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The Boston Celtics small forward recently was asked by a Spanish reporter if he thought Kobe Bryant was the best player in the world. Pierce said "no." The MVP of the 2008 NBA Finals stated that he was "best player...

Paul Pierce Says He is the Best Player in the World, is that "The Truth"

by Ryan Hartung (Scribe)

88

2002 reads

Opinion

August 02, 2008


The Boston Celtics small forward recently was asked by a Spanish reporter if he thought Kobe Bryant was the best player in the world. Pierce said "no."

The MVP of the 2008 NBA Finals stated that he was "best player." He later added, "There’s a line that separates having confidence and being conceited. I don’t cross that line, but I have a lot of confidence in myself."

Call me crazy, but I don't believe it is an overstatement to call Paul Pierce the best player in the world.

If you watched the NBA Finals, you saw Paul Pierce absolutely dominate the NBA's "best player" Kobe Bryant.

Last year, if I were to write this article, I would completely disagree with his statements, but he worked hard over the off-season and made himself one of the best defenders in the league.

Pierce is a 6-foot-5 small forward with the build of a power forward. He has bigger shoulders than some centers, this allows him to drive the lane, take contact, and finish the layup. He can score at will.

If there is a bigger player on him, he will take him out on the perimeter and blow by him. If he has a smaller defender on him then he will take him down on the block and go to work or take his trademark turnaround jumper.

Pierce has tremendous ability to drive to the hoop or to pull up and hit the 15 footers. He can also hit the three.

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88 comments Last one added 5 months ago — Leave a Comment

  1. Jack Smith 11 months ago

    I didn't think that Paul Pierce was a very good player, but after thinking about what u wrote, my opinion has changed. After thinking about the finals I realized that Kobe Bryant was dominated!

    Thanks Ryan

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  2. Alexa Freed 11 months ago

    Ryan,

    I would have always considered Paul Pierce on of the best players in the league and one of the most underrated (probably because he's gone unnoticed on losing teams).

    I think THIS year we can safely say that Pierce has outperformed the best competition, namely James and Bryant, and therefore he is the best player.

    Right now, is there really anyone else?????

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  3. ed rogowski 11 months ago

    This discussion is silly. Its a team sport. For the moment, Paul Pierce is the Fianls MVP. There is no best individual. There is a best team.

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    • Ryan Hartung 11 months ago

      If u saw the individual matchups in the finals you would have seen that Pierce completely dominated Kobe. The Celtics are the best team though!!!

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  4. darrell jones 11 months ago

    Put Kobe on the celtics and pierce in the lakers and see if you still think the same thing. Pierce isn't even the best player on his team Garnett is. He anchored them defensively and shut lamar odom and gasol down. The team defense was the reason kobe was forced to shoot jumpers. Boston practically played zone defense. Kobe is the best player in the world says Lebron, Carmelo, Wade, and all the coaches and those are the opinions that count.

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    • Ryan Hartung 11 months ago

      Again if u saw the finals u would have seen that Pierce dominated Kobe. If they switched roles and Pierce still dominated Kobe but Kobe's team won, Pierce still would be better!!!!!!

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  5. darrell jones 11 months ago

    By the way Pierce is 6'7 and bigger shoulders than some centers? Don't know about that Ryan.

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  6. Abdirizak Mohamed 11 months ago

    loooooooooooooool This article is a joke!!! Kobe is a better defender, shooter, playmaker, and quicker than the pudgy out of shape pierce. this guy had a collection of all stars on his team and now is calling himself the "best player"..... pffff its a shame that you are even comparing him to Kobe Bryant. Kobe will be one of the top 3 greatest players of all time and pierce will be lucky if he cracks the top 50!
    get serious man wake up!

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  7. julie kaner 11 months ago

    Pierce is a great player...Kobe is a great player, but LeBron is the only one of them who took a WEAK team all the way to the NBA finals by HIMSELF.
    Both Kobe and (especially) Pierce needed a LOT more help than LeBron.

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    • Ryan Hartung 11 months ago

      Their were a lot more competition this year than last year and a lot more defense was played this year than last!!

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    • Andy Boerger 11 months ago

      I agree with Julie about Lebron. Add KG and Ray Allen to HIS team next season, and watch a 70 win team cruise to the championship.

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  8. Bailey Essrog 11 months ago

    This is a blog so it's OK to put a spin on your "story," but no one likes to read one-sided articles.

    Paul Pierce is not a better player than Kobe Bryant. However, Pierce outplayed Kobe in the Finals and deserved to win the Finals MVP award. Granted that Pierce would not even have made it to the Finals without KG and Ray, but neither would KG or Ray have made it this far without each other and Pierce.

