Paul Pierce’s bold Game 2 take goes hilariously wrong after Celtics collapse

Pierce now faces the consequences of his bet. On national television, he pledged to honor the challenging wager, leaving no room to back out. The question now is whether he’ll step up. For Boston, being outscored 30-17 in the fourth quarter allowed Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks to grab their second emphatic win at TD Garden. The action moves to New York for the next two games.

After the Celtics dropped Game 2, Pierce shared the brutal reality of his bet—an eight-hour walk now looming ahead of him.

Pierce is known for bold predictions and dramatic takes, but this one might top them all. With the Celtics down 0-2, his latest claim has quickly backfired. Entertaining? Absolutely—but this one aged poorly after Boston’s collapse.

The unpredictability of the Celtics-Knicks series

These teams are closely matched—Game 1 was decided by three points, Game 2 by just one. In the postseason, it often comes down to star power. Jalen Brunson has delivered for the Knicks, while Boston’s top players haven’t stepped up in the same way.

Jayson Tatum struggled badly on Wednesday, finishing with just 13 points on 26.3% shooting and hitting only one of five from deep. Finals MVP Jaylen Brown scored 20, but wasn’t much more efficient, shooting only slightly better than Tatum.

It’s doubtful Pierce actually walks into work Thursday, but the Celtics loss might make him think twice before putting too much faith in his old team.

Boston looked in control with a 20-point lead in the third quarter, but it unraveled quickly. The Knicks closed on a 23-6 run, sealing the win with Jalen Brunson’s clutch free throws.

Teams that go up 2-0 in a series reach the conference finals around 92 to 93 percent of the time. It’s a crushing blow for the defending champs and their unpredictable coach, Joe Mazzulla. Can he come up with a plan to flip the series?

Will Jayson Tatum shake off his fourth-quarter woes? He’s managed just six points total in the final frame across two games. Now, with Boston heading to New York down 0-2, Paul Pierce is left to swallow his words.