Paul Pierce and Vince Carter made their NBA debuts against each other in Boston on February 5, 1999. Because of a labor dispute there were no games played that season until that date.
Pierce started the game for the Boston Celtics. He played 39 minutes and scored 19 points. Carter started for the Toronto Raptors (who won the game 103-92). Carter played 31 minutes and scored 16 points.
Both Carter and Pierce had been first round draft picks the previous spring. The Golden State Warriors chose him as a number five pick, but traded him to Toronto who had selected Carter’s University of North Carolina team mate Antawn Jamison. Carter was the number 10 pick for the Celtics.