A Look Back: Paul Pierce

It always astonishes me that despite the countless hours we spend watching sports, we often forget the past. Sometimes, when looking back on their careers, we overrate players by championing their strengths and forgetting their weaknesses. More often, however, we do the opposite, allowing their current limitations to shadow their prime years. So, I've decided to upload old highlights of Celtics' career-defining performances once a week. These can be from current Celtics back when they played elsewhere, or remembering the great moments of ex-Celtics, or a look back at Celtics legends who are now retired.

So, to start us off, I figured it'd be best to show a Celtics legend who is still relevant now, the one, the only the Truth. Surely we all remember how huge he has been for us throughout his Hall of Fame career, but this video never gets old. In Game 7 against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2008 ECSF, Paul Pierce went off for 41 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists to match LeBron, who scored 45 points with 5 rebounds and 6 assists. This was an all time great duel (and the Ennio Morricone music fits perfectly). Pierce has certainly slowed down in the 4 years since, but he has looked fit and motivated this off-season, poised for another great year. And in one week, opening the season in Miami on October 30th, The Captain will once again go head-to-head with LeBron.