Paul Pierce was enshrined in basketball royalty last night. Pierce entered the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall Of Fame as part of the class of 2021, along with Chris Bosh, Ben Wallace, Toni Kukoc, and many others.
Pierce was one of the most underrated stars in the NBA during his day. A perennial All-Star and superstar, Pierce became one of the best in the league. Pierce was the central figure for the Boston Celtics until 2007 when they executed some amazing moves to form a super team.
The Celtics traded for Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in 2007, a move that assembled the Boston big three. The trio instantly gelled with each other, making the Celtics an incredible powerhouse in the NBA.
The three All-Stars led the Celtics to their first championship in almost 30 years, with Pierce taking home the Finals MVP accolade. For the next few seasons, Boston remained a contender in the championship hunt.
But that all changed in 2012 when Allen left the Celtics to join their rivals Miami Heat. The move did not go down well in Boston, with Pierce and Garnett being very angry with Allen.
Over the next few years, Garnett and Pierce would throw barbs in Allen’s direction, making it clear they were still angry with Allen’s choice to leave. Many felt that they would never make peace.
Pierce did mention that despite his anger about the issues, he and Ray had made peace. Despite this, there always seemed to be some tension between the two.
But it appears that Pierce and Allen have put the past behind them, for good this time… In a video from the 2021 Hall Of Fame ceremony, Pierce stood next to Ray Allen and claimed that they would always be brothers for their shared experience.
“We always gonna be brothers.”
– Paul Pierce to Ray Allen. 🤝 pic.twitter.com/EPjOr57KEb
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) September 11, 2021
While Pierce may be ready to put the past behind, Kevin Garnett has made no such indication. He still holds a grudge against Allen for leaving the Celtics to this day and has made no such effort to rekindle or mend their friendship.
