“My reaction to him not getting suspended is a good reaction because we want the team’s best,” Pierce said. “In order to be the best, you want to get their best. If they lose Dwight Howard, obviously they’re still a good team but that’s not the best team they put on the floor. We just want their best.”

If that quote doesn’t appeal to your competitive side, then you probably don’t have a competitive side.  We want their best and we want to beat their best.  Should sports be any other way?  Absolutely not.  I can’t help but think back to Vince Carter when I think about this quote.  If Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce were both in danger of being suspended, Carter would probably be praying that they would.  In fact, he’d probably be writing anonymous letter to David Stern and Stu Jackson to try to plant some evidence against the Celtic’s stars..  No way Carter wants the Celtics’ best.  He just wants the easy way out.

But not Paul Pierce and not the Celtics.  They want to play the best, and they want to beat the best.  That’s why they’re so happy they’ll be matched up with the Lakers in the finals.  (NOOOOOOOOOO!!!! My 15,495,845th jinx of the day!!)