RedsArmy Rewind: Pierce Leads C’s to Game 2 Win Over Pistons

For much of the 1990's and into the aughts, the Celtics were one of the worst franchises in the NBA.  It was a dark age for a team with a rich history but several factors kept them either at the bottom of the league or just mediocre enough to be in the worst place possible: the NBA vortex.  Rick Pitino did his fair share of damage to the organization but lucked out when Paul Pierce fell on his lap during the 1998 NBA Draft.  While the Celtics remained mediocre during his first few seasons, they had a surprising surge once Pitino was fired resigned.

During that 2002 season, they defeated the defending Eastern Conference Champion Philadelphia 76ers in a 5-game first round series with a bombarding of three-pointers by Pierce and Antoine Walker.  In the second round they met up with another classic rival, the Detroit Pistons.  After getting throttled in Game 1 at the Palace, Pierce led the C's to their first playoff road victory since sweeping the Indiana Pacers in the first round in 1992.  Watch the clip below to see some classic Pierce moves, featuring his mid-range jab-step and drive to the hoop.  Ten years (!!!) later, Pierce is still executing these moves, albeit with a little less quickness.  Enjoy the little trip back in time to when a group of C's were not expected to do anything, and came within two wins of meeting the LA Lakers for the championship.

Game Notes:

• 0:08 – Walker drills a three to open things up
• 0:25 – Walker hits a baseline jumper and screams with an odd cackle that was infamous at the time, and if it happened today, would have blown up all over Twitter and the blogosphere
• 0:49 – Pierce with the MONSTER block on future Celtic Chucky Atkins
• 1:09 – Classic jab-fake, quick move to the hoop on Jerry Stackhouse
• 1:20 – Toine with another bomb
• 1:35 – Pierce blows by the Detroit transition defense for the lay-up
• 2:10 – Pierce doin work on the Detroit double team, spinning for two
• 2:26 – Pierce blocks Stackhouse's baseline 3-point attempt
• 2:31 – Eric Williams taking Corliss Williamson in the post
• 2:40 – Pierce with another jab-fake, this time splitting the double-team for two
• 2:54 – Erick Strickland with the rebound and outlet to Rodney Rogers who takes it in for two
• 3:25 – Eric Williams with another nice spin move in the post, this time abusing Stackhouse
• 3:35 – Pierce with the classic mid-range jumper from the left wing
• 3:47 – Pierce again taking to the basket, Tony Battie with the nice tip-in
• 4:25 – Kenny Anderson taking Damon Jones to the hole for two
• 5:10 – Kenny again with the drive to the basket for two
• 6:18 – Pierce with a mid-range jumper to get the C's going again
• 6:50 – Rogers with a nice drive to the hoop for the lay-up
• 7:00 – Pierce with the post-up move on Stackhouse, getting him on the pump-fake for two
• 7:15 – Eric Williams with a bomb from in front of Detroit's bench
• 7:50 – Walker hitting a huge three- at the end of the shot clock, early in the 4th quarter
• 8:04 – Pierce with his patented mid-range jab-step-back jumper over Michael Curry
• 9:08 – Eric Williams with a baseline three as the shot clock expires
• 9:20 – Kenny stepping into the mid-range jumper
• 9:37 – Eric Williams with the key offensive rebound and lay-up
• 9:50 – Toine getting into it with Clifford Robinson
• 10:12 – Pierce's post game interview