Isaiah took Pierce's advice about winning in playoffs to heart

Paul Pierce hasn't suited up for the Boston Celtics in four years, but he's still helping them out.

The recently retired star offered some sage advice to his successor, Isaiah Thomas, who appreciated the gesture.

"Paul Pierce reached out to me the other day and he told me that winning is hard," the All-Star point guard said Friday, as quoted by ESPN's Chris Forsberg.

"You gotta take your bumps and bruises as they go. But if winning wasn't hard it would be everybody. I took that to heart. I feel like that's so true. Like, if it was easy, it would be for everybody and it's not. You just gotta keep going."

IT, who's also received tips and encouragement this postseason from Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett, is averaging 28.9 points and 5.9 dimes in the East semifinals versus the Washington Wizards. Boston, which leads the series 3-2, will try to close it out on the road Friday night.

Though he's played for both the Celtics and Wizards, Pierce is pulling for the Cs. He spent 15 seasons in Beantown, where his No. 34 will someday hang in the rafters.

That's not the only way the 10-time All-Star's given back to the Celtics since his departure in 2013, as he helped them net several assets - which they're continuing to collect - in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets.

Related: Celtics fans chant 'Paul Pierce'

The Truth closed the curtain on his 19-year Hall of Fame-worthy career following his Los Angeles Clippers' first-round exit at the hands of the Utah Jazz.