Allen Iverson took the entire NBA by storm when he was at the peak of his career, in the early 2000s. AI’s shriveling moves and skills scared his opponents, especially during playoff games. Boston Celtics legend Paul Pierce used to feel the same way and shared the sentiment in an appearance on the ‘Forgotten Seasons’ podcast. The Truth admitted to being ‘terrified’ of Allen Iverson, especially when facing him during the first playoff series of his career in 2002.
During that time, the Celtics had finally assembled a playoff-contending team since Larry Bird and Co. in the ’80s and the ’90s. However, drawing against Allen Iverson and the Sixers in the First Round was one of Pierce’s worst nightmares come true.
When Dylan Dreyfuss asked Pierce how intimidating it was to face AI, the Truth replied,
“Man, Allen Iverson, I’m telling you this is how intimidating Allen Iverson was. If somebody said, if your man, if you’re not guarding Allen Iverson, and your man goes sets a screen on who’s guarding Allen Iverson, and he comes off, and you switch on him, you just pray to god you don’t make it on Sports Center.”
The Sixers used to run elaborate plays as such around Iverson, which helped them become the Eastern Conference champions in the 2001 playoffs. Pierce added,
“He was one of the few guys I was terrified of, honestly. Because, as much as I love to guard other players, he was just way too fast for me.”
During that season, Iverson won his second scoring title after averaging 31.4 points in the regular season and was looking to give the Celtics a good competition. But Paul Pierce was ready to conquer his fears of facing ‘The Answer,’ playing one of his best playoff games in the series against the Sixers.
The Boston Celtics won 3-2 against the 76ers in the series, with Pierce finishing the series with a 45-point game in Game 5. The Celtics ran deep in the playoffs till the Western Conference Finals, only to lose the series 4-2 against the New Jersey Nets. Perhaps not a bad start for Pierce, given it was the first postseason of his career.
How does Paul Pierce compare to Allen Iverson?
Paul Pierce and Allen Iverson have faced each other in 32 NBA games. According to Stat Muse, Iverson averaged 26.2 points, 5.4 assists, and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 41.5% from the floor per game. On the other hand, Paul Pierce has averaged 25 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.4 assists, per game, shooting 42.5% from the field. However, regarding regular season wins, Iverson holds an edge over Pierce, with a 19-13 record.
In the postseason, Pierce and Iverson have played in 5 playoff games versus each other, with Iverson averaging 30 points, 4.2 assists, and 3.6 rebounds per game. On the other hand, Pierce averaged 30.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists versus AI in these five games. Paul Pierce has significantly edged over Iverson in the playoffs, having a 2-3 record against him in the postseason.