    That said, Kobe should thank the Grizzles for his ticket to the Finals. In the first part of the season with a fully healthy Bynum, the Lakers looked like a 60-win team. When Bynum went down, the Lakers looked like an eighth seed at best. When Gasol came over in the heist, they became the top seed.

    You can say that it took Pierce 10 years to win his first championship, but it took KG 13 years and Ray 12 years. And of course, Kobe would not have three championships without Shaq, so don't even use the fact that he won his first championship in his fourth year. That's like saying Glen "Big Baby" Davis is God because he won a championship in his rookie year.

    The point of this post? Saying one player is better than another is a meaningless debate. It's more accurate to compare teams, because on a good team, one player's weakness is made up by another's strength. (KG isn't clutch; Paul Pierce is. Kobe wants to lead; the Lakers have to follow.)

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  9. darrell jones 11 months ago

    Who had a good series for the lakers? No one. It wasn't pierce it was the CELTICS! Kg anchored the best defense ive seen in years. Michael Jordan never faced a team like this. Kobe needed tougher players to help him out. like I said ask around the league who is the best. They have to guard and strategize against these guys.

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  10. Bailey Essrog 11 months ago

    Darrell, last I heard Paul Pierce was a part of the Celtics. So how do you mean the Celtics defeated the Lakers, but Pierce had no part in it? You can't separate the player from the team, nor the team from the player. Take one player out, and you have an entirely different makeup to your team.

    KG did anchor the best defense I've seen in a while, too, but don't give KG ALL the credit now. After all, he played for the Minnesota Timberwolves all those years with his same stifling defense, yet they never made it to the Finals. In other words, KG got a lot of help from Pierce, Posey, Rondo and Perk to make the TEAM a defensive juggernaut. And by the way, the Spurs in their prime as well as the 2003-04 Pistons should not be sneezed at either.

    Michael Jordan never faced a team like this? It's clear you weren't watching the Knicks of the mid- to late-90s, when they were regularly contending in the East against the Bulls and were, in fact, known for their defensive prowess, anchored by Ewing, Mason, Starks, Smith, etc. And the Bulls happened to be among the best defensive teams in addition to being the best offensive team during their six-time championship run. That's why "Jordan never faced a team like this" -- because Jordan's team WAS that team.

    And as for your suggestion to "ask around the league who is the best" I'm afraid I'm not on a friendly basis with anybody in the NBA so this would be impossible. Consider me among the less fortunate.

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    • Jason O 11 months ago

      your a gump.
      He didnt say pierce had no part in it, he was saying it wasnt all paul pierce.
      It took the whole team to beat the Lakers not Paul Pierce by himself.

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  11. Bailey Essrog 11 months ago

    You think? That much is obvious, just like Kobe didn't lose the Finals all by himself. As Lamar Odom said, "We all got our asses kicked together."

    But when a team does well, the best player is the first to get the credit (Paul Pierce wins the Finals MVP award) and when a team does poorly, the best player is the first to get the blame (Kobe choked, MJ would never have let his team get blown out like that, etc).

    Clearly Kobe is a better overall player than Pierce, and people are taking Pierce's comments a little too far. Pierce is sarcastic, and, being that he and Kobe are good friends, I'm sure he's saying he's better than Kobe just like you or I would say that we're better than our friends. Believe me, Pierce probably isn't losing sleep over what everyone's thinking about him.

    It's the media that's blowing this up as usual. Controversy equals news, and in the blogosphere, hits/comments equal exposure and, at least on the Web, power.

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  12. Matt Breen 11 months ago

    I don't think one series can accurately point to who's the better player. I love Pierce but I can't say he's a better player than Kobe despite his superior play in the Finals. I also wouldn't point to Kobe's championships as an edge either. Pierce and Bryant are difficult to compare anyways they play very different styles, Pierce is a far more physical player while Kobe is more finesse. All things equal, Kobe is a better player.

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  13. lucas bivens 11 months ago

    you are an absolute moron. in no way did paul pierce dominate kobe. kobe was getting triple teamed and radmanovich the worst defender in the world guarded pierce. kobe would drop 130 points on radmanovich. i cant believe this is a serious article. please tell me your kidding.

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  14. john john 11 months ago

    Ryan has a man crush on Pierce. Boston dominated the Lakers because they have the better TEAM. Pierce plays with two all stars. Before the arrival of KG and Allen and Posey, Pierce took his team nowhere, last place. Kobe took a team whose starting rotation was Smush Parker, Kwame Brown, Luke Walton, and an injured Odom, to the playoffs. He got pau and got to the finals. It would be nice to see Kobe with Garnett and Allen and Pierce with Pau and Odom. What do YOU think would happen?

