Paul Pierce Is On A Mission With Clippers

The Clippers needed a clutch performer in the playoffs — you can’t do better than Paul Pierce.

Paul Pierce is well on his way to mastering both conferences of the NBA.

First came the East and, as a member of the Boston Celtics, Pierce was able to develop his fierce attitude in playoff moments alongside Rajon Rondo and Kevin Garnett.

With the way the Celtics dominated the East at that time, it’s hard to say that the Clippers aren’t in that same situation — at least at the beginning.

Los Angeles is hanging around the top of the standings, but is still considered by many to be an underdog to the top three teams of the conference.

But like the Celtics, they too are being underestimated.

Pierce has had to prove himself everywhere he’s gone to play; his stop with the Washington Wizards was no different.

In his time playing in our nation’s capitol, Pierce mastered the art of playoff domination, nearly beating the top-seeded Atlanta Hawks by himself in the second round last year.

Eventually, though, Pierce’s honeymoon with Washington would end abruptly, as it did, and it lead him to where he is now with the Clippers.

Aside from all of the personal strength and abilities he’s been able to muster in his highly impressive career, you also have to take into consideration the deadly duo of him and Doc Rivers.

Rivers was the coach at the time when the Celtics really took off — Pierce was a big part of that team.

Being reunited surely helps a lot, but it’s a relationship that goes deeper than just a blessing in disguise.

Why?

Because it hasn’t even begun to reach its full potential yet.

Rivers and Pierce both are at their best in the post-season. Considering how the Clippers have played this year and last season as well, we know for a fact that they can hang with anyone in the conference.

And injuries, even to their best players, won’t be able to change that.

Their biggest issue last year was confidence in their ability to close out not just close games, but playoff series.

Pierce would be the last player in the association to just watch a hard-fought series lead, especially given how tough the Western Conference is going to be, and it’s just what the doctor ordered.

Pun intended.

J.J. Redick is not Ray Allen — that wouldn’t be a fair comparison for either party — but he is an elite scoring threat from beyond the arc, as he proved against the Houston Rockets when he dropped 40 points.

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Pierce excels when the team around him is well-balanced and can score with or without him on the floor.

What it comes down to for him is not so much his personal ability to carry the team scoring wise, but rather letting the rest of the team push to the breaking point and then coming in to seal the deal.

We saw this all the time when he was a part of the Wizards, especially in the playoffs.

Lastly, knowing that Pierce is probably thirsting for another title and the Clippers want at least one shot to prove themselves in the NBA Finals, you can rest assured that 2016 is going to be nothing short of a mission season for both of them.

Next: D'Angelo Russell: 3 Points Of Focus

And they’re coming in red-hot.