Due to the Miami Heat-Boston Celtics rivalry originating in the early 2010s, supporters in South Florida grew an aversion against the likes of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and others. The same didn’t seem to bother Pierce. Instead, in an appearance on the Dan LeBatard Show, the Celtics legend expressed how proud he was being one of the most hated individuals in Miami.
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Paul Pierce was part of the Boston Celtics that brewed an intense rivalry with the Miami Heat during their “Big Three” era. For three postseasons straight, the two Eastern Conference powerhouses went up against each other. Unsurprisingly, fans of both teams would despise the opposition players. At the same time, Pierce also revealed that the Doc Rivers-led Celtics had no love for the Heat either.
Further, the 2008 champ also reminisced about the game-winner he knocked down in Game 3 of the first-round series against the Florida side.
“I just retweeted the game-winner I hit on them in 2010 (Game 3). This was 14 years ago, yesterday. We got no love for Miami. So, it is what it is. I bleed Green,” Pierce said.
Paul Pierce and the Celtics destroyed the Miami Heat. The South Florida side’ 1-4 first-round loss was severe, and it may have been one of the main reasons for LeBron James’ famous decision to join Miami in the following off-season. In the next two years, the Heatles would get their revenge defeating the Massachusetts side 4-1 in the second round of the 2011 playoffs and 4-3 in the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals.
Despite having won one less playoff series than the Heat (in those three years), Pierce can boast about the fact that he’s won on most instances that he’s gone up against the Southeast Division franchise. Averaging 21.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, a 39-18 career record (per StatMuse) against the Heat clearly depicts that The Truth loved his matchup against the boys from Miami.
Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce explain why Ray Allen joining the Heat felt like a ‘betrayal’
Back in 2012, because of a contractual issue with the Boston Celtics, Ray Allen began searching for other franchises. Because of an argument about his role with the management, he turned down the two-year, $12 million deal that the Cs offered him, and agreed to a two-year, $6 million deal with the Miami Heat.
The players of the Boston Celtics didn’t seem to have a problem with Allen parting ways with the franchise. But, they were livid and felt betrayed after learning that the sharpshooter joined their “enemy”. Allen’s move to Miami was the biggest reason behind Kevin Garnett beefing with his former teammate. While talking to Stephen A. Smith, The Big Ticket explained:
“I took that so personal because out of the places you could have, you could have went to L.A., you could have went to another team. You went to the one team you knew that we was beefing with. You knew that was a reel beef with us, bro.”
Paul Pierce was also left stunned by Allen’s decision to represent the Miami side. Apart from mentioning how their relationship didn’t end on a good note, the forward also claimed that tension was high whenever the Celtics would eventually face the Heat for obvious reasons.
“That’s almost like your girl going to your best friend, you know what I’m saying? That ain’t cool, that wasn’t cool,” Pierce said, per the Score. “At least give me a proper break-off … it did feel like a betrayal, and so that’s why, for a lot of years, we didn’t talk to Ray, or we didn’t address him.
“It was tension. It was tension every time we played him because I just felt like, if you brothers, you’re supposed to acknowledge one another whether you like to or not.”
Ray Allen’s move to Florida ended up being one of the best things to happen in his career. Knocking down one of the greatest shots in NBA Finals history, Allen was hugely responsible for winning the 2013 championships. Whereas, the Boston Celtics suffered a first-round loss during the same playoffs.
