Interview: Paul Pierce Talks His Hate for the Knicks, His New Team, and the Wheelchair Game

The new Brooklynite's hate for the Knicks is real.

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Complex Original

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Paul Pierce is a Boston Celtic for life, but it looks like he'll be finishing his career with the Brooklyn Nets. We caught up with the recently traded future Hall of Famer at G-Shock's 30th Anniversary Celebration featuring the brand new MT-G and New Era watch plus performances by Yelawolf and Eminem. He spoke on getting love in the streets of New York, playing under Jason Kidd, and the time he buried the Lakers after being in a wheelchair.

Interview by Angel Diaz (@ADiaz456)

What's going on, man? How you doing?

Good, man. I'm just maintain, new attitude...a chance to win another 
championship.

Have you walked the streets of New York yet?

Oh yeah. I love walking the streets of New York.

They don't give you any shit? 

It's all love.

It's a respect thing.

It's been all love here. The fans of New York are very knowledgeable about the game of basketball. They love their sports here. It's definitely respect. Now that I'm a part of this, it's so much love, just when I'm riding in the car with my window down and all I hear is "Brooklyn!" "Okay, thank definitely a great passion in this city for basketball. 

I'm a Knicks fan, and I say this with all due respect: I hate your guts. You kill us all the time.

You gotta hate the Knick killer. [Laughs]

You gotta hate the Knick killer. [Laughs]

Whenever you used to play at the Garden, or even in Boston, when the game's on the line and went to the elbow...

Automatic, automatic. [Laughs]

So, is it weird playing for Jason Kidd? You've been battling him all these years.

It's gonna be kinda because we kinda grew up playing against each other all these years when he was on the Nets and the Knicks last season. But you know I have so much respect for him. I've known Jason since I've been in the NBA and I think he's just a natural born leader.  He's just a natural born leader. And I think he commands a lot of respect. I think it's gonna be a mutual respect in that aspect. As we're both trying to win a championship.

Have you gotten a chance to talk to him yet?

Yeah, I talk to J all the time, man. We talk about how excited we are about the team and what he's gonna need from me and expect from me. I'm excited. 

With the Doc Rivers thing, were you expecting to be traded?

Well, I think the writing was just all on the wall. It was like a domino effect after Doc left. We knew once Doc left that the ship was going in another direction. So I knew at that point I was probably gonna be heading out, I was gonna be the next one out of town, and so we kinda expected it. Good things only can last so long. 

You had a good run over there.

We had a great run. I wish we coulda ended up with maybe another championship...

That Perkins Game 7 [2010 NBA Finals] hurt, man.

If we would've had him, who knows? You know that's all I can really say. Then in the second year, KG got hurt. We won 60 games without him. So you know, you gotta be lucky, you gotta be good. 

Were you surprised that you got traded to a division rival? 

I wasn't necessarily surprised. I expected that if anything had to happen with me in a trade that they were gonna put me in a position to where I can win again. There was a mutual respect with that. I knew that if I was gonna get traded they were gonna send me somewhere like Brooklyn, or the Clippers. Somewhere like that. Or San Antonio. I knew I was gonna go to a place where I had a chance to win a championship. 

Do you hate the Knicks?

With a passion. Let's start it up right now. Let's start the beef. It's no secret that me and New York got history. It's no secret. This is no secret. It's already known. 

You plan on helping Brooklyn steal the city?

Oh yeah. Right now it might be like 70-30 but we're gonna push that the other way. 

Were you really hurt during that Finals game when they carried you off the court?

Yeah, I played with a sprain knee.

The wheelchair?

I had a sprained MCL. It was proven, I know everybody likes to talk about it, but hey, check this out, people are never gonna forget it. [Laughs] I'm gonna be in a barbershop like "Remember he went down and everybody said he was faking—which I wasn't. Then he came down there and buried the Lakers?" That's gonna be the story in the barbershops. 

I'm gonna be in a barbershop like "Remember he went down and everybody said he was faking—which I wasn't. Then he came down there and buried the Lakers?" That's gonna be the story in the barbershops.

What are some of the things guys like you, Jason Terry, and Kevin Garnett, plan on bringing to the table?

I think it's gonna be our championship experience, our leadership, and our attitude. I think those three things are gonna help push them over the top. I just think those are the things I think they're [Brooklyn] missing. The attitude, experience, and the toughness. I think that's what we bring to this team. And I think now that we're here, we have all the pieces necessary for a championship. 

Are you staying for the [Eminem] performance?

Oh yeah. 

Have you seen Eminem perform before?

I've never seen him before. I'll always love Em but I've never seen him perform so I'm excited to see him.

So, are you a fan of G-Shock?

Oh, no doubt. You know G-Shock's one of the first watches I ever had a chance to get. As a kid everybody wore G-Shocks. It's an affordable watch. Go get it. Buy it at any watch store and now they took their game to another level over the years. The watch is now so much more fashionable. I'm wearing one with a sportcoat and it looks nice. It's something you can wear working out or with a suit. They're always on the cutting edge of new technology and that's why I'm excited to be a part of it.

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