Paul Pierce, drafted tenth overall in 1998 by the Boston Celtics, spent fifteen seasons becoming the face of the franchise. He was selected to ten All-Star games, guided the Celtics to their seventeenth championship, and was crowned Finals MVP in 2008. Nicknamed “The Truth” by Shaquille O’Neal after a 42-point night in 2001, his loyalty to Boston is unquestioned. That’s why, when the infamous “wheelchair incident” occurred during the Finals, many fans were left wondering: was it all real?
Initially, Paul gave a playful explanation that only added more mystery. He claimed he had to leave the court because of… well, nature calls. “Something went down. I just had to go to the bathroom,” he told ESPN. He didn’t clarify further and left the internet in chaos. Was it just a case of poor timing, or was it part of something bigger? Paul didn’t seem too bothered by the speculations, even cracking jokes about it over the years.
Then, out of nowhere, NBA analyst Ric Bucher reignited the fire. On FS1’s “Speak,” a clip surfaced that showed Ric sharing his behind-the-scenes view. “I’ll tell you what, man, being in the building, you know, energy… I was sidelined,” he said. Ric described how fans reacted both when Pierce went down and then came back. “Well, that was bro when he came back out. The building went nuts. I thought it was a trick, man.” Pierce was even shocked to see Bucher had access. “Rick was stalking me?” he asked. Ric replied, “Hell yeah!” The reason Ric followed PP? Well, he claimed, “I knew you were going to get up out of that wheelchair. I just want to be there to see it.”
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The moment remains controversial for one big reason: how dramatic the whole thing was. Pierce was carried off in a wheelchair, then returned minutes later like nothing had happened. His own admissions haven’t helped. At first, he mentioned a bathroom emergency, but later insisted, “I sprained my MCL. Don’t believe all them rumors that I had to go to the bathroom. The doctor said ‘no, no, no, don’t put no weight on it.’ I’m like alright, I’m going to stand up. He’s like don’t put no weight on it.” He claimed the doctor told him not to walk, so the team brought out the chair. Still, his backtracking has left fans split on what to believe.
So, was it strategy, drama, or just bad timing? Well, in the video, Pierce said nothing when Ric discussed it being a “trick”, so it seems that it really was a “trick” after all!
How Paul Pierce responds to the doubters regarding his claims
Paul Pierce’s return in Game 1 of the 2008 NBA Finals felt legendary until jokes started to cloud the narrative. While fans cheered his quick comeback, comparisons to Willis Reed’s 1970 heroics spread fast. But Phil Jackson, who coached the Lakers and played with Reed, wasn’t buying it. “If I’m not mistaken… Willis Reed missed a whole half and three quarters almost of a game,” he noted. “Paul got carried off and was back on his feet in a minute.”
Pierce didn’t take those rumors lightly. Last year, in an episode of The Truth Lounge, he finally snapped. “If I had to go to the bathroom or I s–t on myself… You think it would’ve took only two minutes? Come on now, let’s be real,” Pierce said. He broke it all down, from the unrealistic timeline to the impracticality of sitting in a wheelchair after such an accident. “If I did p–p my pants, why would I sit in a wheelchair?” he asked, still baffled.
Sports: The ESPYS-Red Carpet, Jul 10, 2019 Los Angeles, CA, USA Former basketball player Paul Pierce arrives on the red carpet at Microsoft Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports, 10.07.2019 15:25:42, 13029906, NPStrans, Paul Pierce, TopPic, ESPYS-Red Carpet PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xKirbyxLeex 13029906
The Celtics were trailing 62-58 when Paul Pierce left the court. But when he returned just two minutes later, the score was tied. He went on to drop 11 more points, including two clutch threes. His effort flipped the game and arguably, the series. Boston won Game 1 and later took the title. The Lakers, as Pierce sees it, were simply on the wrong end of a historic night.
His injury, as he insists now, was no act. “I sprained my knee,” he said. “I didn’t ask for a wheelchair. You think I said, ‘Go to the back and get a wheelchair! I didn’t even get a chance to stand up. I was on the ground like, ‘Damn, my sh*t loose.’ I sprained it. Then I got carried.” Pierce even reminded listeners of his past toughness. “I have a high threshold for pain,” he added. “I was stabbed 11 times, and I came back that same season and played all 82 games.”
Well, with the recent video in mind, this incident just can’t seem to unravel. Even after 19 years, the shifting narrative has left the fans confused about what truly happened. Was he truly injured? Was it a bathroom break? Or a strategy? No one can surely answer.
The post Paul Pierce’s Wheelchair “Trick” Resurfaces After NBA Analyst Reignites Debate With On-Scene Take appeared first on EssentiallySports.
