Threads like this are why, despite loving Pierce, I had him as #1 on the “most overrated” poll recently.
Hard to put him in the top 5 given how many great players with far more impressive resumes played for this team over the years, but the demographic skews young on Reddit and you’ll have people putting him over someone like Cowens who was league MVP, 2x champion or someone like Havlicek whose resume absolutely dwarfs Paul’s.
Instead, people predictably picked Antoine Walker as “most overrated” when he’s very clearly not overrated in any way shape or form. He’s properly rated if not slightly underrated as the fanbase typically trashes on him like he was total garbage. ‘Toine was actualy a pretty solid fringe all-star ahead of his time and it’s a testament to just how overrated Pierce was that Paul missed the playoffs in 5 of his first 9 years and failed to ever crack 50+ wins in spite of having a top tier co-star.
I often wonder if KG never saved the Celtics, what Paul’s legacy would look like. Sure as hell wouldn’t be getting ranked top 5. His career up until that point had looked a lot like Carmelo Anthony, except with far less success as Pierce was in the lotto most years while Melo was consistently taking his team to the playoffs in the deeper West and winning more games.
Look at Melo’s Denver resume through 7 seasons. Made the playoffs every year. Conference Finals once. 50+ wins three times. 2nd Team All-NBA selection.
Look at Paul’s Boston resume before KG: Missed playoffs 5 out of 9 seasons. Conference Finals once. Zero 50+ wins seasons. No 1st or 2nd team all-NBA selection.
KG literally the difference between this Pierce being a poor man’s Melo and “Celtic legend”
seasoned-veteran
#2 all time in points which are, some might say, a key statistic
Sorry about the bold
Mountain-Pack9362
1. Russel
2. Bird
3. Hondo
4. Cousy
5. Pierce?
Certainly an argument but if you don’t have him there I wouldnt blame you. To many great players to choose from
JaDamian_Steinblatt
It’s impossible to judge these things because everyone’s criteria is different but all I know is Russell carried the 60s, havlicek carried the 70s, bird carried the 80s, and pierce carried the 2000s
Wonderful_Eagle_6547
Here’s a screenshot of Kobe and Pierce throughout their respective careers, with production measured by DARKO DPM, which purports to estimate the plus/minus impact of an individual player over time. The solid lines are smoothed versions of the individual game data points, and this obviously shows Pierce and Kobe neck-and-neck as the most impactful perimeter player of this time period. In fact, this one measure has Pierce as slightly more impactful over this time period.
Pierce was very good, and some of this equivalency has to do with both Pierce having a better career than people think and some to do with Kobe being worse than people think. For example, if you layer in Dwyane Wade or Chris Paul, they have higher peaks than either of those guys (which has something to do with them playing in their prime a few years later than the former guys in an easier to score league). Interesting stuff either way.
rveets1416
He’s top 10, not top 5.
Top 5 is likely: 1. Russell 2. Bird 3. Hondo 4. Cousy 5. Cowens
I think Pierce and McHale take up 6 & 7 while Tatum is right behind them.
Rounding out the top 11 has to be some combination of KG, Parish, and Sam Jones.
By 2030, Tatum will likely have passed both Paul and McHale , and will be in the Cowens tier for me.
BurritoGuapito
Absolutely. Only reason the Celtics were close to competitive for over a decade. If he had the supporting cast other players have for longer, he’d be more decorated. His “lack of accolades” does not accurately reflect the impact he had
kennyloftor
you gotta remind mfs every once in a while
let’s be serious
Maddygirl13
If Tatum was as clutch as Paul Pierce he would be the best player in the league.
11 Comments
Of course
Threads like this are why, despite loving Pierce, I had him as #1 on the “most overrated” poll recently.
Hard to put him in the top 5 given how many great players with far more impressive resumes played for this team over the years, but the demographic skews young on Reddit and you’ll have people putting him over someone like Cowens who was league MVP, 2x champion or someone like Havlicek whose resume absolutely dwarfs Paul’s.
Instead, people predictably picked Antoine Walker as “most overrated” when he’s very clearly not overrated in any way shape or form. He’s properly rated if not slightly underrated as the fanbase typically trashes on him like he was total garbage. ‘Toine was actualy a pretty solid fringe all-star ahead of his time and it’s a testament to just how overrated Pierce was that Paul missed the playoffs in 5 of his first 9 years and failed to ever crack 50+ wins in spite of having a top tier co-star.
I often wonder if KG never saved the Celtics, what Paul’s legacy would look like. Sure as hell wouldn’t be getting ranked top 5. His career up until that point had looked a lot like Carmelo Anthony, except with far less success as Pierce was in the lotto most years while Melo was consistently taking his team to the playoffs in the deeper West and winning more games.
Look at Melo’s Denver resume through 7 seasons. Made the playoffs every year. Conference Finals once. 50+ wins three times. 2nd Team All-NBA selection.
Look at Paul’s Boston resume before KG: Missed playoffs 5 out of 9 seasons. Conference Finals once. Zero 50+ wins seasons. No 1st or 2nd team all-NBA selection.
KG literally the difference between this Pierce being a poor man’s Melo and “Celtic legend”
#2 all time in points which are, some might say, a key statistic
Sorry about the bold
1. Russel
2. Bird
3. Hondo
4. Cousy
5. Pierce?
Certainly an argument but if you don’t have him there I wouldnt blame you. To many great players to choose from
It’s impossible to judge these things because everyone’s criteria is different but all I know is Russell carried the 60s, havlicek carried the 70s, bird carried the 80s, and pierce carried the 2000s
Here’s a screenshot of Kobe and Pierce throughout their respective careers, with production measured by DARKO DPM, which purports to estimate the plus/minus impact of an individual player over time. The solid lines are smoothed versions of the individual game data points, and this obviously shows Pierce and Kobe neck-and-neck as the most impactful perimeter player of this time period. In fact, this one measure has Pierce as slightly more impactful over this time period.
https://preview.redd.it/6rgq47tfc3ld1.png?width=1874&format=png&auto=webp&s=2a62a68c749a7a509a89e932bcbc4eb7703bf056
Pierce was very good, and some of this equivalency has to do with both Pierce having a better career than people think and some to do with Kobe being worse than people think. For example, if you layer in Dwyane Wade or Chris Paul, they have higher peaks than either of those guys (which has something to do with them playing in their prime a few years later than the former guys in an easier to score league). Interesting stuff either way.
He’s top 10, not top 5.
Top 5 is likely:
1. Russell
2. Bird
3. Hondo
4. Cousy
5. Cowens
I think Pierce and McHale take up 6 & 7 while Tatum is right behind them.
Rounding out the top 11 has to be some combination of KG, Parish, and Sam Jones.
By 2030, Tatum will likely have passed both Paul and McHale , and will be in the Cowens tier for me.
Absolutely. Only reason the Celtics were close to competitive for over a decade. If he had the supporting cast other players have for longer, he’d be more decorated. His “lack of accolades” does not accurately reflect the impact he had
you gotta remind mfs every once in a while
let’s be serious
If Tatum was as clutch as Paul Pierce he would be the best player in the league.
Pierce is overrated like seriously.