Paul Pierce on playing for Lakers: 'There's no way I could go there'

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/25245531/paul-pierce-on-lakers-theres-no-way-i-could-go-there?FTAG=YHF7e3228e



Paul Pierce on playing for Lakers: 'There's no way I could go there'
By James Herbert | NBA writer
July 20, 2015 10:30 am ET
 

Speaking in Las Vegas before the NBPA's inaugural Players Awards, Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul Pierce said he was happy to go home, and the Los Angeles Lakers would have never been an option, via the Boston Globe's Gary Washburn:

“It's a dream come true to be able to come home, finally,” Pierce said. “I grew up a Laker fan but playing on all the Boston Celtic teams . . . there's no way I could go there — so this was the next best choice. And it's always been a dream to play in front of my family and friends.”

The former Inglewood High star has been linked to the Clippers ever since his former Boston Celtics coach, Doc Rivers, went there. Those rumors never got going about the Lakers, and his connection to the Celtics franchise is one of the reasons why.

It's kind of nice that Pierce still cares about that rivalry, right? It still feels extremely wrong that Shaquille O'Neal finished his career with Boston. Pierce wearing a Lakers jersey would have looked even weirder than that, which is really saying something.



bob

Marc D'Amico @Marc_DAmico
Erik Spoelstra on Pierce & KG: "With us, those 2 guys may be wearing black and silver, but there's green underneath it somewhere." #Celtics
12:31 PM - 6 May 2014

MY NOTE:  He may be wearing Clippers red-and-blue now and KG may be wearing Minny green-and-blue, but there's green underneath somewhere. The difference between Pierce wearing Lakers purple-and-gold and Shaq wearing Celtics green-and-white is that Pierce never wanted to leave the Celtics.


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I've always had the feeling that L.A. fans loved ragging on Paul for the wheelchair incident. I always felt that was stupid; but then I could make a case that the only L.A. fans who aren't mentally challenged are those whose presence has graced our board. I wonder what a reception he'll get in a Clips uniform.

Sam