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Paul Pierce’s Final Game in Boston: Nothing But Love

Throughout his eighteen year career, Paul Pierce has never failed to give fans what they came for; pure entertainment.

The 39-year-old veteran—whose fifteen years in Boston included an NBA championship in 2008—made his final regular-season appearance at TD Garden on Sunday as a member of the Los Angeles Clippers and finished it in an epic way. Though he didn’t play much, Boston Celtics fans showed the utmost appreciation for Pierce all game long, savoring every minute he was on the floor.

“It was just the showering of love in here, man,” Pierce told reporters postgame.

Pierce’s first career game as a Boston Celtic came exactly eighteen years before his final appearance against the team.

“I don’t get an every-arena shower of love like Kobe [Bryant] did in his farewell tour, so this was like my last goodbye, not only for the Celtics but pretty much to the NBA,” he explained. “This is like my appreciation day, I felt like – a national television game right here 18 years ago started my first game on Feb. 5, 1999 [and] ended off Feb. 5, 2017.”

Paul Pierce played just over five minutes in the game, earning the start by Clippers head coach Doc Rivers. Pierce drilled a three-pointer in the final seconds as the fired up Boston crowd began chanting “Thank you, Paul.”

What a way for Paul Pierce to say goodbye to Boston! #ThankYouPaul pic.twitter.com/EvTlK1uh9S

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 5, 2017

“The love they were able to give me, and I’m like, ‘This is it,'” Pierce remembers. “That’s all I was thinking is this is my last time on this floor getting the opportunity to run up and down the floor. But just to be able to be out here as a player… everywhere you look you saw No. 34 jerseys. Everywhere I looked I saw Pierce shirts, posters. It was just beautiful to watch and be a part of this and be a part of the Celtics franchise.”

“The Truth,” ladies and gentleman.