Paul’s Season Rewind

The 2013-2014 season was one of change for Paul Pierce.

For the first time in his 15-year career, Paul began a NBA season donning a color other than Celtic green.

During the 2013 offseason, he traded in his green for the Black and White of the Brooklyn Nets, when the Celtics traded him along with teammates Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry to the Nets. For Paul, the trade, which was consummated on June 27, 2013 but could not be officially announced until July 12th, was a surreal moment.

He, Garnett and Terry were introduced as Nets on July 18,2013, a day that brought another culture shock for The Truth.

“You saw the trade and it’s like, ‘OK, there’s a trade.’ But for me to actually be here now, looking for a place to live, being in this arena, trying to get to know my way around the city, it’s really starting to sink in now that it’s become real,” he said.

“I’m no longer a Boston Celtic. I’m a Brooklyn Net, and that’s what it is right now. It’s a business. At some point we all have to move on, and I’m here to try to create some kind of legacy here in Brooklyn.”

In order to help create that legacy, Paul was stepping into a position where, for the first time in his career, he wasn’t the focal point offensively. But he made it clear that his intent was bringing a championship to Brooklyn, by any means necessary.

“At this point in our careers, we’re championship driven,” Pierce said of himself, Garnett and Terry. “We’ve made a lot of money in our careers, we’ve won a number of awards and at this point we’re all about winning a championship and Brooklyn gives us the best opportunity.”

ADVERSITY BUILDS

With a starting five of Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Paul, Garnett and Brook Lopez, the Nets appeared to be the biggest threat to two-time defending champion Miami’s hopes for a three-peat.

It showed in their first home game of the season on November 1st when the Nets defeated the Heat 101-100 behind 19 points from The Truth.

However that win was a rare bright spot in the early going for Brooklyn, as the team stumbled out of the blocks to a 5-12 mark through the month of November. Paul scuffled as well, averaging just 12 points per game over the course of the month while shooting 35 percent from the field.

“We are still learning,” Paul said of the team’s struggles. “Hopefully we learn before it’s too late, before we are completely out of the playoff mix. But we still have time. We will be a dangerous team. Right now we got to be able to hold down and get some wins just to gain some confidence. We can’t wait on guys to get healthy. We have to get the job done now. I have to play better. A lot of us have to play better.”

Those plans hit a setback when No. 34 suffered a non-displaced fracture of the third metacarpal in his shooting hand during the first half of a loss against Houston on November 29th. At the time, Paul joined Deron Williams, Andrei Kirilenko and Jason Terry on the shelf.

Though he was expected to miss up to a month, The Truth returned from the injury after missing just four games. In an effort to limit his minutes upon his return, the Nets elected to bring Paul off the bench for his first several games back.

Thrust into a reserve role for the first time in his NBA career, No. 34 thrived. He helped the Nets pick up a key victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on December 12th by stuffing the stat sheet off the bench with 10 points, seven rebounds and five assists. On December 16th, he tallied 14 points in a blowout win over Philly. Two nights later, Paul had one of his best games of the season, knocking down 10-of-12 shots for 27 points off the bench, though the Nets lost to the Wizards.

He returned to a starting role for the first time since the injury on December 20th in Philadelphia and didn’t miss a beat, notching 24 points on 7-of-9 shooting and 10 rebounds in 43 minutes during a overtime loss to the Sixers.

However, Brooklyn suffered another setback that night when Brook Lopez suffered a broken foot that would keep the All-Star center out for the rest of the season.

The Nets struggles continued through the end of 2013 and hit a low point on New Year’s Eve in a 113-92 loss to the San Antonio Spurs that dropped them to 10-21 on the season.

But everything seemed to change for the Nets as a new calendar year began.

FRESH START

Brooklyn kicked off the New Year in Oklahoma City with a 95-93 win over the Thunder behind 18 points from No. 34.

The win sparked a five-game winning streak for the Nets, and they went on to mount a 10-3 record during the month of January to move within just a few games of the .500 mark. Paul averaged 14.5 points per game in that span, chipping in to key wins over Golden State, Miami, Atlanta in Dallas.

Brooklyn’s final win of January came on a big night for Paul, as he made his first trip back to Boston as an opposing player. At the end of the first quarter, the Celtics honored The Truth with a tribute video, which prompted a standing ovation from Boston fans.

