Truth is playing first team All Pro

exculpatory · Post #1 » by **exculpatory** » Wed Nov 4, 2009 2:45 am

The Truth has had a fabulous career, and we know he will pass 20K points this year, and pass Bird next year to become the second All Time Celtic scorer. 7 All Star selections (and would have been 8 if not for injury), multiple years of second or third team All Pro. He outplayed Lebron and Kobe in the spring 2008, and led us to Number 17 as Finals MVP. He is a lock for the HOF. In spite of all of this, he remains underrated. Screw anybody that underrates him.

However, I have never seen him play better than these first 5 games. I have seen him score 30-45 ppg for stretches in the past and hit literally a hundred clutch shots over his career, but I have never seen him play a more complete game in every respect during these first 5 games. He is averaging 22 ppg on 60% shooting overall AND from 3 point land. He is playing about 3 quarters or less a game (except for the Cleveland game) and his scoring efficiency is beyond belief. On many nights, he only takes about 12-13 shots. He is rarely forcing anything. He is averaging 7R and 4A a game, as well as 2 steals a game. His TOs are down. Except for a lapse in defense against Peja the other night, he is playing incredible defense.

This team is going to roll to the Finals, and win Number 18.

P.S. KG and Ray were awful tonight. Hopefully, that was a temporary aberrancy.

SichtingLives · Post #2 » by **SichtingLives** » Wed Nov 4, 2009 3:50 am

F'n right, boss. Paul's game has been evolving for the better over the last 5 years. He's grown more wise and intelligent, his shooting touch has improved.....but the key is his physical conditioning. When he's in this kind of shape, it just all comes together for him.

His weight has always been up and down, although it's usually subtle to notice the fluctuations. But it shows most in his first step, ability to cut through the lane and get to the basket, and his ability to get up over the rim. Paul looks every bit as good right here and now as he ever has, imo. It's just that small matter of keeping it up for 100 games.

Zin5 · Post #3 » by **Zin5** » Wed Nov 4, 2009 3:51 am

5 games down, about 100 to go. Give it time.

BRUNiNHO91 · Post #4 » by **BRUNiNHO91** » Wed Nov 4, 2009 3:53 am

KG and Ray combined for 8 points..and we win by 30..what the **** is going on?lol..

But I agree man. Paul is playing young basketball...rejuvenated ball...if you compare him this year, to him in the Chicago series, it's..wow..not even close. He is monster this year..I see only Carmelo Anthony playing better basketball than Pierce so far..his all around stat lines have been off the chain. His defense has been super, and his offense is ridiculous..did you see the pass to Perk today?Perk got blocked, but that was a sick pass...the dude is on a complete tear right now..

captain green · Post #5 » by **captain green** » Wed Nov 4, 2009 3:57 am

maybe 3rd team, carmelo and lebron at the sf as of now even granger and weirdly grant hill have better point/rebounds/assist points than the truth. He is 3rd in Efficiency as well.
I'd like for him to make it though...

meatball sub · Post #6 » by **meatball sub** » Wed Nov 4, 2009 3:59 am

BRUNiNHO91 wrote:KG and Ray combined for 8 points..and we win by 30..what the **** is going on?lol..

We have two guys who easily could start on a playoff team (Sheed, Marquis) coming off our bench. It's so awesome.

exculpatory · Post #7 » by **exculpatory** » Wed Nov 4, 2009 4:00 am

Dunk

I agree he plays even better when lighter.

He has always been a stud and has had a HOF career as I outlined in the OP. Regardless of his spectacular scoring games and clutchness in the past - what I have seen in the last 5 games (even with less ppg), is simply out of this world. At this moment in time, there is NO small gap between Paul and Kobe/Lebron. None. Zero. Paul/Kobe/Lebron/DWade/emerging Melo are the best wings in the game by a wide margin.

