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I don't know if any one has heard about this or read about it. Paul Pierce said recently when he was in Spain that he was the best player in the NBA when he was asked if Kobe was the best player in the NBA by a spanish reporter. He responded he didn't think Kobe was the best in the NBA he said I'm the best in the NBA.

Why do people make a big deal out of this?? If you think you're the best, all power to you. He did beat Kobe...he has the NBA trophy don't he. Tell him he isn't.

This is not a big deal to me. He got a ring and the MVP trophy in the finals. He was arguably the best and most consistent player in the finals.

Every professional basketball player thinks they're the best. It's some strange wiring in the brain of professional basketball players.

If Paul thinks that then he needs to stop smoking Crack everybody knows it's Kobe.

AAEXPRESS wrote:This is not a big deal to me. He got a ring and the MVP trophy in the finals. He was arguably the best and most consistent player in the finals.

Exactly.

What's he supposed to say? "Uhh, I'm not really that good of a player. There are plenty of guys better than me."

He could have said Tim Duncan. He could have said Lebron. Did anyone ever say they were the best when MJ was around? Hakeem? Shaq? He's delusional. He's never been close to Duncan. Paul Pierce on this year's cavs team is as bad as last year's Celtics team.

No problems on the quote from me. Obviously he's not truly the best, but he did just came off a season that 99.5% of players would have rather had than their own, so you can't blame the guy for being a little proud of himself.

RayStats34 wrote:If Paul thinks that then he needs to stop smoking Crack everybody knows it's Kobe.

Telling Pierce to not smoke crack is a little hypocritical, don't you think?

haha...he really needs to stop drinkin tequila over there... in my opinion he is the most overated player in the nba... heres why
kobe with no one= playoffs
pierce with no one= lottery team
kobe = 81 points
pierce= dont even care
kobe= smoothest player in the game
pierce= a$$ fat
pierce isnt even in the top ten

nate33 wrote:

AAEXPRESS wrote:This is not a big deal to me. He got a ring and the MVP trophy in the finals. He was arguably the best and most consistent player in the finals.

Exactly.

What's he supposed to say? "Uhh, I'm not really that good of a player. There are plenty of guys better than me."

Somehow, I can see Tim Duncan saying that...

I don't have a big problem with what he said. However, when other superstars were asked the same question, they came across a bit more humble. When Kobe was asked, he never said he was but instead stated that LeBron and Duncan were up there. When Tim Duncan and LeBron James were asked, they said Kobe.

So while confidence is never a bad thing, let's not act like he couldn't have said he wasn't the best player or that there are comparable players up there. He could have, and he probably should have.

But aside from that, what I REALLY have a problem with are the posters on the GB who are actually agreeing with Pierce in his statement. Now there's insanity.

SoupOrSonics wrote:

nate33 wrote:

AAEXPRESS wrote:This is not a big deal to me. He got a ring and the MVP trophy in the finals. He was arguably the best and most consistent player in the finals.

Exactly.

What's he supposed to say? "Uhh, I'm not really that good of a player. There are plenty of guys better than me."

Somehow, I can see Tim Duncan saying that...

I agree. Duncan seems like one of the quietest and most modest players in the nba.

LBJ TO BK 08 wrote:haha...he really needs to stop drinkin tequila over there... in my opinion he is the most overated player in the nba... heres why
kobe with no one= playoffs
pierce with no one= lottery team
kobe = 81 points
pierce= dont even care
kobe= smoothest player in the game
pierce= a$$ fat
pierce isnt even in the top ten

dang. harsh.
but when you put it like that, you're right.
pierce had the best team in the nba. but that doesn't make him the best player.

oh yea, one more thing

the nba is a collection of the best players from around the world. when you think of the best players now, paul pierce isn't exactly what pops into your head. more on the lines of lebron, kobe, (can I say arenas, just playing)

Pierce is very arrogant (you could just see how he talked trash to Butler when we beat up on them last year) He isn't the best player on his team and not even a top 15 player in the NBA. I'm a fan of his game and I glad he got a ring and turned into a solid defensive player. But he is off the mark with his comment and comes off like an a hole.



Players better than Pierce or on his level. And I left Joe Johnson,Tony Parker, Barndon Roy, and Billups off the list. Some people might think they are better than Pierce.

Kobe
Tim Duncan
Lebron James
Chris Paul
Kevin Garnett
Gilbert Arenas
Tracy McGrady
Dirk
Amare
Steve Nash
Deron Williams
Yao Ming
Carmelo Antony
Elton Brand
Chris Bosh
Dwight Howard
Dwayne Wade
Iverson
Baron Davis
Carlos Boozer
Manu

TheKingOfVa360 wrote:
Players better than Pierce or on his level. And I left Joe Johnson,Tony Parker, Barndon Roy, and Billups off the list. Some people might think they are better than Pierce.

Kobe
Tim Duncan
Lebron James
Chris Paul
Kevin Garnett
Gilbert Arenas
Tracy McGrady
Dirk
Amare
Steve Nash
Deron Williams
Yao Ming
Carmelo Antony
Elton Brand
Chris Bosh
Dwight Howard
Dwayne Wade
Iverson
Baron Davis
Carlos Boozer
Manu

I don't know. I look at this list and, yes, I see some players that I would also argue are better than Pierce. But I also see a lot of players who haven't done squat. Meanwhile, Pierce was, imo, the BEST player on the floor in this year's NBA finals. So, at this point, I'd have to say that Pierce is better than Anthony, Manu, Dirk, Bosh, Arenas and maybe 2 or 3 other players on your list.

And, while Pierce may not be better than Kobe, he just got finished outplaying Kobe on the biggest stage the NBA has to offer.

So, at this point, I have to say that Pierce is better than Anthony, Manu, Dirk, Bosh, Arenas and maybe 2 or 3 other players on your list.

TheKingOfVa360 wrote: Players better than Pierce or on his level.

From your list.

Better than Pierce:
Kobe
Tim Duncan
Lebron James
Chris Paul
Kevin Garnett
Dwight Howard
Dwayne Wade
Yao Ming

Equal to Pierce:
Amare
Deron Williams
Chris Bosh
Steve Nash

Worse than Pierce:
Gilbert Arenas
Tracy McGrady
Dirk
Carmelo Antony
Elton Brand
Iverson
Baron Davis
Carlos Boozer
Manu

I'd rank Pierce about 12th give or take 3 slots.

I'd much rather have Manu on my team vs. Pierce. If Manu got Pierce's touches and minutes, he'd be regarded as a top 10 player. Manu has done it over time.

Prior to last season, I'd have ranked him right with Gilbert (ie: about 13-15th best player in the league).

But this season, Pierce dramatically improved his man defense (yes, playing along-side Garnett certainly helps but you could just see him taking on the best perimeter player of the opposing team and doing a great job against him). And because of this improvement, I'd rank him around the 10th best player in the league.

Eh. Caron outplayed Pierce in head to head games this year, does that mean Caron is better than Kobe too?

I dunno. Paul Pierce benefits by playing next to KG a ton. Up 'til now he always put up numbers but went nowhere on a team where he was the primary option. In a weak East his teams always drafted in the Lottery. Truth is his success this year doesn't change my opinion of him as much as it does cement my opinion that Garnett is as good as I always figured he was.