Selecting the Boston Celtics all-time starting five in franchise history.
The Boston Celtics have had many great players over the years who have been contributors to an NBA record 17 NBA championships. The historic franchise currently has 22 (soon to be 23) retired numbers hanging from a legendary banner from the TD Garden rafters, the most in the NBA.
From the days of the legendary Red Auerbach, Bob Cousy, and Bill Russell, followed by the decade of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish, to even more recently with Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen, the Boston Celtics have put together some of the best rosters in history of the NBA.
The game has evolved from different generations over the years. Needless to say, it’s easier said than done when it comes to putting together an All-Time starting five for the Boston Celtics.
For my All Time starting five, I decided to try and go with players from different generations and to keep it somewhat relevant, as there are many different directions making this list could have taken me.
Between the five players I have chosen for my All-Time starting five for the Boston Celtics, there are a total of 29 NBA titles between them all.
Bob Cousy – Point Guard
The Boston Celtics selected Bob Cousy third overall in the 1950 NBA Draft out of Holy Cross. In 13 seasons with the Celtics, Cousy averaged 18.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game while playing in 35.5 minutes per outing.
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What was so impressive about Cousy throughout the 50’s was his amazing ball handling skills and moves he was able to pull off. Often being referred to as the “Houdini of the Hardwood”, Cousy was definitely the pioneer of bringing trickery onto an NBA court.
Cousy would help lead the Celtics to winning 6 NBA championships, his first in 1957 and then five straight from 1959-1963. He would also earn league MVP in 1957, lead the NBA in assists eight times from 1953-1960, and become a 13-Time All-Star from 1951-1963.
Cousy ranks in the top 10 all time in Celtics history with the most games (917), minutes played (30,131), field goals (6,167), free throws (4,621), assists (6,945), points (16,955), and points per game (18.5).
The Cooz was just as active off the court as he was on it. In the early 50’s Cousy founded, designed and developed the NBA Players Association, making the NBA the first major sport to do so at the time. Cousy thought it was important for the players to be able to have rights and benefits.
The only player in recent Celtics history that could be compared to Bob Cousy is Rajon Rondo. Rondo’s amazing ball handling skills, paired with his elusiveness and trickery is something that the TD Garden hasn’t been blessed with since the days of Bob Cousy.
The Boston Celtics have retired Cousy’s No.14.
John Havlicek – Shooting Guard
The Boston Celtics selected John Havlicek seventh overall in the 1962 NBA Draft out of Ohio State, and went on to spend his entire 16-year career playing in Boston. His No. 17 is retired by the Celtics.
It should be noted that Havlicek never started a game for the Celtics, but he became one of the best “sixth man” role players in NBA history. In 16 seasons, he averaged 20.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game. Havlicek is the current franchise leader in total points with 26,395.
Havlicek earned many accolades throughout his career as a role player that you don’t see many bench players earn in today’s game. As a sixth man, he would become a 13-Time All-Star (1966-1978), a five-time NBA All-Defensive First Team (1972-1976), and a four-time All-NBA First Team (1971-1974).
Hondo, as he was often referred to, was a key contributor to the Celtics winning 8 NBA championships (1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976) and earned the honors of Finals MVP in 1974.
Havlicek ranks first in franchise history in points (26,395), games (1,270), minutes played (46,471), and field goals (23,930). He also ranks in the top 5 for most free throws (5,369), total rebounds (8,007), and assists (5,695).
Havlicek is one of only four players to have won 8 championships, and one of three players to have an impressive 8-0 record in the NBA Finals. The NBA enshrined Havlicek into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1984.
The Boston Celtics have retired Havilicek’s No. 17.
Larry Bird – Small Forward
Larry Bird was selected by the Boston Celtics with the sixth overall pick in the 1978 NBA Draft. It’s worth mentioning that due to the rules at the time, and contract rebuttals with Red Auerbach, Bird refused to sign his rookie contract with the Celtics and decided to finish his final season of eligibility at Indiana State.
Auerbach was reluctant at first, but did give Bird what he wanted, which was to be paid what he knew he was worth. Bird and Auerbach agreed to a 5-year, $ 3.25 million contract, making him the highest paid rookie in NBA history at the time.
Bird finished his rookie year averaging 21.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game, which was good for earning Rookie of the Year in 1980. After a taste of the NBA, Bird would go on to play his entire career for the Boston Celtics and averaged 24.3 points, 10 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game for his career.
“Larry Legend” is widely considered to be the greatest shooter in NBA history. He finished his career shooting just under 50- percent from the field and 37- percent from behind the arc. To put it into better perspective, Bird also won the first 3-point shooting contest and again the following two seasons (1986-1988).
