Boston Celtics: 6 Greatest Guards of the Larry Bird Era

The Boston Celtics were not a team known for their guard play during the years of Larry Bird and his three championship seasons with the team, yet there are a fair share of guards who were big-time producers.

Bird said Dennis Johnson, a player who never really got as much credit as Robert Parish and Kevin McHale for the three rings, was the "best player [he] ever played with."

Those are some big words coming from one of the NBA's all-time greats.

Here are the six best guards of the Larry Bird era for the Boston Celtics.

6. Chris Ford

Many forget Chris Ford had three solid seasons with the Celtics before finishing his NBA career.

Ford was a member of the Celtics from 1979-1982, and he was also a part of the 1981 championship team with Bird, McHale and Parish.

In the 1980-1981 season, Ford played a whopping 33.2 minutes per game, averaging 8.9 points and 3.6 assists per game for the team. His veteran play played a big role in the team's success during that championship season in 1981.

5. Gerald Henderson

Gerald Henderson was a big-time factor in the Celtics winning the 1984 NBA championship over the Los Angeles Lakers.

His contributions were essential that season as well, as he averaged 11.6 points, 3.8 assists and 1.5 steals all in just 26.8 minutes per game. Henderson was a player known for his defensive presence in the backcourt, as he and D.J. set the tone in the backcourt with strong defense.

His steal in Game 2 of the 1984 NBA Finals helped the Celtics to tie the game late and eventually win, tying the series at 1-1. Had he not got the steal, the Celtics could have been looking at an 0-2 hole and possibly just two NBA titles in the 1980s.

4. Reggie Lewis

Reggie Lewis had quite the productive career with the team, although it was a short-lived one after a tragic collapse at one of the team's practices that devastated Celtics fans as well as fans of the game.

Lewis was a big-time playmaker with the team, as he was a constantly putting up numbers and helping the Celtics team continue their winning ways after the final 1986 championship season. Lewis consistently averaged at least 18 points per game each season after his rookie year with the team, while also proving to be a solid rebounder.

It's tough to argue Lewis as a top three guard of the Larry Bird era, as Bird was near the end of his career for most of Lewis' run with the team, yet the production and impact he had on the team's play easily puts him at the No. 4 spot.

3. Danny Ainge

Danny Ainge was a top-notch complementary player for the Celtics team, as he opened up the offense with his knockdown shooting and effective scoring ability.

Once Ainge got a starting role with the team, he was able to prove his worth. In the 1986 championship season, Ainge averaged 10.7 points, 5.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game, while also shooting an impressive 90.4 percent from the free-throw line.

Ainge was a member of both the 1984 and 1986 title-winning teams and was one of the top guards for the Celtics during the 1980s.

2. Nate "Tiny" Archibald

As Nate "Tiny" Archibald is arguably one of the better Celtics guard in team history, he is easily a top two guard of the Larry Bird era.

Archibald played with the team from 1978-1983 and had some memorable moments as a Boston Celtic. He was a significant reason the Celtics won an NBA championship in 1981, as Archibald played a whopping 35.3 minutes per game, averaging 13.8 points and 7.7 assists while shooting just under 50 percent.

He was a pass-first guard who could also pick up some strong buckets for the team when needed. Archibald was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991.

1. Dennis Johnson

If Larry Bird is claiming Dennis Johnson as the best player he ever played with, it is only right to put Johnson at the No. 1 spot on this list.

When it comes to playing winning basketball and being the centerpiece of a basketball team, DJ was the guy the Celtics could count on. His play in the backcourt on both ends of the floor kept the Celtics running and playing with energy.

Johnson played from 1983-1990 with the Celtics, and he was a member of the 1984 and 1986 championship teams with Bird. His defensive play was his biggest asset to the team, as players like Bird, Parish and McHale took care of the majority of the scoring load.

Yet what made Johnson so effective was that he, in fact, could score the basketball. When the team needed it most, much like Archibald, Johnson could come through offensively.

DJ was arguably one of the better point guards in Boston Celtics history and is easily the best guard of the Larry Bird era.

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