Although he may not be getting the sort of pomp and circumstance as some of his recent peers (ahem Kobe Bryant) during their rides off into the sunset, with the exception of that beautiful moment in his last game in Boston, Paul Pierce is one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history and his final days should be celebrated.
While “The Truth” is nowhere near the player he used to be, and his role is that of a mentor for the Los Angeles Clippers, he was given maybe one last real opportunity to shine Monday night in the Clippers 125-96 victory over the Rockets.
Pierce scored 10 points in seven minutes and passed another Celtics legend, John Havlicek, to move to 15th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.
Congrats to @paulpierce34 of the @LAClippers on passing John Havlicek (26,395 points) for 15th on the #NBA All-Time Scoring List! pic.twitter.com/LzFo73hRTs
— NBA (@NBA) April 11, 2017
This is a pretty awesome accomplishment for Pierce and the cherry on top for the Sundae that is one of the greatest and most overlooked careers in NBA history.
Pierce is a 10-time All-Star, an NBA Champion and Finals MVP winner in 2008, and was really the closest thing LeBron James has had as a true rival in the eastern conference over the past decade.
While never known for having exceptional athleticism for an NBA player, Pierce excelled with his world-class footwork and use of angles and desire to become one of the greatest small forwards the game has ever seen.
It was his footwork and patience that got him to No. 15 on the all-time list Monday night as well:
The Truth! And with this bucket, Paul Pierce (26,397) ascends to 15th on the all-time scoring list, passing @Hoophall John Havlicek (26,395) pic.twitter.com/ZkvhT5vHYu
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) April 11, 2017
Let’s take a moment to appreciate maybe the last great moment in a first-ballot hall of famer’s career.