    For pierce to make this comment is a slap in the face to allen and garnett. Pierce did nothing until they arrived and now he takes all the credit for their success.

    Also, Pierce was the "leader" of the first USA basketball team to not bring home the gold. you think kobe is going to let that happen this year? Pierce, unlike KG, wasn't even invited to try out for the team. Colangelo and Kyzwewski chose to invite Lebron and Melo followed by roll players like boozer, bosh and prince. I don't think anyone believes Pierce is the best player in the world. Go USA get the gold....something pierce couldn't do.

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  15. Ryan Hartung 11 months ago

    I never said Pierce single handlely win the finals??

    Pierce dominated the individual match up between him and Kobe.

    Please explain to me why it was a slap in the face to KG and Allen???

    Alright, did Pierce have players like Lebron, Howard, Paul, or Melo....... no, Kobe does. Pierce isn't the same player he was when he was on the USA team, his defense has improved drastically and he is much more pyshical. Who said Pierce was the leader of the team???

    Very mature with the man crush thing, I wish I could act like you.

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  1. Jack Bauer 11 months ago

    Hahaha I was laughing really hard at this article, and then I realized it wasn't meant to be a joke...
    Please tell me you don't really think Paul Pierce is the best player in the world. With so many other better players out there, it is simply not possible, however subjective it may be. I can tell you why Pierce saying he is the best player in the world is a slap in the face to KG and Allen - because it insinuates that Pierce contributed more to the Celtics this season than either KG or Allen. Now, Allen - maybe. But Garnett? I guarantee you Garnett has much more skill offensively, defensively, more basketball IQ, and a stronger passion for winning. One great season isn't close enough to give Paul Pierce a top 10 status, let alone the "Best Player In The World." By the way - if calling yourself the best isn't conceit, then what does he consider it? I can't imagine saying a much more dramatic statement.

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  2. Ryan Hartung 11 months ago

    I wouldn't say that KG has more offensive skills than he does pierce can do it all.....

    What would ur top ten look like then???

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  3. Mark Brown 11 months ago

    Lol "roll players".
    I disagree. Kobe had a worse series than Pierce, but come on! KG and Ray Allen were fantastic, and Allen guarded Kobe most of the time. As for LeBron, the Celtics beat the Cavs, but LeBron DOMINATED Pierce. How can you compare LeBron's help to Pierce's!?!

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  4. Jack Bauer 11 months ago

    Kobe, Lebron, Duncan, Garnett, Paul, Yao, Wade, Howard, Nowitzki, Nash, D Williams, and Boozer are all guys that I'm thinking...with the last few guys pretty much debatable. I would take Pierce over Boozer or Nash depending on positions, but it's just too much to ask to take Pierce over Kobe, Lebron, Duncan, Garnett, Paul, and Yao or Howard for a big guy. Do you disagree with this?

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  5. Daniel Muth 11 months ago

    Tayshaun Prince effectively contained Kobe when the Pistons won it all, but at no point did I think that meant that he was the better player. Pierce had a fantastic finals, but he didn't "shut down" kobe. The Celtics help defense was the best in the league. I have always liked Pierce's game and thought he was under-rated for years. If he was better than Kobe, however, he would have been making us notice him even on bad teams. Just because he strung a couple great games together doesn't automatically launch him into Kobe's category.

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  6. Jack Bauer 11 months ago

    Paul Pierce seems to think it does launch him...but don't call him conceited, he's just self-confident.

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  7. Andrew Ungvari 11 months ago

    If you asked every GM if they'd rather have Kobe or Pierce, everyone one of them would pick Kobe, including the Celtics.

    You're really gonna tell me that Pierce is better because of what he did in one series? C'mon. Where was Pierce before Garnett and Allen got there?

    You can't tell me that the cast that Kobe took to the playoffs the previous two seasons was less talented than the team that Pierce couldn't take to the playoffs in the east. I know that Pierce was hurt last year but it wouldn't have made a difference.

    I'd rather have Telfair than Smush Parker, Gomes over Luke Walton, or Al Jefferson than Kwame Brown OR Lamar Odom.

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    • Ryan Hartung 11 months ago

      Pierce is a different player than he was last year or the year b4

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    • Andrew Ungvari 11 months ago

      He's a different player because he now has two other All-Stars to help carry him. How many of the NBA's 30 GMs do you think would take Pierce over Kobe? If Pierce and LeBron were the exact same age, how many would take Pierce over LeBron? Let's see how much of a homer you are, Ryan.

