March 28, 2023 • 25 mins
The Captain and The Truth, Paul Pierce joins this episode to talk all things Celtics basketball. Pierce has been making an effort in his retirement to try to get to as many games and continue to support his franchise whether it’s at TD Garden or meeting them on the road. Just like us, he’s a fan of the organization, but Paul also explains it’s now his job to pass on the culture to the next generation.
In discussing the Celtics culture, Pierce recalls seeing Legends not only at games, but any given practice players like Satch Sanders, Jo Jo White and Tommy Heinsohn and that their presence alone would give the current players energy.
The Truth then reflects on his early days as a Celtic, sitting down with Red Auerbach, learning from the vets on the team and soaking in the history from Legends on the sidelines. Now he views that at his role, setting the example and helping guide players would want to be the ones to raise another banner in TD Garden.
4:55 – Once A Celtic Always A Celtic
8:20 – Presence Of Legends
10:13 – Rookie Year Memories
13:24 - Learning On And Off The Court From Vets
16:02 - Tommy Heinsohn
18:00 – Passing The Torch To The Next Generation
20:00 – Work Ethic
21:39 – Relationship With The Current Roster
23:40 – Predictions
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome everyone. This is View from the Rafters today. We're
bringing in a man who hails from basketball. Country life
is funny. Okay, oh, don't go there, not yet. Well,
we talked about it that the Bust One Boys is
the crazy story, not actor asketball. It's a crazy thing
to me. It's like where you came from. Yeah, we're
all older than we think. We are always gold lead Gray. Baby.
(00:24):
What's up everyone, It's Mark Tomik go back for another
episode of You from the Rafters. And this episode is
a legendary episode because we have the legend Paul Pierce
on with us today. Before I get into that conversation,
I want to remind all of you please rate, subscribe,
and review us. We appreciate everyone who's giving us a
listen and to watch. Every Tuesday, the audio episode is
coming out on your favorite podcast platform, and every Wednesday
(00:47):
we got the videos dropping out on our YouTube channel,
So make sure you subscribe, rate, and review. Again, we
appreciate you all getting into this conversation with Paul Pierce.
There is a reason why we wanted to bring him on,
and that's because he's got a ton of perspective to offer,
not only on this year's team. He's been around them
a lot, as we all know, but also on just
(01:07):
what it's like to be in this franchise from the
day one of your career and moving on through fifteen seasons.
I wanted to talk to him about being a practice
with these guys this season, being at multiple games throughout
the season and communicating and watching these guys in person,
and then secondly, really just coming in on that day
one after he was drafted in nineteen ninety eight, what
(01:29):
was it like for him to learn what it's like
to be a Celtic, What was that process, how did
he pass that information onto the generations after him throughout
his fifteen years, And really what he jumped into is
that he has a significant interest in carrying that stuff
on right now with Marcus Smart, Jalen Brown, Jason Tatum
(01:49):
and the rest of these young players on the Celtics.
You're gonna want to hear this. He has a significant
interest in keeping in touch with these guys consistently throughout
the season, and he might even have plans been some
dinner with them coming up soon when he comes to Boston. So,
without further ado, let's toss it in. Here's my conversation
with the legend number thirty four, Paul Pierce. All Right, today,
(02:10):
very special episode of you from the rafters behind the
scenes with the Boston Cell. There's always special when we
can get Paul Pierce, that Captain number thirty four back
on view from the raptors. Te bet Man, I've been good.
What's up? Mark? How you being? I've been good. I
wasn't at the game last night. For everyone who's listening,
this is the day after the Celtics demolished the good
(02:33):
old Sacramento Kings out in Sacramento. When Paul was at
the game, I wish I was out there, so I
got it. I was able to catch you. But would
you take out of that game, Paul? It was a
good game. I really felt like coming into this game,
you know, it was in in the five game rolls
swing out West, and I thought it was important to
the urgency to get that game because they went two
(02:55):
or two when they should have probably went four and
one on this trip. So I thought it was important
to really get a marquee win to end the road trip.
You know, you want to get that last win. Everybody's tired,
ready to come home. So that was a big win
against the quality team, So I was excited to see
them play well on both ones of the ball. So
you're at the game clutch win last night. They needed
(03:15):
that before coming home. But I know I saw you
before the game talking on NBC Sports Boston into some
other networks that you just thought that the team was
kind of like caught up in the motion of the
season and you know how it is, man, it's a
grind getting through eighty two and you just want to
get to the postseason. What did you see it last Like,
(03:36):
do you think that switzter or do you think, yeah,
it just looks like, you know, it looks like sometimes
they get bored with the process. Yeah, you know, it's
all season and eighty two games and so many games
and so many trips. It just looks like they get
bored sometimes. You know, they know that they already know
they're really good team, you know, so sometimes they come
(03:57):
in and just feel like showing up is good enough.
When you have to understand every night there's a target
on your back because everybody is being the seas as
a favorite to get to the finals, you know, so
when you got that target on your back, you gotta
expect everybody's best. So you know, when I was playing
on a really bad teams and I was like, shoot,
we played against sant anton or Lakers, we come up
(04:18):
with our a game because like, hey, our season, this
is like that we win this game. We felt like
we won the championship even though we're not going to
the playoffs. And you know the Rockets felt that way
when they beat the Seas the other night. You know
that's their season. You know we beat the Celtics, You're
gonna put that on their highlight tape. So those expectations.
When you play those lower end teams, you gotta be
ready because the targets on your back, no doubt about that.
(04:40):
I love the fact though, that you have been at
so many games this season. You come to Boston a
couple of times, you're catching them on the road. I'm
sure you caught them in La Again. I wasn't out there,
but caught them in Sacramento. Why do you love being
around this team and watching them in person so much?
