Hoops Habit
Fansided

The Biggest X-Factor On Every NBA Playoff Team

By Gerald Bourguet

Dec 4, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors center Andrew Bogut (12) drives in between New Orleans Pelicans forward Tyreke Evans (1) and forward Anthony Davis (23) during the second quarter at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 4, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors center Andrew Bogut (12) drives in between New Orleans Pelicans forward Tyreke Evans (1) and forward Anthony Davis (23) during the second quarter at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 11, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Washington Wizards forward Paul Pierce (34) dunks the ball against the Toronto Raptors at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports /

Washington Wizards: Paul Pierce

This season, Paul Pierce is averaging a meager 11.9 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game — all career lows. For a guy who’s played 17 seasons in this league, that’s saying something.

But even if Pierce looks less like The Truth and more like that guy at the YMCA that everyone laughs at until they keep getting schooled by his fundamentally sound game, he serves an important role for the young Wizards — especially for a team that went 0-3 against Toronto this season. Pierce’s game-saving block in Game 7 helped the Nets down the Toronto Raptors last year, if you recall.

As a veteran with championship experience, Pierce will be the guy calming down the young guns like John Wall and Bradley Beal when things head up in the postseason. The Raptors don’t have that kind of veteran presence, but the Wizards will definitely benefit from having a guy capable of taking and making big-time shots.

Pierce’s better days are quite clearly behind him and we are definitely in his twilight years now. But if you think that’s going to stop him from talking trash and knocking down shots in late-game situations, you haven’t been paying attention to his entire career.

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