Paul Pierce and the 15 Greatest Playoff Performers in Boston Celtics History
The Boston Celtics are winners of 17ย NBA championships. Talk about a legacy to fulfill.
In his 13th season with the Boston Celtics, Paul Pierce has been through both the ups and the downs with the historic franchise.
Of the 13 seasons, eight of them have featured trips to the NBA playoffs, several times when the team didn't surround Pierce with much talent. In the 2007-2008 season, Pierce was given the chance to play alongside two of the games best in Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen and has since flourished.
Join B/R and myself in ranking Pierce's ability to perform come playoff time against some of the greatest players to suit up in green and white. Here are the top 15 playoff performers in the history of the Boston Celtics franchise.
No. 15: Sam Jones
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Sam Jones was as good as it gets when it came to helping bring in championships into Boston.
Playing alongside the legendary Bill Russell, Jones averaged 18.9 points per game, 4.7 rebounds and shot over 81 percent from the free-throw line in 154 playoff games played.
Winning 10 championships in his 12-year career, Jones is considered one of the all-time greats in Celtics history. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1984.
No. 14: Ray Allen
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Ray Allen is one of the more calm, collective and productive playoff performers to ever hit the courts.
In his most recent playoff series with the New York Knicks, Allen posted 17 three-pointers in just four games played. In Game 3 of the series, Allen would hit eight three-pointers and score 32 points.
A member of the championship team of 2007-2008, Allen played tough defense against opposing front courts, averaged 15.6 points per game and nailed nearly 40 percent of his three-point attempts.
Allen was and still is a force for the Boston Celtics come playoff time.
No. 13: Cedric Maxwell
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A radio announcer for WEEI, Cedric Maxwell ranks as one of the better playoff performers in Boston Celtics history.
Maxwell was a member of six Celtics playoff teams, averaging 18.2 points and 10 rebounds per game in his first postseason run with the team.
The two-time NBA champion had a knack for scoring the basketball and was known for a being a talent on both ends of the floor. In his first championship with the C's, he was named the NBA Finals MVP.
No. 12: Robert Parish
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Robert "the Chief" Parish was what one would call a beast on the inside, making plays on the glass and finishing strong in the paint.
In 14 seasons with the Boston Celtics, Parish averaged at least 8.6 rebounds a game in each of the 13 postseason appearances with the team. A player known for his shot blocking ability and advanced knowledge of the game, Parish was a Celtic great when it came to the playoffs.
No. 11: Kevin Garnett
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Despite playing in just four postseasons with the Boston Celtics, the current Celtics star "KG" is as good as it gets when April makes way.
In four seasons with the team, Garnett has helped lead the C's to four consecutive postseason appearances. In the championship run in 2007-2008, Garnett was arguably the main reason for winning the title, posting over 20 points and 10.6 rebounds a game in the run.
His defense against Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum in the NBA Finals proved key in beating the favored L.A. Lakers.
Kevin Garnett is currently grabbing 11.6 rebounds per game in the 2010-2011 playoffs. As the center-piece of the Celtics defense in the last four seasons, Garnett is arguably one of the better talents to grace the franchise.
No. 10: Jo Jo White
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Jo Jo White was arguably one of the more talented guards to ever play for the Boston Celtics franchise.
In six postseasons with the C's, White scored over 21 points per game. He also dished out 5.7 dimes a contest and shot as well as anyone from the free-throw line.
The seven-time All-Star won two championships with the Celtics and was named the NBA Finals MVP in earning his second NBA championship.
No. 9: Rajon Rondo
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It may surprise some, but Rajon Rondo might be making his way to being the best Celtics point guard in history.
His abilities to read defenses, make the extra pass and finish at the rim are unmatched by many to wear green and white. In his first year as a starting point guard, Rondo was able to lead the Celtics to an NBA championship. With two NBA Finals appearances in his first three seasons, Rondo has a promising future.
In Game 3 of the sweep of the New York Knicks this postseason, Rondo dished out 20 assists in the ball game, edging out Celtics Hall-of-Famer Bob Cousy for the most assists in a playoff game by a Celtics player.
Yes, Rondo is the real deal.
