Paul Pierce prepares for final visit to the TD Garden



It's been a storied career for Paul Pierce, studded with his legacy in green and white. And while he was traded from the Celtics more than 3 years ago, Boston has always stayed close to his heart.

That's why his final appearance on the parquet will mean so much to the veteran of 19 years, and why he's soaking in as much as he can in his last trip as a player to Boston.



It's not something he's going to prepare for, in part because he doesn't know what to expect.



It's been 18 years to the day since Pierce first took the floor for the Boston Celtics, and while he hasn't seen a ton of playing time in his final year, fans can absolutely expect to see "the Truth" on the hardwood for some time.



But just cause the old guy is going to be feeling some nostalgia out there, don't expect the Celtics to lay back on him. Jaylen Brown is gearing up to play one of his idols, who's been in the league since he was a year old:



The fans will likely embrace Pierce in his final trip to the Garden, and the Celtics will probably have some form of tribute to his 15 years with the franchise. But in the end, it's another game the C's will play to win, especially against a top tier opponent in the Los Angeles Clippers.

Follow Topher Lane on Twitter, @Topher_L. Photo credit: Kevin Liles/USA TODAY Sports