LOS ANGELES _ There was a time this summer when the Los Angeles Clippers' Paul Pierce didn't want to wake up to work out in the morning, which made him contemplate retiring before his 19th NBA season.
But then he pushed himself to the gym and found that he felt good _ or at least good enough _ and decided to play one more year as a result.
"As the summer progressed I thought about the year and I thought about the players and I was like, last season kind of left a bad taste in my mouth and how it ended, how I played, so I just want to kind of go out on my own terms and have one more opportunity to win a championship with this group," Paul said at Clippers' media day Monday.
"I think this group is a great group, a lot of talent, being together they understand each other, they've been through the trials and tribulations, and I think sometimes it takes that to get over the hump. And I think why not give it one more shot?"
Aside from feeling physically ready for one more season, the chance for one more run in the playoffs is what drew Pierce back to the court. The Clippers are stocked with All-Stars in point guard Chris Paul, power forward Blake Griffin, center DeAndre Jordan, sharpshooter J.J. Redick, and Jamal Crawford, the NBA's reigning Sixth Man of the Year.
Pierce won a championship with the Boston Celtics in 2008, and likes what he sees in this year's Clippers squad.
"To win a championship here for the Los Angeles Clippers would be monumental," Pierce said. "And if I can be a part of that that's something I thought about and that's something that drove me."
