Still the Truth: Paul Pierce thriving in playoffs yet again
WASHINGTON — Almost an hour after the Washington Wizards defeated the Toronto Raptors on Friday, Wizards forward Paul Pierce still hadn't taken that big postgame exhale.
He was still pumped in the aftermath of a 106-99 victory, giving the Wizards a 3-0 series lead.
"My adrenaline is through the roof right now," Pierce said. "I'm trying to come down."
Playoff Paul Pierce that has become so enjoyable to watch over the years turned in another Pierce-ian performance, scoring 11 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter and making two three-pointers in the final two minutes — the final one a deep 3 with 16.9 seconds left in the game making it 105-99.
After Pierce made that 3 — a classic pump fake with a defender flying by and as the shot clock expired — he yelled, "That's why I'm here!"
He said he doesn't remember saying it, claiming he was in the moment. "I can't even tell you one thing I said tonight," Pierce said.
Pierce was many things on Friday: Star, assassin and Raptors killer on the court and reflective, honest and funny in his postgame news conference.
His personality and game has dominated the series, starting with his comments at the beginning of the series, saying Toronto didn't have that "it" factor. He scored 20 points in Game 1 and 10 in Game 2, and would not elaborate on what "it" is, though you know it when you see it. And Pierce has it.
"I'm going to leave it for you guys to try and explain it and think about it and go over this small two-letter word for the rest of the series," he said. "I'm going to leave it at that."
Pierce tormented the Raptors in the playoffs last season as a member of the Brooklyn Nets and is doing it again in these playoffs. "I love playoff basketball," he said. "I love everything about it. I love the crowds on the road, I love it at home."
And Pierce was truthful about why he's enjoying this postseason so much.
"Right now I don't know how many more I have left," Pierce said. "I see the light at the end of the tunnel, so that appreciation goes up. When you first make the playoffs, you're like, 'Man, this is exciting.' You get a chance to be among the loudest crowds and enjoy the moment.
"But now, at this point in my career, I'm savoring these moments because I don't know how many more of these moments I'm going to have. That's what makes special nights like tonight."
Who knows how much longer Pierce will be with the Wizards? He has a player option on the 2015-16 season, so there's no guarantee he remains with Washington beyond this season. He's been valuable to the growth of John Wall (19 points, 15 assists in Game 3), Bradley Beal (16 points) and Otto Porter (11 points, eight rebounds), and his lessons will stick with them after he's gone.
Pierce was the Finals MVP in 2008 — the season he won a title with the Boston Celtics — and is a 10-time All-Star. He is one of the best scorers of his generation, but those days are gone now. He averaged a career-low in points (11.9) and minutes (26.2).
Wizards coach Randy Wittman said the minutes played were by design. "It was so we could get to this point with a fresh Paul Pierce."
Pierce, the father of three young children, does what's required to make sure he's fresh. Like staying in on the road while his teammates are going out.
Asked to explain Washington's ups and downs the season, Pierce said, "The young guys are young. A lot of them don't have any kids, so they have good times on the road. Go out and party sometimes. That's the way it is. I was a young guy who did those things, and sometimes you're not locked in for the full 82. That's how it is. That's how the whole NBA is."
But come playoff time? "Like I've said, the playoffs is a different game," he said.
He plays it well. Paul Pierce, still the Truth.
Follow Jeff Zillgitt on Twitter @JeffZillgitt.
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