Over the years, there has been plenty of discussion about just how great LeBron James has been in crunch time. Some have accused him of being less than stellar in such situations and have criticized him for passing the ball rather than taking the big shot or trying to draw a foul and get to the free throw line. On the other hand, he has hit a large number of clutch shots during his 21-year NBA career.
In his early years, one of his biggest individual rivals was Paul Pierce. Pierce, who spent most of his career with the Boston Celtics, was deadly in crunch time, and the Celtics loved to get him the ball at the free throw line extended with a game on the line.
While on the “All Facts No Brakes” podcast, Pierce was asked if he was more clutch than James, and he agreed (h/t Lakers Daily).
.@PaulPierce34 says he was more clutch than LeBron James 👀🍿
Watch @keyshawn reaction 😅 pic.twitter.com/ClSilBu5uO
— All Facts No Brakes (@AllFactsPod) March 27, 2024
Whether it was fact or fiction that Pierce was better under pressure than James, James has clearly been a better overall player than Pierce, who is a deserving Hall of Famer, could’ve ever dreamed of being. Facts.