If there’s one rivalry LeBron James fans can’t forget, it’s the four-time NBA champion playing against Paul Pierce. A constant during James’ time with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat, Pierce — a Boston Celtics legend — was a definitive roadblock.
And while rivalries can lead to heated on-court matchups, one can’t deny their importance during a player’s prime. James and Pierce battled it out on multiple occasions, even winning championships in the process.
Boston Celtics Legend Paul Pierce Talks About His Rivalry With LeBron James
A 10-time NBA All-Star and 2008 NBA Champion, Pierce is one of the best scorers the league has seen. Over the years, there’s been some comparison with James — some of it by Pierce himself.
In a recent appearance on “Club Shay Shay,” Pierce made another comparison between himself and James. This one was more of a compliment to James, who Pierce believes helped shape his NBA legacy.
“LeBron is the reason I am who I am. I’m not a Top 75 player today if I don’t have battles with him. I’m not a Hall of Famer. Me being able to put on that jacket, he was a big part of that. … I needed him, and I think he needed me, too,” Pierce said.
“So I needed him. And I think he needed me too. When I look at it, we was putting him out the playoffs. That critcial Game 6 he has in Boston that he had? If he loses that game, that changes.”
Having said that, Pierce is easily one of James’ most fierce rivals. Pierce has a 35-34 (loss-win) record against James, a significant increase against Andre Igoudala’s 39-30 and David West’s 33-30.
Pierce Blames Age for Not Challenging James More
On the same podcast, Pierce spoke about his age and how it impacted his career timeline against King James.
“If we were the same age, I don’t believe he would have had four championships,” Pierce explained. “He wouldn’t have got those two in Miami ’cause I gotta believe if we’re the same age, and I could offset him, that would have been good enough.”
Despite only one championship in his long career, Pierce remains an NBA legend — especially with the Celtics.
After 15 seasons in Boston, Pierce played with the Brooklyn Nets, the Washington Wizards, and the Los Angeles Clippers before retiring in 2017.
He retired with an average of 19.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists while shooting 44.5% from the field and 36.8% from the three-point line.