We are lucky to have had this true Super Star all of these years through thick and thin, and he is going to lead us to another banner - assuming KG gets it all back, Rondo does his thing most nights, and Ray does not have too many games like tonight. Add Sheed to that mix, and WOW!

Post #8 » by **Slartibartfast** » Wed Nov 4, 2009 4:06 am

He's been a pleasure to watch. It's great to see his bounce back after that brutal Chicago series.

The Pierce/KG or Sheed pick and roll is a murderously dangerous crunch-time weapon.

Anyone see him run to pick up the ball the Sheed refused to give to the officials? Laughed out loud at that.

SonicYouth34 · Post #9 » by **SonicYouth34** » Wed Nov 4, 2009 4:07 am

We all know Truth is the man. Its no secret in Boston.

cloverleaf · Post #10 » by **cloverleaf** » Wed Nov 4, 2009 11:57 am

Maturing, losing weight, sacrificing for the team and still being driven each and every game is a great combination. It was easy to root for him when he was a young player and now that he's older it's easy to forgive his mid-career mistakes that are long behind him.

chas0x01 · Post #11 » by **chas0x01** » Wed Nov 4, 2009 12:09 pm

exculpatory wrote:The Truth has had a fabulous career, and we know he will pass 20K points this year, and pass Bird next year to become the second All Time Celtic scorer. 7 All Star selections (and would have been 8 if not for injury), multiple years of second or third team All Pro. He outplayed Lebron and Kobe in the spring 2008, and led us to Number 17 as Finals MVP. He is a lock for the HOF. In spite of all of this, he remains underrated. Screw anybody that underrates him.

However, I have never seen him play better than these first 5 games. I have seen him score 30-45 ppg for stretches in the past and hit literally a hundred clutch shots over his career, but I have never seen him play a more complete game in every respect during these first 5 games. He is averaging 22 ppg on 60% shooting overall AND from 3 point land. He is playing about 3 quarters or less a game (except for the Cleveland game) and his scoring efficiency is beyond belief. On many nights, he only takes about 12-13 shots. He is rarely forcing anything. He is averaging 7R and 4A a game, as well as 2 steals a game. His TOs are down. Except for a lapse in defense against Peja the other night, he is playing incredible defense.

This team is going to roll to the Finals, and win Number 18.

P.S. KG and Ray were awful tonight. Hopefully, that was a temporary aberrancy.

I have to agree with everything in this post. PP looks like he's in a zone like I've never seen before. His conditioning is off the charts and he's going to the hole looking to throwdown on people. I thought he was forcing a lot last season, but there's none of that so far this season. He's playing very much within himself.

Post #12 » by **darrendaye** » Wed Nov 4, 2009 12:26 pm

Trade him.

(lol, was just hoping to raise the good dr's blood pressure like the bad 'ole days)

Tricky Ricky · Post #13 » by **Tricky Ricky** » Wed Nov 4, 2009 1:11 pm

Zin5 wrote:5 games down, about 100 to go. Give it time.

I agree but he looks a lot better than last season so far

grantlongforpresident · Post #14 » by **grantlongforpresident** » Wed Nov 4, 2009 2:28 pm

I agree that Pierce is carrying this team right now, but I don't think it is his best basketball. There were a few seasons there where he was a relentless beast. I think in 2005 he got to the line over 10 times a game.

sam_I_am · Post #15 » by **sam_I_am** » Wed Nov 4, 2009 2:57 pm

I think it is time to start calling them the Big 1.... because only Paul Pierce is still playing at a hall of fame level. Honestly, KG is still a huge huge asset because of his defense, length and quickness but he is not playing offense like a career 20/10 guy. Ray Allen is still a marvel and his jump shot is ridiculous but he can no longer play like the guy who can dominate the ball and average 26 ppg. Yet Paul Pierce is still the truth. He has replaced his isolation/overdribble one on five game with a sharp, focused attack that is far more efficient so even though he may no longer look like the guy who rallied us from 26 pts. against Nets.... he is better. Now, Pierce has a ridiculously deep team around him but unless Rondo takes it to the next level this year or unless Garnett returns to form..... it is the Big 1 with a lot of help..... a lot of solid but not quite all-star level help.