I'm just a fan of the organization, you know. You know,
although I love Jason and Marcus and the guys who've
(05:02):
been there, Brown's been there. Uh, you know, when this
guy's is long gone. I'm still gonna be going to
the games, you know what I'm saying, And a good
part about it. They have a really good team and
it's been so fun to watch them grow, you know,
since they were young, and you know, carry on the legacy,
carry on the brand, carry on what it means to
be a Celtic and just to follow it and be
(05:24):
there because I feel like it's my right as a
former Celtic to to show up as the past Celtics
did for me, you know. And I tell Kevin this,
like when I used to look up and see Joe,
Joe White and Robert Parrish and you know, obviously you
had Tommy and Maxwell are there every night. Bill Russell
would come into town and watch games, whether they be
(05:44):
at Harmar the role. So I just steel like as
a Celtic organization, as a family, you know when they say,
what's a Celtic, always a Celtic. You know, I feel
like it's a right, my right to be there for
the green runs deep, right. You gotta love it. But no,
you touched on something right there that I took out
of you know, watching the Ticket in the Truth podcast
and show when you guys. I'm at the hour back
(06:05):
center right now, But you guys were up top standing
on the cardio bridge looking at those banners and you're
leaning and just looking at KG and you're like, bro, like,
we gotta get here as much as possible, Like we
gotta be those guys now. And that's really what I
want to go deep on with you here today is
(06:25):
about that kind of passing of the torch, the being
around and influencing the next generation and all that stuff,
which clearly like you take that to heart, there's no
doubt about it. That's why you're at all these games. Yeah, yeah,
but it's got to be a challenge for you being
on the left coasts instead out here full time. So
how are you trying to navigate that? Well, obviously I'm
(06:48):
in retirement. I have kids and have other obligations, but
my free time I always make at a point to
come to Boston or check out a game on a roll.
You know, I'm not gonna be every night, and it
just like to set the back of the past. You know,
they weren't there every night, they worked there every night,
but they were there more than enough to just kind
of give us that boost and then whenever they're in
(07:09):
the house, even if I didn't even talk to them,
just their presence being there and he's looking over like, ooh,
they go coozy, they go have a you know what
I'm saying. That kind of gave me a boos like
he gave me teals like all right, I gotta show
up and show out and so and I felt that
energy from them guys when me and KG was there
at practice, Yep, you know it matter we there to
(07:30):
talk to him and rub elbows, I built to dinner,
But just a mere presence, I feel like it gives
them a certain type of energy and we felt that.
I used to feel that. So it's one thing for
everyone that they can see it on the cameras at
the games, right like when Bill Russell used to come
and sit on the baseline, like everyone's energy is going
up and everyone on the TV they can see that.
(07:50):
But what people don't see or didn't see back in
the day, and this is right around when I started
the year after you guys won the championship, is at
the at the practice facility out in Waltham. Those guys
are like maybe not Bill Russell too often, but like
Havelicek was there, Bill was there every now and then
you had sat Sanders at practices all the time. Tommy Heinzen,
(08:12):
what is that like? Practicing every day when you've got
like legend after legends sitting on the bench over over
on the side of the court. It's just a constant
reminder as if you don't have enough. When you walk
in and you see the jersey and the banners and
you see the actual player there, there's just a constant
reminder up the type of organization, organization that you're playing for.
(08:34):
These are legends walking the building. These are guys when
you walk in, you see their pictures of them celebrating
with champagne, popping bottles within a championship, and then they're
actually right there, so to be at the rough the
elbows and like, you know, I remember times this was
sash like, man, how was it sash man? Y'all was
popping the bottles, y'all was winning? How was it back then? Man?
You know what kind of car did you drive? You know,
out of y'all dress? You know, stuff like that, And
(08:57):
it's just good to like get coast all when you
see the pictures and actually be there and really hear
the stories. It's it's amazing because I'm a story another game,
and I appreciate with the older generation gay to us,
and so I always like to soak that up and
really like pick their braids and see how it was
when they played and how they built it for a
(09:20):
better NBA. But when I got there, you know when
they talk about, man, we took commercial flights. We slept
two to a role. We had to get it. We
didn't make the flight. They'll leave us now we charter
flights because of them, because but they've been able to
build them. So just hearing them stories is amazing. So
rewind to like the start of your careers nineteen ninety eight.
(09:40):
Obviously we got the lockout, like right when you come
into the league. That was a challenge for you, I'm sure,
but we all know you grew up a Lakers guy,
you grew up in LA. How long did it take
you to understand and like integrate yourself into the culture
here because you know, we can't why like that's not
(10:00):
gonna happen overnight for anyone like You've you got to
learn that history. You gotta understand. You gotta see those
guys and have those conversations so I'm just curious what
that process was like for you as a young guy
coming into the league. Man, I'm not gonna lie. You know,
I was on the outside looking at, you know, with
Boston culture and where Boston tradition was all about because
I didn't have really followed back closing as I did
(10:22):
the Lakers. But for it hit right away, and you
know when it hit when I first got there and
I have my first conversation, like you know, I was
talking to Red bar Back like one of my first
weeks there. I was like, whoa old all, this is
the dude. I see all the NBA highlights smoking the
cigar celebrate eleven twelve championships. This is really him right here.
(10:44):
You know they're all having a conversation if you smoke
a cigar with him. No, I didn't smoke me. I
was sitting there. This is when I first met him,
ye you know, he was having this golf charity tournament
and this was like this is like after the season
or before the season, one or the other, but this
is like one of my I think my second year
(11:05):
because it's been a lockout, so maybe my second year.
And it was just like many here goes you know,
I'm just sitting there and really talking to him, and
he sat there and I remember we sat on the
couch and I think we might have talked for again
thirty minutes. I was like, man, he really paying attention.
He really he really sees something in me, you know.
(11:25):
And it was just like from that point on and
I was like, man, oh, man, I got to appreciate this,
you know, I get to be around so many legends
and looking up every day. It's just it just caught off.
