Jaylen Brown explains what he studied about Boston Celtics legend Paul Pierce's game, can't wait to play Pierce

http://www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2017/02/jaylen_brown_wants_to_find_swe.html



Jaylen Brown explains what he studied about Boston Celtics legend Paul Pierce's game, can't wait to play Pierce





Boston Celtics rookie Jaylen Brown said he has studied Paul Pierce's game. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)




Jay King | mjking@masslive.com By Jay King | mjking@masslive.com


on February 04, 2017 at 3:30 AM



BOSTON -- The Boston Celtics have evolved so much over the last three-plus years that only one player, Avery Bradley, remains from Paul Pierce's final season with the team.

When Pierce last wore green, Celtics rookie Jaylen Brown was still a 16-year-old high school junior. Despite his age, Brown sounds very much aware of all Pierce accomplished in Boston -- and just how the scorer made his mark.

"I don't think anybody is better than Paul Pierce at getting to his sweet spots," Brown said Friday night after scoring 12 points in a 113-107 victory against the Los Angeles Lakers. "Paul Pierce has sweet spots, and everybody knows it. If he gets there, you can't stop him getting there, and if he gets there, it's on him if he misses it or not, because he's shot that shot so many times, he feels so comfortable. That's one thing I've worked on, just trying to find sweet spots on the floor and trying to master it the way Paul Pierce and some of the greats do."

After concluding his 19th season this spring, Pierce intends to retire, a decision that leaves Sunday's meeting with the Celtics as his final game inside TD Garden. The future Hall of Famer, now on the Los Angeles Clippers, should receive one hell of a reception from the Boston crowd.

Like so many Celtics fans, Brown knows Pierce's game well.

"When I picture the Celtics in my head, my era, Paul Pierce is what I think of, the way he's been with the Celtics for a very long time, how he's loved here," said the rookie. "He's coming back, it's going to be an exciting time, an exciting game. But Paul Pierce is one of the greats, one of the great scorers. Midrange game, elbow shots, step-back fadeaways, all of that. I studied his game, watched his game.

"I can't wait to play against him."



bob
MY NOTE:  Jaylen Brown is a student of the game.  I am, quite frankly, astonished at his maturity at his tender age of 20.  If James Young had a fraction of his maturity he'd be a solid rotation player now.  If Pierce really wants to give back to the City of Boston, the Boston Celtics and their fans then the best thing he could do after he retires is to be an informal coach and mentor to Jaylen Brown.  Can you imagine that?  Can you imagine a player that has been hand-trained by first-round lock for the HOF Paul Pierce, with the athleticism of Jaylen Brown?



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bob,

I loved your mention of the big "IF" between Brown and Young. Just goes to show that 'understanding' is every bit as much a part of becoming an NBA player as physical talent.

Nice to see Jaylen has the sense to study a crafty scorer like Pierce. Could you imagine if Pierce had Jaylen's athleticism???

Shamrock1000 wrote:Nice to see Jaylen has the sense to study a crafty scorer like Pierce. Could you imagine if Pierce had Jaylen's athleticism???

Shamrock,

If Paul Pierce had Jaylen Brown's athleticism he'd be Michael Jordan.


bob


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Don't kid yourself Paul had very underrated athleticism and superior finishing ability that alot of players/wings at his position with better hops or speed still couldn't come close to finishing and finishing in traffic like vintage Pierce. The league has been full of the Ricky Davis's, the Gerald Green's, the Jeff Green's and many more and none of those guys could hold Pierces jockstrap. Pierce was very similar to Bird in he could keep you off balance with what he was going to do and had the special toughness to come thru when you needed him the most and do it on the biggest stages. Like vintage Larry, I loved when Pierce would get in his frequent zones and you knew it was coming and the defense couldn't do squat to stop him. I love what I'm seeing out of young Jaylen Brown and think he has the drive and ability to mold his game to a very special level.

cowens/oldschool wrote:Don't kid yourself Paul had very underrated athleticism and superior finishing ability that alot of players/wings at his position with better hops or speed still couldn't come close to finishing and finishing in traffic like vintage Pierce. The league has been full of the Ricky Davis's, the Gerald Green's, the Jeff Green's and many more and none of those guys could hold Pierces jockstrap. Pierce was very similar to Bird in he could keep you off balance with what he was going to do and had the special toughness to come thru when you needed him the most and do it on the biggest stages. Like vintage Larry, I loved when Pierce would get in his frequent zones and you knew it was coming and the defense couldn't do squat to stop him. I love what I'm seeing out of young Jaylen Brown and think he has the drive and ability to mold his game to a very special level.

I agree. Pierce had excellent body control. It helped him hit those tough off balance shots, and also probably contributed to his durability - he rarely landed awkwardly. Never really understood why body control isn't considered athleticism, which, seems to refer to jumping and speed.

Shamrock1000 wrote:

cowens/oldschool wrote:Don't kid yourself Paul had very underrated athleticism and superior finishing ability that alot of players/wings at his position with better hops or speed still couldn't come close to finishing and finishing in traffic like vintage Pierce. The league has been full of the Ricky Davis's, the Gerald Green's, the Jeff Green's and many more and none of those guys could hold Pierces jockstrap. Pierce was very similar to Bird in he could keep you off balance with what he was going to do and had the special toughness to come thru when you needed him the most and do it on the biggest stages. Like vintage Larry, I loved when Pierce would get in his frequent zones and you knew it was coming and the defense couldn't do squat to stop him. I love what I'm seeing out of young Jaylen Brown and think he has the drive and ability to mold his game to a very special level.

I agree. Pierce had excellent body control.  It helped him hit those tough off balance shots, and also probably contributed to his durability - he rarely landed awkwardly. Never really understood why body control isn't considered athleticism, which,  seems to refer to jumping and speed.

right and strength, balance, touch and durability.....and the clutch gene, he has way more end of game clutch shots than Lebron and Durant combined. Go to you tube, wheres all the clutch plays of Durant? I can't find any.

I just wanted to add when Pierce would get in those zones, the variety of deceptive clever moves and change of pace moves was so great/entertaining to watch. He had the step back, he'd kill you with the mid range, then the post up, the hard drives in traffic, the 3 ball, the moving without the ball. Had me screaming like a maniac when he hit those big playoff 3's right in the face of Harrington and Lebron !!!

Thanks for a great ride Paul !!

I can only hope that they offer him a job he cannot refuse and he is here representing the Celtics during the 2017-2018 season and in the future. He has, however, handled himself extremely well on TV. But that is not the same. We will see what the future brings. We can wish!!

Talk about a ticket that will be unattainable, that night will be a trip and a half

Rosalie