Paul Pierce plays basketball.
The Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award ( formerly known as the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award ) is an annual National Basketball Association ( NBA ) award given since the 1969 NBA Finals . The Boston Celtics ( [ ˈsɛltɪks ] ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston , Massachusetts . The Brooklyn Nets are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Brooklyn . Paul Pierce . Pierce was instrumental to the Celtics ' 2008 championship run , as he was awarded the Finals MVP after averaging 22 points per game .