Paul Pierce Takes Jab at Lakers Before Celtics' Championship Parade

Jesse Cinquini | Jun 23, 2024

Jun 9, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics former player Paul Pierce walks onto the court before game two of the 2024 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports / Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

Along with the Dallas Mavericks, the Los Angeles Lakers stand out as another organization that likely isn’t too thrilled about the outcome of the 2024 NBA Finals. Prior to the Boston Celtics’ title-clinching win in Game 5 of the championship series, the Lakers and Celtics were tied for having the most championships of any NBA team with 17.

To add insult to injury for Los Angeles’ players, staff, and fans, before getting on a duck boat with the 2008 NBA championship trophy, former Celtics star and Basketball Hall of Famer Paul Pierce shamed the storied franchise for hanging a banner following its in-season tournament title back in December and suggested Boston wouldn’t have done the same.

“If we win the in season tournament, we’re not putting up a banner. Let the Lakers do that. We can make it into a carpet and put it in the hallway or something.” - Paul Pierce pic.twitter.com/E14Dn2C6uH

— Katie Morrison-O'Day (@KatieMo61) June 21, 2024

While the Lakers managed to win the inaugural in-season tournament, the team wasn’t able to parlay its success during the tournament into the 2024 NBA Playoffs. Los Angeles lost to the 2023 NBA champions — the Denver Nuggets — in five games in the first round after making an appearance in the Western Conference Finals the year prior.

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