Celtics Legend Paul Pierce Discusses Path to Victory Against Knicks

Paul Pierce’s Thursday was quite eventful. After betting on the Boston Celtics, he undertook a trek of about 20 miles from his Los Angeles home to the FOX Studio lot, following through on a promise made if his former team faltered in Game 2 against the New York Knicks.

Upon his arrival at FOX to discuss the Celtics’ 2-0 deficit, Pierce joked about his past wheelchair incident as he addressed the Celtics’ poor performance, where they failed to sustain their 20-point lead during the second half.

“They got complacent. They got comfortable. You can’t get comfortable in the playoffs… When the Celtics have 25-plus assists, their record is 42-5. When they have 30-plus assists, they are 23-1, and with over 31 assists, they are 18-0. You’ve got to move the ball to get your shots.”

Pierce pointed out that the Celtics only managed six assists in the fourth quarter across the first two games, during which they had a stretch of missing 14 consecutive shots, leading to their lead shrinking from 16 points to a mere one-point deficit.

Over the course of two games, the Celtics have struggled with their three-point shooting, missing a playoff record of 45 three-pointers in Game 1. While managing to make only 25 out of 100 shots from beyond the arc in the series, Pierce does not believe they are attempting too many threes; rather, the issue lies in their strategy for creating those shots.

“You have to penetrate and kick out for those three-point shots. That’s crucial. Attack the basket first. That’s essential for them.”

Moreover, he expressed concerns that the Knicks are outworking the Celtics. “The Knicks are a more physical team. They elevate their game in the fourth quarter, typical of a Tom Thibodeau team; meanwhile, we start backtracking. Now, look where we are. Down 0-2. We have historically been the best road team in the NBA. We must show some grit!”

The performance metrics emphasize the Celtics’ issues, as they allowed the Knicks to grab 13 offensive rebounds on their 49 missed shots, translating to a 26.5% offensive rebound rate. They’ve also faced difficulties finishing close to the rim, shooting only 59.6% from that range.

Particularly alarming is the performance of Jayson Tatum, who only scored 36 points in the first two games, achieving just 28.6% shooting on his attempts. Ric Bucher highlighted that Tatum seems to have drifted away from taking shots near the basket this season.

“Tatum has reduced his attempts from within three feet this year, with nearly half coming from three-point territory. While I thought he grew into a closer, he hasn’t demonstrated that midrange game that is now missing in this series.”

Despite the current deficit, given their previous experience of trailing 2-0 against the Miami Heat in the 2023 Eastern Conference finals, Pierce maintains confidence in the team.

“We’re going to bounce back. I predict victory in Game 3! It’s guaranteed!”