If Paul Pierce, Mr. Los Angeles, managed to make his way onto the Lakers instead of the Celtics… and Kobe Bryant were the long-suffering player who is making it to his first Finals…. the media would be blowing Pierce while we sat here and made “he’s a Hall of Famer” arguments for Kobe.
Unfortunately for Paul, this IS his first finals. And thankfully for us, we weren’t subjected to Kobe Bryant for 10 years. But the sad fact for The Truth is that the decisions of management past had forced the Celtics into media obscurity… and Paul’s accomplishments… achieved with virtually no help… have been dismissed by the public as a whole.
When all is said and done, Paul Pierce WILL be a Hall of Famer… especially after he gets his ring this year.
Paul Pierce is one of the greatest scorers in Boston Celtics history. He’s on a pace to challenge John Havlicek as the team’s all-time leading scorer.
Paul will turn 31 at the beginning of next season. His scoring dipped a little this season, but even if he plays 5 more years scoring as much as he did this season, his career total will be between 24,000 and 25,000. That would put him in the top 15 all time. If he could continue another season or two… he could conceivably challenge Havlicek’s 26,395. That’s not just Hall of Fame territory… that’s first-ballot territory.
By contrast… I’m pretty sure Scottie Pippen is going to get into the Hall of Fame… and he’s not even at 19,000 career points. But because he rode the coattails of the greatest player ever to 6 rings… he’ll get in. But Paul Pierce… often with no help and in deplorable situations (a.k.a. The Rick Pitino Era)… showed up and played. He was nearly killed in September of 2000, yet he didn’t miss a single game of the 2000-01 AND 2001-02 seasons (and, oh by the way, averaged 25 and 26 points a game).
Paul PIerce has Hall of Fame heart… and credentials. People around the country are finally starting to see it. And when the Celtics give him a ring this year… there will be no denying it.
I posted this on there
“Paul Pierce will be in the Hall of Fame. Period. This isn’t the Baseball Hall of Fame here. Players, that if compared to baseball’s standards, would not make the hall of fame are constantly let in. The basketball hall of fame has pretty low prestige when it comes to the 4 major (yeah I still consider hockey to be a major sport) sport HOFs. The thing is though, Paul Pierce IS at the level that if the standards were as high as baseball, would be a Hall of Famer. Your argument “how can a man who has only made the All-NBA third team be considered an all-time great?” is pretty invalid considering there are several players in the basketball hall of fame that never even made the 3rd team…”
If Dominique Wilkins and Clyde Drexler are first ballot hall of famers, then there is almost no conceivable argument that can be made that Paul Pierce is not also a first ballot hall of famer.
You cannot punish Pierce for being forced to play under some of the most horrible conditions in the NBA for more then half of his career. When the national media suddenly realized how great Paul was they all thought he had changed his game somehow, the fact is that people are just suddenly paying attention to what is happening in Boston because the team isn’t horrendous any longer.
Come on, let’s go over what you just said with a little bit of logic… 1) All time leading scorer (maybe). That wouldn’t even be that big of a deal for this team because he’s played the majority of his career in Boston without a single other scorer, giving him the opportunity to really lead the scoring unlike Havlicek that had legit teammates that scored around him as well, o yeah, and they won too. 2) How can you talk bad about Scottie Pippen? Seriously. People have already agreed that Kobe has more offensive skill than Jordan had, and yet he wasn’t able to win anything on his own. Do you think Jordan could’ve won without the right supporting cast? Scottie Pippen was a great teammate, he understood his role, embraced it, and helped make the team as successful as it was. 3) Paul Pierce’s personal issues, fights, gang affiliations, etc, have nothing to do with his struggling to make it into the Hall of Fame.
Now, with all that said, I truly believe Paul Pierce is a Hall of Famer. Anyone that has the sportsmanship and heart that he does and is prepared to play for the same team for so long without ever winning deserves a lot of credit. I don’t agree with how the Hall of Fame judges players either way. If Robert Horry, with 7 rings and being the greatest role player of all time doesn’t win a ring, then there is really no reason for the Hall of Fame. Yes, he was in the right place at the right time, but let’s not forget that without his big shots time after time his teams wouldn’t have won all the titles that they won. Let’s hope the process for selection improves and the players that deserve it, such as Paul Pierce, make it in.
GREAT POST!!! I couldn’t agree more. If Pierce had help around him, he would right now be considered among the greatest players of all time.
Bob Ryan said this morning on the Sports Reporters that Paul Pierce was one of, if not THE greatest scorer in the history of the Boston Celtics. I am not sure if I agree with that, but he certainly should be a hall of famer.
GO CELTS!!
http://www.wickedpissadude.com
Can you get intoxicated off a bowl of clam chowder?
