The Truth Conspicuously Quiet During Crunch Time in OT Loss at Cleveland

Paul Pierce played 45 minutes in the overtime loss at Cleveland, scoring 16 points, grabbing 6 boards, dishing 5 assists, and making one steal.

The next day the papers talked about how the battle between the Truth and the King was, in part, a battle of one-upsmanship. Knowing our dog as we do, I do not find this assertion to be particularly surprising--as a general proposition.

However, I do have some difficulty squaring that characterization with what occurred on court during the last three quarters of the game.

Cleveland won quarter number 3 by a margin of 28-23. Pierce took three shots, made two. James had 7 points and three assists.

Boston narrowly outscored Cleveland in quarter 4, 20-18. James scored 8 points, and was beginning to assert himself. Pierce took three shots, missed two, and was fouled on the other (and then hit two free throws for his only points of the period).

In OT, you'll remember, James took over.

Pierce?

Took three shots, made one.

Now I'm not here to debate which player is better or even which player had the better game.

I do find it odd that, given what the papers said about the Pierce-James battle being personal, and knowing what we know about how our dog performs when things get personal, that Pierce failed to even try to impose his will at any point during the last three quarters of the game. Where was the chest-thumping, fist-pumping, "I'm-the-man-and-I'm-gonna-show-you-who owns-crunch-time" scowl and intensity we have come to know so well from #34?

Perhaps he was sick.

Perhaps he wasn't feeling it.

Maybe the defense took away his scoring options.

Whatever the case, I say this won't happen next time we play the Cavs, if the game is close going down the stretch, and next time just so happens to be on Sunday, in da Gahden, also known as THE HOUSE OF PAIN for Celtics opponents this year.

Thus, the game may not be close enough going for Pierce to strut his stuff in crunch time.