In the second quarter of Brooklyn’s Friday night tilt with the Atlanta Hawks, Paul Pierce canned a three from the left wing—a shot he has hit countless times in his career.

But this time, the trifecta carried a bit more weight—it made The Truth just the 18th player in NBA history to score 25,000 points for his career.

In his 16th year in the league, Paul was happy to hit one of the game’s most coveted scoring milestones, though when he looks back at his career, he’ll be most pleased to be a part of the NBA title club.

“It’s better to be in the championship club obviously,” Pierce said. “Statistical things, they come and go. There’s gonna be players in the future that pass me up, but when you win, that lasts forever. It’s great. I’m gonna enjoy being part of history. It’s just a testament to my hard work and consistency over the years and good health.”

Brooklyn forward Kevin Garnett, who is both a member of the 25K club and won the NBA title alongside The Truth in Boston, was thrilled for his teammate and close friend.

“I told him, ‘Welcome to the neighborhood,’ ” Garnett said. ” ‘Truth’ has been a big part of this league. He’s one of my great friends, best friends. We’ve had some accomplishments together, done some great things together, and tonight it was all about him. I’m happy for him.”

Paul joined Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki and Kobe Bryant as the only four active players in the exclusive group. No. 34 was able to splash the three in the Nets’ gray alternate sleeved jerseys.

However, he needed two takes to hit the big shot. He missed his first try in transition just seconds earlier, but Marcus Thornton corralled the miss and sent it right back out to his veteran teammate. Paul admitted afterward that the impeding mark was a bit nerve-wracking—and that he’s now ready to focus forward and lead Brooklyn to its playoff run.

“It’s hard not to

[think about it],” said Pierce, who finished with 13 points on 5-for-14 shooting. “Everybody’s talking about it. My family’s here, my friends that’s all they’re talking about, and I was the same way when I reached the 20,000-point mark. I remember I couldn’t hit a shot in the first quarter because I was pressing just to get it. I’m just glad it’s over with and I can just focus on the rest of the season.”

Brooklyn head coach Jason Kidd, who logged more than 17,000 points for his career, also praised Pierce. Kidd lauded the versatility Paul has provided this season and congratulated him on his milestone.

“He’s been big for us all year, being able to go from the 3 to the 4,” Nets coach Jason Kidd said. “We’re asking him to guard bigger guys and offensively it’s a big honor. I don’t know if I’ve ever gotten that far, but 25,000 is a lot of points. I’m happy for him.”

The three was part of a 13-point, six-rebound, four-assist night from Paul, though it came in a 93-88 defeat in the Barclays Center to the Atlanta Hawks.

While the Nets are safely in the playoffs, the Hawks are still battling for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.

Even the defeat couldn’t spoil Paul’s big night, as the Nets are gearing up for the playoffs with just three games remaining in the regular season.

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