Boston Celtics Most Unappreciated NBA Players in Franchise History

When one remembers the history of the Boston Celtics and their legacy, it's a common tendency to associate championships with the play of Larry Bird and Bill Russell.

How about Tommy Heinsohn? Perhaps Dave Cowens should be given some credit?

For all of those players that are remembered as the greatest Boston Celtics of all time, there are also those who many times are forgotten. Yet these players may, in their own right, be just as talented as some of the players fans tend to take notice of.

These are the six most under-appreciated Boston Celtics in franchise history.

No. 6: Kenny Anderson

When fans think of the playoff contending Boston Celtics of the early millennium, it is fair to say the two shining talents carrying the team were All-Stars Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker.

Yet many forget Anderson was the third player that held it down for the team at the point guard position.

In the team's 2001-2002 playoff run, his 12.0 points and 4.8 assists per game were decent numbers at best. It was simply his hard work on the defensive end and veteran smarts on offense that would ultimately help complete this Celtics team.

No. 5: Rajon Rondo

Rajon Rondo just makes the cut on the list of under-appreciated players in Boston Celtics history, as many fail to give Rondo the credit he deserves for helping the team to be a championship contender.

Without the Big Three in Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, the Celtics don't win an NBA championship. Yet without Rondo, it is fair to say they won't win one either.

In the 2008 championship run, Rondo stepped up to play strong defense throughout the playoffs. Rondo recorded 45 steals in 26 games in just 32 minutes per game during the run.

As the Big Three are getting a little older, Rondo has had the duty of stepping up his production on offense and has done just that. With Pierce, Allen and Garnett in town, Rondo certainly gets looked past a lot of the time.

No. 4: Reggie Lewis

Reggie Lewis was taken 22nd overall in the 1987 NBA Draft, as there was much promise for the Maryland native.

Sure enough, Lewis was putting up numbers in a hurry, averaging 17.6 points per game for his career and over 20 points per game in each of his last two seasons with the team.

Unfortunately, Lewis would die at age 27 after a sudden collapse, but his short-lived career was filled with great promise. The guy was truly one of the more talented players the league had seen in the late 1980's and early 1990's.

No. 3: Tommy Heinsohn

Tommy Heinsohn's contributions go unnoticed by most.

From 1957-1965, Heinsohn helped the team win a remarkable eight championships in nine seasons. In the 1956-1957 season, Heinsohn was awarded the NBA Rookie of the Year award.

The four-time All-NBA team inductee is now the voice of the Boston Celtics on Comcast SportsNet in New England, calling the games during the season. He was also quite the successful coach with the team as well.

There was Bill Russell, and surely there was Bob Cousy, but Tommy Heinsohn was arguably just as significant a player that the 1950's and 1960's teams had.

No. 2: Dave Cowens

It's as if those 1970's championships are all but forgotten, even though those two titles in 1974 and 1976 came from one of the better Celtics team in team history.

Dave Cowens was the leader of this 70's ball club, averaging a jaw-dropping 18.8 points and 14.4 rebounds per game for his playoff career. He was the 1971 NBA Rookie of the Year and the 1973 NBA MVP.

Cowens brought two hard-fought championships and consistent, top-notch production to the table in his 13-year career.

No. 1: Dennis Johnson

Without a doubt, Dennis Johnson has to be the most underrated, most under-appreciated Boston Celtics player in team history.

During crunch time, it seemed as if Johnson was always ready to make a play when Bird, Robert Parish and Kevin McHale were struggling to get things going.

During the 1986 title run, Johnson averaged 15.6 points and 5.8 assists and 1.4 steals per game. He was a defensive presence as the point guard position, and was ultimately the engine that kept that team going upon his arrival in 1983.

Bird said it himself, that DJ was the best player he had ever played with. With McHale and Parish suiting up alongside him, it is quite the honor to say the least.