TORONTO — Paul Pierce’s recent comments were not only about the Toronto Raptors. In an ESPN story that was published on April 15, Pierce mentioned that Otto Porter can shoot, drive and defend. Yet, he wondered if Porter realized how good he is. More so, he was curious what it would take to get Porter riled up, joking he should punch Porter one day to stoke his teammate’s desire.
In the preseason, Pierce made similar comments about Porter’s ability, but left out the suggestion of a pugilistic jump start, so it’s not a surprise to see him provide praise late in the season.