I probably have to say my second third year, I
was I was head first old man. So it took
a couple of years for you to like get to
that point. Yeah, definitely, a couple of years of being
(11:46):
around the legends and being and getting lost in the
city through the rotaries. You know, I had to I
do that every day. It took a while for that
for me to get used to that. But yeah, it
was like after man, my second or third year, I
was all in. And then yeah, it was to me.
After my first year, I spent the whole summer in Boston,
(12:09):
and then the next year I spent another summer in there,
so I was there just eating it all up, getting
used to the city, getting out of the community. You know,
I already spent a lot of time at home my
first couple of years. That was a conscious decision or
was that like did the team ask you to do that?
On a team that asked me? I just wanted to
be at a gym. That was the only place I
can get the gym twenty four to seven and three
(12:30):
six every night. And so it was just like me
and my best friend come out, like, look, we can go.
We'll go to the gym in the morning. But I
had twenty four hour access to the gym, and we'll
going to gym and late at night. You know, it'll
be times where I go in there. Rip Patino was
in there ten o'clock. He'll see me in there and
you know, me and my me and my boy working out.
That's awesome, man, those are great memories. So we touched
(12:51):
on having the legends around. But then there's also the
element of you're coming onto a team early in your
career when there's other guys who have already gone through,
They've already had those few seasons with the Celtics, they've
already integrated themselves into the culture. So and we're talking
about guys like Kenny Anderson Antoine had been here for
a couple of seasons when you came in. What's the
(13:14):
process that you experienced as a young guy of like
them showing you what it means to be a Celtic. Well, yeah,
I'm definitely watching and I'm asking questions. I'm just seeing
everybody's habits. You know, when you first get there, you know,
you take a look around and you see, you know, yeah,
(13:35):
you got these other ten, twelve, thirteen guys on the team.
But you look and you're like, man, who who best
fits where I'm trying to go? You know? Who habits?
Am I trying to follow? You know, on the court
off the court? And you look a loud and be like,
all right, I'm gonna get under this best win because
I like, you know what he's doing our lives with
He's teaching me. You know, he's really making sense, showing
(13:57):
me the ropes. You know. So you know, early 'all
it was like twin Dana bear Ross. You know, it
was real close. He whim So I took all like
two or three guys where here, man, Dana gonna be here? Yea,
get shots up with Dana. Man, he can shoot again,
I'm gonna get here early. You know, I'm gonna work
on some posts with Twine. He like, man, you need
to get here. And I was always made an emphasis
(14:17):
to work under them guys, just to kind of see
the routine and learn a routine. And once I figured
out what my routine was gonna be, and that took
a few years, you know, because these guys are established pros.
And you look at guys like Kenny Anderson who've been
in the league, you know, and you look at the
guys who had that longevity to like Dana and Kenny. Yeah, yeah,
we had Twine, but he was still learning too as
(14:39):
he was going because he ear year. And so I
was looking at that those guys who had a little
bit more time in the league and just kind of see,
you know, they they've been here for a little while.
Someone watched them a little more close and then figure
it out. What about it from a culture perspective, because
I know, like I've heard the guys on this team
talk about it. I know, back in the day, like
Avery Bradley comes and those guys, those young guys are
(15:01):
following your lead. But from and I'm talking about like
on the court in the weight room all that stuff.
But from a culture's perspective, did those vets actually have
conversations with you about that or is that just something
that you learned by watching and being in it and
being in that environment. Man, Truthfully about the culture, I
(15:22):
learned it from the legends. You know. I was in
there talking to Bill, I was in there talking to
core Brand. You know. We Hey, you know, this was
the guys who created Celtic culture. That's don't last forever.
You know, they created the foundation of what Celtic culture is.
So no matter what players come and go, the culture
gonna be the same, you know, and them as the
(15:43):
guys that created you know, it's a lot of times
I'll set I'll come to the earlier and Tommy Hudson
and I'm talking to here about what's the culture all about? Here?
You know what it means to be a Celtic, how
to lead? You know? So a lot of that came
from from those guys. What were your bigger takeaways from
those convots? Well, you know, a lot of my great
I had a lot of great conversations, believe it or not,
(16:06):
from just Tommy heinz it. You don't believe that man
no missing. He was sit there and talk to me
for a lost and I didn't you know that much
about Tommy. So I started looking him up and I
was like, man, Tommy was a beat. Yeah, I've been
looking my own all. He don't get enough record. This
ship has a shelted great like the things he was due.
(16:27):
And he was just like telling me, continue to work hard.
You got a lot of leadership. I see it in you.
You know, you could become a leader of this team
one day. You just gotta stay focused, you know, keep
working hard and things of that nature. You know, because
he saw it in me early, like you know, early
first second year, and I took a lot of his
words and what he used to tell me how I
(16:47):
could be effective on the court. He'd be here saying like, man,
you need to use this and like you're getting the
mid range. That's that's a good spot for you. When
he is, it's constant from Tommy, and it was just like,
you know, I solved it all up. And you know,
I give a lot of credit to him, because a
lot a lot of people, you know, give a lot
of credit Tommy. But Tommy was in my ear a
lot more to people think something tells me he might
have told you to play fast? Oh yeah, Like, man,
(17:11):
how can I rack us a little of Tommy points that?
I was like, all right, I think, hey, I think
that's the advice that he passed down to everyone who
came through that door man while he was here, which
was forever. I mean, you want to talk about an
absolute legend of this organization. He did it all, and
he did it all at a high level. Man. It's
incredible what he accomplished. Absolutely when you got into that
(17:37):
phase of your career where you were that vet like
and I keep going back to guys like Avery Bradley
and Jared Solder and kind of at that point because
you guys had already won a title at that point.
