There is something undeniably magnetic about the Boston Celtics lore, especially when the franchise icons are voicing up for their major matches. For fans it’s about belief in the team, something that means a lot. No one, though, personifies that rebel confidence in Celtics green more than Paul Pierce, whose name is almost woven into the team’s fiber. Known for his rocky all-in approach both on and off the court, “The Truth” never shies away from bold opinions, especially when the stakes are high. However, he might have gotten himself into some trouble after the Celtics’ loss to the Knicks in Game 2.
That same unshakeable faith is now under the focus as the Celtics fall into a 0-2 deficit over the New York Knicks in their second-round playoff series. Pierce, always the loud supporter of his old team, made a passionate on-air statement before Game 2: if Boston lost at home, he’d walk 15 miles to the FS1 studio barefoot, dressed only in a robe. At the moment, it seemed dramatic. The Celtics did lose, though, falling big after a 20-point advantage to losing 90-91, and now the pressure is not only on Jayson Tatum and his team. It’s on Pierce now as well.
It wasn’t the court that made the difference; it was social media. By tagging Pierce on his Instagram Story, former NBA champion Matt Barnes brought the event back to life and urged him to follow through. He posted in his story a post of Paul’s quote. Barnes urged him to walk the talk, directly calling out the promise done to the public. That post changed what could have been a one-day hot take into a viral responsibility test. For a guy who made his career on showing up in crunch time, Pierce was unexpectedly front stage in a task of his own creation.
Surprisingly, he did not avoid it and stood on his words. On Instagram Stories, Pierce shared a video early Thursday showing himself starting the long walk robed, barefoot, and committed. From an ironic studio soundbite, what evolved was an eight-hour tribute to honoring your word for the love of the team that led you down, despite him giving all his faith to the Celtics. In the series of his Instagram stories, in one video, he said, “You gotta stand on what you say.” Every sore-footed mile allowed him to transform what may have been a meme-worthy event into something more of a unique case of sports commentary spilling into real life.
Paul Pierce’s Struggle Eminent As Celtics’ Collapse Casts Doubt Over Championship Grit As Knicks Enjoy 2-0 Lead
Though Pierce might have kept his promise, the Celtics have not supported theirs where it counts most on the court, especially when they have a great chance in the competition. In both Games 1 and 2, Boston let double-digit leads to vanish late, their crunch-time composure vanishing against the resilient Knicks. Particularly unexpected was Game 2’s tearing apart: a 23-6 New York surge in the last minutes, punctuated by an uncertain Tatum pass, turned a statement victory into a breathtaking collapse. The Knicks won the first game with 108-105 and the second game with 91-90.
May 7, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges (25) shoots the ball against Boston Celtics center Al Horford (42) in the second half during game two of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
The effects are serious on the Celtics. Going into Game 3 at Madison Square Garden, the Celtics now find themselves almost in a must-win situation. Head coach Joe Mazzulla commented after the game, “We have to execute better down the stretch…That’s on all of us.” The Knicks, on the other hand, are gaining confidence by drawing on their defensive energy and late-game composure which are the two qualities Boston has been lacking so far.
Game 3 starts Saturday night in New York. The path forward for Boston is not just lengthy but also difficult. But this time will they do it for their legend, Paul Pierce? Only time will tell.
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