Would Tatum Make The All-Time Celtics Starting Five?

[scaryjerry]

No. Absolutely not, I?m not even taking him over Pierce.

[Celtics4ever]

Not yet, I agree with the others.  He might make the bench though.   His numbers are close to Larry's in terms of rebounding and assists.  It is his shooting percentage that hurts in this comparison.   

I would want:

Hondo
Sam Jones
Bird
McHale
Russell

Bird would play point forward.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

There are different ways of looking at this -- the best five overall? the best one at each of the five positions? etc. -- but I'll just go with the five guys I'd want on the court:

Russell
Bird
McHale
Havlicek
DJ

Russell and Bird seem obvious and, IMO, don't require an explanation.

McHale was a very good defender and had perhaps the greatest and most varied stable of post moves in NBA history.

Havlicek is the greatest scorer in Celtics history.

DJ, I imagine, would get the most opposition for inclusion on this list, which is understandable because he was never a star, but he was a solid point guard who had championship experience before he even got to Boston, helped them win more titles, had a superhuman on-court connection with Bird, and was, according to either Magic or Michael Cooper (can't remember which), the toughest defender Magic/Cooper ever faced, which I think is high praise.

[LatterDayCelticsfan]

Too much depth at his position for him to be a shoo-in. Larry Legend, Tommy Heinsohn, Paul Pierce, etc

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Yes. He is currently over Pierce. The stats bear this out pretty convincingly.

I'd have him 5th right now. If he gets another championship as the main guy and is an MVP candidate over the next few years, he can probably get to third.

[Who]

I can't put Tatum in over Pierce or Hondo.

Tatum has only 600 games played. Pierce has 1100 and Hondo 1270 games played. That is roughly half of Pierce / Hondo. For me to put a guy ahead of others who have played that much more, he must be so far above them as an individual player that it negates the difference in games played. Tatum isn't that.

I have Pierce in my top 10 SFs of all time. Hondo too. Above Pierce. If Tatum retired tomorrow, would he be a top 10 all time SF? I don't think so.

[Donoghus]

I can't put Tatum in over Pierce or Hondo.

Tatum has only 600 games played. Pierce has 1100 and Hondo 1270 games played. That is roughly half of Pierce / Hondo. For me to put a guy ahead of others who have played that much more, he must be so far above them as an individual player that it negates the difference in games played. Tatum isn't that.

I have Pierce in my top 10 SFs of all time. Hondo too. Above Pierce. If Tatum retired tomorrow, would he be a top 10 all time SF? I don't think so.

Just out of curiosity, who's your SF top 10?

[Who]

I can't put Tatum in over Pierce or Hondo.

Tatum has only 600 games played. Pierce has 1100 and Hondo 1270 games played. That is roughly half of Pierce / Hondo. For me to put a guy ahead of others who have played that much more, he must be so far above them as an individual player that it negates the difference in games played. Tatum isn't that.

I have Pierce in my top 10 SFs of all time. Hondo too. Above Pierce. If Tatum retired tomorrow, would he be a top 10 all time SF? I don't think so.

Just out of curiosity, who's your SF top 10?

LeBron
Bird

Baylor

Dr J
Rick Barry
Hondo
Kawhi

Durant
Pippen
Pierce


Am I forgetting anyone?

Pierce was higher on my list about 10 years ago but Kawhi & Durant have entered the list since then. Kawhi is a tough guy to rank because of the injuries. That run to the title in 2019 was amazing though. More than I saw from Durant, Pippen, Pierce. Similar to R Barry's run in 1975.

[LatterDayCelticsfan]

I can't put Tatum in over Pierce or Hondo.

Tatum has only 600 games played. Pierce has 1100 and Hondo 1270 games played. That is roughly half of Pierce / Hondo. For me to put a guy ahead of others who have played that much more, he must be so far above them as an individual player that it negates the difference in games played. Tatum isn't that.

I have Pierce in my top 10 SFs of all time. Hondo too. Above Pierce. If Tatum retired tomorrow, would he be a top 10 all time SF? I don't think so.

Just out of curiosity, who's your SF top 10?

LeBron
Bird

Baylor

Dr J
Rick Barry
Hondo
Kawhi

Durant
Pippen
Pierce


Am I forgetting anyone?

Pierce was higher on my list about 10 years ago but Kawhi & Durant have entered the list since then. Kawhi is a tough guy to rank because of the injuries. That run to the title in 2019 was amazing though. More than I saw from Durant, Pippen, Pierce. Similar to R Barry's run in 1975.

Took me a second to figure out which Baylor you were talking about 

But on a more serious note, what about Pistol Pete Maravich?

[Donoghus]

I can't put Tatum in over Pierce or Hondo.

Tatum has only 600 games played. Pierce has 1100 and Hondo 1270 games played. That is roughly half of Pierce / Hondo. For me to put a guy ahead of others who have played that much more, he must be so far above them as an individual player that it negates the difference in games played. Tatum isn't that.

I have Pierce in my top 10 SFs of all time. Hondo too. Above Pierce. If Tatum retired tomorrow, would he be a top 10 all time SF? I don't think so.

Just out of curiosity, who's your SF top 10?

LeBron
Bird

Baylor

Dr J
Rick Barry
Hondo
Kawhi

Durant
Pippen
Pierce


Am I forgetting anyone?

Pierce was higher on my list about 10 years ago but Kawhi & Durant have entered the list since then. Kawhi is a tough guy to rank because of the injuries. That run to the title in 2019 was amazing though. More than I saw from Durant, Pippen, Pierce. Similar to R Barry's run in 1975.

Worthy.  Nique & Melo would be in conversation although not sure top 10 worthy.  Then you have guys like King & English.