It's been a while since we fired up the old Box Score Bank here at Standing Room Only, so let's fire up the Box Score Bank. And with Paul Pierce registering his eighth career triple double last night against the Nuggets, let's take it back to the Truth's first career triple double.
Got it?
The date was January 26, 2003. Lose Yourself by Eminem was in the last of it's 12-week reign atop the Billboard charts. Darkness Falls was the No. 1 movie in America. LeBron James was a high school senior in Akron, OH. Kyrie Irving was a fifth grader in West Orange, NJ. And over at the FleetCenter in Boston, MA, Paul Pierce was filling up the box score with 27 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists against the Orlando Magic.
Final Score: Boston 91, Orlando 83
For some perspective on how long it's been, consider that of the 18 players to take the court on this night, only one other guyHeat bench warmer Mike Milleris still active.
For more perspective check out some of the names that were active: Jacque Vaughn (who's now Orlando's head coach), Andrew Declercq (who once went head-to-head with Billy Curley) and Shawn Kemp (now a grandfather of 17). For the Celtics, there was Vin Baker, Grant Long and Kevin Garnett's cousin Shammond Williams.
For even more perspective, how about this:
Orlando's head coach was Doc Rivers!
Safe to say that at that very moment, Doc didn't have the slightest clue as to what the future would hold. That he'd one day lead the Celtics to a title. That he'd become one of the most respected and powerful coaches in the NBA. That more than 10 years later, he'd be standing on the same sideline watching the same Paul Pierce give the game what it needs.
But I'm guessing he's pretty happy with the way things played.
Rich can be reached at rlevine@comcastsportsnet.com. Follow Rich on Twitter at http:twitter.comrich_levine