Although the argument you present is full of unrelated, irrelavent commentary…I agree. Paul Pierce is a rear breed of toughness and world class scoring abilty…he can drive, play with his back to or perimeter and get a rebound when you need it…the nonsense regarding Kobe in the beginning is so jaded and self-righteous it makes me want to puke. If Kobe were a Laker you would have loved him all the way to the finals…I’m sure Celtic fans were calling KG a choke artist in the playoffs and how soft and defenseless Ray was before they donned the green and white…
Pierce is a HOFer for sure…ring or -more likely- not.
Hey -kobeblows- although I’m not offended by your obvious homosexual desires for the MVP, it has been requested by “rvr” (a loyal Celtic blogger) that the poo-poo mouth be silenced and we be a kinder, more tolerant nation…
So please for me, for “rvr”, for America lose the vulgar name…
But how I do love a good clam chow-dah! And the answer is yes if eaten with a Guiness!
this is too funny boston herald is predicting lakers to beat boston in 6 damn this is what you call a hometown paper
Link
“Kobe Bryant is a wonderful player. I am extraordinarily excited about watching him lead the Lakers against the Celtics in the NBA Finals that begin Thursday. I fully expect a classic performance, and I firmly believe he will lead the Lakers to a championship in six games with the final game on the Celtics’ home court.”
I think this site just changed it’s name to “LA East”…
I’ll be honest i don’t like the overwhelming sense that we’ll win…we’re a young team and I hope we’re not reading the papers…Hopefully Kobe keeps everybody in check…
I do think it will go 7 due to the 2-3-2 format…this is a huge advantage for the home team (for a number of reasons, please Celtic fans don’t make me explain) and I feel that there will be consistantly close games…blowouts at this point would surprise me…
Hey Ajay…. hate to burst your bubble… but that’s a syndicated piece out of Texas. That’s not a Herald writer.
A good point by inferno? Why… yes it is.
EVERYONE is picking the Lakers. Everyone. As much as I’ve disowned Bill Simmons… his gambling “rules” have been established through years of careful observation of losing and winning money. And when a gambler learns that you bet the other way from overwhelming sentiment… there’s a reason.
No argument here man…I don’t see how we’re a favorite…if you guys don’t win against a less experienced soft, turtle-filled team like us…wow…big upset.
at least pierce didnt cost his team a championship, as kobe did when playing with shaq, payton, and the mailman
If Paul Pierce, Mr. Los Angeles, managed to make his way onto the Lakers instead of the Celtics… and Kobe Bryant were the long-suffering player who is making it to his first Finals…. the media would be blowing Pierce while we sat here and made “he’s a Hall of Famer” arguments for Kobe
hahaahaha Kobe didnt suffer? Look at 2005-2007 dumbasses. Kobe had a bitch at PG (smush parker) a bum at center (Kwame Brown) and other trash pieces (Brian Cook) (Aaron Mckie) so dont tell me kobe didnt suffer. Oh both paul and kobe suffered alot. Which one led their teams to the playoffs twice in a row? Nuff said, No way in hell pierce gets in HOF if kobe doesnt
Exactly how did he cost them a championship? Please enlighten me O sooth-sayer.
[...] Afterward, take a look at this Boston Celtics blog and you be the judge of whether Paul Pierce deserves to be in the HOF. [...]
LOL Costed Kobe costed us a ship? are you high you dumbass? we were w/o malone and that team did not have chemistry. You are a piece of shit that probably didnt even watch the 2003-2004 season
Kobe would have 0 rings without Shaq he has a man crush on Jordan and will fail this year and play for the Bulls in less then 3years. chew on that.
I don’t think you’ve come up with an intelligent statement in the month I’ve been attending this Shamrock-fest Ainge…why start now right…
Kobe was the reason Shaq got those titles…remember before Kobe matured into a starter, Shaq didn’t win…
He’s not going to the Bulls dimwit…he has a team that will win 55+ games for 5 years min, especially with Bynum coming back next year and a great, young, maturing bench to support him…
Get used to at least 3-4 more Laker rings win or lose this year…
Blah, blah, blah. You New England fans are delusional (born and raised in RI, so I know). Save the good players making the Hall of Fame for the past. Good player, yes. Great player, NO. I can’t believe I just read that if Paul Peirce played for L.A., and Kobe played for Boston B.S. Paul Peirce is about half the player Kobe is. I think Shaq would’ve knocked his head off after one season of his emotional early in the shot clock three point bricks he’s famous for. I heard this was a credible blog. So, you think a player who plays for a team with 16 Chips, and countless retired jerseys should have a Paul Peirce in the Hall of Fame? Right. For making the Finals finally. For the most part, it the Paul Peirce Era has been a joke. One Conference Finals, and only making the Finals AFTER KG, and Ray Allen join the team. This shouldn’t be an argument. Matter of fact, I’ve argued the point that PP shouldn’t even have his number retired. T-Mac is a great scorer. He should follow PP in the Hall too then. Right? This is so comical. Celtics finally have a decent team, who suck in the playoffs, and all the delusion comes back to BeanTown. Hey guys don’t forget, 3 x 0 still equals 0.
