Bill Russell--wow

[feckless]

http://www.nba.com/encyclopedia/players/bill_russell.html

[OsirusCeltics]

No one gives him credit because he played like 40 years ago in black and white video

IMO, the greatest player of all time

[mgent]

“We won,” Russell said, “because of comradeship, friendship and teamwork.”

And people are still arguing over why we lost?!?!??!

[Eeyore III]

I saw Russell play.  His ability to think the game was unreal--although Larry was (and Walton was) comparable--but his agility, jumping ability, and lateral movement made him wildly unique.  He totally broke the mold.

Red always said that the most remarkable thing about Russ was his intelligence.  On the court, of course, he was a genius.  But also off the court: it was the civil-rights era.  Russ was a paragon of honesty, righteous anger, and class.

Russ was and is a hero.  I would love to be able to see, in a miracle, how an in-his-prime Russell would have played against Queenie and the cHeat.

[tenn_smoothie]

“We won,” Russell said, “because of comradeship, friendship and teamwork.”

And people are still arguing over why we lost?!?!??!

you nailed it. thank you.

Danny was thinking like a Laker and not like a Celtic.

[Celtics17]

I never saw Russell play but have read a lot about him. I am always amazed when I read someone say that he would be only a marginal player in today's game. That is incredible to me that people, fans even, are that near sighted. So he played 45 years ago? Bird played almost 20 years ago, does that make him less of a player?

I like the person's comment above about how Russ was such a cerebral player. When you combine that ability with his athleticism and killer instinct and you have a very, very special athlete. Bird had two of those three in abundance but was never gifted with Russell's athleticism. It's too bad that defense is so underrated. I guess it's because there are not always stats for it.

[17wasEZ]

“We won,” Russell said, “because of comradeship, friendship and teamwork.”

And people are still arguing over why we lost?!?!??!

Who's arguing?  Everyone knows the Celtics lost because Rondo was playing with one arm.......

[Kiwicelt]

I never saw Russell play but have read a lot about him. I am always amazed when I read someone say that he would be only a marginal player in today's game. That is incredible to me that people, fans even, are that near sighted. So he played 45 years ago? Bird played almost 20 years ago, does that make him less of a player?

I like the person's comment above about how Russ was such a cerebral player. When you combine that ability with his athleticism and killer instinct and you have a very, very special athlete. Bird had two of those three in abundance but was never gifted with Russell's athleticism. It's too bad that defense is so underrated. I guess it's because there are not always stats for it.

The game has changed in those 45 years but my way of viewing things is just how much more awesome Russell physically would have been if he'd had the benefit of modern training and diet that todays sports people benefit from.

I think the deciding factor though has to be his intelligence. He'd run rings mentally around any other dominant player of any era. He's the greatest in my opinion.

[BballTim]

“We won,” Russell said, “because of comradeship, friendship and teamwork.”

And people are still arguing over why we lost?!?!??!

  Clearly we lost because of injuries. I thought the argument was over.

[PosImpos]

“We won,” Russell said, “because of comradeship, friendship and teamwork.”

And people are still arguing over why we lost?!?!??!

Yes, because "comradeship, friendship, and teamwork" are nice, abstract concepts.  You don't win a championship just by having a team o guys that really like each other and work together.  You have to get a championship roster and then get them to like each other and work together.

They lost this year because of the guys they were able to put on the court (or lackthereof), not how well those guys worked together.

[CelticsFanNC]

  Bill Russell was probably the only guy in NBA history who could dominate a game from start to finish on the defensive end of the floor.  Modern basketball annalists just do not know how to judge that because defense has been relegated to being the ugly step child of offense even though the reality is it is a full half of the game of basketball and might even be the more important half of the game when it comes to winning and losing.

  The reason I maintain that defense is more important to winning then offense is because great defense is all about effort so you can count on it as long as the effort is there. Great offense depends on players making shots and some nights the shots just aren't falling even when the effort is there.

[paulcowens]

“We won,” Russell said, “because of comradeship, friendship and teamwork.”

And people are still arguing over why we lost?!?!??!

  Clearly we lost because of injuries. I thought the argument was over.

As you know, we were at our healthiest by the time the playoffs rolled around.

[paulcowens]

“We won,” Russell said, “because of comradeship, friendship and teamwork.”

And people are still arguing over why we lost?!?!??!

Yes, because "comradeship, friendship, and teamwork" are nice, abstract concepts.  You don't win a championship just by having a team o guys that really like each other and work together.  You have to get a championship roster and then get them to like each other and work together.

They lost this year because of the guys they were able to put on the court (or lackthereof), not how well those guys worked together.

This is a truly STUNNING comment, I have to say, considering that those very 'abstracts' you mention have been the bread and butter of the most successful franchise in basketball spanning five decades. 

And we had four of the best players in the league this season, as you know.

[paulcowens]

“We won,” Russell said, “because of comradeship, friendship and teamwork.”

And people are still arguing over why we lost?!?!??!

Who's arguing?  Everyone knows the Celtics lost because Rondo was playing with one arm.......

Obviously Dwayne Wade regarded Rondo as a real threat to the Heat's championship chances.  So now everyone's plan for the future of the Celtics seems to involve trading the scrub.  And why not?  Screwy trades that everyone defends to the hilt seems to be de rigeur these days.

Re. Russell:  he basically established the Celtics Way.   He may not be fond of the Celtics, or of Boston, but he remains the heart of Celtics Basketball.  Dave Cowens, Larry Bird, Kevin Garnett have all been worthy successors to Russell, guys who saw/see the game as an expression of something in a person's soul, not just about scoring, not just about stats, not just about winning even.  Most of all, it's about team.  Anyone who has ever played the game, even on the local blacktop, and has had the experience on the court where the team transcends, but also uplifts, the individuals, knows what this is.   The greatest player is one who has not only skills, and abilities, and determination, but also a vision, and inspires.

Hopefully Rondo will be the next standard bearer for the Celtics Way, which could be called Russell's Way.

[17wasEZ]

“We won,” Russell said, “because of comradeship, friendship and teamwork.”

And people are still arguing over why we lost?!?!??!

Who's arguing?  Everyone knows the Celtics lost because Rondo was playing with one arm.......

Obviously Dwayne Wade regarded Rondo as a real threat to the Heat's championship chances.  So now everyone's plan for the future of the Celtics seems to involve trading the scrub.  And why not?  Screwy trades that everyone defends to the hilt seems to be de rigeur these days.

Re. Russell:  he basically established the Celtics Way.   He may not be fond of the Celtics, or of Boston, but he remains the heart of Celtics Basketball.  Dave Cowens, Larry Bird, Kevin Garnett have all been worthy successors to Russell, guys who saw/see the game as an expression of something in a person's soul, not just about scoring, not just about stats, not just about winning even.  Most of all, it's about team.  Anyone who has ever played the game, even on the local blacktop, and has had the experience on the court where the team transcends, but also uplifts, the individuals, knows what this is.   The greatest player is one who has not only skills, and abilities, and determination, but also a vision, and inspires.

Hopefully Rondo will be the next standard bearer for the Celtics Way, which could be called Russell's Way.

So you agree that Rondo's injury cost the Celtics the title?  Or was it Bill Russell's retirement?