Paul Pierce is a Freaking Stud - You Tube & Recent Interview

[exculpatory]

Pierce says his distaste for the Knicks has grown, and that the Nets and Knicks will be the NBA's best rivalry this year.

"I think the hate [for the Knicks] has grown a little. Everybody knows how much I disliked the Knicks when I was with the Celtics, but I think it's grown to another level," Pierce said on ESPN NewYork 98.7 FM's "The Michael Kay Show" on Thursday. "I think it's time for the Nets to start running this city."

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nba/story/_ ... g-new-york

You guys are going to be totally blown away by this first ballot HOFER who played at an All Pro level after Rondo went down in late 1/2013 & who is STILL the 3rd or 4th best SF in the NBA EVEN at age 35. Also STILL clutcher than hell. A consummate pro!

http://youtu.be/Y4ftelBASlM

[brigadierjerry]

Slighty off topic but as a Knicks fan I think the Nets wont try to win 60+ games and more try to focus on health and minutes for the veterans.

My question is for Nets fan is it championship or bust these next 2 years ?Will making conference Finals be acceptable?

Also how much of honeymoon period do you see Kidd getting coaching this team?

exculpatory do you only see the Heat as the Nets main competitor or you give credence into the Pacers and Bulls?

[NyCeEvO]

Slighty off topic but as a Knicks fan I think the Nets wont try to win 60+ games and more try to focus on health and minutes for the veterans.

My question is for Nets fan is it championship or bust these next 2 years ?Will making conference Finals be acceptable?

Also how much of honeymoon period do you see Kidd getting coaching this team?

exculpatory do you only see the Heat as the Nets main competitor or you give credence into the Pacers and Bulls?

Not trying to be rude but (considering that answering these questions would probably derail the purpose of this particular thread), you'd probably get more appropriate/better responses if you asked this in the Nets offseason thread.

[NyCeEvO]

Pierce on cherishing this current team:

"So I just want to instill that in the teammates, the organization," Pierce said. "This is our time. This is it. A lot of players, a lot of teams, you don't get this opportunity. It's tough. I played so many years with so many bad teams -- it's like, when you get these opportunities, you cherish them."

Leading the team:

Pierce has found a place to live and hopes to be settled in the New York City area by Sept. 1. He has talked with Garnett about the team possibly getting together in a place like Chicago or California for some workouts before training camp begins, though nothing is set in stone.

via http://espn.go.com/new-york/nba/story/_ ... g-new-york

I know D-Will got the guys in before camp last season to get ready and it seems only fitting that the guys with true championship experience set the tone this year.

They're saying all of the right things. Now they have to go out and prove it.

[exculpatory]

Pierce on cherishing this current team:

"So I just want to instill that in the teammates, the organization," Pierce said. "This is our time. This is it. A lot of players, a lot of teams, you don't get this opportunity. It's tough. I played so many years with so many bad teams -- it's like, when you get these opportunities, you cherish them."

Leading the team:

Pierce has found a place to live and hopes to be settled in the New York City area by Sept. 1. He has talked with Garnett about the team possibly getting together in a place like Chicago or California for some workouts before training camp begins, though nothing is set in stone.

via http://espn.go.com/new-york/nba/story/_ ... g-new-york

I know D-Will got the guys in before camp last season to get ready and it seems only fitting that the guys with true championship experience set the tone this year.

They're saying all of the right things. Now they have to go out and prove it.

More good stuff from Paul.

http://www.slamonline.com/online/nba/20 ... s-celtics/

[marcusaurelius]

If you keep his playing time down to 28 to 30 minutes (completely expected at his age), I believe that PP is still a top 6 or so small forward in the league. Considering that is such an athletic position, it is really a great achievement for him.

NJ could have a special season this year, and I believe that PP will be a big part of it. Best of wishes for his good health.

[exculpatory]

If you keep his playing time down to 28 to 30 minutes (completely expected at his age), I believe that PP is still a top 6 or so small forward in the league. Considering that is such an athletic position, it is really a great achievement for him.

NJ could have a special season this year, and I believe that PP will be a big part of it. Best of wishes for his good health.