These guys are coming in after and they're trying to learn,
you know, what it means to be a Celtic and
what it takes to get it done. You guys had
(17:58):
got it done, gotten it done at that point. So
what was your perspective of how you were going to
pass all of this information and all of this culture
and what it means to wear the green and white,
Because it's a lot, man. But I'm just curious, like,
how you navigated that of passing that on to the
next group below you, Well, how I navigated. To be honest,
(18:20):
I would look at certain guys early on and I'd
be like, I'll look at they work at it, because look,
I was one of those guys that got to the
gym and me being like say a ten eleven year
that at the time when we were you know, if
I'm still coming here early and I'm doing what i'm
necessary doing less necessary to be ready, I expect that
(18:42):
from y'all. So I'm looking at the guys who are right,
let me see who if you are your first year,
second third year, and you ain't doing that at least
what the best is doing, I'm not sure if this
is this is meant for you or or your longevity.
So when the guy and when the guys who bet
that all right, I'm gonna take you on the the wing.
You know, Okay, Rondo, come on this way. You know
(19:03):
we gonna work with you. Come on, hey, come on,
you know. But then of those guys who just was
just happy to be there, You'll tell them, but you
can't make nobody do or be something they not eat.
You thought, the guys who really wanted to learn who
really wanted to engulf themselves and Celtic culture and be
constantly in pros and want to be there in the
(19:23):
NBA for a long time. And so it wasn't that
it was my duty to go out and say all
young guys come following lead. You know, no, no, no,
I'm gonna letch you. I'm gonna let you choose. And
that's how it went about it. This is a little
off topic, but you brought up the work ethic, and
I just remember from when I came in, like I
(19:44):
was never at the facility when you and KG and
Ray were not out there like getting work in. I
mean it was it was either before practice, after practice,
during practice, or all three. And so I just touch
on the work ethic that you guys brought to the
table because I think a lot of people just think
Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray All and obviously all
(20:05):
Hall of famers, they're gonna get it done on the court.
But I don't know if everyone understands the amount of
time that you invested that late in your career. No
one really knows how much time KG put in just
to be able to take the floor towards the end
of his career here in Boston. But yeah, I'm just
curious what your thoughts are on, you know, watching those
(20:26):
other guys and working out with them for a few
years here. You know, it made it easy for all
of us later in our career. You know, it's easy
early in your career because you're trying to establish yourself,
you have the mindset, you want to be great. But
you know, it made it even easier later in our
career as you got the year ten elevens well for
us to be in the gym for early or late
(20:46):
we all started having kids, and so it was just
like like, oh man, you know, let me get up
a sixth a. You're gonna be up anyway. Let's just
let me change this doctor and let me get to
the gym. So that made it easy. Who was like
to be up and be at the gym as long
as possible so we wouldn't have to change diapers. So
(21:07):
you know, you see us at the gym. Six that's
that's a cheat code right there. Fall that's parenting cheat
code right there. I like it. That's that's big picture
thinking all right, oh man, But touching, touching based on
like going back to this year's team. Uh, and you
wanting to be around these guys. What is your relationship
(21:27):
with these guys? Because I watched the full you know,
showtime show with you and KG sitting down with Marcus
and Jalen and Jason, and it just looks like you
guys connect and it seems like, I don't know, it
just feels natural the way that you guys communicate, and
like you understood. You guys understand you, and KG understand
what you're passing on, and those guys understand what they're
(21:50):
kind of taken in. I think right there there's a
mutual respect. You know, they have a mute respect for
the guys who they're before on me and KG, and
we respect what they're doing right now. And so I
think that was the official US sitting down with those
you know, three guys who've been there at the launch.
That was like more of the official US lending our
hand out to them. It was official, even though you
(22:12):
know we've been coming to games and doing this, it
was like officially right there. So it's like, oh, man, look,
if you ever need a shoulder to lean on or
somebody to talk to, you know, just know that we here.
You know, we're gonna here, be here to sport, you
you know. And it's times where I text Jalen h
and I sent the text out to to JT. You know,
(22:33):
you know, you know, you know, I don't do it
all the time, but like some time I feel to
need like, look, man, y'all got to pick it up,
you know, when they're going through some laws and I
see certain things, but I don't try to overbear myself
with them. So I'm playing all, you know, going hanging out,
going to dinner sometimes, you know, even this year, you know, uh,
playing some things with there where we can get them
(22:53):
off the court and just sometimes did not be about basketball,
just to be about life. And that's where I want
to get to them because we understand what you go through,
not only own the court, but off the court as well.
It sounds like you're not quite there yet. But where
are you in those conversations of you know, from because
those are two different ends of the spectrum, right like
(23:14):
you got basketball over here, you got life and you know,
post playing day's career over here? Where are you with
these guys kind of on that spectrum? But like me
and Jana has recently talked about going to dinner when
I'll come back out there, So I'll plan them come
about out there for about a week coming up, and
so we have made a plan to probably go grab
him out to eat. Hey, I just want to know,
(23:35):
it'll always have to be about basketball, so me and
he'll text about that. So I think we'll have something
coming up pretty So what do you think is in
store for these guys the rest of the season. We
got at this point when we're recording this, we got
nine games left. By the time this comes out next week,
it's going to be more like seven, I think at
that point six or seven. But what do you think
these guys got in store for the rest of the
(23:56):
regular season and going into this this playoff run trying
to bring Battery team home. Well, I'll see them like, okay,
look and this is what we did. I would like, Look,
it's ten guys left. It's time to us for us
to be at our best. You know, let's let's turn
it up. Guys. You know, we know what it takes
because we were there last year. So I expect them
to finish off the season on a good note. And
(24:18):
they know this is the best part of the season
right here coming up when the playoffs start, and this
is the funnest time of the year, you know. And
they have a great understanding that they've been on some
deep playoff runs and so sometimes they can get bored
with the process, but they understand the sense of urgencies
right now, and I think I'll expect them to finish
off the season strong and getting ready for the playoffs.
Hey man, it's coming up right around the corner. I
(24:40):
can't believe that the playoffs start and like two or
three weeks. It's nuts. The season has flown by, but
it's been mostly ups for the Celtics. Maybe a couple
of small dips, but overall, the team has been outstanding
on offense. The defense has been pretty good all season long.
