In the last edition of Ladder Challenge it was David Ortiz edging Roger Clemens with 55% of the vote to move Big Papi up 6 spots to #29 and knock the Rocket down to #35. In this week's Challenge of Celtics greats past and present, 2008 NBA Finals MVP Paul Pierce (#26) attempts to move up 3 spots by taking on 10-time NBA Champion Sam Jones (#23). Although The Truth is one of our all-time favorites, 10 rings is simply too great to ignore, and thus earns The Shooter earns our endorsement this week. So who has your support in this week's Ladder Challenge? (and remember, most votes in the comments section is the tie-breaker, so be sure to voice your opinion!)
Posts
7 comments:
SAM JONES
Current Ranking: 23
Challenge Record: 0-0-0
Beat: Nobody
Lost: Nobody
Tied: Nobody
========================
*Played entire 12-year career (1957-69) with Celtics.
*Won 10 NBA Championships (1959-66, 1968-69).
*3-time 2nd Team All-NBA (1965-67).
*5-time NBA All Star.
*Regular Season totals: 17.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, .456 FG%, .803 FT%.
*Playoff totals: 18.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, .447 FG%, .811 FT%.
*Among Celts all-time leaders in: FG & FG Attempts (5), Points (7), FT Attempts (8), Free Throws (9), Games (9) and Minutes (10)
*Named 1 of NBA's 50 Greatest Players.
*Member of Basketball Hall of Fame.
*The Celtics have retired #24 in his honor.
PAUL PIERCE
Current Ranking: 26
Challenge Record: 2-0-1
Beat: Reggie Lewis, Roger Clemens
Lost: Nobody
Tied: Kevin McHale
=======================
PAUL PIERCE
Currently Ranked: 27
Challenge Record: 1-0-1
-------------------------------------------------
*Has played entire 12-year career (1998-present) with Celtics.
*Member of 2008 NBA Champions.
*2008 NBA Finals MVP.
*1st Team All-Rookie Team (1999).
*3-time 3rd Team All-NBA (2002-03, 2008).
*7-time NBA All Star.
*Regular season totals: 22.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.6 steals, .442 FG%, .799 FT%.
*Playoff totals: 22.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.5 steals, .420 FG%, .815 FT%.
*Among Celts all-time leaders in: 3-PT FG Made & Attempted (1), Points per Game (2), Free Throws Made & Attempted (2), Steals (2), Blocks (4), Points (4), Field Goal Attempts (6), Minutes per Game (6), Steals per Game (6), Assists (7), Field Goals (7), Minutes (7), Rebounds (9) and Games (10).
*Led league in: Points (2002), Free throws made & attempted (2003).
Only Bill Russell has more rings than Sam Jones in NBA history. He should be looking to move up the Ladder, not down.
The way Pierce overcame a bad image (in an era where media controls an image) and turned that into a positive and carried the team (defensively I may add) while beating/covering the two best players in our latter lifetimes, Kobe/LeBron battled the Celtics. I cannot rule out how much he has grown. However, I'd be interested in seeing how I would vote after PP retires and judge what has yet to come.
For now - I say PP
I'm going to say that Sam Jones makes my Mt. Rushmore of most underappreciated Boston athletes. Also on the mountain....Dit Clapper, Gino Cappelletti and Dom DiMaggio.
It's true Sam Jones is truly great.
Hilarious that this post was titled "White vs Pierce" for a week and nobody seemed to notice.
Post a Comment