In Game 1’s third quarter, the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers’ 2008 NBA Finals saw the most memorable moment. After tripping over teammate Kendrick Perkins, Paul Pierce blocked a shot attempt by Lakers star Kobe Bryant and fell to the ground, clutching his knee in agony. 

Pierce was carted off by the Celtics in a wheelchair, but he came back a few minutes into the game to assist the team win. In six games, Boston would win the series and win their 17th championship overall.

Why Pierce needed a wheelchair to get off the floor in the first place if he could get back on it so fast has long been up for discussion. Many have conjectured that Pierce’s pants went up to a size two. Pierce’s own remarks from his time at ESPN helped to propagate this theory. 

When former NFL MVP Lamar Jackson declared, “I didn’t pull a Paul Pierce,” during his mid-season rush to the locker room, the legend only grew.

Since Jackson’s amazing one-liner, Pierce has experienced a great deal. 

Namely: he was recognized into the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame and sacked from ESPN for sharing his shameless partying on Instagram. 

This week, Pierce made an appearance on Michelle Beadle’s podcast, where he used to work for ESPN. Naturally, he was questioned about the details of his outburst on the podcast.

Paul Pierce, the receipts were saved on the internet. Kindly make sure your story is as (supposedly) neat as your drawers.

One thing gives me confidence, though: Pierce will continue to be questioned on the subject. It’s possible that we will never fully understand The Truth.