Paul went on to score just six points in the game, coincidentally the difference in Brooklyn’s 85-79 victory.

As the team left Boston, however, it seemed Paul had gained some closure on his 15 years in green. The following night back at home in Brooklyn, he poured in 33 points on 10-of-16 from the field, though the Nets lost by one to the Raptors.

He followed that up with a 25-point night that saw him shoot and make 14 free throws in a close win over the Sixers at Barclays Center on February 3rd that snapped a three-game Nets losing streak. Just over a week later, Paul had another 25-point night in a win over the Charlotte Bobcats, but this time he did his work from the field, knocking down 9-of-11 shots from the floor.

Following that win, the Nets set out on a long road trip that sandwiched the All-Star break and allowed Brooklyn to further gel as a collective unit. Despite winning just four of seven on the trip, the Nets came back stronger.

MARCHING UP THE STANDINGS

The Nets finally hit the .500 mark in their first game back from the long trip, a 96-80 win over the Bulls on March 3rd when Paul packed the stat sheet with 17 points, seven rebounds, five assists, four steals and a block. The Nets were +30 with The Truth on the court that evening.

They went on to lose the only other trip back to Boston of the season, on March 7th. But that was one of just four losses for the team over the course of the month.

Paul and the Nets did suffer a scare when a shoulder injury early in their March 9th win over Sacramento Kings forced No. 34 to miss the rest of the game. But after being deemed doubtful for a rematch with a Toronto team that had taken control of the Atlantic Division and served as a thorn in the Nets’ side all season, Paul suited up and gave the Nets 15 points in 30 minutes to help secure a 101-97 win over the Raptors.

Two nights later, Paul showed no ill effects from the injury as he poured in 29 points on 9-of-12 from the field to help Brooklyn take down the defending champion Heat for a third time this season, 96-95.

The Nets continued to roll from there, and Paul closed the month red-hot with 20-point outbursts in three of Brooklyn’s final four games of March, the last two helping the Nets cruise to double-digit wins over the Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves to put them within one win of clinching a playoff spot as the calendar flipped from March to April. Brooklyn secured their spot in the postseason with a 105-96 win over the Houston Rockets on April 1st.

With their playoff berth secured, Nets coach Jason Kidd elected to start pulling down the minutes of veterans like Paul and get them fresh for the postseason. Over 10 April contests, No. 34 averaged a season-low 25 minutes per game and sat out two games altogether. The move would pay immediate dividends in the playoffs.

During this strategic stretch for the Nets, Pierce did knock down one shot that was far from mundane. It was a trifecta from the left wing at the Barclays Center against the Atlanta Hawks.

The shot, coming off a feed from Marcus Thornton, brought the Nets within three points of the Hawks—and it put Paul over the 25,000-point milestone for his career.

After becoming just the 18th player in NBA history to hit 25,000 points, Paul was all ready for postseason play.

WHY THEY GOT ME HERE

After climbing as high as No. 5 in the East during their second half run, the Nets settled into the sixth spot in the final days of the season, which meant a first round matchup with those pesky Raptors, who had finished out the season as Atlantic Division Champions.

Game 1 of the series was a hard-fought battle that came down to the fourth quarter, and it was there The Truth showed the playoff mettle that the Nets were so happy to bring to Brooklyn during the offseason.

No. 34 scored nine of his 15 points over the final three minutes of the game, including a fadeaway jumper from the top of the key with 51.5 seconds left that gave Brooklyn an insurmountable eight-point lead and eventually a Game 1 win.

As he ran up the court following the basket, Paul screamed at anyone who would listen “That’s why they got me here.” Afterward, he explained the statement:

“It’s just emotions flying high,” Paul said. “Playoffs, close game, taking some shots, making some shots … I really feed off the emotions of the crowd, especially on the road, and to go on the road and beat a team, I think it’s more gratifying than winning at home.”

Brooklyn lost Game 2, but recovered for a Game 3 win on their home court giving them a chance to take a commanding lead in Game 4 at home. However, despite 22 points on 9-of-14 from No. 34, the Nets could not defeat Toronto and instead fell to a 2-2 tie.

The Raptors became the first team to string together back-to-back wins in the series when they won Game 5, but Brooklyn again showed resilience on their home floor, picking up a 97-83 win in Game 6. Afterward, The Truth noted that the Nets won by setting a different tone in their play from the jump.

