Paul Pierce Sheds Light On The Infamous Celtics’ Plane Conspiracy Story During The 2008 NBA Finals

Paul Pierce felt something didn't add up when he weighed in on the Celtics' plane conspiracy theory.

3 Min Read

Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

The 2008 NBA Finals between the arch-rivals Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics was controversial at best, and one of them was the Celtics unable to head back home to Boston after Game 5 due to aircraft trouble.

And according to former Celtics star Paul Pierce, a lot seemed off at the time. Speaking on Showtime’s Anything Is Possible, “The Lakers took off before us,” he said. “We got to the airport before them. Their plane right there. We could see right out the window. We delayed two or three hours. We think something up.”

This was seconded by Doc Rivers, then the Celtics coach. “The Lakers’ two planes took off great. We’re in LA and now our two planes aren’t working, and I was going at it.” 

He added that the team eventually flew out of LA by taking the team owner’s private plane and landed home late in the evening, less than 24 hours before Game 6 against the Lakers.

Heading into the game 3-2, the Celtics put the screws on LA to notch up a dominant 131-92 win and win their 17th NBA championship. Pierce was awarded Finals MVP after averaging 21.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 6.3 assists.

The Lakers had their revenge in 2010, beating the Celtics 4-3 and Kobe Bryant took home Finals MVP. But nothing beats the controversy off the court in 2008 when the two teams squared off in the NBA Finals.


Lakers Star Lamar Odom Reveals How The Celtics Fans Shook The Team Bus After Winning The 2008 NBA Finals

Lamar Odom recounted the scary experience where the Lakers players had to deal with Celtics fans shaking the team bus after the visitors lost Game 6 of the 2008 NBA Finals.

“We not only lost, they beat our a**. In that sixth game, they beat us so badly, they wouldn’t even let our bus leave. They were shaking up our bus when we were leaving. So God knows what would’ve happened had we won that game.”

He further added: “It was a short, short, short, hurt. Then you got your party on for a week or two, and then you had your a** right back in the gym, getting ready for the season.”

The Lakers vs. Celtics rivalry dates back ages and each time the two teams meet, plenty of fireworks are in the offing. This season, both teams bowed out in the Conference Finals. Imagine if they indeed met in the NBA Finals.

We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.

Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.

Newsletter

Stay up to date with our newsletter on the latest news, trends, ranking lists, and evergreen articles

Follow on Google News

Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We appreciate your support.

TAGGED:
Share This Article
Aaron Abhishek is an NBA columnist for Fadeaway World. He graduated from St. Joseph's College with a Bachelor's in Visual Communication and a Master's in journalism.His passion for the sport began when he saw Michael Jordan take his final shot in the NBA, and he considers himself fortunate to have been a part of the Kobe Bryant era. Now he writes basketball news and analysis while waiting for the Los Angeles Lakers to win their 18th title.When not watching and writing basketball, you can find Aaron suited to play cricket, putting in some hard yards at the gym, trying a new coffee, and supporting Arsenal. Expertise: NBAFavorite Team: Los Angeles LakersPrevious Work: MEAWW, Blue Man Hoop, Sportskeeda
Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *