Boston Celtics legend and champion forward Paul Pierce is arguably one of the best players to don the green and white.
Pierce made his mark with the Celtics, especially in the 2007-08 season, leading the team to its 17th title in franchise history. That team was stacked with talent, notably Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. However, others stepped up in a big way to lead them to the title, like Tony Allen.
The Celtics drafted Allen in the 2004 NBA Draft in the first round. The defensive end guard spent six seasons with the team before bailing for the Memphis Grizzlies in the summer of 2010, signing a three-year deal.
While Allen played a significant role as a Celtic and was missed dearly, Pierce admitted that Allen leaving was best for his career, although he missed him at the time.
“That’s my brother,” Pierce said, via Matt Infield. “The day he signed [in Memphis] I was sad, I was sad he left [Boston].But, then I thought about it, and I was like, ‘You know what, it was time for him to go.’ It was time for him to get up from under us and spread his wings.”
Pierce attended Allen's jersey retirement in Memphis. Allen's No. 9 will forever hang in the rafters at the FedEx Forum.
Allen's departure from Boston was a huge blow, but it was the right decision. Although he played a significant role in Boston, he was overshadowed by the likes of Pierce, Rajon Rondo, and Ray Allen. It is something that Allen admitted to.
The 42-year-old spent the next seven years of his career in Memphis, where he helped lead the Grizzlies to new heights. Allen, along with Zach Randolph, Mike Conley, and Marc Gasol, developed the "Grit and Grind" era.
They were known for their hard-nosed, defensive-oriented style of play, characterized by high-pressure defense and a physical, inside-out offensive approach. Allen thrived in that scene, which helped him earn six NBA All-Defensive selections, three of them being the first team.
Allen did all he could in his time in Boston, but he knew, and eventually, Pierce figured out it was best for his career.