Oh Papairish, Shaq cost the Lakers in 2004. Not Kobe. At leaset Kobe made the playoffs in the very tough West. PP can’t even carry his team into the Playoffs. Much like, KG and Ray Allen. Like I said. 3 x 0 = 0.
Comical? You just came here and said a team in the NBA finals “sucks in the playoffs.”
That ends your credibility right on the spot.
See ya
Already thinking about next year you a Cub fan 2? Funny how fast you guys turn on Shaq yet you stand behind Kobe like he’s Bird or something. Kobe won’t have Shaq to bail him out this time have fun with that.
Wondahbap…I feel your pain…I was born and raised in RI as well…but lets save the honesty for game 5 when we’re up 3-1…now is the time to fatten up the turkey for the feast…capische?
God…I always loved those simple math equations…no proof needed.
Go Lakers
Hey guys…no revisionist history now…many of you Celtic bloggers commented how bad the C’s were in the first 2 rounds…I belive “We suck” was an oft used quote…Wonda was stating the obvious…until this last round you have sucked…that’s simply a testament to how awful the East is, not Wonda’s credibility…
…and Ainge…I CAN think about years to come because this year is ahead of schedule…we don’t even belong here…there is NO pressure…if the C’s don’t win, the season is a flop and you probably have only one more year to make it happen…Tick-tock, tick-tock…
Celtics need this series…Lakers want this series…
KG/Truth/Ray- think they can win…Kobe has won…
Go to bed Ainge…
Kobe “needs” this as much as anyone. If he loses… then he can’t win without Shaq. This goes beyond want for him. This is necessary for him.
The Celtics have had bad games…. but they’re in the NBA finals. That’s that.
You make my point for me…KOBE needs it, not the Lakers…our role players, our organization doesn’t feel the desperation… don’t you see…Ainge ( the real Ainge ) made a desperate move getting KG and Ray…there is no real FUTURE in Boston…if yopu don’t win now, the inevitable will happen…The Lakers will reach 17 and finally usurp the NBA throne that has been held for so long…the last 21 years has seen 5 Laker banners raised to none for the C’s…The Lakers continue to be relevant, to be the stuff of legend, while Celtic heroes die off with none to replace them…Kobe has a chance to establish a second dynasty in the same decade, while the C’s haven’t sniffed a final in 2 decades…
Your right about Kobe…because he is the best, he NEEDS the title, but the Lakers don’t, the role players will be loose and Kobe will be Kobe…
The Celtics MUST win… If they don’t …what will the next 20 years bring…probably more of the same…nothing.
Yes. I said “sucks in the playoffs.” Considering the year they had, and the teams they played, they haven’t been good, never mind impressive.
Oh, and aingelives….
No one has turned on Shaq. It is true. Maybe you didn’t watch that Finals (since you’re a C’s fan, you obviously forgot about the NBA for the past 5-6 years), it was Shaq’s ineffectiveness that allowed Detroit to completely stifle the Lakers. Also, I’m a Sox fan.
apologies
[...] beneficial for Celtics NBC Sports Celtics Lakers is NBA’s showcase showdown Red’s Army Paul Pierce is a Hall of Famer BostonSportZ Was this the worst call in NBA history? Break up the Pistons, Trade Rip [...]
PREDICTION: Pauly is headed for the HOF, 1st ballot. While at the same time, 20 years from now Kobe will be headed back to court for raping a pool boy. and his neighbors dog.
wow lakerhater, great comment! how old are you? 10?
idiot.
Man, reading those comments was a marathon.
I’m going to sidestep this whole Finals debate to focus on what the post was really about, and that’s PP’s chance at the Hall. And oh, he will be. Book it.
According to basketball-reference (http://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/hof_prob_active.html), Pierce stands at about an 87% probability of making the HoF – and that’s assuming they don’t win the title this year, and assuming he doesn’t do anything of import for the rest of his career.
I think a lot of people commenting are overestimating how difficult it is to make the HoF, especially for a player like Pierce who was also a solid college player (remember that it’s the Basketball Hall of Fame, not the NBA Hall of Fame). Pierce has put up good numbers his entire career, is a six-time all-star, and now has had some playoff success. Think about this – if Pierce continues to score at say, 1500 points a season for the next two seasons, he will be just 2,000 behind Allen Iverson at the same age. Iverson is a lock to make the Hall, and if Pierce plays longer than AI does or stays productive longer (a real possibility due to AI’s style of play) it’s likely he’d catch him in points. Thinking about it that way, how is it that Pierce won’t make the Hall?
Thanks Jason! Your adoration makes it all worth while.
lakerhater, where did u learn to be so witty?