Boston Celtics icon Paul Pierce has nothing but contempt for his former rival New York Knicks after they were defeated by the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Sunday.
Pierce used social media to post a video of himself stomping on a Jalen Brunson jersey following the season-ending loss.
One might question if Pierce acquired the Brunson shirt solely for the video he shared on Sunday, but there’s more to the tale.
A few weeks ago, Pierce made a bet with Knicks fans that if the team advanced past the first round, he would buy and wear a Brunson jersey. After the Knicks defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in Round 1, Pierce kept his part of the bargain.
Brunson performed admirably in the conference playoffs, averaging 29.7 points per game, but a fractured hand forced him to miss much of the second half of Game 7 as the Knicks lost.
While Brunson demonstrated his potential as a postseason superstar this year, he was unable to win over Pierce, who spent 15 years in Boston.
Pierce, who rooted against the Knicks in the conference semifinals, will now cheer against the Pacers as they face the Celtics. While Boston has advanced to the conference finals in the last three seasons, Indiana will be playing in its first since 2014 and seeking its first NBA Finals berth since 2000.