He had better numbers than George last year - especially after the ASG. Gay, Granger, Deng, Iggy have not yet surpassed him.

Bron/KD/Melo just recently/Truth...

Incredible achievement for someone about to turn 36 in October.

He will play at an All Star level again because 1) on many nights, DWill & Brook will be the first & second scoring options; 2) he does not have to be a faux PG; & 3) he will be able to play fewer minutes because this team is so deep.

Of course, health overrides everything in importance. He played through a pinched cervical nerve last year - which reflared in the POs vs. the Knicks.

[Rich Rane]

Eh...I rather liked what he had to say about the Nets.

[marcusaurelius]

I really don't have a problem with someone calling PP the #4 small forward in the league. To me 4 through 8 are really very close. I would put him at 5 or 6, but again, I consider it really close. Either way, it is a great achievement at his age.

And yes, I agree that having Williams and Lopez being the primary scorers will really help PP. Very few defenses can do a consistently good job on the third scoring option, so PP should get some really good shots.

After watching the playoffs, I believe there are two young studs that will overtake everyone except Lebron and Durant in just two years. George and Leonard.

[PetroNet]

Slighty off topic but as a Knicks fan I think the Nets wont try to win 60+ games and more try to focus on health and minutes for the veterans.

My question is for Nets fan is it championship or bust these next 2 years ?Will making conference Finals be acceptable?

Also how much of honeymoon period do you see Kidd getting coaching this team?

exculpatory do you only see the Heat as the Nets main competitor or you give credence into the Pacers and Bulls?

I) i think the nets can focus on health and minutes and still win 60+ games. I dont think they need 70+ games from pierce or garnett or 30+ minutes from either to win 60. I think they will give those guys rest and still hit that mark or get pretty close.

II) Kidd is a puppet right now. its franks team to coach. which im fine with. i wasnt a big fan of the kidd hiring but i love the staff he has. he isnt going anywhere anytime soon, he is too good for PR.

III) The bulls are certainly a competitor. the pacers are overrated trash.

[PetroNet]

If you keep his playing time down to 28 to 30 minutes (completely expected at his age), I believe that PP is still a top 6 or so small forward in the league. Considering that is such an athletic position, it is really a great achievement for him.

NJ could have a special season this year, and I believe that PP will be a big part of it. Best of wishes for his good health.

i dont see the need for pierce to play under 30 minutes and questions about his healthy and durability seem off base. garnett, sure. but pierce is 35. he has missed 11 games combined the past 3 seasons. he has played 34 minutes per game the past 3 seasons. its not unusual for a 35 year old starter/former all star to play 32+ minutes a game, especially when not the teams first option.

i really dont see why pierce would be limited to sub 30 minutes

[PetroNet]

I really don't have a problem with someone calling PP the #4 small forward in the league. To me 4 through 8 are really very close. I would put him at 5 or 6, but again, I consider it really close. Either way, it is a great achievement at his age.

And yes, I agree that having Williams and Lopez being the primary scorers will really help PP. Very few defenses can do a consistently good job on the third scoring option, so PP should get some really good shots.

After watching the playoffs, I believe there are two young studs that will overtake everyone except Lebron and Durant in just two years. George and Leonard.

i dont see paul george as a stud. he is a good player, an all-star. but offensively he is really just average, maybe even a tough below. im sure he will improve, but i cant see it improving enough to be at the level of even carmello. he isnt someone you need to double team, he doesnt get ot the line, and he doesnt handle the ball very well.

as far as leonard, hed have a REALLY long way to come

[EGarrett]

II) Kidd is a puppet right now. its franks team to coach. which im fine with. i wasnt a big fan of the kidd hiring but i love the staff he has. he isnt going anywhere anytime soon, he is too good for PR.

There's nothing wrong with a rookie coach relying on a veteran assistant to smooth things out until he gets his feet wet. I'd say that's actually the smart decision.

[PetroNet]

II) Kidd is a puppet right now. its franks team to coach. which im fine with. i wasnt a big fan of the kidd hiring but i love the staff he has. he isnt going anywhere anytime soon, he is too good for PR.

