Is Pierce a Top 5 All Time Celtic?

[Bahku]

Pierce top 6-7

Give Barkley a little break though...

he DID say that the Celtics were the TOP NBA Franchise--AHEAD of the Lakers...and Reggie Miller agreed-!!

And Barkley ALWAYS says that McHale was the BEST player he ever played against---so, Chuck does not hate on the C's.

Yes, Chuck said those things, but he has said far more negatives than positives, and having watched him for his entire career, (pre- and post-NBA), I can say without question that he certainly does "hate" on the Celtics, (and Paul Pierce), and has made no secret of it.

[QuinielaBox]

1. Russel.......Antoine would be first if he won a ring here
2. Bird
3. Hondo
4. Pierce
5. Cousy
6. McHale
7. Cowens
8. JoJo White
9. Robert Parish
10. Scal. But seriously the tenth choice would be tough for me.

Btw I am only 17 and basing my list on from what I have heard from my family elders, who are die hard C fans, and stats.  

Anyone who is 17 and lists Jo Jo White in the Celtics hierarchy gets a Tommy from me. Way to go kiddo. I would have awarded two more Tommys if you added Paul Silas to the list. I wish he was on the team today.

[Rondo_is_better]

Definitely. Yes. Definitely.

[ejk3489]

According to the Kings blog on SB, he just cracks the top 20 for all time Celtics. 

[Bahku]

There is no bigger Paul Pierce fan than I, but he is not Top 5 ... Top 10, yes, Top 5, no.

[Cman]

I don't think he can crack the top 3, but I could see him making the top 5.

Yeah, agreed. 
If PP brings another banner to Boston, then no question Top 5.  You heard it from me PP!  Bring us another banner!

[bopna]

I grew up with 80's celtics, and Im certainly not a big fan of Pierce, But to say he is not top 5 of all time is just really not appreciating what Pierce meant for this team.

Paul Pierce is definitely TOP 5 INDIVIDUAL Celtic of all time, he already is top 3 in scoring leaders, topped only by Hondo and Bird, that alone should make him top 5 easily. He is the most gifted offensive player that the Celtics has ever had in its history even Tommy himself has said that Paul Pierce may have been the greatest scorer the Celtics has ever had, better than Bird or even Hondo.(Didn't say best Celtic ever, that accollade is debateable between Bird and Russell only) If that is not top 5 then I don't know what is.

[lon3lytoaster]

honestly, I can't comment on anything before like 98 or 99, but I'd put Pierce right on that top five bubble. I think he's almost there, and I think a lot of people how amazing Paul Pierce was earlier in his career.

It is hard to say for sure, though.

Russell
Bird
Havlicek

Those are the only players I put before Paul, without a doubt. The rest is really a tossup, imo. Between Paul, Cousy, McHale and Donnovan McNabb it's too hard to bump one of those guys to sixth.

[xmuscularghandix]

If i was to make a workable team of Celtics greats the roster would probably look like this:

PG. Bob Cousy
SG. John Havlicek
SF. Larry Bird
PF. Kevin McHale
C.  Bill Russell
 
6th. Paul Pierce
7th. Robert Parish
8th. Sam Jones
9th. Dennis Johnson
10th. Dave Cowens
11th. Tommy Heinsohn
12th. Bill Sharman

[Birdbrain]

If i was to make a workable team of Celtics greats the roster would probably look like this:

PG. Bob Cousy
SG. John Havlicek
SF. Larry Bird
PF. Kevin McHale
C.  Bill Russell
 
6th. Paul Pierce
7th. Robert Parish
8th. Sam Jones
9th. Dennis Johnson
10th. Dave Cowens
11th. Tommy Heinsohn
12th. Bill Sharman

It's really hard to argue against your top 5 but, I still want put him at 5b alongside Cousy.  Because he dealt with much more losing than any of the top 5 and it mostly due to him not having one of the other in the top 5 alongside him.  I'm happy to have watched his entire career and hope he retires a C warts and all.

[get_banners]

pierce will almost certainly not be a top 5 all-time celtic when he retires...but that's not a knock on pierce. we simply have had so many incredible players in our history.

[Michael Anthony]

I take Parish over Pierce if I am starting a franchise. Cowens too.

[Bankshot]

Charles Barkley will always bash Pierce every chance he gets. Everyone knows that. The man knows nothing about Pierce's career, nor does he know anything about the Celtic's history. Pierce is a lock for top 10 in Celtics history, and he makes a very strong case to be in the top 5.

Kenny Smith knows Barkley doesn't know anything.  Did anyone hear Smith say to Barkley last night, "Charles, you just said 4 things that actually made some sense." ****

[Bankshot]

I take Parish over Pierce if I am starting a franchise. Cowens too.

But the question isn't who'd you start a franchise with, just who is in the top 5.

[xmuscularghandix]

If i was to make a workable team of Celtics greats the roster would probably look like this:

PG. Bob Cousy
SG. John Havlicek
SF. Larry Bird
PF. Kevin McHale
C.  Bill Russell


 
6th. Paul Pierce
7th. Robert Parish
8th. Sam Jones
9th. Dennis Johnson
10th. Dave Cowens
11th. Tommy Heinsohn
12th. Bill Sharman

It's really hard to argue against your top 5 but, I still want put him at 5b alongside Cousy.  Because he dealt with much more losing than any of the top 5 and it mostly due to him not having one of the other in the top 5 alongside him.  I'm happy to have watched his entire career and hope he retires a C warts and all.

I went with my top guys by choosing the best at each position because otherwise your top 5 will have 7 players.

 It is a very good by you to point out that, other than Pierce, not a single player on my list was ever winning without another player in my top 12.