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Paul Pierce sees championship qualities in surging Wizards

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Washington Wizards small forward Paul Pierce knows a thing or two about championship squads, having played an integral part on two Boston Celtics squads (2008 and 2010) that qualified for the NBA Finals, capturing one title.

The Celtics legend is now plying his trade for the Wizards in the twilight of his career, and he sees certain benchmarks for championship contention in the 13-5 Wizards.

"I was telling Brad (Beal) on the bench in the fourth quarter that when I look at this team from top to bottom, our depth, when guys get hurt.… You see similarities to teams that have made long playoff runs and made it to the finals," Pierce told reporters following the Wizards' Friday night victory over the Denver Nuggets.

“This team definitely shares a lot of those qualities (with the 2008 Celtics)," Pierce continued.

Pierce's statement is bold, but he might have a point. The Wizards currently sit second in the East coming into Saturday's contests, and they're just one game shy of the Eastern Conference-leading Toronto Raptors, who are 15-5. While Washington lacks the star power of teams like Cleveland or Chicago, a healthy Wizards squad could potentially make waves deep into the playoff picture.

However, there are warning signs, too. The rule of thumb for championship contenders is a top-10 ranking on both offense and defense - something the Wizards fall short of. Their offense ranks 16th in offensive efficiency, while their defensive efficiency ranks 9th.

But that's all part of the process and what's to come, noted Pierce.

"We just have to keep building on what we have and continue to get better," Pierce said. "We are a work in progress. We know it is early in the season. We know we have to go out West and take on those teams but we like where we are at right now." 

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