There's nothing wrong with a rookie coach relying on a veteran assistant to smooth things out until he gets his feet wet. I'd say that's actually the smart decision.

a smart decision would have been to hire the best coach possible, and have kidd be an assitant until he is ready to coach a team on his own

[EGarrett]

II) Kidd is a puppet right now. its franks team to coach. which im fine with. i wasnt a big fan of the kidd hiring but i love the staff he has. he isnt going anywhere anytime soon, he is too good for PR.

There's nothing wrong with a rookie coach relying on a veteran assistant to smooth things out until he gets his feet wet. I'd say that's actually the smart decision.

a smart decision would have been to hire the best coach possible, and have kidd be an assitant until he is ready to coach a team on his own

Kidd's decision to let Frank handle a large portion of the responsibilities is still a good idea. Also, I'm sure a lot of us agree that we didn't expect to be title contenders when we did bring in Kidd as the coach. I don't think there's a need to be overly negative about it at this point. That's for other fanbases to do IMO. We should start out positive and only get upset if the situation merits it later.

[PetroNet]

There's nothing wrong with a rookie coach relying on a veteran assistant to smooth things out until he gets his feet wet. I'd say that's actually the smart decision.

a smart decision would have been to hire the best coach possible, and have kidd be an assitant until he is ready to coach a team on his own

Kidd's decision to let Frank handle a large portion of the responsibilities is still a good idea. Also, I'm sure a lot of us agree that we didn't expect to be title contenders when we did bring in Kidd as the coach. I don't think there's a need to be overly negative about it at this point. That's for other fanbases to do IMO. We should start out positive and only get upset if the situation merits it later.

im not upset, but its clear it wasnt the smartest move as far as winning. sure, PR, makes sense. even without the trades and additions, its not a move that makes sense, as we'd still be a veteran team with a small window before a retool was needed. and there is no reason why having kidd start out as an assitant shouldnt have been the move.

but im not going to get all crazy over it. we have talented vets with championship pedigree now who can police themselves.

[EGarrett]

a smart decision would have been to hire the best coach possible, and have kidd be an assitant until he is ready to coach a team on his own

Kidd's decision to let Frank handle a large portion of the responsibilities is still a good idea. Also, I'm sure a lot of us agree that we didn't expect to be title contenders when we did bring in Kidd as the coach. I don't think there's a need to be overly negative about it at this point. That's for other fanbases to do IMO. We should start out positive and only get upset if the situation merits it later.

im not upset, but its clear it wasnt the smartest move as far as winning. sure, PR, makes sense. even without the trades and additions, its not a move that makes sense, as we'd still be a veteran team with a small window before a retool was needed. and there is no reason why having kidd start out as an assitant shouldnt have been the move.

but im not going to get all crazy over it. we have talented vets with championship pedigree now who can police themselves.

You're right, it wasn't the absolute best decision, and there are risks associated. But I've been a Kidd fan and a Net fan for a long time and I'm going into this season with nothing but positive thoughts.

[PetroNet]

You're right, it wasn't the absolute best decision, and there are risks associated. But I've been a Kidd fan and a Net fan for a long time and I'm going into this season with nothing but positive thoughts.

and thats fine, im not saying to be negative. but your outlook was kind of irrelevant to the point

[EGarrett]

You're right, it wasn't the absolute best decision, and there are risks associated. But I've been a Kidd fan and a Net fan for a long time and I'm going into this season with nothing but positive thoughts.

and thats fine, im not saying to be negative. but your outlook was kind of irrelevant to the point

My issue was with calling Kidd a "puppet," feels like bringing in negativity.

[PetroNet]

You're right, it wasn't the absolute best decision, and there are risks associated. But I've been a Kidd fan and a Net fan for a long time and I'm going into this season with nothing but positive thoughts.

and thats fine, im not saying to be negative. but your outlook was kind of irrelevant to the point

My issue was with calling Kidd a "puppet," feels like bringing in negativity.

it has nothng to do with being negative or positive. its just an observation. its is what it is. he is a puppet