So I think we all think they got what it
takes to go all the way. It's just a matter
(25:00):
of does it all come together at the right time,
because timing is key and luck is key, as we
all know, in a long playoff run, you know that
you've done it many times if they're healthy. And I've
watched every team in this league. I've watched the Celtics
and the game against Sacramento that was the Celtics, I
believe at their best. So I've seen the Celtics at
(25:21):
their best. I think at their best, they're better than
everybody at their best in the NBA. But everyone heard
it right there from the truth. That is the truth,
Paul Pierce Man. We appreciate you coming on again and
we can't wait for you to be back in Boston
next week and hopefully we get to catch up when
you're in town. Definitely I'll be there.
Welcome everyone. This is View from the Rafters today. We're
bringing in a man who hails from basketball. Country life
is funny. Okay, oh, don't go there, not yet. Well,
we talked about it that the Bust One Boys is
the crazy story, not actor asketball. It's a crazy thing
to me. It's like where you came from. Yeah, we're
all older than we think. We are always gold lead Gray. Baby.
(00:24):
What's up everyone, It's Mark Tomik go back for another
episode of You from the Rafters. And this episode is
a legendary episode because we have the legend Paul Pierce
on with us today. Before I get into that conversation,
I want to remind all of you please rate, subscribe,
and review us. We appreciate everyone who's giving us a
listen and to watch. Every Tuesday, the audio episode is
coming out on your favorite podcast platform, and every Wednesday
(00:47):
we got the videos dropping out on our YouTube channel,
So make sure you subscribe, rate, and review. Again, we
appreciate you all getting into this conversation with Paul Pierce.
There is a reason why we wanted to bring him on,
and that's because he's got a ton of perspective to offer,
not only on this year's team. He's been around them
a lot, as we all know, but also on just
(01:07):
what it's like to be in this franchise from the
day one of your career and moving on through fifteen seasons.
I wanted to talk to him about being a practice
with these guys this season, being at multiple games throughout
the season and communicating and watching these guys in person,
and then secondly, really just coming in on that day
one after he was drafted in nineteen ninety eight, what
(01:29):
was it like for him to learn what it's like
to be a Celtic, What was that process, how did
he pass that information onto the generations after him throughout
his fifteen years, And really what he jumped into is
that he has a significant interest in carrying that stuff
on right now with Marcus Smart, Jalen Brown, Jason Tatum
(01:49):
and the rest of these young players on the Celtics.
You're gonna want to hear this. He has a significant
interest in keeping in touch with these guys consistently throughout
the season, and he might even have plans been some
dinner with them coming up soon when he comes to Boston. So,
without further ado, let's toss it in. Here's my conversation
with the legend number thirty four, Paul Pierce. All Right, today,
(02:10):
very special episode of you from the rafters behind the
scenes with the Boston Cell. There's always special when we
can get Paul Pierce, that Captain number thirty four back
on view from the raptors. Te bet Man, I've been good.
What's up? Mark? How you being? I've been good. I
wasn't at the game last night. For everyone who's listening,
this is the day after the Celtics demolished the good
(02:33):
old Sacramento Kings out in Sacramento. When Paul was at
the game, I wish I was out there, so I
got it. I was able to catch you. But would
you take out of that game, Paul? It was a
good game. I really felt like coming into this game,
you know, it was in in the five game rolls
swing out West, and I thought it was important to
the urgency to get that game because they went two
(02:55):
or two when they should have probably went four and
one on this trip. So I thought it was important
to really get a marquee win to end the road trip.
You know, you want to get that last win. Everybody's tired,
ready to come home. So that was a big win
against the quality team, So I was excited to see
them play well on both ones of the ball. So
you're at the game clutch win last night. They needed
(03:15):
that before coming home. But I know I saw you
before the game talking on NBC Sports Boston into some
other networks that you just thought that the team was
kind of like caught up in the motion of the
season and you know how it is, man, it's a
grind getting through eighty two and you just want to
get to the postseason. What did you see it last Like,
(03:36):
do you think that switzter or do you think, yeah,
it just looks like, you know, it looks like sometimes
they get bored with the process. Yeah, you know, it's
all season and eighty two games and so many games
and so many trips. It just looks like they get
bored sometimes. You know, they know that they already know
they're really good team, you know, so sometimes they come
(03:57):
in and just feel like showing up is good enough.
When you have to understand every night there's a target
on your back because everybody is being the seas as
a favorite to get to the finals, you know, so
when you got that target on your back, you gotta
expect everybody's best. So you know, when I was playing
on a really bad teams and I was like, shoot,
we played against sant anton or Lakers, we come up
(04:18):
with our a game because like, hey, our season, this
is like that we win this game. We felt like
we won the championship even though we're not going to
the playoffs. And you know the Rockets felt that way
when they beat the Seas the other night. You know
that's their season. You know we beat the Celtics, You're
gonna put that on their highlight tape. So those expectations.
When you play those lower end teams, you gotta be
ready because the targets on your back, no doubt about that.
(04:40):
I love the fact though, that you have been at
so many games this season. You come to Boston a
couple of times, you're catching them on the road. I'm
sure you caught them in La Again. I wasn't out there,
but caught them in Sacramento. Why do you love being
around this team and watching them in person so much?
