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- The Boston Celtics were one of the original 8 teams to compete in the NBA back when the league was established in 1946. The team currently holds the record for most recorded wins in NBA history. Additionally, they are tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for most NBA Championship wins, with both teams at 17 wins each.
The Boston Celtics are arguably the greatest team in NBA history. Their championships speak for themselves, as no other team has won more NBA titles than the Celtics besides the Los Angeles Lakers, who have as many championships as the Celtics. The Green Machine had absolute dominance in the 1960s and while they were not as successful in other decades, they were always a title contender.
This squad’s success is based on an outstanding roster over the years, featuring several legendary players who gave their best in every game. With that said, let's take a look at the 10 best players in Boston Celtics history.
UPDATE: 2023/09/13 18:00 EST BY LIZZY FLANAGAN
The Boston Celtics were one of the original 8 teams to compete in the NBA back when the league was established in 1946. The team currently holds the record for most recorded wins in NBA history. Additionally, they are tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for most NBA Championship wins, with both teams at 17 wins each.
Obviously, a team doesn't make accomplishments such as these without the help of several All-Star players. The Celtics have had some of the very best athletes in NBA history among their ranks. Though it's been a while since their last NBA Championship win in 2008, the Celtics are still strong contenders in the Eastern Conference. Here are just some of the players that have helped make this franchise so iconic.
13 Tom Heinsohn
Tom Heinsohn was any basketball coach's dream: an agile big man. Though he was often overshadowed by some incredible teammates, such as Sam Jones and Bob Cousy, Heinsohn was an incredible asset to the Celtics during his career. He helped the Celtics win eight NBA titles and is a six-time NBA All-Star. In addition to being a great player, Heinsohn is now one of the NBA's most well-known commentators.
12 Rajon Rondo
Rondo's first year with the Celtics was 2008, the same season they won their most recent NBA title. Though Rondo was unable to get another ring with the Green Machine, he proved himself to be an incredibly valuable and unique asset. In addition to phenomenal athleticism, Rondo also possesses a great mind. His cerebral way of playing suggests a promising coaching career may be ahead of Rondo, should he choose to pursue it.
11 Jo Jo White
During his time with the Celtics, White helped the team win two NBA titles, earning the NBA Finals MVP award for himself in 1976. He was a skilled guard in both passing and defending. Perhaps White's biggest asset, though, was his durability, as he consistently played in over 75 games a season. The Boston Celtics retired the No. 10 jersey in White's honor.
10 Kevin Garnett
Kevin Garnett played six seasons with the Boston Celtics, averaging 15.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocks per game. KG also had a 21.3 Value Over Replacement Player Rating (fifth highest in franchise history) and 21.1 Player Efficiency Rating (sixth best). Garnett came to Boston in the 2007-08 season, making an immediate impact. He helped the team win the championship, snapping a 22-year drought. Since then, the Celtics have been unable to win another crown.
9 Sam Jones
Sam Jones won 10 championship rings with the Boston Celtics. He had more rings than every other team except the Los Angeles Lakers, which is insane. Certainly, Jones had exceptional teammates, but his stats reflect that he contributed a lot to the team in that incredible era. Jones scored 17.7 points per game, ranking seventh on the Celtics' all-time points scored list with 15,411. Jones had a true shooting percentage of .503 and had 92.3 Win Shares.
8 Bob Cousy
Bob Cousy played for the Boston Celtics from the 1950-51 season through the 62-63 season. He won six rings and built a phenomenal legacy. He averaged 18.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game. He is the player with the most assists (6,945) in franchise history and is also sixth in points (16,955). Back then it was unusual for players to post triple-double performances, but Cousy recorded 33 career triple-doubles, leading the league in four consecutive campaigns.
7 Dave Cowens
Dave Cowens is in the top 10 in Celtics history in total points (ninth), assists (10th), rebounds (third), steals (10th) and blocks (sixth), which is incredible. Cowens averaged 18.2 points, 14.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocks per game. Dave the Rave was part of the 70s generation, which had to deal with criticism from a fan base that was used to winning. Still, he helped the Celtics win two championships.
6 Kevin McHale
Kevin McHale played his entire 13-year NBA Career in a Boston Celtics uniform. He left his mark not only on the team, but on the sport as well. He was not an admired player outside of Boston, in fact, many fans hated him and perhaps still hate him today. This is not surprising, as great players usually have many haters, and McHale was an all-time great.
"Black Hole" has the fourth highest VORP in the history of The Green Machine, with 34.3, and is sixth in Win Shares with 113.0. His importance in the team is not only reflected with statistics, but also with facts, as he won three rings.
5 Robert Parish
Robert Parish debuted with the Golden State Warriors and also played with the Charlotte Hornets and Chicago Bulls, but everyone remembers him in a Celtics uniform, and for good reason. In 14 years, he helped the team win three championships, averaging 16.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.5 blocks per game. Parish recorded a total of 18,245 points (fourth most in franchise history), 11,051 rebounds (second), 1,703 blocks (first), 873 steals (fourth) and a 35.7 VORP (third).
4 Paul Pierce
The Boston Celtics selected Paul Pierce with the 10th overall pick of the 1998 NBA Draft, and this small forward from Kansas ended up being arguably the best 10th pick of all time. "The Truth" played 15 seasons with the Bostonians, being the franchise player and leading the team to the championship in the 2007-08 season.
Pierce had a 62.6 Value Over Replacement Player, ranking second in franchise history. He is also second in points (4,021), fifth in assists (4,305), seventh in rebounds (6,651), first in steals (1,583) and fourth in blocks (668).
3 John Havlicek
This list wouldn’t be complete without John Havlicek. This guy was a fantastic player, a key member of the team for 16 years. He always played with intensity and put body and soul into every game. Hondo scored 20.8 points per game, and he is the all-time Celtics’ leader in total points, with 26,395. But that’s not all, he is second in assists (6,114), fifth in rebounds (8,007) and fourth in Win Shares (131.7).
2 Larry Bird
Larry Bird is not only one of the best players in Celtics history but also one of the best overall. "The Hick from French Lick" played 13 seasons in the NBA, all with Boston, averaging 24.3 points, 10 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game. He was a three-time NBA champion, two-time Finals MVP, three-time MVP and 12-time All-Star. In theory, Bird is the most valuable player in Celtics history, with a 77.2 VORP, although that advanced statistic could not be calculated for the following player.
1 Bill Russell
The best player in Boston Celtics history must be Bill Russell. We are talking about one of the most dominant players in NBA history, his speed and power made him an unstoppable force. As evidence of his dominance, he led his team to 11 championships, making him the player with the most rings in history, a record that will probably never be broken. Russell averaged 15.1 points, 22.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game, finishing his career with 163.5 Win Shares.