"DAGGER!" It seems as though there may have been a collective chant across Washington of Steve Buckhantz's classic exclamation after the man known as "The Truth" hit the third of his four threes to put the Wiz up 98-90 with 1:58 left to play against the Toronto Raptors. Pierce would go on to hit two free throws and sink another "dagger" to seal the victory that would put the Wizards up three games to none in their first round series in the NBA playoffs. "That's why I'm here." That's what Paul Pierce believes; and his play on the court would suggest. Pierce has played an immense role in two of the Wizards three postseason games to date. Yet, if asked this summer, many would have claimed his best basketball was behind him.
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| "That's Why I'm Here" |
Pierce was brought to Washington this past offseason on a modest two year deal. The move was hailed as a solid one. Washington got the veteran, playoff tested presence it sorely needed, while at the same time replacing departed veteran swingman Trevor Ariza. The deal did not cost Washington much, not nearly the sum it would have cost to keep Ariza, while maintaining the kind of financial flexibility a team chasing Kevin Durant would need come 2016. The veteran impact Paul Pierce has had off the court, and in the locker room has been quite apparent (I wrote earlier about who this reminded me of from the GoT realm). However, until the start of the playoffs, we hadn't yet seen why he was here. The confidence exuded by Pierce is undeniable, as exhibited by the ability to hit key, contested shots on the big stage. And that confidence has rubbed off. Primarily on Otto Porter Jr, who has played in the playoffs the way Washington expected when drafting him third overall in 2013. With a second round series against the top seeded Atlanta Hawks almost guaranteed, we'll continue to see if "The Truth" can set this youthful squad free to play contender level basketball.
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