No. 8: John Havlicek
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Enjoying life at the age of 71, John Havlicek is one of the more well-known figures in Celtics basketball history.
A two-time All-American with Ohio State University, Celtics fans had high hopes and were anything but let down. Havlicek averaged 22 points per game, 6.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 172 playoff appearances.
An inductee of the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1984, Havlicek was more importantly a winner, helping raise eight of the 17 banners for the C's.
No. 7: Tommy Heinsohn
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Who doesn't like the character?
Now a member of Comcast SportsNet in New England, Tommy Heinsohn is the voice Celtics viewers get to hear calling each game of the season.
Aside from calling the games Heinsohn was a force on the basketball court. Playing alongside Bill Russell, Heinsohn was a good as it got at playing tough on the boards. He averaged 9.2 a game for his playoff career and posted 19.2 points a contest as well.
Winning eight titles with the Boston Celtics, the guy was a flat out winner.
No. 6: Kevin McHale
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Kevin McHale isn't exactly the best coach in NBA history, but he was one heck of a basketball player when it came "win-or-go-home" time for the Boston Celtics.
The playoff atmosphere was a favorite of McHale's, as he helped the Celtics team go to 13 different postseasons. A six-time NBA All-Defensive team member, his defensive contributions were key in helping the Celtics franchise raise three championship banners.
No. 5: Dave Cowens
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Hall of Famer Dave Cowens was as productive as a player can be when the playoffs rolled around.
Cowens filled up the stat lines. His playoff averages include 18.9 points per game, 14.4 rebounds and shot fairly decent at 45 percent a contest.
Another Celtic known for his defense, Cowens was a presence on both ends of the floor and helped lift the C's to two NBA titles.
No. 4: Bob Cousy
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Bob Cousy ranks as one of the top point guards in Boston Celtics history as well as one of the better playoff performers in team history.
A legendary figure in Beantown, Cousy helped the C's win six NBA championships, proving his worth as a winner in the league.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1971, Cousy played the point guard position as well as any to wear the green and white, orchestrating a talented offensive group. Cousy holds the record for the second-most assists in a Celtics playoff game with 19, second to current Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo.
No. 3: Paul Pierce
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In his 13 seasons with the Boston Celtics, Paul Pierce has had several different supporting casts, but none like the one he has worked with over the last four seasons.
As good as advertised, the tandem of Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Pierce has taken the once struggling franchise to rise back to the top. Pierce is known for his playoff play, averaging 21.5 points per game and 6.5 rebounds.
In his championship season of 2007-2008, Pierce was one of the key players on both sides of the ball for the C's.
This postseason, Pierce is averaging over 25 points per game on 52 percent shooting, while also hitting 56 percent of his three-point attempts. Pierce is an All-Star when it comes to the regular season but puts up the wins and the stat lines in the postseason that make his case as one of the better Celtics in the team's history.
No. 2: Larry Bird
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"Larry Legend" was a fierce competitor, was after loose balls left and right and was known for his effort on both ends.
One of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players, Bird is not only one of the best Celtics of all time, but one of the best players period. His jump shot and accuracy from the free-throw line made him a difficult defensive matchup, while his in your face defense made opposing offenses work.
Bird was a winner of three NBA championships and won NBA MVP three times. In two of the three championships, Bird was named the NBA Finals MVP.
The French Lick native put up monster stat lines in the postseason, putting up 23.8 points per game and 10.3 rebounds per game. He also had a knack for passing the rock, averaging 6.5 dimes a contest.
No. 1: Bill Russell
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He's an 11-time champion, has an NBA Finals MVP trophy named after him and is arguably the most productive center of all time.
Who else would take the No. 1 spot?
Bill Russell shines come postseason time, as 11 of the 17 banners in TD Garden came as a result of step-up postseason play from Russell. For his career, Russell averaged 16.2 points per game and over 24 rebounds a contest.
Talk about a stat line.
Had blocks been a recorded statistic at the time, he may have arguably been up there with some of the best in league history. His knack to swat shots on the defensive end was something to watch.
The five-time NBA MVP got it done in the NBA playoffs and stands as arguably one of the more effective postseason performers in the history of the NBA.
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