'That's Why I'm Here!': Pierce's Clutch 3s Put Wizards One Win From East Semifinals

            Scoreless after the first quarter and just seven points tallied heading into the final frame, it appeared Washington Wizards forward Paul Pierce was heading towards a quiet night.

            The 37-year-old, who has built a reputation in his storied career for thriving in the biggest moments of the postseason, checked in with 6:48 remaining in Game 3 and promptly hit a 3-pointer in his first possession of the fourth quarter, giving the Wizards a four-point lead against a Toronto Raptors squad in full-on desperation mode after dropping the first two contests of the series north of the border.

            Pierce, a former NBA Finals MVP for the Boston Celtics and a long-time Raptors' kryptonite, delivered a clutch 3-pointer with 1:58 to go on a pass from center Marcin Gortat, who posted team highs in points (24) and rebounds (13) to go along with five assists.

Paul Pierce. Dagger. Of course. Truth hurts. https://t.co/u4HRTk3udk
— CBS Sports NBA (@CBSSportsNBA) April 25, 2015

            The Raptors clawed back to within three with 40 seconds left after two jumpers (one from behind the arc) by Kyle Lowry, who labored through his third straight playoff dud (shooting 5-of-22 from the field) despite a late scoring burst at the tail end of the contest. With a 102-99 score, Pierce set a fake screen on Raptors forward Terrence Ross to allow himself space to pop out to the 3-point line. Off a pass from point guard John Wall—who added 19 points, 15 assists and five rebounds—Pierce delivered his signature pump fake that sent Toronto’s Patrick Patterson flying past him and then drilled the dagger from behind the arc as the shot clock expired.  Sending the sold-out crowd at Verizon Center into a frenzy, Pierce strutted across the court toward the other basket following Toronto's timeout.

            “That's why I’m here,” the future Hall of Famer declared multiple times to the Wizards faithful.

            The Raptors heard him utter those exact words in Game 1 of the Brooklyn-Toronto 2014 first-round playoff series after Pierce—then a member of the Nets—came up huge down the stretch of Brooklyn’s win at Air Canada Centre.

            Pierce tormented the Raptors in the playoffs last year and is doing it again in the 2015 postseason as the emotional leader of the young, uprising Wizards. Before the series began, he ruffled some Canadian feathers by declaring the Raptors lack the “it” factor necessary to win in the postseason. The Wizards forward backed up his trash-talk in the team’s Game 1 road win in overtime. Pierce finished with a game-high 20 points on a remarkably efficient 7-of-10 shooting performance. He began the scoring for the Wizards in the extra session by hitting a back-breaking three, and ended it by helping to seal the victory with a pair of free throws.

            Fast-forward to Friday night as the Raptors again fell prey to Pierce and his late-game shot-making ability. Pierce, who had another efficient evening (5-of-9 from the field, including 4-of-7 from 3-point territory), pushed the Wizards to a 3-0 series advantage—the first time in franchise history Washington has led a best-of-seven series three games to nothing.

            "I love playoff basketball," Pierce said following the Game 3 victory. "I love everything about it. I love the crowds on the road, I love it at home."      

            Pierce has averaged 16.0 points per game this series, despite attempting less than nine shots per contest.  In addition to shooting 53.8 percent from the field, he has converted an incredulous 55.6 percent of his 3-point shots.

Pierce hollers, "That's why I'm here," after hitting Game 3's dagger. (Geoff Burke/USA Today Sports)

            “The Truth” was honest about why he's enjoying this postseason so much.

            "Right now I don't know how many more I have left," Pierce said. "I see the light at the end of the tunnel, so that appreciation goes up.”

            The light at the end of the Raptors’ 2015 postseason is also fast approaching thanks to Pierce. A year after his series-saving block in Game 7, Pierce has seemingly put the Raptors to rest yet again. In order to advance, Toronto must come back from a 3-0 series deficit—something no team has done in NBA history.