Paul Pierce lists the five toughest players he’s guarded

Paul Pierce says Carmelo Anthony is the most difficult player to guard because “every facet of his game is elite.” (Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)

Despite all the worry about a defensive drop-off when the Wizards plugged scorer Paul Pierce into the Trevor Ariza-sized hole on the front line over the summer, Washington has kept up defensively. And while Pierce may have a lot of miles on his legs, he’s not exactly a slouch at the defensive end. Just go back and watch some of his epic battles with LeBron James in the playoffs — an opponent he always seems to have an extra gear against.

Point being, Pierce is a savvy vet who knows a thing or two about manning up. So you can take Pierce’s word for it when he says that Carmelo Anthony is the most difficult defensive assignment he’s ever drawn.

In a first-person piece on Derek Jeter’s Web site, the Players’ Tribune, Pierce tabs Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter, James, and Anthony as the five toughest players he’s lined up against. But Carmelo, Pierce says, rises above the rest.

“If I had to single one guy out who is the most difficult player to guard in the league, it would have to be Carmelo,” the forward writes — and that includes that LeBron character and the “basketball serial killer” Pierce (and pretty much everyone else) watched ring up 81 points in a single game.

“Kobe is one of the best scorers in NBA history, but I don’t have as much trouble with him in the post as I do with Carmelo. LeBron is a great post-up player, but if you get him to settle for the jumper on some nights, you might be able to slow him down if his shot is off. That’s not the case with Melo. If you give him space to shoot, he’ll make it many more times than he misses it.”

Fair enough. Luckily for Pierce and the Wizards, they almost certainly won’t be seeing Carmelo in the playoffs. His Knicks are 5-31 and in second to last place in the Eastern Conference.

Cr  : Glenn Yoder

Fr  : The Washington Post