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How frustrating of a sight was that to behold? Not one single guy on the Cs could create their own shot. No one could shake their man, get to the hole and finish.

Paul Pierce 1 for 7? 1 for what? Paul use to be able to create his own shot at will, but he can no longer do it. Go to youtube and watch game 6 of the 2005 playoffs against Indiana. Pierce looks about 20 pounds lighter and could get his shot off at will against anybody.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8GErULp8nk

I've said it once and I will say it again, Pierce looks like he is running through quicksand when he tries to get to the hole. Don't get me wrong, Pierce is a fantastic player who has compensated for his weight gain/loss of foot speed by learning to score more within the system. And thats fine and dandy.

When you watch that youtube video, notice how thin and fluid Paul Pierce was compared to this season. The dropoff is remarkable.

Not trying to bitch, but come on, why did Pierce have to come in so big this year? That's my only complaint for this whole season.

I'm glad you're contributing more recently. I've been laying in the weeds a bit because while I'm estatic at the quality of play overall, my only perspectives that could launch some debate are the critical points. Some of which you've illustrated here. I haven't been happy with the offense for a good part of the season. As your comments allude, I have considered that much of the positive impact on offense of the "Big 3" is mostly just a result of having other big threats on the floor, rather than a result of any of the Big 3 really taking their game to another offensive level by playing well through one another.

For example, last night, how is it that James Posey is able to kill Utah over a stretch of 3-4 possessions by passing to KG in the post, then cutting through for a KG return pass for layup opportunities? I know Paul and Ray draw much more attention that Posey, but, is it a matter of Can't Do or Won't Do? I tend to believe it's the latter. I hate to make this accusation in the midst of his having a great season, but, while Paul has double or tripled up the energy, focus, and intensity on the defensive end, I believe he has also dialed it down, to a certain extent, on the offensive end.

In the full context, I appreciate there is only so much energy for people to tap into. We aren't machines. And Paul has never been an endless energy type guy. But, try to appreciate where I'm coming from before labeling me a basher or hater. KG and Ray Allen are obviously Hall of Fame level players. However, Paul Pierce is the most explosive and consistant scorer in the group. He's done it through using a power game and getting high percentage shots at the basket and opportunities at the free throw line. That has not been as much a consistant approach to his game this year as it has in years past. In my estimation, it will need to be a more prevalent part of this offense in the playoffs, if this team is to have a chance at winning it all.

I've tempered my inclination to bring this up as much as I'd like to. But, I'll drive the point home with more reckless abandon, if it continues to manifest in the postseason. Great season. I'm enjoying it immensely. But it's not without a few unsavory elements along the way, as Gonzo brings out in this thread.

He's had bad games before, he'll have some again... I really don't think there's anything to be concerned about with Pierce overall, however.

He doesn't look like quicksand in this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNlQZuUKvNI

This one either, where he gets by his man, gets hacked, gets the ball back, and takes it in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjCXrBdJ ... re=related

and those were this season. Yes, he's skinnier in '04-05, and he actually had a great season for him that year, but I wouldn't say he's fat today either.

It's a good thing for him to be scoring in the system not trying to take over games when he has good support around him. We've seen it before, skinnier or whatever--when he takes on more than he needs to... turnovers galore. We don't need that with this team. He's playing the way he should be, and he's still very capable of taking things over when the time calls for it. He just had a bad game. That's going to happen from time to time. Everyone has them. There's no way he's lost his ability to create his own shot.

Paul does not have the stamina to play flat-out the whole game at both ends of the court. We've known this for a long time.

I'm not sure that should be held against him, since his game is high-effort at both ends. He's best on offense when he's getting banged a lot. He's not a natural super-quick defender, so he only excels on defense when he puts out great effort.

He's just a guy who's well but not amazingly conditioned FOR AN ELITE PRO ATHLETE, who doesn't happen to be fluid or energy-conserving when he excels at his sport.

got your butt kicked last night, Celts magic is gone.

realfung wrote:got your butt kicked last night, Celts magic is gone.

Go home.

Pierce, KG, and Ray Allen have lost a step compared to 5 years ago. It happens to everyone when they get older. That's why there is a 2-3 year window with these guys to win a championship.

That being said, Pierce is having his best defensive year of his career. Pierce didn't seem like into the game yesterday. It happens. He will bounce back. This game was lost in the 1st quarter. KG probably had his worst 1st half as a Celtic.

I'm not too worried this year. But we need a few young, talented players for next season and years to come. I hope Ainge can work his magic in the draft or trade for a young, talented player during the off season.

Out of everyone on the team, the two players who have struck me as being "overweight" are Paul Pierce (from pre-season) and Scal.

Losing weight is not so much a matter of exercise or working out as it is limiting caloric intake.

I'm more worried about Pierce's mental makeup than his weight. It seems like some of Antoine Walker's bad traits have rubbed off on him in that Pierce has run his mouth without having the balls to back up his words over the years. It all started in 2002 when he proclaimed that no one on the Nets can stop him. He then went on to choke for the rest of the series. Two years ago, he got into it with Lebron James, said something about how Lebron has ways to go to catch him as a player before dropping 50 on him at the Fleetcenter and then has been playing scared against him ever since. Last year, he said something totally uncalled for about Caron Butler being an All Star and has been getting routinely schooled by him. Worse was when he called out his young teammates and called himself a great player. This year, he ran his mouth again on Joe Johnson being an All Star. And to this point, he seems to be the only All Star on the team who's in awe of their regular season record and already declared the C's the best team in the league back in January. And last night he got into it with Rajon Rondo in the first half when he (Pierce) was the one who was stinking up the joint. What the hell is wrong with him? I used to love him when we sucked but this year, he just hasn't been the cool, ice-in-his-veins Paul Pierce I used to know and love.

Pierce is a good player, way above average, but he's become more turnover prone than ever and despite his reputation as a closer he hasn't nailed a game winning/clinching jumper all year. And he seems way too content to ride on KG's back instead of playing like the most dangerous offensive weapon on the team that he is. Pierce needs to step up. More importantly, Pierce needs to grow up or we'll be going home in May.

None of the big 3 played well. Especially Pierce who didn't drive in all night. I expect a much better game tonight. The C's need a slap in the face every once in a while.

....you guys are really reaching for stuff here....

While I agree that Pierce looks a tad slower than he did three years ago, it is remarkable how much slower he looked last night against AK-47 than he did the previous game against Jeff Green. At this stage of his career, Pierce usually uses his first step to get a defender on his shoulder and then keeps the defender at his side for the remainder of his drive to the basket, lacking the second and third step to actually separate from the defender. By contrast, he was actually blowing right past the heavy legged Green, but could not even get parallel to Kirilenko, who was able to stay in front of Pierce.

It's a small sample size, but Pierce has had great difficulty from the floor in both games against Utah this season, 1-7 last night, and 6-17 in the first game. Perhaps he is just having trouble with Kirilenko this season, as he has had with similar players with a good combination of length and quickness (e.g., Luol Deng) in the past. After a season or two of whining about not being involved in the offense, Kirilenko seems to have capitulated to his primary role as a defender and returned to form, at least on the defensive end. I haven't studied his performance against other wings this year, but he certainly looked to be bothering Pierce last night.

Paul still beats guys. If you had seen the game in person rather then on TV I would find it more convincing. The typical observation that most people have seeing Paul play IRL is that he is quicker then people realized.

Pete