“It was just very aggressive. We came out and established our defensive tone. We pushed the ball

[on offense]. The tempo the whole night was great for us,” he said. “We won the rebound war tonight, we got the ball up court, got the easy opportunities in transition and when we got in the halfcourt, we made the extra pass. It was very unselfish basketball.”

Prior to the ninth Game 7 of his career, No. 34 commented on his affinity for the do-or-die environment of a series deciding seventh game.

“It’s going to be fun. This is what the NBA is all about, these pressure-type moments. These are the type of games that elevate the good players to great players,” he said. “We’re going to enjoy it. We’re going to a hostile environment, win or go home, this is the type of situation I love to be in and I love our chances.”

Much like Game 1 of the series, and the series as a whole, Game 7 was a back and forth battle. Paul had a strong start to the Game as he sank a pair of threes in the opening frame. However, The Truth soon found himself in foul trouble.

He maneuvered around it to provide a steady defensive hand in the third quarter, but when he picked up his fifth foul early in the fourth, Kidd was forced to plant one of his most clutch players on the bench. Kidd was finally able to re-insert Paul in the game’s final minutes and the saved time proved crucial as The Truth preserved the game and series win for the Nets with a buzzer-beating block of a shot attempt by Kyle Lowry.

“Sometimes it’s about being in the right place at the right time,” No. 34 said, “I really didn’t have a great offensive game. I was in foul trouble most of the night and sometimes you’ve got to find ways to help your ballclub win.”

Kidd echoed the sentiment afterward:

“That’s why he’s here,” the Brooklyn coach said. “To make plays.”

HEATED BATTLE

The series win over Toronto pushed the Nets into Eastern Conference Semifinals where their season would ultimately end at the hands of the Miami Heat.

A well-rested Heat team picked up double-digit wins in the first two games of the series on their home court, pushing the Nets up against a wall early.

Brooklyn came back with a big 94-80 win in Game 3, and Paul chipped in 14 points, which again coincidentally happened to be the margin of victory.

But Game 3 was the only win the Nets picked up in the series. They went on to give away late leads in Game 4 and Game 5 as their season ended short of their championship goal.

For Brooklyn, the season will ultimately be remembered as one of missed opportunities. However, The Truth showed he still had more than a few gallons left in the tank, averaging 13.5 points and 4.6 rebounds per contest while scoring 20 or more points on 12 separate contests this season.

However, his biggest contribution may have come in the attitude he instilled within the Nets.

The Truth brought fire and passion to a franchise that sorely lacked during a first round playoff exit in 2012-13. Under his leadership, the Nets waged numerous hard-fought battles throughout the course of the year, giving birth to new rivalries with Miami and Toronto. Their Game 7 win on the road in the first round against the Raptors showcases the resolve Paul helped to instill in Brooklyn.

“This organization is headed in the right direction,” Paul said after the season. “We came up short on our goal. Most times when you shoot for high goals and you fail at it, you look at it as a stepping stone to get better, to learn from.”

TRUTH IN NUMBERS

In his 16th season in the league, The Truth passed several milestones during his first year in Brooklyn. Check out some of the impressive numbers No. 34 attained through the 2013-14 campaign.

11 – Paul made it to the postseason for the 11th time in his career

13 – For the 13th time in his career, Paul appeared in more than 70 regular-season games.

46.5 – In the playoffs, Paul shot 46.5 percent from the floor, the second highest rate in his career.

82.6 – Paul sunk 82.6 percent of his free-throw attempts, his 10th season above 80 percent.

148 – No. 34 has now been a part of 148 postseason contests

1,000 – Pierce eclipsed 1,000 points for the 15th consecutive season

25,031 – Paul has scored a total of 25,031 points for his career, putting him at No. 18 all-time and fourth among active players.

GAME OF THE YEAR

Brooklyn headed south to Miami on March 12th in the midst of a hot streak. After floundering for much of the beginning of the season, the Nets had finally hit their groove, and new head coach Jason Kidd was gelling with his team.

In the 17 games prior to their matc- up with the Heat, the Nets had reeled off a 12-5 record to help their playoff push and improve their standing in the Eastern Conference. Still, a match up against the defending champions was ominous, and if the Nets were to prove themselves as a legitimate contender, they would need to show up against the best teams in the league. Lucky for the Nets, that’s exactly what The Truth did.

