Paul Pierce, who hung up his jersey nearly a decade ago, still holds the record for most wins against LeBron James with 34 (including playoffs). Even Stephen Curry (28), Kawhi Leonard (19), Kevin Durant (17) and James’ other modern-day foes haven’t notched as many wins as the Celtics legend.
While Pierce and his Celtics dominated early matchups against James’ Cavs, the latter flipped the script after joining up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. Ultimately, James finished with a 35-34 head-to-head record against Pierce, which includes games in Pierce’s late-career stints with Brooklyn, Washington and Los Angeles.
The memories of Pierce making big shots against James’ teams are still fresh in the minds of many Celtics fans. Who could forget his 50-piece in a 2OT thriller against James’ Cavs in Feb. 2006? Or his heroic 41-point effort in Game 7 of the 2008 Eastern Conference Semifinals?
At the time, there was a narrative in the media that Pierce was a more clutch player than James, specifically due to his ability to make difficult shots in crunch time. James was still considered a suspect free-throw and perimeter shooter, and he had yet to build the resume of postseason success that he now has a decade later.
With that backdrop, Pierce was recently asked on “All Facts No Brakes” if he was more clutch than James during his prime. “The Truth” did not disappoint with his answer.
