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Paul Pierce roasts 76ers, questions whether series is worth his time
"When I saw Sixers-Celtics I was like - I usually go to the Celtics' first round, but I really didn't want to waste that trip because I know."
The Celtics and 76ers have met in the playoffs more than any other pair of teams in NBA history, but the last time Philadelphia beat Boston in a series was 44 years ago in the 1982 Eastern Conference Finals.
Boston eliminated Philadelphia twice during Paul Pierce’s career. They knocked the 76ers out in the first round of the 2002 playoffs in five games, and they won again in the 2012 Eastern Conference semifinals which went to seven games.
With the Celtics up 1-0 following a 123-91 blowout Sunday night, Pierce cracked a joke about how this series might not be worth his time.
“I was thoroughly impressed Game 1, but you know, like – it’s Philly,” Pierce said during a recent appearance on “No Fouls Given”. “We haven’t lost to Philly in a playoff series since like ’82. I’m serious. A lot of people watching this show weren’t even born.”
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“I was five years old the last time. When I saw Sixers-Celtics I was like – I usually go to the Celtics’ first round, but I really didn’t want to waste that trip because I know.”
Pierce was also impressed with Jayson Tatum’s 25-point, 11-rebound double-double in his first playoff game back since rupturing his Achilles against the Knicks last May.
Tatum’s postgame comments about being more relaxed than ever before because he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to play at all were also encouraging, Pierce said.
“That’s the difference in coming back now, he’s giving you more of the intangibles because he’s having a better understanding,” Pierce said. “It’s like Jaylen [Brown], as far as the scoring, is going to be our guy on most nights, but I can give you these other things to fill in if my scoring is not there.”
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“That’s where I begin to mature as a player because I came into the league as a scorer, but like, my scoring isn’t going to be there every night. And then, coming off of an Achilles injury, sometimes the shot, the lift, is not going to be there. I see he’s making an extra effort to say if anything else fails, if my shot is off, I’m going to rebound at a high level and I’m going to be a passer at a high level.”
It’s still early in the series, but so far Tatum and the Celtics are showing positive signs.
“If he continues to play this way, it’s going to be tough to beat the Celtics,” Pierce said. “Obviously they’re a championship caliber team with him in the lineup.”
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