Paul Pierce simply homesick Up against it: P.J. Brown and Kobe Bryant watch as Paul Pierce runs into the defense of Lakers forward Lamar Odom during last night’s game. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>LOS ANGELES - According to Paul Pierce [stats], author Thomas Wolfe doesn’t translate well to basketball. Pierce can, in fact, go home again. He just can’t shoot 2-for-14 when he gets there. After a series of stories on how well the Celtics [team stats] captain plays against his hometown team, Pierce’s play last night said you can’t believe everything you read. Now he doesn’t want you to believe everything you saw in the 87-81 Game 3 loss to the Lakers. Pierce missed his first six shots and looked all out of sorts when LA threw Kobe Bryant at him. After making seven straight treys in these Finals, he was unable to get a connection on any of his four long distance calls last night. To go over his hoops - don’t worry, it won’t take long - there was a nice reverse with 4:30 left in the second quarter and a drive with 3:53 left in the game on which he was fouled. He took three free throws, all within a 31-second span in the final period, and made two. That’s six points. “It’s frustrating when you don’t play well,” Pierce said. “But by no means is it going to break my confidence, because when I look back there were some good shots I took that were good shots for me. They just didn’t fall. Then I threw myself kind of out of rhythm by getting into foul trouble. You know, when you’re constantly in and out of the game (every) two or three minutes, it takes away from the rhythm of a player like me. “But no excuses. I expect to be better than that. I don’t expect to play like this, but, hey, I got this one under my belt. I expect to play better ball throughout the rest of the series.” There is no question the Celtics didn’t respond well to the Lakers’ increased energy on defense. Instead of being patient, they lost their cool. Pierce was asked if the Lakers did anything different to him. “Yeah, they did,” he said. “They didn’t double me tonight. I just missed shots. It was sort of surprising. I’ve just got to do a better job of getting into the lane and getting to the rim. I thought I settled (for jump shots) a little bit, but I thought I was open. I missed a couple of layups, missed a couple of wide-open shots I usually make. “I’ll just go back and look at the tape and take advantage of my opportunities. I think this is one of the first games they really didn’t double me, so that’s all on me.” Pierce also admitted to suffering some of the hometown issues that can mess with good players. That’s why it was such a big deal that he’s usually played well here. “I think I was a little too hyper coming into this game, you know, looking at a great opportunity playing at home,” he said. “I’ve just got to settle down into what I do and go out there and play. I think I was (anxious), but that’s no excuse. You’re supposed to be. You’re coming home to play with a tremendous opportunity to go 3-0. It’s all about just settling down and going out there and playing the game. I think that’s what caused me to get two early fouls. That just pretty much threw the rhythm of my offense off throughout the game, just getting into foul trouble and thinking too much.” With a herd of media crowded around his locker at Staples Center, Pierce deftly dealt with the questions. “It’s good because I’m going to learn from it, put this one behind me and move on,” Pierce said. “I shake these games off well and usually bounce back. That’s the breaks of the game, man. I’ve got a smile on my face even though we lost because I know that we’re going to play better. I just know it.” He then came within an eyelash of a guarantee. “Our job is to come out here and get two wins,” Pierce said. “That’s our focus, and we’re not backing down from that. We’re still a confident group. We still feel like we’re the better team. I vow that we’re going to play better here in LA the next couple of games.” He and the Celtics [team stats] had just played hideously and nearly won. If the Celtics improve in the next two, they may well be able to go home again with a championship.</div>
I don't buy it. He's been to LA now 10 times in his 10 year career. He's performed well almost every time. Give credit to Kobe and the Lakers for shutting him down.
The Lakers didn't shut him down, it was foul trouble, being away, and probably the knee bothered him as well. I expect a big game from him on Thursday night.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticKing @ Jun 11 2008, 10:32 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>The Lakers didn't shut him down, it was foul trouble, being away, and probably the knee bothered him as well. I expect a big game from him on Thursday night.</div> The knee looked good enough in Game 1...
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Real @ Jun 11 2008, 11:34 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticKing @ Jun 11 2008, 10:32 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>The Lakers didn't shut him down, it was foul trouble, being away, and probably the knee bothered him as well. I expect a big game from him on Thursday night.</div> The knee looked good enough in Game 1... </div> We'll find out after the series is over, after he gets the MRI. He has said already that he's playing with pain, so I'm pretty sure it is injured. Thats why you don't see the explosiveness to the basket.
The long flight and lack of rest time between games could have definitely aggravated his knee enough for it to affect his play.
He looked sluggish out there, so unless Kobe drugged him before the game, I can't give him all the credit. Pierce needs to rest the knee and get some more treatment before game four. I have a feeling Pierce will have a monster night. Also, while he has played well above his usual high standard against LA, he was about due for an off-night there. Everyone has them.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticKing @ Jun 11 2008, 11:32 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>The Lakers didn't shut him down, it was foul trouble, being away, and probably the knee bothered him as well. I expect a big game from him on Thursday night.</div> So how come with Paul Peirce, it's all these excuses...but if I bring up the fact that Chauncey missed 3 games and the fact that the injury was bothering him during the Celtics series, you call me out on bullshit?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (pegs @ Jun 11 2008, 04:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticKing @ Jun 11 2008, 11:32 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>The Lakers didn't shut him down, it was foul trouble, being away, and probably the knee bothered him as well. I expect a big game from him on Thursday night.</div> So how come with Paul Peirce, it's all these excuses...but if I bring up the fact that Chauncey missed 3 games and the fact that the injury was bothering him during the Celtics series, you call me out on bullshit? </div> Does sound like a valid point pegs.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (pegs @ Jun 11 2008, 05:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticKing @ Jun 11 2008, 11:32 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>The Lakers didn't shut him down, it was foul trouble, being away, and probably the knee bothered him as well. I expect a big game from him on Thursday night.</div> So how come with Paul Peirce, it's all these excuses...but if I bring up the fact that Chauncey missed 3 games and the fact that the injury was bothering him during the Celtics series, you call me out on bullshit? </div> Point in my quote the excuses? We lost game 3, I took it damn well, congratulated the Laker fans, even though not even ONE acknowledged it and cared about it, and yet I never said that we lost because of this or that, or they got calls, they did that, etc. I don't play that game pegs and you know it.