With the game closely contested throughout, Pierce took over, as he so often has, in the second half, scoring 17 points in the third quarter and five of the team’s final nine points to help Brooklyn hold onto a tense 96-95 victory on the road. The triumph, as Paul said afterward, was a testament to how far the Nets had come over the course of the season.

“Well, this feels good, man,” Pierce said. “We were written off early. It feels good for us to be able to turn this thing around. We had these visions of playing like this before the season started, Unfortunately, it just took a little bit longer than we expected. So I’m glad we were able to turn it around at this point in the season at the right time.”

Pierce led all scorers with 29 points, and added four rebounds and an assist to the winning effort. His tremendous effort was lauded by Matt Dollinger of Sports Illustrated:

“With an old man’s game that puts defenders to shame, Pierce picked apart the Heat with a variety of ball-fakes, pump-fakes and other moves that make Hubie Brown swoon. With the game being dragged out at a playoff-like pace, Pierce found himself in his element, hitting 9-of-12 shots, including 5-of-7 from three-point range.”

With just under four minutes left in the game, Pierce nailed a deep three to bring the Nets late lead in Miami to 90-86. Then, with 1:45 remaining, Paul dropped in a driving layup to pull the Nets ahead 94-92, at which point Brooklyn never looked back, holding on to take the close win.

Paul’s 17-point effort in the third quarter stood as his highest total for any quarter this season, and proved that even after 15 years, Pierce could still be devastating.

“Playing in so many of these big games, you always try to get yourself prepared mentally, physically,” The Truth said. “You know what it’s going to take to be in these types of territories and try to get a win. From the time I woke up and at shootaround, I was really locked in as I said this morning, understanding this was going to be one of our toughest games to date.”

“You try to instill it in your teammates. That’s what I tried to do and I think that’s why they’ve got me here.”

IN THEIR WORDS

Miami Heat Forward LeBron James:

“I’ve always wanted to compete against the best in the postseason. I’ve always looked at Paul as one of the better guys we have in our league. He’s had the upper edge on me. I’ve had the upper edge on him. It’s another opportunity to see who gets the upper edge. It’s big time to go against a Hall of Famer especially in the playoffs. He’s a guy who has made so many big plays and clutch shots in his career and vice versa.”

Brooklyn Nets guard Deron Williams:

”Paul’s got too much left in the tank to be a role player. You see what he can do. He can explode every night. He loves these big games. He loves these moments.”

Brooklyn Nets forward Mason Plumlee:

“For a guy that has accomplished everything that he has, to be willing to do whatever it takes to win, tells you what kind of teammate he is. I’m sure there are some players with his resume’ that might not be willing to sacrifice like that.”

Brooklyn Nets coach Jason Kidd:

“Paul has a very high basketball IQ, he understands when shots present themselves but also can put the ball on the floor and be a play-maker. He was big for us, being able to find his teammates and also being able to knock down shots.”

Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Garnett on Pierce hitting 25K milestone:

“I told him, ‘Welcome to the neighborhood.’ ‘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.”

ESPN commentator Mike Tirico on Paul’s series-clinching block vs. Toronto:

“At the moment of truth, it was The Truth.”

Anthony Puccio, NetsDaily:

“Pierce is the type of player to give it his all, no matter how old or hurt he is. He has that killer instinct and will do what ever it takes to win. It’s safe to say if you’re a Nets fan, you want Paul Pierce back in black.”

SEASON TWEETCAP

When Paul Pierce entered the league, tweeting was just something that birds did. But now, it seems like everyone is tweeting about The Truth.

IN HIS OWN WORDS

After an emotional ending to the season, The Truth affirmed that he still has enough mileage left on his body to have a season or two of impactful play in the NBA.

As he enters an offseason in which he’ll be a free agent, he knows that he not only has an excellent scenario in Brooklyn, but a myriad of options around the league as well.  In the coming weeks, Paul plans to consult with his family before he makes a decision regarding his future.

“I think I still have something in the tank I can give a team. Maybe one or two (years) at the most,” Paul said. “I put my whole focus into this season. I’m going to sit back, talk to the family, see my options and go from there, and see what’s best not only for myself but my family.”