Paul Pierce
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BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 22: Former Boston Celtics, Paul Pierce, holds the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy during the NBA Championship Ring ceremony prior to the game against the New York Knicks at TD Garden on October 22, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images)
New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson didn’t let a lingering postseason slight fade quietly — and the timing of his response underscored just how relevant the rivalry has become again.
During NBA All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles, Brunson crossed paths with Paul Pierce on The Roommates Show, revisiting the viral May 2024 moment when the Boston Celtics legend stomped on a Knicks jersey following New York’s playoff exit.
What followed was a playful exchange, but one layered with history, standings pressure, and the real possibility that the two sides are headed for another postseason collision.
Pierce Revisits Viral Knicks Jersey Stomp
“I have his jersey in the back because he posted a video burning my jersey,” Brunson said with a grin.
Pierce immediately pushed back.
“No, I didn’t burn your jersey. Let’s get it straight,” Pierce said. “We can look it up. Fact check. I didn’t burn it and I didn’t know it was your jersey. They just gave me a Knicks jersey. I needed any Knicks jersey. That’s the one that came out.”
“Man, you burned my jersey,” Brunson replied. “That’s the story I’m going with.”
“So we just jumped it,” Pierce said. “We jumped on it.”
The moment spiraled into laughter, but the backdrop made it resonate — especially with Boston and New York once again separated by the thinnest of margins.
The Jersey Stomp Came in Celtics’ Championship Season
Pierce’s viral post dated back to May 2024, after New York was eliminated by the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Pierce had antagonized Knicks fans throughout the postseason, first promising to wear a Brunson jersey if New York advanced past the opening round — then stomping on that same jersey once the Knicks’ run ended.
What followed gave the moment extra meaning in Boston.
That season ended with the Boston Celtics capturing their 18th NBA championship — the franchise’s first title since 2008, when Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen formed the Celtics’ iconic Big Three.
The stomp wasn’t just a viral jab. It happened during a title run that reinforced Boston’s place atop the rivalry.
Brunson’s Season Ended in Pain — and Motivation
At the time, Brunson was playing through an injury. He averaged 29.7 points per game against Indiana but fractured his hand late in Game 7, limiting his effectiveness as New York’s season came to a close.
The clip quickly spread across social media, reigniting Celtics-Knicks animosity — even if Pierce later joked that he barely remembered why he did it.
“I’m trying to figure out,” Pierce said on the podcast. “Why do I do that?”
One Year Later, the Response Came on the Court
Brunson didn’t answer with words.
In the 2025 playoffs, he led the Knicks past Boston in the Eastern Conference semifinals, pushing New York to its first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 25 years and temporarily flipping the script in a rivalry long dominated by the Celtics.
The Knicks eventually fell to Indiana again in the conference finals, but Brunson had already redefined his place in Madison Square Garden — and forced Boston to take notice.
The Present-Day Stakes Make It Matter Again
The timing of the All-Star Weekend exchange wasn’t coincidental.
Entering the post–All-Star break, Boston sits second in the Eastern Conference at 35–19, with Jayson Tatum potentially nearing a return from the Achilles injury that sidelined him since their playoff loss to the Knicks. Just behind them are the Knicks at 35–20, closing fast and positioning themselves for another run at home-court advantage.
The margin is razor-thin, and the path forward increasingly points toward another high-stakes meeting.
Celtics, Knicks on a Collision Course
That context gave Brunson and Pierce’s exchange its edge.
Pierce joked about the Celtics “putting the Knicks out,” only for Brunson to stop him.
“Who’s ‘we’?” Brunson asked.
“The Celtics,” Pierce replied.
“No,” Brunson shot back, smiling.
Pierce laughed it off.
“That would be a lot more than what I did,” he said when Brunson joked about returning the favor. “I just stepped on it a couple times.”
What once looked like a throwaway viral clip from a championship season now reads differently. Pierce’s stomp came the year Boston raised Banner No. 18. Brunson’s response arrived a year later, delivered between the lines.
And as the standings tighten and the postseason picture sharpens, it could serve as just another layer of motivation — with the Knicks and Celtics on a collision course once more for another playoff duel.