"To the point where we about to fight" - Paul Pierce on how he improved as a defender early in his career
Paul Pierce was known for his fierce competitive spirit throughout his illustrious NBA career. This trait became evident not only during games or team practices but also extended to Pierce's personal workouts, notably when playing against his closest friends.
'The Truth' shared this insight in a 2001 interview when discussing going head-to-head with one of his buddies.
"We play one-on-one every day during the summer and work on our moves, guarding each other, to the point where we are about to fight," shared Pierce, per SLAM Magazine.
Pierce benefited from their matchups
"In the heat of battle, there are no friends," says the motto, and it perfectly encapsulates the essence of the offseason one-on-ones between Pierce and his friend, Jason Crow. After graduating from Cal State Northridge in 1999, the latter embarked on a journeyman career until 2012 and achieved notable successes in New Zealand and Ukraine. As a true friend does, Jason knew exactly how to motivate Paul.
"He'll be like, 'You don't play no defense.' That always gets me riled up, when people say I can't do things. So we have bets who can hold their man down," he said.
Those moments might have contributed to Pierce's gradual improvement in his defensive skills throughout his Hall of Fame career. After being drafted 10th overall by the Celtics in 1998, the swingman struggled quite a bit on defense but certainly made significant strides in the following years.
The relentless drive of 'The Truth'
Paul displayed his hypercompetitive nature in various instances, such as during his performance in the 2010 NBA Three-Point Contest. Pierce's participation actually came quite surprisingly, as he had experienced fluctuations in his three-point percentage up to that point. However, instead of being intimidated, the California native emerged victorious in the contest, defeating other participants, including Channing Frye, Chauncey Billups, Danilo Gallinari, and Stephen Curry.
Naturally, that work ethic significantly impacted Paul's teammates, one of whom was Avery Bradley. In 2018, the former Celtics guard spoke about how much Kevin Garnett had taught him the true meaning of hard work before also acknowledging Pierce in that regard.
"Paul might just come in early and then do every single workout with me. And still, practice and play 30 minutes per game. I mean, they were able to teach me how to put the extra work in. Those guys are like true competitors, man," remarked Bradley while appearing on the 'Good N' Plenty podcast.'
It's safe to say that 'The Truth' giving everything for success must have made the taste of finally achieving it even sweeter. This moment arrived in 2008 when the Celtics secured the NBA championship title. Pierce played a crucial role in Boston's 4-2 series win against the L.A. Lakers and was rightfully honored with the Finals MVP award for his outstanding performance.
