The only thing that matters in Boston on Sunday is Paul Pierce

There’s perhaps no better way for a city to get over the heartbreak of a championship loss than by celebrating one of the greatest athletes to represent your town.

Boston’s history is littered with some of the most beloved heroes in sports and you’d certainly be challenged to name someone who committed himself more to bringing home a title than the Celtics’ Paul Pierce.

So of course Pierce is getting his number retired while Boston takes on one of his fiercest rivals: the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers.

With the Cavs in a deep rut, it’s also the perfect time to let the game take a backseat to Pierce’s legacy. And the Celtics are wasting no time in doing so. Already the team has been flooding social media with tribute videos and reminders of some of Pierce’s greatest moments.

It’s hard not to watch these without feeling like some of the highlights happened yesterday, not 10 or so years ago. From an epic rise to his battles with James and his heroics against the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals, Paul Pierce was truly incredible.

If it felt like that montage was missing one signature moment, it’s only because the Celtics wanted to celebrate Pierce’s ability to talk trash and back it up by itself.

Sorry, Al Harrington. You weren’t going to escape today’s festivities.

That moment alone deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.

Boston hosts the Cavs at 3:30 EST on ABC. You won’t want to miss it, or the ceremony that follows.

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Blake Schuster is a writer for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at blakeschuster@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Schustee