I'm just a fan of the organization, you know. You know,
although I love Jason and Marcus and the guys who've
(05:02):
been there, Brown's been there. Uh, you know, when this
guy's is long gone. I'm still gonna be going to
the games, you know what I'm saying, And a good
part about it. They have a really good team and
it's been so fun to watch them grow, you know,
since they were young, and you know, carry on the legacy,
carry on the brand, carry on what it means to
be a Celtic and just to follow it and be
(05:24):
there because I feel like it's my right as a
former Celtic to to show up as the past Celtics
did for me, you know. And I tell Kevin this,
like when I used to look up and see Joe,
Joe White and Robert Parrish and you know, obviously you
had Tommy and Maxwell are there every night. Bill Russell
would come into town and watch games, whether they be
(05:44):
at Harmar the role. So I just steel like as
a Celtic organization, as a family, you know when they say,
what's a Celtic, always a Celtic. You know, I feel
like it's a right, my right to be there for
the green runs deep, right. You gotta love it. But no,
you touched on something right there that I took out
of you know, watching the Ticket in the Truth podcast
and show when you guys. I'm at the hour back
(06:05):
center right now, But you guys were up top standing
on the cardio bridge looking at those banners and you're
leaning and just looking at KG and you're like, bro, like,
we gotta get here as much as possible, Like we
gotta be those guys now. And that's really what I
want to go deep on with you here today is
(06:25):
about that kind of passing of the torch, the being
around and influencing the next generation and all that stuff,
which clearly like you take that to heart, there's no
doubt about it. That's why you're at all these games. Yeah, yeah,
but it's got to be a challenge for you being
on the left coasts instead out here full time. So
how are you trying to navigate that? Well, obviously I'm
(06:48):
in retirement. I have kids and have other obligations, but
my free time I always make at a point to
come to Boston or check out a game on a roll.
You know, I'm not gonna be every night, and it
just like to set the back of the past. You know,
they weren't there every night, they worked there every night,
but they were there more than enough to just kind
of give us that boost and then whenever they're in
(07:09):
the house, even if I didn't even talk to them,
just their presence being there and he's looking over like, ooh,
they go coozy, they go have a you know what
I'm saying. That kind of gave me a boos like
he gave me teals like all right, I gotta show
up and show out and so and I felt that
energy from them guys when me and KG was there
at practice, Yep, you know it matter we there to
(07:30):
talk to him and rub elbows, I built to dinner,
But just a mere presence, I feel like it gives
them a certain type of energy and we felt that.
I used to feel that. So it's one thing for
everyone that they can see it on the cameras at
the games, right like when Bill Russell used to come
and sit on the baseline, like everyone's energy is going
up and everyone on the TV they can see that.
(07:50):
But what people don't see or didn't see back in
the day, and this is right around when I started
the year after you guys won the championship, is at
the at the practice facility out in Waltham. Those guys
are like maybe not Bill Russell too often, but like
Havelicek was there, Bill was there every now and then
you had sat Sanders at practices all the time. Tommy Heinzen,
(08:12):
what is that like? Practicing every day when you've got
like legend after legends sitting on the bench over over
on the side of the court. It's just a constant
reminder as if you don't have enough. When you walk
in and you see the jersey and the banners and
you see the actual player there, there's just a constant
reminder up the type of organization, organization that you're playing for.
(08:34):
These are legends walking the building. These are guys when
you walk in, you see their pictures of them celebrating
with champagne, popping bottles within a championship, and then they're
actually right there, so to be at the rough the
elbows and like, you know, I remember times this was
sash like, man, how was it sash man? Y'all was
popping the bottles, y'all was winning? How was it back then? Man?
You know what kind of car did you drive? You know,
out of y'all dress? You know, stuff like that, And
(08:57):
it's just good to like get coast all when you
see the pictures and actually be there and really hear
the stories. It's it's amazing because I'm a story another game,
and I appreciate with the older generation gay to us,
and so I always like to soak that up and
really like pick their braids and see how it was
when they played and how they built it for a
(09:20):
better NBA. But when I got there, you know when
they talk about, man, we took commercial flights. We slept
two to a role. We had to get it. We
didn't make the flight. They'll leave us now we charter
flights because of them, because but they've been able to
build them. So just hearing them stories is amazing. So
rewind to like the start of your careers nineteen ninety eight.
(09:40):
Obviously we got the lockout, like right when you come
into the league. That was a challenge for you, I'm sure,
but we all know you grew up a Lakers guy,
you grew up in LA. How long did it take
you to understand and like integrate yourself into the culture
here because you know, we can't why like that's not
(10:00):
gonna happen overnight for anyone like You've you got to
learn that history. You gotta understand. You gotta see those
guys and have those conversations so I'm just curious what
that process was like for you as a young guy
coming into the league. Man, I'm not gonna lie. You know,
I was on the outside looking at, you know, with
Boston culture and where Boston tradition was all about because
I didn't have really followed back closing as I did
(10:22):
the Lakers. But for it hit right away, and you
know when it hit when I first got there and
I have my first conversation, like you know, I was
talking to Red bar Back like one of my first
weeks there. I was like, whoa old all, this is
the dude. I see all the NBA highlights smoking the
cigar celebrate eleven twelve championships. This is really him right here.
(10:44):
You know they're all having a conversation if you smoke
a cigar with him. No, I didn't smoke me. I
was sitting there. This is when I first met him,
ye you know, he was having this golf charity tournament
and this was like this is like after the season
or before the season, one or the other, but this
is like one of my I think my second year
(11:05):
because it's been a lockout, so maybe my second year.
And it was just like many here goes you know,
I'm just sitting there and really talking to him, and
he sat there and I remember we sat on the
couch and I think we might have talked for again
thirty minutes. I was like, man, he really paying attention.
He really he really sees something in me, you know.
(11:25):
And it was just like from that point on and
I was like, man, oh, man, I got to appreciate this,
you know, I get to be around so many legends
and looking up every day. It's just it just caught off.
I probably have to say my second third year, I
was I was head first old man. So it took
a couple of years for you to like get to
that point. Yeah, definitely, a couple of years of being
(11:46):
around the legends and being and getting lost in the
city through the rotaries. You know, I had to I
do that every day. It took a while for that
for me to get used to that. But yeah, it
was like after man, my second or third year, I
was all in. And then yeah, it was to me.
After my first year, I spent the whole summer in Boston,
(12:09):
and then the next year I spent another summer in there,
so I was there just eating it all up, getting
used to the city, getting out of the community. You know,
I already spent a lot of time at home my
first couple of years. That was a conscious decision or
was that like did the team ask you to do that?
On a team that asked me? I just wanted to
be at a gym. That was the only place I
can get the gym twenty four to seven and three
(12:30):
six every night. And so it was just like me
and my best friend come out, like, look, we can go.
