The rivalry between the Knicks and Celtics isn’t just another NBA feud. After all, it’s been going on for nearly 80 years at this point. It all started back in 1946, when both teams played one of the league’s first matchups. Both teams are original franchises of the Basketball Association of America (BAA), which later merged with the National Basketball League to form the NBA. That fire kept growing through the decades, from Bernard King vs. Larry Bird to today’s bitter battles. It’s not just about basketball. New York and Boston have always clashed, whether it’s basketball, baseball, or football. So, when the Knicks eliminated the Celtics this year, it was bound to have touched some nerves.

And it was clear from Paul Pierce’s comments. Pierce never held back his feelings about the Knicks. In fact, he’s made it pretty clear that he doesn’t like them. So after the Knicks’ Game 2 loss against the Pacers, he took the chance to rub some salt into their wounds. “I told y’all, dawg! Y’all so delusional! Maybe next year… or, maybe never…,” he said on Instagram, laughing hysterically. Some saw it as petty. Others saw it as classic Pierce. Either way, it hit a nerve. Especially after fans had talked up their chances against Indiana.

So, how could he miss the chance to not troll the Knicks once again, now that the Pacers have eliminated them from the Eastern Conference Finals? After the Knicks fell to the Pacers in six games, Pierce wasted no time jumping back in. He went live on Instagram again, this time sounding oddly supportive. “You gotta add some pieces. Obviously, y’all gotta get some depth,” he said. He went on, sounding almost like a coach offering advice: “Nobody expected y’all to get this far, anyway. You gotta build on this. Y’all look good.” The banter didn’t stop there.

Then he repeated himself with a smirk, “Y’all look good. Y’all made it to the Conference Final. Y’all beat the Celtics in the second round. What can I say?” At first, it sounded supportive, like he was giving them credit. But just when it felt genuine, he paused, grinned, and let out that signature mean laugh. Was it praise? Or was it just sarcasm dressed in politeness?

Game 6 sealed the Knicks’ fate. Indiana crushed them 125–108, reaching their first Finals since 2000. Meanwhile, the Knicks’ title drought stretches back to 1973. That was their second championship, both coming against the Lakers. Since then? Two Finals appearances. No rings. It’s now been 52 years. With Pierce rubbing salt in the wound, that sting just got a little deeper.

From Celtics hater to NBA villain: How Paul Pierce found new teams to loathe

Before he became “The Truth,” Paul Pierce couldn’t stand the Boston Celtics. Born and raised in Inglewood, just a short drive from the Lakers’ old home at The Forum, Pierce was raised on purple and gold. “I was an avid basketball fan. And growing up in Los Angeles, Inglewood, down the street from The Forum, I couldn’t stand the Celtics,” he told ESPN back in 2019. And he didn’t just dislike the team, he made it personal. “I hated the Celtics so much. You understand the rivalry. I hated Larry Bird, I hated everything about the Celtics.”

That kind of deep-seated hate usually doesn’t go away. But ironically, Pierce was drafted by Boston in 1998 and spent 15 seasons there, becoming a legend. Still, his early emotions didn’t vanish overnight. “Growing up on the West Coast, especially LA, you hate the Boston Celtics,” he admitted. “You’re just—you’re grandfathered into that.” He may have worn green, but he didn’t forget the rivalry. And after winning a title with Boston by defeating his childhood team, the Lakers, in 2008, it was like a full-circle moment drenched in poetic revenge.

But his list of enemies didn’t end with the Lakers. Pierce eventually added two more teams to his hit list: Miami and New York. While speaking on The Dan Le Batard Show, he was asked about the strongest sports hatred he holds. His response was as blunt as it gets: “It’s [Miami] up there with New York, too. It’s up Miami, New York, uh, Lakers.”

That wasn’t just off-handed shade. His hatred for Miami was personal, especially after his former teammate Ray Allen left Boston to join the Heat. Pierce didn’t hide his feelings, saying, “That’s almost like your girl going to your best friend, you know what I’m saying? That ain’t cool, that wasn’t cool… At least give me a proper break-off … it did feel like a betrayal.”

Between battling LeBron’s Heat in the playoffs, losing a close friend to the “enemy,” and trading words with Knicks fans online, Pierce made sure the hate wasn’t just for show. It became part of his identity. And now that he’s retired, he still embraces the role, not just as a Celtics icon, but as an unapologetic rival to anyone not wearing green.