Paul Pierce picks Raptors, inspires 'Paul Pierce sucks!' chant from Toronto crowd

Paul Pierce has quickly built a brand as an NBA broadcaster.

That brand is one that inspires “Paul Pierce sucks!” chants at NBA arenas.

The 10-time All-Star with the Boston Celtics first inspired the chants this season with his proclamation that he was a better player than Dwyane Wade.

Heat fans let Pierce know that they indeed think that he sucks during Wade’s final home game in Miami.

Raptors fans pile on Paul Pierce

Toronto Raptors fans echoed that sentiment Thursday night as Pierce sat in the ABC broadcast booth at Scotiabank Arena ahead of Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors.

Pierce’s bad picks

Pierce picked the Raptors to win the series, an endorsement Raptors fans clearly want nothing to do with.

Pierce confidently picked the Boston Celtics to upset the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round of the NBA playoffs after the Celtics won Game 1 of that series.

The Bucks went on to win four straight to win the series.

Pierce then picked the Bucks to beat the Raptors in the Eastern Conference finals after Milwaukee took the first two games at home.

‘Paul Pierce sucks’

The Raptors, as Toronto fans are fully aware of, won the next four games to take the series.

So when Pierce picked the Raptors to win the Finals in six games, Raptors fans let him have it.

Pierce, to his credit, appeared to enjoy the moment. For a personality like Pierce, having a brand that sucks is better than having no brand at all.

And Pierce, much like he did as a player with the Celtics, is fully embracing the villain role.

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