slash, beat ppl 1 on 1.. resulting in like 45% fg and 38% 3point..

now that walker's gone. he dribbles the ball a lot more.. resulting in more TO and assists.. HE can't really handle the ball like kobe/tmac... hmm hes getting better..

HE is a really good defender in my opinion.. i say he is the best after artest, bowen, prince, ak47.. 1 of the best in the top tier guards..
he get steals and block shots too..

he is forced to take a lot of shots cuz .. u know. u r the main guy.. short clock situation.. celtics aren't really good with half court offense.. they must force shots up time to time..

i project him to be way more efficient this year..
26 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5 assists, ~42-44% fg, 36%three point

what i really like about him.. is that he is a realy tough guy like artest.... he defines how a scoring guard should play.. post up midrange.. triple thread.. drive hard or pull up for the jumper.. i love watching him play.. he won't over take off the dribble jumpers like tmac.. hes not nearly as smooth as kobe.. kobe can operate off the dribble a lot better than pierce..
to me.. pierce is like a SHAQ of sg's.. hes big and over powers you..

HE is a really good defender in my opinion.. i say he is the best after artest, bowen, prince, ak47.. 1 of the best in the top tier guards..
he get steals and block shots too..

Steals and blocks don't always mean good defense, but no way is Pierce on that level, he's just an average defender, he's not a All-Defensive team or stopper type player.

Well, the Celtics lost, but Pierce had 35 pts, 13 boards and 7 assists tonight...

Pierce played so f'n awesome today. pity Payton mised those back-to-back threes with 1:00 left...

Pierce played so f'n awesome today. pity Payton mised those back-to-back threes with 1:00 left...

The question is why did Payton take back to back three's, he's not a horrible three point shooter, but common, three's aren't his thing.