Boston Celtics legend Paul Pierce has been heavily criticized for his recent comments about Dwyane Wade. The one-time champion and current NBA analyst said he had a better overall career than the Miami Heat standout, a statement that didn't sit well even with his co-workers on ESPN.

Celtics president Danny Ainge came to Pierce's defense, and although he didn't explicitly say that The Truth was better, he said Pierce was more consistent than Wade over their long careers:

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Ainge has a point when it comes to Pierce's longevity and how well he performed into his mid-30s, in addition to staying mostly healthy. While Wade still had his moments over the last few years, he also dealt with a good amount of injuries, limiting how much he played compared to Pierce.

This helped give Pierce the edge in numerous counting stats, including points scored over the course of their respective careers. However, Wade's peak was clearly better, regardless of whether you're looking at basic stats or more advanced analytics.

There is no doubt that Pierce had a great career in the NBA, but no matter what anyone, including Danny Ainge, says, numbers don't lie: Dwyane Wade was the better player and arguably the third-best shooting guard in history behind Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.