BEEF VOTE: Paul Pierce vs. LeBron James OR Shaq vs. JaVale McGee Which beef is best? (8) Paul Pierce vs. LeBron James First Round Analysis: Another big upset! This one though isn’t too surprising. In my prediction, facing CP3 and DeMarcus Cousins, I said, “Could the starpower of Pierce-James be enough to upset the 1-seed?” It obviously was. Also, this one’s a Joe Ali production and we all love us some Joe. It’s also the freshest beef in the bracket, so could pull more votes from those who haven’t gotten the taste out of their mouth. Beef Breakdown: The battle between these elite scorers spans multiple teams, family members, and even a preseason spitting incident. And since retirement, Pierce has carried it over into the broadcast space where he’s given the opportunity to spout his opinions on King James, who in the eyes of Pierce, is not worthy of the crown (GASP!).