Best Offensive Duo In Celtics History

[Roy H.]

Is it Jayson and Jaylen?  Or Bird and McHale (28.1 ppg / 26.1 ppg in '87)?  Or somebody else?

[Donoghus]

Is it Jayson and Jaylen?  Or Bird and McHale (28.1 ppg / 26.1 ppg in '87)?  Or somebody else?

I don't think you can go wrong with either.   It's a bit hard-pressed to leap the Jays over Bird/McHale in the sense that Bird/McHale both made first time All-NBA in '86-87 but from a pure scoring standpoint and accounting for today's style of play, its darn near a dead heat, IMO.

[slamtheking]

In C's history?  I'd take Bird/Mchale without hesitation.  also, I'd take Hondo with Russell and Hondo with Cowens.  Also Russell with Tommy and Russell with Sam Jones and probably Russell with Cousy.  I'd take KG and Pierce too. 

not knocking Tatum and Jaylen at all but there's so many great teammates in C's history that each brought so much to their teams and the game that exceed what Tatum and Jaylen have done (so far).  The J's are terrific scorers and defenders.  Tatum is also a very good rebounder.   The other C's in those historical pairings brought scoring and more.

[Roy H.]

In C's history?  I'd take Bird/Mchale without hesitation.  also, I'd take Hondo with Russell and Hondo with Cowens.  Also Russell with Tommy and Russell with Sam Jones and probably Russell with Cousy.  I'd take KG and Pierce too. 

not knocking Tatum and Jaylen at all but there's so many great teammates in C's history that each brought so much to their teams and the game that exceed what Tatum and Jaylen have done (so far).  The J's are terrific scorers and defenders.  Tatum is also a very good rebounder.   The other C's in those historical pairings brought scoring and more.

How is Russell in the conversation regarding offensive duos?

[wdleehi]

Pierce and KG?   (or Allen)


Of all the pairs we are talking about, is the offensive help around the Jays the weakest?   

[slamtheking]

In C's history?  I'd take Bird/Mchale without hesitation.  also, I'd take Hondo with Russell and Hondo with Cowens.  Also Russell with Tommy and Russell with Sam Jones and probably Russell with Cousy.  I'd take KG and Pierce too. 

not knocking Tatum and Jaylen at all but there's so many great teammates in C's history that each brought so much to their teams and the game that exceed what Tatum and Jaylen have done (so far).  The J's are terrific scorers and defenders.  Tatum is also a very good rebounder.   The other C's in those historical pairings brought scoring and more.

How is Russell in the conversation regarding offensive duos?

you're right, my bad.  was just thinking "duos".   in fairness to Russell, if he didn't have teammates that could score like Jones and Tommy, he would have been in a position to have to score more and would have. 

[Sophomore]

Hopefully the Js keep getting better and we will see something even better from them the next three years.

[jambr380]

I mean, I'm pretty partial to Pierce and Antoine, but that might just be my nostalgia kicking in. Obviously Bird and McHale were incredible - I'd be hard pressed to push Tatum/Brown past them at this point.

[Moranis]

Bird, Tiny, and Cowens were all on the same team.  Now granted that was post-achilles Tiny and end of his career Cowens, but still a nice trio.  Cowens retired and then McHale and Parish joined Tiny and Bird. 

92 both Bird and Lewis were 20 ppg scorers and they still had Parish and McHale at 28 ppg combined (along with others over 10 ppg). 

Jones and Hondo did it for so long and they had a lot of very good supporting case.  I mean in 67 you had Jones at 22.1, Hondo at 21.4, and then Howell at 20.0, plus Siegfried, Russell, and Sanders all over 10 (which they about matched in 68 even after Nelson bumped up to 10 ppg).

But obviously the correct answer is Pierce and Walker.   

[Roy H.]

I've got to go with Bird / McHale.  That '87 year in particular was incredible.

McHale led the NBA in FG%, and Larry averaged 7.6 assists.  They averaged 4.9 offensive rebounds between them.

[W8ting2McHale]

I've got to go with Bird / McHale.  That '87 year in particular was incredible.

McHale led the NBA in FG%, and Larry averaged 7.6 assists.  They averaged 4.9 offensive rebounds between them.

As Larry liked to say “Who’s coming in second?”

The J’s are in the running for 2nd. They are moving up, but there’s still a big gap between Bird and McHale, and everyone else. I think the J’s have passed Hondo/Cowens and Walker/Pierce. Closing in on Pierce/Garnet, and if they take this team deep into the playoffs again, I will say they’re past them too.

They need some rings to get past Bird and McHale though, and Brown needs to be more consistent, like Tatum is getting to be. I also agree with another poster that asked if they have the weakest supporting cast. If you look at the top 5 duos, I think they do.

[sgrogan]

I've got to go with Bird / McHale.  That '87 year in particular was incredible.

McHale led the NBA in FG%, and Larry averaged 7.6 assists.  They averaged 4.9 offensive rebounds between them.

I have to agree.
Bird led the league in FT% and made 3's (7th in % at 40%)
Both were over 60 in TS.

Larry and Kevin were 30/29 yrs/old. Absolute prime years.
Could Tatum and Brown surpass this in 3-5 yrs?

[ozgod]

I've got to go with Bird / McHale.  That '87 year in particular was incredible.

McHale led the NBA in FG%, and Larry averaged 7.6 assists.  They averaged 4.9 offensive rebounds between them.

I have to agree.
Bird led the league in FT% and made 3's (7th in % at 40%)
Both were over 60 in TS.

Larry and Kevin were 30/29 yrs/old. Absolute prime years.
Could Tatum and Brown surpass this in 3-5 yrs?

On their current trajectory, I have no doubt that Tatum and Brown will surpass Larry and Kevin from a numerical standpoint. But Larry and Kevin gave us three championships...that's the bar that Tatum and Brown need to get over. At least one should put them on par with Pierce/Garnett (and Allen).

Obviously Larry and Kevin had Chief...I'm hoping Timelord can become Tatum and Brown's Chief. He's already had a breakthrough season this season...I'm hoping he carries on and adds to his skillset next season.

[sgrogan]

I've got to go with Bird / McHale.  That '87 year in particular was incredible.

McHale led the NBA in FG%, and Larry averaged 7.6 assists.  They averaged 4.9 offensive rebounds between them.

As Larry liked to say “Who’s coming in second?”

The J’s are in the running for 2nd. They are moving up, but there’s still a big gap between Bird and McHale, and everyone else. I think the J’s have passed Hondo/Cowens and Walker/Pierce. Closing in on Pierce/Garnet, and if they take this team deep into the playoffs again, I will say they’re past them too.

They need some rings to get past Bird and McHale though, and Brown needs to be more consistent, like Tatum is getting to be. I also agree with another poster that asked if they have the weakest supporting cast. If you look at the top 5 duos, I think they do.

My eyes tell me the same, but the current C's starting 5 are putting up historic numbers. The net ratings are ridiculous. Bird was the consummate, make the players around you better player. Other than Al this team is still young. If RWIII becomes anything like Chief, watch out!

[johnnygreen]

Can we better define "offensive duo". I'm assuming in this case, the question is best "scoring duo" in Celtics history. I don't mean to nitpick, but when I rank players offensively, I take into account scoring, passing, playmaking, and rebounding.