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BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – APRIL 29: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics and Jaylen Brown #7 look on in Game Five of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Orlando Magic at TD Garden on April 29, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Paul Pierce is never shy about sharing his opinions and decided to call out the rest of the NBA for having jealousy towards the current Boston Celtics superstars. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown give Boston one of the best dynamic duos in the league with two premiere franchise cornerstones. Pierce claims that he often sees actions from others around the league that show jealousy towards these two.
The following Pierce quote came from an interview with Celtics Blog:
“I’d be jealous! We have everything. We got the most championships, probably the best sports city in all of America. I feel like Boston players don’t get their just due, for the most part. Obviously, Brown not being in the Olympics, Tatum not getting the minutes. I’m always advocating and pushing for them and fighting for them.”
The past few years have shown that Pierce is extremely biased towards the Celtics and shows no signs of changing in the media space. Pierce has used his previous broadcasting gigs and recent podcast presence to typically argue in favor of Boston and speak against other teams that rival the Celtics. However, he did try to back up his point here more after bragging about Boston in the first half of the quote.
Why Pierce Feels Others Hate On Celtics
The Olympics was referenced by Pierce as the biggest talking point for disrespect towards Tatum and Brown. Final roster cuts saw Brown sharing how upset and disappointed he felt about not making the team. Jrue Holiday, Tyrese Haliburton, and Celtics teammate Derrick White all made it over Brown, despite Jaylen being a better player.
Olympics head coach Steve Kerr snubbed Tatum by barely playing him in the rotation. Haliburton and Tatum were the two names often benched and rarely got time on the court in favor of the other roster members. Tatum not playing received a lot of media attention, with NBA fans often making fun of him for being the odd man out.
Boston was coming off an NBA Championship heading into the Olympics to make the disrespect look worse. Brown didn’t make the time after winning the NBA Finals MVP, and Tatum barely got court time in the Olympics after leading his time to an NBA Title.
Does Pierce Have A Fair Point Today?
Pierce talking about things that happened two years ago is not the best way to make his case. Boston is currently having arguably their most impressive season of the Tatum and Brown era. Low expectations saw them overachieving to remain contenders with Tatum missing most of the season before his recent return.
Brown not getting true MVP contention for this could be a valid point made by Pierce since he was never near the favorites. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remains the favorite with a handful of others previously or currently over him.
However, the Celtics are getting respected as the Eastern Conference favorites due to Tatum and Brown. A lack of respect would be viewing them as pretenders due to the depth falling from previous seasons. Jealousy could be valid for the success they’ve accomplished together as homegrown stars.
Joey Haverford Joey Haverford is a seasoned sports content writer with over 12 years of experience. He has covered the NBA, WNBA, MLB, NFL, and professional wrestling in the sports industry. More about Joey Haverford
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