Paul Anthony Pierce (born October 13, 1977 in Oakland, California) is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics of the NBA. He has been a starter every season since being selected by the Celtics in the 1998 NBA Draft. He also led Boston to an appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2002. After his NBA debut, Pierce's ability to score, rebound, and a healthy dose of late-game heroics led to his emergence as a top player in the Eastern Conference. Paul was selected with the 10th overall pick in the first round of the 1998 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics. Pierce has often played his best games against the best individual competition, such as LeBron James, Tracy McGrady, and Kobe Bryant. For instance, Pierce scored a career high 50 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers on February 15, 2006. After the game, James stated that he feels that Pierce is the top at the position in the Eastern Conference. In the 2005-06 NBA season, Pierce had the highest...