Paul Pierce Has Pointed Take On Celtics’ Playoff Series Loss To Knicks

Paul Pierce believes the Boston Celtics lost their playoff series to the Knicks in May more than New York won it.

The Celtics had a more talented roster than the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference semi-finals. However, Boston lost the series in six games.

Pierce told Heavy Sports NBA writer Steve Bulpett how he felt about the Celtics’ showing in the second round.

“Yeah, I think they blew that series,” Pierce told Heavy on Celtics. “Absolutely. They had 20-point leads in the first two games at home and they lost them both? Yeah, they blew that series. That had nothing to do with the Knicks’ talent and all that.”

The Celtics went 12-for-48 on wide-open 3-point attempts in the first two games of the series, a significant factor in their consecutive 20-point lead losses.

Boston is known for its 3-point shooting, which contributed to their winning the 2024 NBA Finals. Pierce understands that the C’s couldn’t get away from the 3-point shot.

“But a lot of that goes on the way they play, too,” Pierce said. “Because they’ve been a team over the last few years that’s given up big leads because they settle for the three. You know, you live by it, you die by it. But when you win a championship, what you gonna say? What are you going to say? Tell them to play something different and take it in more, considering this is how they won. That’s who they are.”

The Celtics not only lost the series, but they also lost star forward Jayson Tatum to an Achilles tear in Game 4. Tatum could miss most or all of the 2025-26 season.