The jersey retirement of Paul Pierce was something to behold, even if it came after a horrendous loss by the Boston Celtics to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
There were video tributes, various interviews, and kind words said all around about Pierce and what he meant to the Celtics franchise. During one of the speeches, general manager Danny Ainge — a former Celtics great himself — told a story about his favorite moment of Pierce's career, per Nicholas Goss of New England Sports Network.
He said he’s been asked recently what’s his favorite Pierce moment from his Celtics career, and his response was a jump ball from Boston’s Game 7 win in the 2008 Eastern Conference semifinals against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Here is the moment, per Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer.
Here's the jump ball that Paul Pierce secured to help the Celtics clinch Game 7 against the Cavaliers in 2008, which Danny Ainge just referenced. pic.twitter.com/66v6nGUfEF
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) February 11, 2018
The moment definitely was a huge one for those playoffs. Pierce dove for the ball and secured a possession, which later secured the Game 7 win for the Celtics in that series. They went on to thump the Los Angeles Lakers in six games and win the franchise's 17th championship.
But for all the game-winners, the dunks, the 3-pointers, and automatic elbow jumpers, it's interesting that Ainge would pick a jump ball as his favorite moment of Pierce. Certainly, there have been plenty of other game-, series- or even career-defining moments that Pierce has been a part of.
But perhaps the play stands out to Ainge because it captures the spirit of Pierce's career. Pierce was never just a scorer. He was a winner. And that play was a winning play in the exact time his team needed it.
When you think about it, it's the perfect play to sum up Pierce's storied career with the Celtics.
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