The Celtics Mount Rushmore - Players only

[Moranis]

Sirius NBA radio was discussing teams Mount Rushmore's.  I wasn't listening long enough to hear if they discussed the Celtics, but it got me to thinking.  Who is on the Celtics Mount Rushmore, if you look at players only?

Obviously Bird and Russell are no brainers, but after that I think it gets pretty interesting between Cousy, Hondo, S. Jones, Cowens, McHale, Parish, and Pierce. 

So who would you join with Bird and Russell.  I think I'd go with Hondo and Pierce, but I'm not really sold on either. 

For some additional stats, here are the all the Celtics time leaders http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/BOS/leaders_career.html.  I was actually surprised how many categories Parish is near the top of.  Nice solid and long career with the Celtics will do that, but still didn't expect it (so when I originally had my list of players he wasn't on it and I added him later). 

[BudweiserCeltic]

What are the rules? Top how many? Position matters? As in, can't have two Centers?

I'm guessing top 4.

So in that, I'd go Pierce and Hondo myself.

[Csfan1984]

Russell, Hondo, Bird, Pierce

[BudweiserCeltic]

The one I'm really on the fence with McHale considering how highly I'd rank him vs. other PFs.

[Robb]

I agree with Hondo and Pierce.  Hondo had almost all of the career Cs records and Pierce broke them. Happy with that.

[Rondo2287]

Russel, McHale, Bird, KG

[Who]

Russell, Cowens, Bird, KG

[DavorCroatiaFan]

Cousy, Russell, Havlicek, Bird

[Jon]

Given what they did over their entire careers, I'd go Russell, Bird, Havlicek, and Pierce.  But there's a real case to be made for Cousy and Cowens over Havlicek and Pierce since they are the only two other Celtics (besides Russ and Larry) to win an MVP.

As great as Pierce was/is he was never even All NBA First Team (and only Second Team once in 2009), so a case could definitely be made for someone like Cousy or Cowens who were at least the best player in the NBA in a given season.

[Donoghus]

Russell, Hondo, Bird, Pierce

[Celtics4ever]

One from each era.   Russell, Hondo, Bird and Pierce

[Moranis]

KG is just strange to me.  Hardly in any statistical categories for his relatively short time in Boston. 

[Donoghus]

KG is just strange to me.  Hardly in any statistical categories for his relatively short time in Boston.

He doesn't belong on the Mt. Rushmore of Celtics but he's one of the top 5 most influential Celtics players of all time and certainly the most of this century.

[Rondo2287]

KG is just strange to me.  Hardly in any statistical categories for his relatively short time in Boston.

KG was the best player on the championship team and responsible for the 6-7 year culture shift we witnessed between 2007 and 2013

[bdm860]

Sirius NBA radio was discussing teams Mount Rushmore's.  I wasn't listening long enough to hear if they discussed the Celtics, but it got me to thinking.  Who is on the Celtics Mount Rushmore, if you look at players only?

You weren't listening long enough to hear them discuss the Celtics?  I feel like there's only 2 teams you can even have this discussion with Lakers and Celtics.  It's like even if you listened for only 30 seconds they'd have to hit on the Celtics.  Just curious who they did talk about and what they said?

I feel it's got to be a generational thing, one from each generation:

Cousy, Russell, Hondo, Bird.

Maybe swap Hondo for Cowens?

Unfortately then there was that drop off after that, Pierce and Garnett was just too little, too late to get on there.

Lakers are also interesting, do you only do four faces?  Do you include Minneapolis?

First thoughts I'm thinking Mikan, West, Magic, Kobe.  If you're only talking LA, then I'd replace Mikan with Kareem.  No Baylor, Wilt, or Shaq.

I can't think of any other team that should have a Mt. Rushmore.