Paul Pierce is in his element in the NBA playoffs
WASHINGTON — Paul Pierce is his element. It's the playoffs, he's getting inside the opponent's collective psyche with his words. He's making big shots, and the bravado he brings is carrying over to his Washington Wizards teammates.
Pierce is rolling and so are the Wizards.
And on Monday, he wore a Washington Capitals jersey — sweaters they're called in hockey — to the Caps' Game 7 victory against the New York Islanders.
He had front-row seats on the glass alongside teammates John Wall, Marcin Gortat and Rasual Butler. Pierce banged the glass when skaters were nearby.
"I got some coaching because I never sat that close before so they said when a player comes close to the window, you're supposed to hit the window," Pierce said. "So I was doing as the Romans do."
His use of "window" instead of "glass" is a key indicator Pierce is not a huge hockey guy. Only his third hockey game, he said. Didn't matter. Pierce was there for a good time and to support the team which shares the Verizon Center in downtown D.C. with the Wizards.
It's a good time to be a Washington sports fan (save for the Nationals' start). The city's NBA and NHL teams are in the conference semifinals.
"It was a little team-bonding, city-bonding between the two sports teams," Pierce said. "It was fun. I had a good time (Monday) night. Once you play for a city, you become part of it. You become one with the fans. You always run into the other sport's players. I always see those guys in here in the weight room or in passing. It's easy to support them."
It's been classic Pierce on and off the court. He riled up the Raptors, saying they don't have the "it" factor, then went out and averaged 15.5 points and shot 58.3% on three-pointers. And as Pierce has demonstrated, they were big threes in key moments.
"I still have a lot left in the tank," said Pierce, who averaged a career-low in minutes so he could be invigorated for the playoffs. "I'm trying to affect both sides of the game."
He trolled the Raptors hard on social media. On Twitter, he posted a picture of rapper and Raptors global ambassador Drake wearing a Wizards jersey and the words, "If you're reading this, the Wizards just swept," a playful jab at Drake's latest release If You're Reading This It's Too Late.
On Facebook, he posted a photo of himself sitting on a Game of Thrones throne with the words, "King in the North," a jab at Toronto's "We the North," slogan.
"I just look at it as good banter," Pierce said. "Good banter. That's the word. A lot of this stuff I don't pre-think it. It just comes out naturally."
He added: "Paul Pierce is just going to be who Paul Pierce is going to be. I'm going to be myself. If it helps our team or hurts our team, I'm just trying to be myself and see where that goes. I'm a vocal person. I speak up. I tell the guys how I feel. I'm emotional. It's just me being me truthfully."
Pierce is enjoying this Wizards playoff run. One, it's starting to look like the Wizards can make something out of it. They're going to play either the Brooklyn Nets or Atlanta Hawks in the conference semifinals, and it's not like top-seeded Atlanta is instilling fear. That Hawks-Nets series will go at least six games, and Pierce is taking mental notes.
"I'm closely watching all the playoff games," Pierce said. "I watch more now than I can in the regular season because you like to look at those games and scout, knowing one of these teams is going to be a team you're going to play. I'm watching closely. I'm watching other games. I'm always excited about playoff basketball.
"I'm studying the guy who I'm possibly going to be guarding. I'm studying their sets. I'm studying teams' defensive tendencies. It's a combination of everything on top of being a fan of the game."
Two, Pierce doesn't know how many more playoff appearances he has. At 37 years old, he knows his postseason days are numbered. He was wistful after Game 3.
"I see the light at the end of the tunnel so that appreciation goes up," Pierce said. "When you first make the playoffs, you're like, 'Man, this is an exciting.' You get a chance to be amongst 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 making special nights like (Friday)."
Paul Pierce in the playoffs. Paul Pierce in his element.
Follow Jeff Zillgitt on Twitter @JeffZillgitt.
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