- Richard Jefferson reveals why he’d fear Paul Pierce over Wade in late-game situations
- Former Cavaliers veteran lauds Pierce’s clutch shot-making
- Jefferson re-sparks debate online for the all-time rankings
Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade is largely considered to be among the greatest shooting guards ever, but not everyone can agree on his record in crunch time. Recently, on the ‘Road Trippin’ podcast with Channing Frye, former NBA champion Richard Jefferson revealed that he actually feared Paul Pierce more than he did Wade during the closing moments of the game.
“I will say this,” Jefferson said. “Ball in the hands for a last-second shot, I would probably fear Paul Pierce more than D-Wade. And I’m not talkin’ ’bout 3-point shot, but if you’re like, ‘Give me — I need a bucket.’ Down by one, I need a two. Down by two, I need a three, y’know, tie game. I’m taking Paul Pierce in that situation over D-Wade.”
Pierce was flawed in many ways, but he knew how to step up when his team needed him most.
As a notorious closer and high-pressure performer for the Celtics, Pierce etched his name in franchise history when he led the Celtics to a title in 2008. By the time he retired years later, Pierce had 7 buzzer beaters to his name, surpassing legends like Kevin Garnett and none other than Dwyane Wade (who only had 5).
Wade, for all his amazing achievements, really took a step back when he joined forces with LeBron.
At the time, LeBron really led the show from top to bottom and Wade took on more of a backseat role as he gave James full control. As a result, Wade often gets considered a sidekick for much of his career. Even though he was the alpha long before LeBron joined his team, he was happy to give the crown to LeBron and let him to go work when the stakes were highest.
Is Paul Pierce Better Than Dwyane Wade?
There is no question that Pierce and Wade had vastly different skill sets, but they both were able to find success in their situations.
Regarding the decision on which legend is better than the other, Wade already addressed this topic ahead of his Hall of Fame induction ceremony earlier this month.
“Rent is expensive, and I’m living rent-free right now so, let him keep going,” said Wade in response to Pierce’s claims. “It’s documented, I don’t need to say anything, everything is documented so I’ll let you guys (the media) talk about that stuff.
When you look at the numbers, it is Wade who comes out on top. As a 13x All-Star, 8x All-NBA player, and 3x champion, he’s done more than enough to make his case as a basketball legend, and most fans can agree that he surpassed Paul Pierce long before his career was even over.
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