Paul Pierce has gone by one nickname, "The Truth," for almost his entire career. But now, on his 34th birthday, the captain of the Boston Celtics and future Hall of Famer is looking for a change. The new nickname? "The Big Three Four."
@paulpierce34
Paul Pierce New Nik name for me this year "The BiG Three Four "
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Pierce was given the nickname "The Truth" by former Boston Celtics center Shaquille O'Neal during his days with the Los Angeles Lakers. After Pierce and the Celtics beat the Lakers in 2001, Shaq told reporters the following.
"Take this down. My name is Shaquille O'Neal and Paul Pierce is the [expletive] truth. Quote me on that and don't take nothing out. I knew he could play, but I didn't know he could play like this. Paul Pierce is the truth."
Pierce has more than lived up to the nickname, boasting a glorious career with the Celtics highlighted by an NBA championship title in 2008, the franchise's first since 1986. In 964 career games, Pierce has scored 21,410 points and has 5,847 rebounds, 3,661 assists and 1,429 steals. Pierce averages 22.2 points and 6.1 rebounds per game in his career and is a lifetime 44.8 percent shooter from the field and a 36.9 percent lifetime shooter from three-point range.
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