Paul Pierce 2008 Finals MVP

Lore & Background

Pierce's nickname 'the Truth' was given to him by Shaquille O'Neal in 2001. He combined with Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in 2007 to form a 'Big Three' that led Boston to two NBA Finals and an NBA championship in 2008. Pierce was named NBA Finals Most Valuable Player in 2008. In 2021, he was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team and inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

In Their Own Story

The TD Garden crowd roared as Game 6 reached its climax. Paul Pierce stood at the free-throw line, absorbing the deafening noise while Kobe Bryant’s defense loomed nearby. With eighty years of history weighing on his shoulders, he didn't flinch. Whether drawing fouls or hitting contested jumpers in crunch time, his composure anchored the team. That poise culminated in a ferocious dunk over Lamar Odom that sent the home crowd into a frenzy. When the final buzzer confirmed the 17th banner, the celebration wasn't just about one player; it was the vindication of an era built on resilience.

Reader's Guide

Pierce spent his first 15 NBA seasons with the Boston Celtics after being drafted 10th overall in 1998. He was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in July 2013, then signed with the Washington Wizards in 2014, and later with the Los Angeles Clippers, where he played two seasons before retiring in 2017. He signed a contract with the Celtics on July 17, 2017, to retire as a member of the organization.

Did You Know?

• Pierce was a high school McDonald's All-American and earned consensus first-team All-America honors as a junior at Kansas.
• He led the league in total points (2,144) in 2002.
• Pierce scored 41 points in Game 7 of the 2008 conference semifinals against the Cavaliers.
• He won the Three-Point Contest at the 2010 NBA All-Star Game, the first Celtic to do so since Larry Bird.