Public enemy Pierce has ‘it’ in opening game

Wizards veteran backs up his trash talking with game-high 20 points

The disparaging chants and boos rained in echoing torrents, but Paul Pierce kept draining his shots. When he got drilled by Toronto’s hefty seven-foot centre, Jonas Valanciunas, he was slow to get up and nursing his shoulder — yet stayed on the court to nail a jumper on the next possession.

The veteran forward for the Washington Wizards came into Toronto on Saturday as the prime target for the derision of Raptors fans. And with his game-high 20-point performance and a seven-of-10 success rate from the field, you can bet his villain’s status will continue after the Wizards’ 93-86 overtime win in the opening game of their first-round playoff series.

“If that’s the role you’re going to play, you just gotta embrace it,” Pierce told reporters after the game. “I don’t mind playing the role of underdog or villain or whatever you guys want to call it. I’m just out here trying to get my team the win.”

The Wizards were certainly appreciative, especially while playing in front of a heated and hostile Toronto crowd that was still reeling after Pierce pronounced this week that the Raptors don’t have what “it” takes to succeed. Ahead of the game, Raptors general manager-Masai Ujiri took to the stage in front of a horde of fans outside the arena, declaring he “doesn’t give a sh--” about “it.”

“Toronto hates Paul,” said Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal, who had 16 points and nine rebounds even while shooting just six-for-23 from the field. “He accepts it. He embraces it. That’s what motivated us a little bit. He accepted the challenge, and he led us on both ends.” Wizards coach Randy Wittman said Pierce was the difference maker:

“Toronto hates Paul. He accepts it. He embraces it. That’s what motivated us a little bit.” BRADLEY BEAL WIZARDS SHOOTING GUARD

He hit a vital three-pointer off an assist from Beal in the opening minute of overtime. The coach said he sat down with Pierce before the game to discuss the forward’s experience defeating the Raptors in the first round as a member of the Brooklyn Nets last year, as well as to learn from the 37-year-old’s championship win with Boston in 2008.

“If I don’t take advantage of having a guy who’s going to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer,” Wittman said, “then I’m not doing a very good job.”

Pierce credited his strong showing in part to the reduced minutes he saw during the final weeks of the season. He averaged around 22 minutes during the final 10 games of the regular season, but played more than 36 on Saturday. Wizards forward Drew Gooden said Toronto’s animosity toward Pierce made victory all the sweeter.

“The best feeling is watching (the fans) walk away with two minutes left with their heads down,” he said. “Especially in Toronto.”