Definitely seemed more like some pro wrestling ish...

Paul Pierce, the Boston Celtics captain, was carried from the opening game of the NBA Finals in the third quarter Thursday with an apparent serious knee injury that momentarily deadened and distracted the Lakers.

At which point, Pierce came running back to finish them off.

To nearly 50 years of delicious Celtics-Lakers lore, add a new apparent bit of chicanery.

Call it the Fake N'Shake.

The Celtics won Game 1, 98-88, on the momentum of a recovery that smacked more of professional wrestling than professional basketball.

When Pierce crumpled on the floor after being apparently faked out of his kneecap by Kobe Bryant with 6:52 left in the third quarter, the Lakers led by four points.

When he returned after just 1:45 had ticked off the game clock, the Celtics led by one.

The "Rocky" theme played. The crowd roared. Pierce hobbled out with drama dripping from every step.

He was so hurt, he immediately began sprinting around the stunned Lakers defenders.
 ....

"You know, you don't know what happens," Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said of Pierce. "Guys can break a shoelace and go out, the pants break down, a drawstring falls apart."

.... 

 

 

http://www.latimes.com/sports/columnists/la-sp-plaschke6-2008jun06,0,4992481.column 

PIERECE  SELLING THE LEG!!

 

 

 

:RAWK: 

if he faked that, he just got a billion times more awesomer in my mind. 

 

If you watch the clips of him hitting those two threes right when he got back, his leg definitely doesn't look 100% sturdy. Even his first trip down the court looked a little shakey. I remember thinking we were gonna see his knee cap pop off his leg and fly into the crowd.  

Right on Joydivided -I cringed watching him shoot those two 3s.  He didn't come running onto the court...he didn't drive to the basket once after the injury...as he was doing at the beginning of the 3 qtr.  It's just poor losing. Phil Jackson's full of crap  -he's the most over-rated coach in NBA history.  He should be making fun of his team for looking so lost against the Celtics' defense.

I refuse to believe he faked it..

he faked it.

I don't think he faked it, but I think he exaggerated it. Even still, you can't blame the Kobe's horrible fg% and the disappearence of Gasol on pierce pretending not to be healthy. What is Phil Jackson trying to say? That the Lakers are supposed to be able to relax if Pierce is injured? The Lakers and their fans need to grow up.

I heard that Pierce said after the game that he was embarrassed that he got carried off and thought it was worse than it was. I think thats fair and realistic. 

 

I mean, he did tear his meniscus, so its not like he didn't get hurt.

 

And TR is right... Ffake or not,  the lakers didn't play well