Paul Pierce has lived a really intense life, both on and off the court. He became the last Boston Celtics legend during the 2000s with his good performances for the Greens, always trying to take the team to the next level. He had to fight hard to reach the best level, but once he did it, Pierce became one of the best players in the league.
Before all of that, though, he endured a terrible moment after being attacked and stabbed 11 times. That was really shocking for him, but Pierce worked through that, overcame that situation, and became a big player in the NBA.
Back in 2000, just a couple of days before starting training camp with the Boston Celtics, he attended a private party when a fight broke out, and Pierce was stabbed in the neck, face, and back, ABC reported at the time.
Paul Pierce Sadly Starred In A Terrifying Incident Off The Court
It’s been 23 years since that moment, and Pierce still talks about it. During a recent crossover between Showtime’s “Ticket + The Truth” and “Forgotten Seasons,” Pierce talked about that traumatic moment and how it affected him. Still, he added that going through that helped him do and be better on the court, as he was ‘locked in’ following the incident.
“My stabbing incident really motivated me to be on the court. I wanted to just be on the court and keep my mind off of it. It really helped me lock in. Some things you go through in life just really help you lock in to what you really need to do. And me going through that incident it was just like, ‘man, I need to really focus on basketball. I shouldn’t really be on the streets… That took up my whole life at that point because you know you say you want to have a balance, you don’t have to be too locked into one thing, you think about family and other things, but I cut off everything, family, friends, I just zoned in on basketball. And I remember that year, the All-Star Game was in D.C., I didn’t make the All-Star Game and I felt like I should have. I flew home, I didn’t even tell my friends, I flew to LA, I got a hotel room, and I watched the All-Star Game, ordered food service and I was like, ‘I’m never coming home from the All-Star Game again. And then after that, I made it every year from that point on. You know, sometimes you go through traumatic things and it can take you one way or the other way and I just felt it was a turn for the better. It doesn’t always have to be bad things that happen to you, it can be some good things that turn you. But for me, it turned me not only as a person but as a player, too.”
That moment was really crucial for Pierce, as he explained. He played all games during that season, posting 25.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game. At 22, or any other age, you never expect to go through this type of situation. Unfortunately, Pierce had to endure that, and it was a blessing in disguise, as he explains.
He was a lock in the All-Star Game in the following seasons and only missed the big game in 2009. Pierce was a 10x All-Star (2002–2006, 2008–2012), demonstrating that he was really a good player in the league. He made it to the NBA Finals twice, winning his first and only championship in 2008 after the Boston Celtics took down the Los Angeles Lakers in six games. Pierce would win Finals MVP honors, adding a big accolade to his resume.
The Truth was one of the most underrated players in the league, but he never paid much attention to that. He knew how great he was and the things he brought to the table, and even if you don’t like his persona and outgoing personality, you have to admit Pierce was really good on the court.
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