Nobody credits him for the accomplishment last year. I will say it again and again. Kobe has never led a team with so little talent like last year's playoff team to a 60 win season and a deep playoff run. Only Lebron has taken an equally lesser talented team further in his first 2 ECF appearances. Kobe after Shaq prior to Gasol had far more talented teams that went nowhere. Does this year's team without Gasol look like it would go anywhere?

Paul Pierce (along with Ray and Rondo) led a team with a front court of Baby, Scal, Mikki Moore and Perk to within 1 game of the ECF losing to the eventual ECF champion that dispatched a 67 win Lebron team in 6 games with relative ease. Are there stars with more talent around them that couldn't get that far? What about Duncan with Parker and no Ginobilli - case in point right there.

humblebum · Post #16 » by **humblebum** » Wed Nov 4, 2009 3:18 pm

I'm not buying the big 1 argument sam i am. KG is playing shorter minutes this year and the team is asking him to do less offensively but he's still a top 3 big in the NBA. Ray Allen is still one of the best outside shooters in the game... so what has really changed there?

In reality I never really bought into the "big three" thing anyways. Basketball is played with 5 players... all this talk is just for fans and media types.

And to the point about the Lakers not having a talented roster outside of Kobe?! Um, I don't know but Gasol is friggin fantastic. He'd be up in the top 5 of big men in all of the NBA for my money. And Odom, Ariza, Fisher, Bynum are a rock solid quadruple of role players. Sure outside of that the Lakers don't possess a whole lot of talent but to say that Kobe led a rag-tag bunch of players to 60 wins and a championship couldn't be further from the truth imo.

And in regards to The Truth... he's playing stellar ball right now!

sam_I_am · Post #17 » by **sam_I_am** » Wed Nov 4, 2009 3:30 pm

humblebum wrote:And to the point about the Lakers not having a talented roster outside of Kobe?! Um, I don't know but Gasol is friggin fantastic. He'd be up in the top 5 of big men in all of the NBA for my money. And Odom, Ariza, Fisher, Bynum are a rock solid quadruple of role players.

That is pretty much the opposite of what I said. Kobe played on a roster with Caron Butler and Lamar Odom after Shaq left and couldn't get it done. Prior to getting Gasol for nothing, the Lakers were pretty mediocre.

Pierce last year was the one that leg a rag tag roster. Kobe never has had to.

er1c · Post #18 » by **er1c** » Wed Nov 4, 2009 5:42 pm

He is playing like a 1st team all nba but will probably be relegated to 2nd team just because Carmelo is playing out of his mind and LeBron is well LeBron. If they rated top 5 regardless of position, Pierce would be 1st team (so far).

er1c · Post #19 » by **er1c** » Wed Nov 4, 2009 5:59 pm

captain green wrote:maybe 3rd team, carmelo and lebron at the sf as of now even granger and weirdly grant hill have better point/rebounds/assist points than the truth. He is 3rd in Efficiency as well.
I'd like for him to make it though...

Pierce is head and shoulders above Granger and Hill this year. First, I don't know you even figure Granger is in the conversation. His 23.7ppg is due more to volume shooting and does not compensate for the efficiency Pierce has gotten his 21.6ppg. Pierce's shooting percentages across the board dwarf Grangers (.590FG, .560 3pt, .880FT compared to .407FG, .313 3pt, .708FT) And Pierce has more rebounds (6.8 to 4.3), assists (3 to 1.3) and steals (1.6 to 1.3) and fewer turnovers (3 to 2) than Granger so I 'm not sure where how you figure Granger has superior numbers. Not to mention Pierce is leading an undefeated team while Granger is leading a winless team.

Hill has been solid but Pierce has superior numbers in just about every category except rebounds.