“It.”
What is “it?”
“It” is always referred to as this omniscient X-factor that allows athletes to overcome some tremendous odds and carry their team to the promised land.
Well, we all know that Paul Pierce thinks the Toronto Raptors don’t have “it,” but Paul Pierce? You better believe he has whatever “it” is.
This game was all about DeMar DeRozan when it started. He came out of the gates firing on all cylinders like Smarty Jones in the Kentucky Derby. DeRozan was scorching, on his way to 20 first quarter points. However, the rest of the game wouldn’t continue in this fashion for the Raptors.
John Wall and Marcin Gortat started to stoke their own fire in the second quarter. Wall found Gortat down low for more than a few easy buckets and that gave Wall the confidence to start attacking. He was blowing by everyone and their mothers from then on out. The Raptors had to resort to surrounding Wall with four defenders so that he couldn’t get to the hoop so easily.
There was a Wizards player that played like a superhero’s sidekick. Otto Porter Jr. has been surprisingly consistent this series, and this game wasn’t any different. He proved to be a big part of the team’s hustle and their resurgence in the second quarter. However, not only was Porter out-playing expectations, so was Drew Gooden III. Gooden and Porter went back and forth hitting big shots and making great hustle plays in the second and third quarters.
Then, the fourth quarter rolled around. The fourth quarter is where all this “it” talk comes into play. That also means, this is where Paul Pierce came into play. Another classic Pierce fourth quarter was added to his career highlight reel.
Toronto didn’t quit and they fought back to even grab a 1-point lead in the fourth. The Wizards wouldn’t choke this one away on their home court though. Paul Pierce made sure of it. The Wizards and Raptors were trading leads, but as the Wizards were up 3, Paul Pierce hit a big-time contested three with a little under two minutes to go.
The Wizards fans were going crazy!
Kyle Lowry and the Raptors still fought back and hit some shots. Finally, Paul Pierce knocks down a flat-footed, contested three that put the fork in the game. As he walked down the floor to the Wizards bench, he exclaimed to the crowd, “This is why they brought me here!”
Well played Mr. Truth, and well played Washington Wizards. Can’t wait for Game 4!
