Making it to the playoffs 58 times in 73 seasons, the Boston Celtics continue to be one of the most successful franchises in the NBA. Among several legends contributing to the above, Paul Pierce stands alone for his work in the 2008 championship. Slicing past defenders to win his first NBA title, Pierce was one of the best players of his era. However, every dominant scorer had a rival who was a defensive nightmare. And it was no different in Pierce’s case.

In an interview on the ‘Dan Patrick Show’, Paul Pierce sat down with the host to talk about his career, where he revealed his toughest opponent apart from Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. Pierce’s choice will certainly surprise many fans.

Paul Pierce hated going up against Kevin Garnett

Though Pierce had faced many tough defenders like the late legend Kobe Bryant, he went on to choose his teammate. When asked about the toughest matchups, The Truth mentioned, ” Most likely Kobe cause I matched up more with him but I would never forget a game where we played Minnesota and I know I was playing against Wally Szczerbiak and I was like having a pretty good game and then KG switched off on me.”

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“He didn’t let me touch the ball for a whole two or three minutes and I never felt anything like that. All defensive principles went out the window and he didn’t let me catch the ball,” Pierce revealed. However, KG’s decision to join the Celtics not only benefitted him but also Pierce. It must have felt good to have his toughest opponent by his side.

Although the Celtics only managed to win one championship during their Big 3 era, they were easily one of the most consistent teams in the league for a number of years. After winning in 2008, the next four Eastern Conference champions all had to beat the Celtics in order to reach the Finals.

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During his 15-year tenure with the Boston Celtics, Paul Pierce was at his peak from 2000 to 2010. After several attempts at the title, Pierce finally won it in 2008 against the Lakers. The Truth, who was named the 2008 Finals MVP, averaged 21.8 points in the Finals against Bryant and the Lakers. The 5x champion was one of the toughest defenders in the league during Pierce’s time. Every time the Lakers faced the Celtics, fans would love to see the match-up between Pierce and Bryant. However, in 2008, Pierce had someone special with him.

Kevin Garnett played a crucial role for the Celtics after his arrival in Boston in 2007. Averaging 15.8 points in the 2008 season, KG was also a massive help on the defensive end. However, things would have been different if the Big Ticket never joined the Celtics.

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In his very first year with the Boston Celtics, KG won the Defensive Player of the Year award. Paul Pierce was indeed lucky to have had Garnett by his side. What are your thoughts on Pierce’s story? Share in the comments below.