      The argument you're making is akin to saying that Eli Manning is better than Tom Brady because he won the Super Bowl.

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  8. Earvin Johnson 11 months ago

    Did you just started watching the NBA? Or let me rephrase my question...do you play BBALL? Because if you do, you wouldn't even ask this silly question. All ballers know that Kobe is the best player hands down. I suggested you go to a real pick up game and ask true ballers what they think. They have more weight in their feedbacks than what you have in your blog.

    By...Pinoy4Life

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  9. Earvin Johnson 11 months ago

    Save it! You got no game! Wreck me! If your game is like your blog...you got no skills boy!!!

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  10. Tom Dessalet 11 months ago

    Even if you asked all the other players in the NBA who weren't Pierce who the best player in the NBA was, you'd probably get a smattering of these names by 99% of the players:
    LeBron James
    Kobe Bryant
    Dwight Howard
    Tim Duncan
    Kevin Garnett
    I'd think those would be the top 5 vote getters for the past couple years.
    After them would be more of your rising stars, or players in the twilight of their storied careers, like
    Chris Paul
    Allen Iverson
    Shaq
    Deron Williams
    Tracy McGrady
    Then after these, the group of perennial All-Stars, but not the BEST players in the NBA:
    Gilbert Arenas
    Dirk Nowitzki
    Paul Pierce
    Carmelo Anthony
    Steve Nash
    D Wade
    Yao Ming

    Just an opinion, but that's how I place those guys into groups, no specific order within the groups though.
    If you had me pick one player to start an organization around tomorrow, I'm picking Chris Paul.
    I'm a Sixers fan, so no real hometown bias here.

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  11. Tony Gregory 11 months ago

    LMAO. I cant beleive this Ryan guy is serious about defending Paul Pierce's statement. Basketball is a team game. The Celtics played a zone defense designed to put pressure on Kobe and not let him get into the lane. Very similar to how the Pistons contained Kobe in the 2004 NBA Finals.

    I watched every game of that series. Pierce played a better series because he was allowed to play one on one and nobody on the Lakers had a clue about help defense if he got past his man. The Celtics rotated Allen, Pierce, Posey, and several other players on Kobe. So they always had a fresh defender on him. They swarmed him every time he had the ball.

    MJ couldn't have scored against this defense. When MJ was playing zone defenses were against the rules.

    Paul Pierce isn't even the best player on his team, let alone the NBA. A concensus poll of all the NBA Players, coaches, and GM's have pointed to Kobe being the best player.

    Please don't preach to me about Pierce's individual defense. If they put Pierce man to man with Kobe and no zone or help defense, Kobe would eat Pierce alive. I'm not saying Kobe would stop Pierce either. But you can't base your argument on a few games where it was basically 1 on 5, except for Game 3 when Sasha showe dup for 1 game.

    The Celtics were the better team. The Lakers had the best player. End of story. End of Blog.

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    • Ryan Hartung 11 months ago

      what is your point of this comment if ur saying that in a one on one game that neither of them could stop each other???

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  12. Geoff Townsend 11 months ago

    There is a difference between Finals MVP and League MVP, Ryan. Kobe is the best player of this generation and will go down as arguably the best player to ever play the game.

    Paul Pierce is no chump. I agree with that, but he will not even be in the conversation as the best ever. His number will surely hang from the rafters in Boston, but outside of Boston he isn't as big.

    Before Allen and Garnett moved to Boston, Pierce was a star on a bottom-feeder basketball team. He did not stop Kobe from winning championships then. He didn't even get the opportunity to stop LeBron the year before because the Celtics weren't in the playoffs.

    KG was the top scorer on the team last year anyway. Now I am not saying that KG is a better all-around player, but Kobe led his team.

    Sure, you can be as shallow as possible and look at the one-on-one match-up in the playoffs. What that doesn't take into account though is help-side defense and double teams. Pierce did a great job on Kobe, but the paint collapsed around him when he got close enough.

    It is naive and utterly childish to look at one series and say with as much confidence as you have, that Pierce is a better player than Bryant.

    Allow me to copy and paste some facts about Bryant. Keep in mind that Paul Pierce is nowhere near this in terms of overall accomplishments...

    * Most three-point field goals made, one game: 12 (January 7, 2003 vs. Seattle SuperSonics; shared with Donyell Marshall)

    * Most three-point field goals made, one half: 8 (March 28, 2003 vs. Washington Wizards; shared with 6 players)

    * Most consecutive three-point field goals made, one game: 9 (January 7, 2003 vs. Seattle SuperSonics; shared with Latrell Sprewell and Ben Gordon).

