Paul Pierce Delivered The Truth On The Brooklyn Nets, Deron Williams, Relationship With Ray Allen

Jackie MacMullan interviewed Paul Pierce for ESPNBoston.com. He lived up to his nickname “The Truth,” dealing it with  candor on multiple topics and individuals.

Pierce didn’t think Nets players had a winning attitude.

"“It was just the guys’ attitudes there. It wasn’t like we were surrounded by a bunch of young guys. They were vets who didn’t want to play and didn’t want to practice. I was looking around saying, ‘What’s this?’ Kevin (Garnett) and I had to pick them up every day in practice."

Pierce singled out Deron Williams, believing the pressure of New York got to him.

"“Before I got there, I looked at Deron as an MVP candidate,” Pierce said. “But I felt once we got there, that’s not what he wanted to be. He just didn’t want that. “I think a lot of the pressure got to him sometimes. This was his first time in the national spotlight. The media in Utah is not the same as the media in New York, so that can wear on some people. I think it really affected him.”"

In pure elder statesman fashion, Pierce has trouble understanding today’s youth.

"“That was (Rajon) Rondo’s problem, too. Some days he did, some days he didn’t. I think it’s more this generation. A lot of these players have been catered to since the sixth grade. The NBA is changing so much. It’s not like when I came up, with that old-school mentality that practice really mattered. You’ve got these 24, 25 year old guys who sit out of practice now to rest. It’s hard for me to understand, but I’m trying.”"

Pierce found former Celtics teammate Ray Allen to be stand-offish off the court.

"“It was a weird relationship,” Pierce conceded. “We were all good friends on the court, but Ray always did his own thing. That’s just the way Ray was. Even when we were playing together, we’d be having a team dinner and Ray wouldn’t show up. We’d go to his charity events but Ray wouldn’t show up to somebody else’s."

Pierce also strongly recommends a hypobaric chamber.