GROWING UP IN INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA, not far from the Forum, Paul's boyhood was filled with dreams of his favorite team, the Los Angeles Lakers.

He idolized Magic Johnson and James Worthy. He snuck into Lakers' game when he was able. He practiced the moves of his idols on the playgrounds of his neighborhood.

Two decades later, No. 34 found himself playing for the Boston Celtics, with a chance to win a title against the team he had adored in his youth.

As ESPN.com noted, playing in Los Angeles was something that always brought out a little more of the Truth:

Pierce is a unique character in these Finals. He is the one member of the Celtics' big three who has been in Boston through plenty of lean years. He also grew up in Inglewood during the 1980s, where the Showtime Lakers were the hottest attraction in town. And his numbers show that he brings something "extra" when he plays the Lakers.

A STAR-MAKING PERFORMANCE
Game 1 of the NBA Finals by turns left Boston fans dumbstruck in fear, then stirred into jubiliant celebration at one of the most memorable performances in playoff history.

Game 1 saw Paul in agony... (Getty Images).

With 6:49 remaining in the third quarter, Paul crumpled to the floor of Boston Garden, grabbing his knee in agony. As the Associated Press recounted:

Sprawled near the edge of the famed parquet floor, Paul Pierce grabbed his throbbing right knee and wondered if his first NBA Finals -- the ones he had always dreamed of playing in -- were finished.

"When I came down I thought I felt a pop, I thought I tore it," Pierce said. "I couldn't move."

"A lot was going though my head...It can't be over like this."

It wasn't. After being carried off the court and taken to the locker room in a wheelchair, the Truth returned to the game with 5:04 left in the same period, jogging onto the floor to the roar of the crowd.

...and then in ectasy after a 98-88 win (Getty Images).

Over the following minutes, he erupted for 11 points en route to an astounding 98-88 victory.

"When I got in the back I could put some weight on it," said Pierce, who limped into his postgame news conference with his knees wrapped in ice. "I knew I needed to be out there for my team."

Paul scored 28 points in Game 2 to lead Boston to a 108-102 win, and afterward, Kobe Bryant of the Lakers praised the Truth's performance.

"He's tough," said Bryant. "There's not a lot of players that have a well-rounded offensive game. What I mean by that, he's got a good midrange game, long ball, pull up to the hoop, pull up left, pull up right. He has the whole package. I enjoy watching him play, I enjoy playing against him, and he's fantastic."

The Celtics flew to Los Angeles for Game 3 -- a homecoming on the biggest stage for Paul. Friends and family gathered at the Staples Center to watch him play in the Finals, but the Lakers drew the series to 2-1 with an 87-81 victory.

Game 4 saw Los Angeles jump out to a seemingly insurmountable 24-point lead in the second half, and it looked like once again, Boston would find itself headed home with a series knotted at 2-2.

Lockdown defense turned sure defeat into back-breaking victory in Game 4 (Getty Images).

Instead, Paul led the Celtics in the greatest comeback in Finals history, scoring 20 points to steal the game from the Lakers’ grasp, 97-91, and move within one game of a championship.

"It's definitely a great win, one that you're going to put up there in the library and break back out one day for your kids to watch,'' Paul said after the contest. "But I want nothing more than that ring right now.''

The Lakers managed to win Game 5, 103-98, and both teams returned to Boston for a crucial Game 6. Paul and his team would have two chances to clinch a title in front of their home fans.

They would only need one.

Joy (Getty Images).

Behind 16 points from the Truth, the Celtics thrashed the Lakers, 131-92, clinching their first title in 21 years and the franchise’s 17th championship.