    * Most free throws made, one quarter: 14 (3rd quarter, December 20, 2005 vs. Dallas Mavericks; shared with 6 players).

    * Most free throws attempted, one quarter: 16 (3rd quarter, December 20, 2005 vs. Dallas Mavericks; shared with 6 players).

    * Youngest player to score 15,000 points: (27 years, 136 days)

    * Youngest player to score 20,000 points: (29 years, 122 days old), surpassing Wilt Chamberlain, the previous holder of the record. Bryant also became one of the only three players to reach the milestone under the age of 30. The other two are Chamberlain (29 years, 134 days old) and Michael Jordan (29 years, 326 days old).

    * Youngest Slam Dunk champion: (18 years, 175 days), after winning the contest at the 1997 NBA All-Star Weekend.

    * Youngest player to be named to the NBA All-Defensive Team: (1999–00)

    * Youngest player to start a game: (18 years, 158 days)

    Valiant effort, Ryan. No one will ever be able to say that you didn't back your boy, but even the captain loses when the ship goes down.

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  13. Mark Brown 11 months ago

    Pierce had help from KG, Ray Allen, and (in one of the games, at least) Leon Powe. Kobe had no one. When one other Laker besides Kobe had a good game, Sasha Vujacic, they won the game. Kobe's teammates disappeared, but I will say that Pierce outplayed Kobe in the Finals.

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  14. Ryan Hartung 11 months ago

    thats what ive been tryin to say

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  15. Mark Brown 10 months ago

    No offense, Ryan, but that's not what you've been saying. You claim Paul Pierce is the best player in the game. Almost everyone here would agree that Pierce outplayed Kobe in the Finals, but that does not make him a better player. It was one series! People are deliberately misunderstanding Pierce, he is just showing confidence, I agree with you, but do not tell me he is the best player in the world.

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    • Ryan Hartung 10 months ago

      He outplayed "The MVP" in the biggest basketball series in the world. So if he was the best player at the biggest series in the world, that makes him the best player in the world.

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  1. Eric Woupio 10 months ago

    Ha ha Kobe could never play in Boston Like Kevin Garnett said I don't think you guys really understand how much pressure there is on you playing in Bean Town they got the most NBA titles out of any other team shit Basketball was invented in Massachusetts by James Naismith. and I'm not saying Pierce is better than Kobe and I'm not saying that he isn't but dam He sure showed him up in the finals and you haters got to recogonize that! No matter what given Bostons dominating Basetball history over the entire world people are gonna hate no matter what even if you just shut down the so called best player in the league. Pierce the best player in the world? nah I don't know but he does play for the best basketball team in the world.

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  2. Gaz V 10 months ago

    I'm a die-hard Celtics fan but I do not believe that Pierce is, was or ever will be the best player in the NBA. Then again, Pierce showed us this past year that he is a far superior team player than Bryant is, was or ever will be.

    Basketball is a team sport. My former youth basketball coach told me something 30+ years ago that still rings true today: "Stars may shine, but only teamwork wins". We need only look at the last Olympics or World Championships to realize that having the most talented players on a basketball team does not guarantee victory.

    Pierce was certainly helped by Garnett and Allen, but his willingness to adjust his game to suit the needs of the team was what made this past season such a success for him and the Celtics organization.

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  3. Mark Brown 10 months ago

    Ryan, now you're starting to annoy me. How does one series determine the best player in the world? When I say that Pierce outplayed Kobe, it was barely so. Pierce just had a ton of help. Ray Allen's stroke was off, but by the Finals he was deadly (did you see him in Game 6?). KG had a great series, he was awesome. Pierce was good, but you make it sound like he was the only one doing anything.
    Why did Pierce even say this? Kobe would say LeBron is the best player, and vice versa. They may think they are the best player, but they don't say so. It's called modesty. At the very least Pierce could have said he felt other players, himself included, were on Kobe's level. I bet you Pierce was waiting to win a title to say he was the best player in the world so that someone like you would actually defend him. Before this, he had never said anything like that. Pierce didn't have that great of a series.

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  4. Rodge Correa 10 months ago

    HE'S DEFINTELY AN UNDERRATED PLAYER BUT NOT THE BEST...

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  5. Mark Brown 10 months ago

    So how is it that after he won a title, he is? Again, Pierce didn't have that great of a series, it was all about help. In a one on one game Kobe or LeBron would destroy Pierce (well, not destroy, but they'd beat him pretty bad).

