Last goodbye: Pierce calls Boston game his farewell to Celtics, NBA
The curtain has unofficially closed on Paul Pierce's career.
The veteran swingman, who's set to retire following the season, made his final regular-season appearance at TD Garden on Sunday. Throughout the game - a 107-102 loss for his Los Angeles Clippers - Pierce was honored by the Boston Celtics and the crowd.
"It was just the showering of love in here, man," Pierce told reporters postgame, as quoted by ESPN's Chris Forsberg.
Related: Pierce thankful to play in front of 'best fans in the world for 15 years'
While the lovefest was ostensibly between Pierce and the team that drafted him out of Kansas in 1998, the 39-year-old said the outing marked his farewell to the Association.
"I don't get an every-arena shower of love like Kobe (Bryant) did in his farewell tour, so this was like my last goodbye, not only for the Celtics but pretty much to the NBA," he explained. "This is like my appreciation day, I felt like - a national television game right here (18) years ago started my first game on Feb. 5, 1999 (and) ended off Feb. 5, 2017."
In the twilight of his Hall of Fame career, Pierce hasn't been getting much burn with Los Angeles. But despite racking up 14 straight DNP-CDs, the 10-time All-Star drew the start in his return to Beantown.
The Truth didn't play much, but he did drill a 3-pointer as the game expired. The crowd went wild, giving him another standing ovation while chanting "Thank you, Paul."
Related: Celtics fans chant for Pierce
"The love they were able to give me, and I'm like, 'This is it,'" the small forward recalled. "That's all I was thinking is this is my last time on this floor getting the opportunity to run up and down the floor. ... But just to be able to be out here as a player - everywhere you look you saw No. 34 jerseys. Everywhere I looked I saw Pierce shirts, posters. It was just beautiful to watch and be a part of this and be a part of the Celtics franchise."
Pierce wasn't just "a part" of Celtics history; he became a legend for the storied franchise. His run in green spans 15 years (and more, if you include the return from his trade) and includes numerous All-Star and All-NBA appearances, and most importantly, a championship in 2008 that ended a 21-year drought.
When it all ends for real, he'll be missed ... and that's the truth.