In 13 NBA seasons, Bird would become a three time NBA champion (1981, 1984, 1986), a two time Finals MVP (1984, 1986), a 12-Time NBA All-Star (1980-1988, 1990-1992), a nine time All-NBA First Team (1980-1988), and a three time league MVP (1984-1986).
Bird is also a two-time member of the 50-40-90 club and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998. His No. 33 is retired by the Boston Celtics.
The legendary Bird ranks top ten all time in Celtics history in games (897), minutes played (34,443), field goals (8,591), 3-point field goals (649), free throws (3,960), total rebounds (8,974), assists (5,695), and steals (1,556).
He will always be remembered for his competitive attitude and trash talking skills.
Paul Pierce – Power Forward
The Boston Celtics selected Paul Pierce 10th overall in the 1998 NBA Draft. Little did they know at the time, Pierce would end up becoming the C’s franchise player for the next 15 years.
Pierce spent his first 15 seasons with the Celtics and averaged 21.8 points, 6 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game for his career in Boston. He is the franchise leader in 3-point field goals (1823), free throws (7979), and steals (1583).
“The Truth” is also one of three players in Boston Celtics history to surpass 20,000 carer points, including both Larry Bird and John Havlicek. He ranks top 10 all time in games (1102), minutes played (40,360), field goals (7,882), total rebounds (6,651), assists (4,305), blocks (668), and points (24,021).
Pierce took over for Antoine Walker and became the face of the Celtics franchise for pretty much his entire career. Along the course of doing so, the former team Captain was a 10-time NBA All-Star (2002-2006, 2008-2012), NBA 3-point Shootout Champion (2010), and made the NBA All-Rookie First Team (1998).
It’s worth mentioning that Pierce was part of the early years of the Boston Celtics in the late 90’s that included Rick Pitino and Jim O’Brein as head coaches for 3 years each before Doc Rivers took over in 2004.
In the creation of the Big Three that brought Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to Boston in 2008, Pierce was responsible for bringing banner 17 to the rafters of the TD Garden. He earned Finals MVP by averaging 21.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game in the Finals (six games).
Pierce, The Truth, and The Captain is who many people associate the Boston Celtics with. And rightfully so. He brought the last championship to Boston in ‘08, as well as the team’s last appearance in the Finals in 2010. But he will be remembered for being a fierce competitor until the end of his career.
Pierce’s No. 34 is retired by the Boston Celtics.
Bill Russell – Center
Bill Russell should definitely be on everyone’s All-Time starting 5 for the Boston Celtics. He spent his entire 13 year career playing for the Celtics, which included 3 years as a “player/coach” near the end of his career.
Russell has achieved and accomplished so much in the NBA that he is in a category of his own. He is the only player in sports history who has won 11 championships in a 13 year span. To put it in more of a perspective, Russell has more championship rings than he does fingers to wear them all on.
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In 13 seasons, Russell averaged 15.1 points, and 22.5 rebounds per game, while shooting 44- percent from the field. It’s worth mentioning that Russell played in a time where there weren’t as many recorded statistics as there are now, such as blocks. But it’s safe to say that Russell was a major problem for opposing players when defending the paint.
Throughout Russell’s amazing career, he was a 5-Time league MVP (1958, 1961-1963, 1969), was named to 12 NBA All-Star teams (1958,1969), three time NBA-All First Team (1959, 1963, 1965), 8-Time NBA-All Second Team (1858, 1960-1962, 1964, 1966-1968), and NBA All-Defensive First Team (1969).
Red Auerbach created a dynasty throughout the late 50’s and throughout the 60’s with Bob Cousy, Bill Russell, and Tommy Heinsohn. Russell was responsible for hanging the first 11 championship banners in the rafters of the TD Garden.
Russell ranks 1st all time in total rebounds (21,620), and top 10 all time in games (963), minutes played (40,726), and field goals (5,687). Russell was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1975.
Russell’s No. 6 is retired by the Boston Celtics.
Russell didn’t just make history on the court during his playing days in Boston. Russell was a huge social activist in African American injustices and during the Civil Rights Movement during a hard time in the world of the late 50’s and during the 60’s. In 2011, President Barack Obama presented Russell with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
In 2013, the city of Boston made the decision to make a statue of Russell, which is found outside the City Hall in a memorial that has been built to honor great pioneers and innovators that have made an impact on the city.
The Boston Celtics have many players that could be named to the All Time starting 5. The most challenging part in doing this was that there has been so much success throughout the entire history of the franchise and many players are responsible for that.
The players that would make up my second unit would be:
PG- Jo Jo White
SG- Sam Jones
PF- Kevin McHale
SF- Tommy Heinsohn
Please start a conversation in the comments below of who you would have as your All Time starting 5 for the Boston Celtics and explain why.