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    • Gaz V 10 months ago

      Too bad they don't give out the Larry O'Brien trophy to teams with the best one-on-one player. As I wrote above, Pierce is not the best player in the NBA but he is a much better team player than Bryant is, was or ever will be. I notice that Mr. Bryant is currently 1-15 from 3-point range for the US Team. Keep shooting like that and we may look forward to another bronze medal on the horizon.

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    • Ryan Hartung 10 months ago

      pierce had a great series... he was MVP

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  6. Mark Brown 10 months ago

    What's with this guy anyway? If he isn't getting in fights, he's faking an injury, speeding in Vegas, or calling himself the World's best player.

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  7. Brandon Toussaint 10 months ago

    i believe Gasol and oDOM both shot above .500

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  8. Mark Brown 10 months ago

    Gaz:
    Pierce wasn't even invited to try out for the team.

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    • Gaz V 10 months ago

      Yes, LALALA, you are right. If you weren't so blinded by your obvious love for Mr. Bryant, perhaps you would realize that the object of your affections is not a great team player and probably should have been overlooked by Olympic selectors as well. Jacking and missing 14 of 15 3-point shots is very similar to Mr. Bryant's performance in the Finals. He needs to start looking for open teammates instead of forcing long, low percentage shots in a vain effort to pad his own statistics...

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  9. Mark Brown 10 months ago

    No one else is making three pointers either. I don't think Bryant is trying to pad his own stats. I'm not even a fan of him, my favorite team is the Phoenix Suns. LALALA isn't supposed to represent Los Angeles, it's supposed to be some guy singing because I didn't know what my name should be. I don't like Kobe, but I respect him. The Lakers didn't lose the Finals because of Bryant, it's because Boston completely outplayed them. Kobe's teammates didn't show up. When someone did, Sasha Vujacic in game 3, the Lakers won. If Pierce is such a great team player, why wasn't he invited?

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  10. Mark Brown 10 months ago

    This article wasn't about "team players", it was over who the best player was.

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  11. Brandon Toussaint 10 months ago

    I dont see why Pierce cant be included in best players in the world....Kobe definately has more ways to score...Pierce can score just as well, it just wont look as pretty. Kobe was a big reason why the Laker's lost, considering he took 40% of the teams shots...shooting under 40%. lol

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  12. Brandon Toussaint 10 months ago

    Pierce can handle the ball, shoot the spot up, create his own shot off the dribble...drive the basket, finish and guard his man on the other end...what more do u need to be the best?

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  13. Jack Bauer 10 months ago

    LaLaLa has set up an undeniably convincing argument: one great series against Kobe Bryant does not make you the best player in the world. I don't know what these other arguments have anything to do with anything, with teamwork this and Kobe at the Olympics that...as if it has to do with anything. The point is, and I invite anyone to challenge this, Paul Pierce's status as the best player in the world is far from apt based on game statistics relative to other superstars, natural talent and ability relative to other superstars, and in spite of one indisputably fantastic series.

    As to Brandon: what more than that do you need to be the best? You basically just said that there is no one else in the entire league that can handle the ball, shoot the spot up, etc. because other wise, they too would be the best, which of course is not possible. This is ridiculous and does not need a counter-argument.

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    • Mark Brown 10 months ago

      I couldn't agree more.

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    • Gaz V 10 months ago

      Jack wrote: "I don't know what these other arguments have anything to do with anything, with teamwork this and Kobe at the Olympics that...as if it has to do with anything."

      Well, contrary to what the shoe companies and the mass media want you to believe, basketball is a team sport. It is not a sport of individual champions (unless you are talking about slam dunk competitions or similar side-shows). If you read my comments above you will notice that I was really only trying to claim two things:

      1) Pierce is not the best individual player in the NBA today, but he has become a very good team player, perhaps one of the best;
      2) Bryant, though many perceive him to be the best individual player, is actually a relatively poor team player.

      The discussion of both points are relevant to this discussion, despite the fact you have trouble comprehending the links. The article concerns not only whether or not Pierce is the best player, but also what constitutes the best player -- one who plays more for his team or one who plays more for himself. If you look at team success and what each player contributes/sacrifices to achieve that success, then Pierce has shown this past season that he very good in this regard.

      As Brandon notes below, if Bryant misses three straight shots in a game he will keep firing even if it hurts his teams' chances of winning (hence the 14 of 15 missed 3-pointers in the first two games of the Olympics). Incidentally, his shooting percentage inside the arc was not very impressive either in the first two games (even including the breakaway dunks), hovering below 40%. After missing 4 or 5 straight deep shot attempts, you would think the guy would stop firing long bombs. He no longer has the well-worn excuse that he doesn't have guys around him who can knock down shots. (You gotta love that logic: a contested 25-foot shot from Bryant is better than a 12- footer from an open teammate).