We'll go to the gym in the morning. But I
had twenty four hour access to the gym, and we'll
going to gym and late at night. You know, it'll
be times where I go in there. Rip Patino was
in there ten o'clock. He'll see me in there and
you know, me and my me and my boy working out.
That's awesome, man, those are great memories. So we touched
(12:51):
on having the legends around. But then there's also the
element of you're coming onto a team early in your
career when there's other guys who have already gone through,
They've already had those few seasons with the Celtics, they've
already integrated themselves into the culture. So and we're talking
about guys like Kenny Anderson Antoine had been here for
a couple of seasons when you came in. What's the
(13:14):
process that you experienced as a young guy of like
them showing you what it means to be a Celtic. Well, yeah,
I'm definitely watching and I'm asking questions. I'm just seeing
everybody's habits. You know, when you first get there, you know,
you take a look around and you see, you know, yeah,
(13:35):
you got these other ten, twelve, thirteen guys on the team.
But you look and you're like, man, who who best
fits where I'm trying to go? You know? Who habits?
Am I trying to follow? You know, on the court
off the court? And you look a loud and be like,
all right, I'm gonna get under this best win because
I like, you know what he's doing our lives with
He's teaching me. You know, he's really making sense, showing
(13:57):
me the ropes. You know. So you know, early 'all
it was like twin Dana bear Ross. You know, it
was real close. He whim So I took all like
two or three guys where here, man, Dana gonna be here? Yea,
get shots up with Dana. Man, he can shoot again,
I'm gonna get here early. You know, I'm gonna work
on some posts with Twine. He like, man, you need
to get here. And I was always made an emphasis
(14:17):
to work under them guys, just to kind of see
the routine and learn a routine. And once I figured
out what my routine was gonna be, and that took
a few years, you know, because these guys are established pros.
And you look at guys like Kenny Anderson who've been
in the league, you know, and you look at the
guys who had that longevity to like Dana and Kenny. Yeah, yeah,
we had Twine, but he was still learning too as
(14:39):
he was going because he ear year. And so I
was looking at that those guys who had a little
bit more time in the league and just kind of see,
you know, they they've been here for a little while.
Someone watched them a little more close and then figure
it out. What about it from a culture perspective, because
I know, like I've heard the guys on this team
talk about it. I know, back in the day, like
Avery Bradley comes and those guys, those young guys are
(15:01):
following your lead. But from and I'm talking about like
on the court in the weight room all that stuff.
But from a culture's perspective, did those vets actually have
conversations with you about that or is that just something
that you learned by watching and being in it and
being in that environment. Man, Truthfully about the culture, I
(15:22):
learned it from the legends. You know. I was in
there talking to Bill, I was in there talking to
core Brand. You know. We Hey, you know, this was
the guys who created Celtic culture. That's don't last forever.
You know, they created the foundation of what Celtic culture is.
So no matter what players come and go, the culture
gonna be the same, you know, and them as the
(15:43):
guys that created you know, it's a lot of times
I'll set I'll come to the earlier and Tommy Hudson
and I'm talking to here about what's the culture all about? Here?
You know what it means to be a Celtic, how
to lead? You know? So a lot of that came
from from those guys. What were your bigger takeaways from
those convots? Well, you know, a lot of my great
I had a lot of great conversations, believe it or not,
(16:06):
from just Tommy heinz it. You don't believe that man
no missing. He was sit there and talk to me
for a lost and I didn't you know that much
about Tommy. So I started looking him up and I
was like, man, Tommy was a beat. Yeah, I've been
looking my own all. He don't get enough record. This
ship has a shelted great like the things he was due.
(16:27):
And he was just like telling me, continue to work hard.
You got a lot of leadership. I see it in you.
You know, you could become a leader of this team
one day. You just gotta stay focused, you know, keep
working hard and things of that nature. You know, because
he saw it in me early, like you know, early
first second year, and I took a lot of his
words and what he used to tell me how I
(16:47):
could be effective on the court. He'd be here saying like, man,
you need to use this and like you're getting the
mid range. That's that's a good spot for you. When
he is, it's constant from Tommy, and it was just like,
you know, I solved it all up. And you know,
I give a lot of credit to him, because a
lot a lot of people, you know, give a lot
of credit Tommy. But Tommy was in my ear a
lot more to people think something tells me he might
have told you to play fast? Oh yeah, Like, man,
(17:11):
how can I rack us a little of Tommy points that?
I was like, all right, I think, hey, I think
that's the advice that he passed down to everyone who
came through that door man while he was here, which
was forever. I mean, you want to talk about an
absolute legend of this organization. He did it all, and
he did it all at a high level. Man. It's
incredible what he accomplished. Absolutely when you got into that
(17:37):
phase of your career where you were that vet like
and I keep going back to guys like Avery Bradley
and Jared Solder and kind of at that point because
you guys had already won a title at that point.
These guys are coming in after and they're trying to learn,
you know, what it means to be a Celtic and
what it takes to get it done. You guys had
(17:58):
got it done, gotten it done at that point. So
what was your perspective of how you were going to
pass all of this information and all of this culture
and what it means to wear the green and white,
Because it's a lot, man. But I'm just curious, like,
how you navigated that of passing that on to the
next group below you, Well, how I navigated. To be honest,
(18:20):
I would look at certain guys early on and I'd
be like, I'll look at they work at it, because look,
I was one of those guys that got to the
gym and me being like say a ten eleven year
that at the time when we were you know, if
I'm still coming here early and I'm doing what i'm
necessary doing less necessary to be ready, I expect that
(18:42):
from y'all. So I'm looking at the guys who are right,
let me see who if you are your first year,
second third year, and you ain't doing that at least
what the best is doing, I'm not sure if this
is this is meant for you or or your longevity.
So when the guy and when the guys who bet
that all right, I'm gonna take you on the the wing.
