Quotes from Paul Pierce

I've always been the Rodney Dangerfield of this game. Maybe it was meant to be that way, but that always drove me.

When you're a young player, and you're starting to scratch your potential, you don't know how good you can be.

These seasons, as you get older, they just are so long and draining.

I probably visualize myself, the shots I'm going to get in the game, how I'm going to play defense, what we have to do to stop the other team's best player, what it's going to take out of me, the whole aspect of the game.

I think too much of my leadership is done the bad way.

The rim is looking bigger and bigger every game.

Boston is always going to be a second home for me.

I want to be that guy that says I was one of the first guys to put a banner in Brooklyn.

What people don't understand is the summertime is motivation - how willing you're willing to work for the upcoming season - and I think, as older players, once you see that drive fall off in the summer, then I think it's time to hang it up.

I'm not a guy who goes into the neighborhood, gets beat up by the bully's gang, and then now I want to join their gang. That's just not me. I wanna fight - let's go! I mean, I'm gonna stand up for myself. That's just the competitive nature of where I come from, the era I grew up in.

The Celtics don't celebrate anything but championships.

'A Christmas Story' is my favorite Christmas movie.

Man, there's a lot of pressure when you put on that Kansas uniform with the high expectations everyone has.

My brother was a huge Charles Barkley fan - my brother went to Miami. He played power forward, and he always used to tell me stories about Barkley and college. And I watched Barkley growing up. I loved what he brought to the game. His toughness and just his attitude, being as strong he was.

A lot of things change in the playoffs.

You know coaches. Sometimes they ramble.

I'm an old-school guy. I'm a competitor.

Kobe is one of the best scorers in NBA history, but I don't have as much trouble with him in the post as I do with Carmelo.

Life changes when you have a child, when you have your own family. You become more careful about what you do. You're not going to be out late, going out to clubs, hanging out with your friends. You're going to be at home, taking care of your daughter, playing with her.

I knew guys way more talented than me who fell through the cracks.

A lot of players know I've been around 13 years and this is my second lockout. I got a lot of respect. I know what's going on both for the league and the union.

It's all a learning process. You've got to learn from experience, the battles you go through. Some guys continue to grow. Hopefully, that's what I'll continue do.

In college, I probably lost a total of about 11 games, and then I came to the Celtics and in my first three weeks we went on a nine-game losing streak.

I can't remember last time I had a soda. It tastes like acid to me now.