      When Pierce had a poor shooting night this past season, he would restrict his shooting and focus on setting up his teammates, grabbing rebounds and/or making steals. That is the difference between Pierce and Bryant. Pierce knows that his team's best shot at winning each night does not necessarily require him to score. Bryant, however, does not know that.

      Too many in the media will claim that if Bryant doesn't score 25+ points, then the Lakers will lose. That is only true because in the games he scores fewer than 25 points he is still taking and missing just as many shots as when he knocks down 45 points on a night when he is red hot. For all his skills, Bryant still lacks an essential one necessary for success: the ability to sacrifice a component of his game to make his team better.

      In the end, you can maintain that teamwork has nothing to do with being the best basketball player, but in the meantime we'll continue to see comparatively unselfish players like Billups, Pierce and Duncan lead their teams to more championships.

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  14. Nicholas Pardini 10 months ago

    Paul Pierce is a great player, but one playoff series does not make somebody the best player in the NBA. There is a reason he is not on team USA. Players such as Kobe, Lebron, Dwight Howard, and non team USA players such as Tim Duncan, Steve Nash, and Amare Stoudamire are still better than Paul Piercd. However, I have moved him above some players like T-Mac, Carmelo Anthony, and Ray Allen for his Finals Performance.

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  15. Brandon Toussaint 10 months ago

    "The Best" is up for debate always...so no its not ridiculous. Whats makes Kobe the best? Because sportscasters were saying it all along? My point is that there can be 10 legitimate guys up there concerning talks of the "best". Who was the best the year before in your opinion? Kobe's had the same game for the last 3 or 4 years, but until this year where Kobe "led" his team the best record you couldnt just come out and say he's undoubtedly the best in the game. Why is it different now? If Michael Redd played for a big market he could be a superstar, he's not...Point being, the Celtics were hardly televised before this year...Paul Pierce has always carried his team....With far less talent that Kobe has ever worked with...honestly, i dont think pierce is a better player overall, but he can be jst as efficient. I mean, he's not gonna score 81 on you...but who cares, nobody else will..lemme kno the next time someone attempts 46 shots and 20 something freethrows...Puulease...Gimme Paul Piere pullin up, driving the basket, those Broad shoulders....im sure he shoots a better percentage than Kobe too, who doesnt though, u kno?

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  1. Brandon Toussaint 10 months ago

    Kobe could do so much more to make his team better...This is Kobe...He's done this all before..so, wheras another player misses 3 straight jumpers and gets discouraged from jumpers and drives the basket, Kobe knows he can hit that shot...He's like a 6'7 Gilbert Arenas...no dissrespect to the Kobe nutsack bikepeg guys...but the guy is too confident. You all saw it in the Celtics series. If you're a Laker fan, during that series, every game there were multiple times he pulls up and your thinking, no Kobe drive to the bucket, dont settle for that...You had to be thinking it, cause i was neutral watching and thats what i was thinking. He's too good of a player to settle for these tough fadeaway jumpers....sure, he hits some, but its obviously not helping his shooting percentage...He's never in his 12 professional years shot above 47 percent. For a player with his athleticism who gets to he basket with such ease, thats acceptable. Added to the impact he has on his teammates. Forget all the lockerroom bull, There are less than a handful of players in the league who wouldnt feel intimidated playing alongside Kobe Bryant. Look at the shot attempts for the series...Lamar Odom and Gasol average something like 10 attempts per game respectively. Both shot well over 50%...Why is Vujacic and Farmar getting the same amoount of shot attempts as two all star caliber players. Its ridiculous, and it all comes down to the fact that the team still falls back on Kobe to deliver and hit these impossible shots that he's shown us time and time again he can hit...Do yourselves a favor and watch one of those games and pick how many good shots Kobe takes...He's never been a high percentage shooter...Ever!...and u same Kobe lovers downgrade Lebron because he gets some many dunks and layups. Logic

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  2. Jack Bauer 10 months ago

    Gaz, I can't "maintain" that teamwork has nothing to do with being the best basketball player, because I agree with you in saying that teamwork has everything to do with it. When I look at the title of the article, and the body, I see a statement of Paul Pierce claiming that he's the best player in the world, and that the writer agrees. I am simply refuting that, based on all of the previous points made, and invite other users' opinions in regard to the article's point to challenge the excellent arguments that other users have written. I just see little substance in bringing up Kobe's olympic performance. I mean, look at Brandon's last post for example - I saw absolutely nothing that had to do with Pierce. I say we stay focused on Paul Pierce, and his self-assessment of being the best in the world.

