Not that it really matters to the Boston Celtics' chances of reaching the NBA Finals, but how good is Paul Pierce right now?
He turns 35 in October, and he's coming off a postseason in which he was hobbled by a knee injury. A quick look at his numbers might suggest he's on the decline, settling into the twilight of a career in which he was once such a prolific producer.
But that's why we're better off giving the numbers (and Pierce) more than a quick look.
The 10-time All-Star may have a harder time getting into the paint and drawing fouls these days, but he's done a nice job adjusting his game and playing off of Rajon Rondo. And those dwindling numbers really haven't dwindled all that much.
More importantly, they've remained pretty constant for five seasons, which suggests the reduced production has more to do with the roster's overall improvement than anything else.
In reality, Pierce is anything but washed-up.
He's almost a full year older than Kobe Bryant, but he's shot the ball more efficiently than Bryant in each of the last three seasons. And despite playing 4.5 fewer minutes per game last season, ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NBA
Article written by Stephen Babb
Is Celtics Legend Paul Pierce Still a Top-20 NBA Star Heading into 2012-13?
September 18th, 2012 by Stephen Babb Leave a reply »
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