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Paul Pierce is a competitor. And Pierce relished the challenge of guarding Kobe Bryant in the 2008 NBA Finals, where the Boston Celtics bested the Lakers 4-2. Paul Pierce played 15 of his 19 NBA seasons with the Boston Celtics while Kobe played his entire 20-year career with the Lakers.
In a recent article in The Athletic, former Boston Celtics teammate Leon Powe recalled Pierce wanting to pick up Kobe full court during those 2008 Finals. Powe commented:
“We got in a timeout, and we said, ‘You [Paul Pierce] don’t have to pick up Kobe full court.’ He [Pierce] looked at us and said, ‘Nah! Nah! I got him! I got him! I don’t need no help!’ That’s all he kept saying. He kept repeating, ‘Don’t help me!’”
Paul Pierce explained the decision to guard Kobe as a way to motivate the rest of his team. Pierce remarked:
“Of course, I want to annoy Kobe. Of course, I want to lock him down. Of course. When your teammates see you taking the lead on that, it inspires them. They’re like, ‘Damn, Paul gonna pick him up and take on that challenge.’ That let everybody know that I got him, and they’re like, ‘I gotta do my job over here if he’s doing that.’”
Paul Pierce and Kobe Bryant are both enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame
Paul Pierce and the late Kobe Bryant have both been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. While Kobe was a member of the 2020 class that also saw Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan get enshrined in the Hoops Hall of Fame, Paul Pierce was a member of the 2021 Hall of Fame class.
Paul Pierce retired from the game as a 10-time All-Star and currently ranks 16th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. His crowning moment came in the 2008 NBA Finals when Pierce finished as Finals MVP, arguably the greatest achievement of his NBA career. He’s the Boston Celtics franchise leader in three-pointers made, free throws made and steals, and he is second in points scored for the franchise with 24021 career points for the Celtics.
Kobe Bryant tragically passed on at the age of 41 in a helicopter crash on 26 January, 2020. Kobe was an 18-time All-Star, five-time NBA champion, two-time Finals MVP, two-time scoring champion and 2008 league MVP. Kobe is the Lakers franchise leader in games, points scored, field-goals three-pointers made, free throws made and steals.
Both Kobe and Paul Pierce were part of the NBA’s 75th anniversary team that was announced at the start of the 2021-22 season.
Guess the Lakers players!