    P.S. I am glad to see you understand Tim Duncan's awesome teamwork abilities...if you ask me for the best player it's most likely him. Would anyone out there take Paul Pierce over TIM DUNCAN?! Hahaha, that should easily answer the question as to whether Pierce is the best in the world.

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  3. Brandon Toussaint 10 months ago

    But, all you're doing in downgrading Pierce...all i was trying to say was what Gaz said so perfectly for me...Pierce understands wat his team needs and the necessary sacrafice he'll have to make to give his team the best chance to win...Until this year, everyone was blasting smush parker, and farmar, and everyone else Kobe has around him, including Bynum saying that they werent enough help for Kobe...where i see in other situations like in Cleveland and New Orleans players making others around them better....Kobe has never done that in my opinion. I think he's been the most "talented" for some years nor though...This certainly does not make u the best player in the world. The Celtics are champs and Pierce arguably was as important to the team as anyone else...Jack if someone asked u to take Garnett over Duncan to start a team what would u say? Well, considering that Timmy has more championships, you'd probably still take him but would it be as easy as when u shot down the idea of picking Pierce over him?

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  4. Mark Brown 10 months ago

    Once again, I agree with Jack. Kobe is not the team player that Pierce is, but that is not the focus of the article. Ryan supported Pierce's claim of being the best player in the world. As for team play, I can't see how Steve Nash and Jason Kidd are not the best team players in the world.
    All of you are addressing Kobe, but what about LeBron?

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  5. Gaz V 10 months ago

    LALALA wrote: "Kobe is not the team player that Pierce is, but that is not the focus of the article....All of you are addressing Kobe, but what about LeBron?"

    Um, did you read the article? The first sentence references Pierce's response to a journalist's question about whether or not Bryant was the best player in the NBA. Pierce said "no". Bryant also won the MVP regular season MVP award this season. LebRon did not. Do you get it now? Bryant is the focus because it was a question about him that prompted Pierce to make his comments.

    As far as the discussion concerning team players goes, please read what I wrote above. A player who sacrifices components of his game for overall team success is arguably better that the more skilled individual who focuses more on his own game. This is relevant to the discussion since that may be the basis that Pierce used in making his claim that he is the best player in the NBA.

    Sure, you can argue that Nash or Kidd are better in this regard, but each of them has seen age catch up with them this past season. Neither Kidd nor Nash has been on a NBA championship team. Pierce has. Sure you can come back and say that Pierce had Garnett and Allen this past year, but Nash had Stoudemire, Marion (then O'Neal) and Grant Hill, while Kidd had Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson (before being traded to the perennial playoff contenders, the Mavericks).

    Personally, I think LebRon is a great team player and a great individual player -- better than Pierce on both counts. You put Garnett and Allen (or Stoudemire, O'Neal and Hill or Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson) on the same team with LebRon and he will win a championship. Pierce lacked the supporting cast for many years in the same way that LebRon is lacking it now.

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  6. Gaz V 10 months ago

    Also, forgot to add that Nash was given formal recognition for being the best player by being granted the NBA MVP trophy twice. But his last one was three years ago now, so my comments about his age are relevant too.

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  7. Mark Brown 10 months ago

    No, Gaz, I did not read the article. Just kidding. If Pierce feels he is the best team player in the league, so be it. In the article, though, there is no mention of teamwork, only of Pierce's own abilities. And Pierce is not the only one who sacrificed stats, so did Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett. Why is Pierce the only one who gets credit for sacrificing?
    I'm not saying Kobe isn't a focus of the article, only that team play isn't. If Pierce thinks he is the NBA's best player because he is unselfish, he should look around at other unselfish players. Dwyane Wade and Tim Duncan are unselfish, and they are champions too.

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  8. Brandon Toussaint 10 months ago

    i agree with Gaz...u give Lebron those guys and its a championship...u forgot to mention Odom and Gasol though.

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  9. Mark Brown 10 months ago

    Hey...everyone else said that too!
    And are you talking to me?

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  10. Waleed Ershad 9 months ago

    Paul Pierce is the best player in the world. After watching him you realize that he can score any time he wants to and in any way he wants to. No one can stop him. The same cannot be said about any other player in the league.

    After Pierce's champioship run the Olympics started...and everyone was like look how great Kobe is!! all over again. Some one had to admit Paul Pierce was better...so he did it himself...Paul Pierce truly is the best player in the world

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  11. fuck you 5 months ago

    this kid is stupid.

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  12. fuck you 5 months ago

    what do you know about nba white boy

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