Pierce on Wizards: We need better habits
A big reason Paul Pierce is playing for the Washington Wizards this year is the veteran experience he brings to the table. And the 37-year-old forward demonstrated that following Friday's 105-103 win over the Miami Heat.
"We got to build ourselves on great habits," Pierce said after the game, as reported by Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post. "Tonight, I wasn't happy with the defense, especially against a team trying to score 100 points."
The Wizards sit atop the Southeast Division at 19-6, the second-best record in the Eastern Conference. Washington is sixth in the NBA in defensive rating at 102.3 points per 100 possessions, but have needed to rally three times in the past two weeks to defeat an inferior team.
"We got to build better habits before this trip," Pierce said, referring to Washington's post-Christmas western swing which includes stops in Houston, Dallas, Oklahoma City and San Antonio.
"We're building habits for the great teams, we're building habits for the playoffs and that's what I'm looking at each and every night."