Celtics great centers

[walker834]

At their height of their careers in the NBA

Bill Russell 6'10" 220
Robert Parish 7 feet 229
Dave Cowens 6'9" 229
Kevin Garnett  listed at 6'11" 254.  I think he's put on weight in his old age though. During his days with us my guess is he was around 240.  He was around 220 when he came into the league
Kendrick Perkins 6'10" 270
Bill Walton 6'11" 209
Ed mccauley 6"8" 185

Looking for hand size but I know both KG and Russell had bigger hands than normal for their size. Russell was a lot smaller than Chamberlain but actually had bigger hands for example. 

A lot of these guys were known to be unselfish and passers who got their teammates involved.  They  weren't the #1 option on offense sort of guys.  Their role was to get other players involved.

Outside of Perkins The Celtics have never had a huge center with any success and he was not someone who dominated the ball.  He was the 5th option on offense and was there for his defense and physical play.  PLayers like Shaq, Chamberlain etc were more inclined to play out west. The celtics for whatever reason when they got Garnett decided to go with a more physical style inside.

Russell and Garnett had a lot of range defensively and could move around and block shots and play along the perimeter.  Parish was not the quickest of foot.  He more ran like Perkins but Cowens was more a scrappy undersized center that played with great energy and ran the floor with no abandon. Parish was more  a defensive stopper in the middle who was willing to be the 3rd wheel on offense behind Bird and Mchale.

What type of center do you think the celtics will go with this time? The celtics seem to favor centers that can move around, are undersized and play unselfishly vs having a black hole in the middle.

[walker834]

I know this will get the Nerlens Noel rumors going but that's not it either imo.  I don't think he is it.  Maybe I'm wrong but I also think the celtics are trend setters at center and would much rather a better athlete and go to player on offense.  But I think they'd still like a playmaker and an offense go to guy there.  My guess is Ben Simmons right now but who knows.  Still love Boogie Cousins but not sure he is in the cards.

Listening to Heinsohn though vs Detroit you know the celtics have made a living beating the drummonds of the world.  It's in their blood.

It would be weird to have it the other way around.  I don't see it. Drummond can't hit free throws. He has too many weaknesses and his game can be taken away and used against him. The Celtics feed off this stuff.

They were built on Bill Russell and beating up on the unstoppable Wilt Chamberlain. David vs Goliath.  They make a living beating up on overhyped players. Pierce vs Lebron is the same thing.

While people were hyping up Wiggins and Embiid, Ainge scoffed. So did I.  The same goes for Oden Ainge wanted Durant and so did I.  Mike Krysinski Ainge wanted Stevens.  I don't hear anyone scoffing at Simmons though.  I hear a lot of quiet.

[celticmcj]

Well I appreciate your discussion on Celtics centers I would not say that Paris was under sized to me he was big as Abdul Jabbar and bigger than most other centers he really wasnt a third wheel to bird and mchale we had a few other options besides parish but he was underrated I think he was one of the better centers out there maybe only second to Jabbar in the early eighties

[walker834]

I just found this and thought it was interesting

Best passing big men centers of all time

http://sportslistoftheday.com/2015/02/23/the-best-passing-big-men-centers-in-nba-history-most-career-assists-per-game/

The celtics have 4 in the top 10

Russell #2
Cowens #5
Walton #9
Maccauley #10

I guess Garnett isn't considered a center. Noah is on that list though.

[walker834]

Well I appreciate your discussion on Celtics centers I would not say that Paris was under sized to me he was big as Abdul Jabbar and bigger than most other centers he really wasnt a third wheel to bird and mchale we had a few other options besides parish but he was underrated I think he was one of the better centers out there maybe only second to Jabbar in the early eighties

Oh I agree.  He was definately that good. The Celtics always had what was considered 2nd best to what the lakers had though.  Russell was always considered not as good as Chamberlain.  Cowens. Parish etc..  I don't agree really.  They were just more team oriented and it was done purposely.  Different kinds of players. Garnett was always considered not quite as good as Duncan or Shaq as well.  We were in ways able to find those guys that were supposedly a step below and had better players around, but it more just was that way because our players were different types of players.   

Pierce was always underrated to me as well.  He wasn't teh stat stuffer or highlight machine and physical specimen like Lebron or Kobe. Different type of players.

[walker834]

It's like Tom Brady to Peyton Manning.  It's the same sort of thing.  Brady was even more ridiculous and was completely overlooked coming out of college because he wasn't the prototypical athlete.

The celtics have never had the #1 pick. The usually get the next best thing.  Russell, Bird, Garnett, Mchale, Parish, Cowens all highly rated players though.  But not the top of the top. There were players in each of these drafts teams actually thought were better.

It would be weird if we get the #1 pick and Simmons.  That's never happened.  David Stern isn't around conspiring against us anymore. I'm joking but makes you wonder with some of the bitterness of some of these rivalries.

The celtics have always had to compete with west coast and ny and southern teams for these big name players. They don't usually get the top of the top rated wise at least. It's made us better in ways but yeah.

[celticmcj]

Yes I agree the whole teams been underated..pierce to kobe (bleh!) parrish to jabbar kg to duncan rondo to any number of guards, even bird to magic (bird is actually no 1 all time). Celtics may not be the number one spot in free agency but maybe should be. Kg understood this and loved being a celt more than any other team. I wouldnt rule out a top flight FA coming here even a lebron james, but realize theyd have to live up to Bird ,Mchale etc may be bit off more than could be chewed

[slamtheking]

It's like Tom Brady to Peyton Manning.  It's the same sort of thing.  Brady was even more ridiculous and was completely overlooked coming out of college because he wasn't the prototypical athlete.

The celtics have never had the #1 pick. The usually get the next best thing.  Russell, Bird, Garnett, Mchale, Parish, Cowens all highly rated players though.  But not the top of the top. There were players in each of these drafts teams actually thought were better.

It would be weird if we get the #1 pick and Simmons.  That's never happened.  David Stern isn't around conspiring against us anymore. I'm joking but makes you wonder with some of the bitterness of some of these rivalries.

The celtics have always had to compete with west coast and ny and southern teams for these big name players. They don't usually get the top of the top rated wise at least. It's made us better in ways but yeah.

not really getting the Brady - Manning anology.

C's did have a #1 pick.  They traded it in the deal that brought Parrish and Mchale.

As for your list of great C's centers, I'd remove Perk and Walton from that list.  Love Perk but he was really limited on offense.  Walton was just a shell of himself by the time he played for the C's.  Also, he had just that one good, healthy year they won.  the following year the injuries were back.

[Redz]

I just found this and thought it was interesting

Best passing big men centers of all time

http://sportslistoftheday.com/2015/02/23/the-best-passing-big-men-centers-in-nba-history-most-career-assists-per-game/

The celtics have 4 in the top 10

Russell #2
Cowens #5
Walton #9
Maccauley #10

I guess Garnett isn't considered a center. Noah is on that list though.

Gotta have Arvydas Sabonis on there!  Dude was smooth.  (nice to see Yinka Dare  )