Paul Pierce: 'This new generation heals slower than us'

Paul Pierce says NBA players take longer to recover from injuries now compared to his time in the league.

Piece made the comment while discussing Zion Williamson's injury history on the latest episode of the "Ticket and The Truth" podcast with fellow Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett.

"Have you noticed that this new generation heals slower than us?" Pierce asked his former Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets teammate.

Garnett, however, thinks doctors are the reason today's players take longer to return to the court.

"The doctor come in, 'Hey, hey, we just saw a whole hole in your leg. You can't really walk,'" Garnett said. "I walked in here! 'Hey, we just saw a hole in your leg - you can't, you can't put pressure.' Now, mentally, you start thinking that."

Garnett then revealed that he has a heart murmur and may not have played through the condition had he listened to doctors' warnings.

"Bro, they told me I had a hole in my heart. 'You can't play,'" Garnett recalled. So, every year, I had to get on the joint and pass this test. So if I were to believe that, I would've been like, 'Oh shit, my heart.' Lord, mentally, bro. You hear what I'm saying?

"I don't want to hear that shit. I just did 21 years with two heart murmurs."

Garnett played 21 seasons in the NBA before retiring in 2016, while Pierce's career spanned 19 seasons.