Long wait is over for well-deserving MVP Pierce

BOSTON -- Late in the third quarter the MVP chants for Paul Pierce began. They started as a rumble and grew more vociferous as the ugly blowout of Los Angeles proceeded and the Lakers played as stout as a limp garden hose.

If the Lakers were aggressively wimpy, Pierce, in these NBA Finals, was the real Black Mamba. He was also named the Finals MVP. He more than deserved it.

After nine long-suffering seasons in Boston, Paul Pierce succeeds on the grand stage. (Getty Images)

On a stage, in the center of the new Garden, as confetti bounced around his head, Pierce held the MVP trophy high. There was almost as much a sigh of relief on his face as there was crackling ecstasy.

"The city of Boston stuck with me through all the hard times," he said.

"It feels so great, man," Pierce said. "Just to work so hard and for 10 long years being with the Boston Celtics, just going through my ups and downs, Danny (Ainge), Doc (Rivers), ownership, guys sticking with me through tough times, this is what makes those other moments so sweet, knowing that you were at rock bottom a year ago today, and to climb all the way to the top, this is a dream come true, and I'm going to cherish this forever."

And through those bad times, Pierce never publicly pointed a finger.

He thought he was going to be traded in the offseason; now try to imagine the Celtics without him.

There was never any ugly Ko-Me Bryant-like trade demand on the radio. No Ocho Stinko moments. No stomping of feet or flapping of gums.

Through all the bad times Pierce mostly shut his mouth and played ball. Mostly.

In the middle of meeting with the media, he stopped momentarily, bowed his head, and shed some tears. It was all pouring out.

The Big Three meshed and were uber-unselfish, all of them, all season but this is about Pierce, the long suffering Boston Celtic, finally getting his ring.

In the clinching game, Pierce had a game-high 10 assists, further proof of his unselfishness. For the entire Finals he averaged 21.8 points and 6.3 assists.

When you are lining up reasons why the Celtics shut up people like me who were wr-wr-wr-... excuse me while I clear my throat -- wrong about Boston's chances against Los Angeles (and there were an army of us in the media who got this wildly clusterf-----) Pierce is reason No. 1.