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Pierce an MVP candidate, but his detractors still loom

The evolution of Paul Pierce as an NBA superstar isn’t nearly complete, regardless of how many “M-V-P” chants rain from the Garden rafters.

Truth is, so many around the league won’t put him in the same category as LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul and a slue of others. In actuality, though, some of those players don’t belong in the same category as Pierce, who is looking like the league’s best player through the early portion of this season.

“I think everybody has their own lists, and I don’t think [Pierce] was on that list,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. “You never heard Paul. You heard Kobe. You heard LeBron. You heard [Dwyane] Wade. You never heard Paul Pierce. I think, now, he’s got to be part of that discussion.”

Pierce’s detractors were forced to rub their eyes last June when he was named Finals MVP for the Celtics’ dismantling of Bryant’s Lakers. After out-dueling James in the 2008-09 season opener and showcasing two brilliant fourth-quarter performances to rally the Celtics from a pair of 16-point deficits this week, Pierce’s haters can no longer turn a blind eye to a guy who has played at an All-Star level for 10 years.

Not to take anything away from the three-time champion Bryant or the supremely talented James, but Pierce is a hybrid of both players while getting less than half the praise. He’s got Bryant’s perimeter shooting and footwork, and James’ inside game and rebounding ability. Plus, Pierce is a better defender than both.

A month after beating each of the league’s marketing darlings in the playoffs, Pierce declared to a Spanish reporter he was the best player in the league. His declaration heard ’round the world was delivered with confidence, not cockiness.

“He’s got to believe that,” Rivers said. “He didn’t go into Game 7 [of the Eastern Conference semifinals] against LeBron thinking LeBron was better, or the Lakers series thinking Kobe was better.”

Yet, Pierce finished 14th in the league’s MVP balloting last year. He didn’t necessarily deserve the award over Bryant, James, Paul or even Kevin Garnett, but the snub was felt nonetheless.

Only one ballot had Pierce’s name — a fifth-place vote — while the defensively challenged Tracy McGrady and Carmelo Anthony finished eighth and 13th, respectively, and Manu Ginobili, who only started 23 games for the Spurs, finished 10th.

The Celtics’ grassroots campaign for Pierce’s MVP award — however early it is — has started with their overwhelming praise of him this week.

Eddie House spoke slowly when declaring Pierce a “superstar” after his game-winning fadeaway shot Wednesday against the Hawks, while Garnett had a childlike glow after Pierce’s 22-point fourth quarter Monday against the Raptors.

“I love it when Superman goes in the booth to transform,” said Garnett, who won the MVP in 2004. “I love it. I’ve got the best seat in the house. I get to hear what’s going on in the huddle, and I get to see it. Oh, man.”