Paul Pierce was in attendance for the Celtics’ championship festivities this week and he made sure to take a shot at his longtime rivals. In a clip that has gone viral online, ‘The Truth’ torched the Lakers for hanging their in-season banner like it’s the real thing.
“If we win the In-Season Tournament, we’re not raising up a banner. Let the Lakers do that. We can make it into a carpet and put it in the hallway or something.”
“If we win the in season tournament, we’re not putting up a banner. Let the Lakers do that. We can make it into a carpet and put it in the hallway or something.” – Paul Pierce pic.twitter.com/E14Dn2C6uH
— Katie Morrison-O'Day (@KatieMo61) June 21, 2024
Pierce has taken a front-and-center role in the title celebrations and he’s using past experiences to guide his behavior. Pierce, a 1x champion, is showing the young guys how it’s done and he’s talking trash all along the way.
Paul Pierce, one of the #Celtics stars from the 2008 championship team, will be part of this year's duck boat parade! ☘️❤️🏀 We hope he remembers this one! 😂 https://t.co/tb4bP2xv4q pic.twitter.com/1fklv6nrd9
— WCVB-TV Boston (@WCVB) June 21, 2024
The Lakers and Celtics have the longest and most intense rivalry in the game and it’s no surprise that Paul Pierce, a 10x All-Star, took advantage of an opportunity to put them on blast. For years, the Lakers were blocking the path to victory and now he’s making sure to throw a few jabs their way after watching his former team win the championship once again.
From 2020 to 2024, the Celtics and Lakers were tied with 17 championships apiece and they were both desperate to surpass the other. The Celtics finally broke that tie with their run this year… unless you count the Lakers’ IST title, which would put both teams back on even footing with 18 banners. Of course, the validity and weight of the in-season tournament championship is still up for debate.
As a team, the Lakers were quick to show off after capturing the NBA’s first-ever in-season tournament championship. Complete with champagne showers and after parties, the Lakers had no shame when they celebrated the achievement. They even hung the banner in the rafters alongside the other 17.
Even at the time, that decision was criticized by countless individuals and now it has come up again after the Celtics’ won the Larry O’Brien trophy. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown led their team to a 16-3 record through four rounds, dominating the Heat, Cavaliers, Pacers, and Mavericks en route to their historic feat.
So, for the Cs, comparing what the Lakers did during a small tournament months ago is incomparable to what they pulled off this postseason, and many critics detest anyone who puts them in the same category.
According to Paul, the Celtics won’t bother to hang an in-season championship banner if they win it but they might end up going back on that if teams make it a common tradition to treat it like the real thing. For now, however, it’s clear that the chase for the Larry O’Brien trophy is a set above the rest and it’s the only thing that some players are after. The Celtics got a taste of that ultimate victory this year and they will do whatever it takes to defend their crown and prove that this dominant run will be sustainable for years to come.
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