You know, Okay, Rondo, come on this way. You know
(19:03):
we gonna work with you. Come on, hey, come on,
you know. But then of those guys who just was
just happy to be there, You'll tell them, but you
can't make nobody do or be something they not eat.
You thought, the guys who really wanted to learn who
really wanted to engulf themselves and Celtic culture and be
constantly in pros and want to be there in the
(19:23):
NBA for a long time. And so it wasn't that
it was my duty to go out and say all
young guys come following lead. You know, no, no, no,
I'm gonna letch you. I'm gonna let you choose. And
that's how it went about it. This is a little
off topic, but you brought up the work ethic, and
I just remember from when I came in, like I
(19:44):
was never at the facility when you and KG and
Ray were not out there like getting work in. I
mean it was it was either before practice, after practice,
during practice, or all three. And so I just touch
on the work ethic that you guys brought to the
table because I think a lot of people just think
Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray All and obviously all
(20:05):
Hall of famers, they're gonna get it done on the court.
But I don't know if everyone understands the amount of
time that you invested that late in your career. No
one really knows how much time KG put in just
to be able to take the floor towards the end
of his career here in Boston. But yeah, I'm just
curious what your thoughts are on, you know, watching those
(20:26):
other guys and working out with them for a few
years here. You know, it made it easy for all
of us later in our career. You know, it's easy
early in your career because you're trying to establish yourself,
you have the mindset, you want to be great. But
you know, it made it even easier later in our
career as you got the year ten elevens well for
us to be in the gym for early or late
(20:46):
we all started having kids, and so it was just
like like, oh man, you know, let me get up
a sixth a. You're gonna be up anyway. Let's just
let me change this doctor and let me get to
the gym. So that made it easy. Who was like
to be up and be at the gym as long
as possible so we wouldn't have to change diapers. So
(21:07):
you know, you see us at the gym. Six that's
that's a cheat code right there. Fall that's parenting cheat
code right there. I like it. That's that's big picture
thinking all right, oh man, But touching, touching based on
like going back to this year's team. Uh, and you
wanting to be around these guys. What is your relationship
(21:27):
with these guys? Because I watched the full you know,
showtime show with you and KG sitting down with Marcus
and Jalen and Jason, and it just looks like you
guys connect and it seems like, I don't know, it
just feels natural the way that you guys communicate, and
like you understood. You guys understand you, and KG understand
what you're passing on, and those guys understand what they're
(21:50):
kind of taken in. I think right there there's a
mutual respect. You know, they have a mute respect for
the guys who they're before on me and KG, and
we respect what they're doing right now. And so I
think that was the official US sitting down with those
you know, three guys who've been there at the launch.
That was like more of the official US lending our
hand out to them. It was official, even though you
(22:12):
know we've been coming to games and doing this, it
was like officially right there. So it's like, oh, man, look,
if you ever need a shoulder to lean on or
somebody to talk to, you know, just know that we here.
You know, we're gonna here, be here to sport, you
you know. And it's times where I text Jalen h
and I sent the text out to to JT. You know,
(22:33):
you know, you know, you know, I don't do it
all the time, but like some time I feel to
need like, look, man, y'all got to pick it up,
you know, when they're going through some laws and I
see certain things, but I don't try to overbear myself
with them. So I'm playing all, you know, going hanging out,
going to dinner sometimes, you know, even this year, you know, uh,
playing some things with there where we can get them
(22:53):
off the court and just sometimes did not be about basketball,
just to be about life. And that's where I want
to get to them because we understand what you go through,
not only own the court, but off the court as well.
It sounds like you're not quite there yet. But where
are you in those conversations of you know, from because
those are two different ends of the spectrum, right like
(23:14):
you got basketball over here, you got life and you know,
post playing day's career over here? Where are you with
these guys kind of on that spectrum? But like me
and Jana has recently talked about going to dinner when
I'll come back out there, So I'll plan them come
about out there for about a week coming up, and
so we have made a plan to probably go grab
him out to eat. Hey, I just want to know,
(23:35):
it'll always have to be about basketball, so me and
he'll text about that. So I think we'll have something
coming up pretty So what do you think is in
store for these guys the rest of the season. We
got at this point when we're recording this, we got
nine games left. By the time this comes out next week,
it's going to be more like seven, I think at
that point six or seven. But what do you think
these guys got in store for the rest of the
(23:56):
regular season and going into this this playoff run trying
to bring Battery team home. Well, I'll see them like, okay,
look and this is what we did. I would like, Look,
it's ten guys left. It's time to us for us
to be at our best. You know, let's let's turn
it up. Guys. You know, we know what it takes
because we were there last year. So I expect them
to finish off the season on a good note. And
(24:18):
they know this is the best part of the season
right here coming up when the playoffs start, and this
is the funnest time of the year, you know. And
they have a great understanding that they've been on some
deep playoff runs and so sometimes they can get bored
with the process, but they understand the sense of urgencies
right now, and I think I'll expect them to finish
off the season strong and getting ready for the playoffs.
Hey man, it's coming up right around the corner. I
(24:40):
can't believe that the playoffs start and like two or
three weeks. It's nuts. The season has flown by, but
it's been mostly ups for the Celtics. Maybe a couple
of small dips, but overall, the team has been outstanding
on offense. The defense has been pretty good all season long.
So I think we all think they got what it
takes to go all the way. It's just a matter
(25:00):
of does it all come together at the right time,
because timing is key and luck is key, as we
all know, in a long playoff run, you know that
you've done it many times if they're healthy. And I've
watched every team in this league. I've watched the Celtics
and the game against Sacramento that was the Celtics, I
believe at their best. So I've seen the Celtics at
(25:21):
their best. I think at their best, they're better than
everybody at their best in the NBA. But everyone heard
it right there from the truth. That is the truth,
Paul Pierce Man. We appreciate you coming on again and
we can't wait for you to be back in Boston
next week and hopefully we get to catch up when
you're in town. Definitely I'll be there.
Host
Marc D'Amico
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