ESPNs "Greatest Celtic Team of All Time"

[Lucky17]

http://espn.go.com/espn/greatestteam/index/_/teamId/5253264/the-greatest-celtics-team-all-time

Mix and match your favorites. Tough calls at virtually every position. Russell at C may be the only no-brainer.

And who's the genius who listed Antoine among the choices at SF? Really? A "Celtic of All Time"?

[Roy Hobbs]

First team:

C: Russell
PF: McHale
SF: Bird
SG: Havlicek
PG: Cousy

Second team:

C: Cowens
PF: Heinsohn
SF: Pierce
SG: Jones
PG: DJ

Third team:

C: Parish
PF: Garnett
SF: Sharman
SG: JoJo White
PG: Rondo

I've probably overlooked some guys, and I cheated a bit on the third team.  Some greats were still left out, too (including Ray).

[KCattheStripe]

I was angry I couldn't Pierce at the 2 and have a wing of him and Bird, which would just be criminal.

[Lucky17]

Yeah, position eligibility is something to contend with.

Roy seems to have worked around it with his 3rd team (JoJo listed as PG, Sharman as SG).

I can't even begin to imagine how devastating a Garnett-Russell frontcourt would have been. They would have scared the living daylights out of opposing teams.

[fairweatherfan]

Larry and Russell were no-brainers; so was Cousy although Rondo is starting to get on his heels (crazy to say but true).  Havlicek over Ray was also pretty easy.

The only tough one for me was KG vs McHale.  I picked KG because I would kill to see that defensive frontcourt in action.  McHale can take his old spot as the greatest 6th man in history.

[LarBrd33]

I didn't think there was any tough calls.

McHale at PF, Bird at SF, Russell at C and Havlicek at SG were all an easy call.

Here's the interesting thing...   at PG... You have to pick Cousy, because of history, but I don't really think Cousy's game translates to modern NBA.  I think Russell would still be a defensive beast, but I'm not sure how effective Cousy would be.  You have to pick Cousy there... but realistically if you were pulling players from their prime, is Rondo possibly the best point guard in Celtic history?  Was DJ better?  That seems insane to say, but would anyone really take prime Cousy over Rondo right now in a pickup game?

[Lucky17]

I actually think DJ is a legit candidate for 1st team PG. Combined staunch defense with clutch shooting.

Rondo is the better athlete, Cousy the purer passer, but DJ had a more rounded game, no?

[LarBrd33]

Yeah you go with Cousy, because of his accomplishments, but ... if we are honestly putting two teams together in a magic universe where we are watching the greatest game of all time... I would rather have DJ running the show than Cousy.  I don't feel confident that Bob's game would translate well.   I think Rondo might actually be the best option.    But then again, I'm not sure how Rondo will defend Magic Johnson.  If you weren't considering each team's bench (and just this starting 5), I guess whoever starts for us at PG will have to guard Kobe?? (with Hondo covering Magic?)   You feel comfortable with Bob Cousy guarding Kobe?  Haha.

Interesting that I did the Lakers poll also and Pau Gasol is easily the greatest PF in Laker history.  But I imagine the Lakers would just put Shaq or Wilt at PF in the actually pickup game.   McHale is going to have his hands full.  

[Witch-King]

Heh, this might be a little off topic but I used to do this alot with an older copy of NBA Live - basically would just put all of the best Celtics players from every era on the team and then play quarter after quarter subbing guys in and out.

I also did this for not only the Celtics, but for every team in the NBA that had retired HOFers that were unlockable within the game - with the Lakers I brought back Worthy, Magic, Kareem with Kobe, Shaq, Malone and Gasol and such.

With the 76ers I played with Allen Iverson, Barkley, Moses Malone, Dr. J and Wilt Chamberlain, and so on.

I'm pretty sure I signed every player from the "Legends Pool" back to their original teams and then traced as many players as I could back to the teams that they played on during their 'prime' and just duked it out with every team having basically the best possible rosters, taking into account the history of the NBA.

One of my favorite combinations with the Celtics was starting Nate Robinson, Ray Allen, Pierce, Larry Bird and Sheed and then just having them jack up 3's and get boards for a quarter, then the next quarter I'd put in Russell, Mchale, Robert Parish, Rondo, Cousy, Perkins etc. and just play defense for the entire quarter. By far the most entertaining method of playing that game, though sadly I'm not sure if the 'Legends Pool' is featured in the latest versions of NBA Live (I have Live 10 though I still play 2004 more often). ::shrugs::

[celticmaestro]

Has anyone seen the Lakers team? Van Exel? Nixon? Odom? Gasol? It's quite a poorly compiled list for LA if I'm honest. Suggests that they really have never had much other than Magic, Kobe, Shaq, West and Kareem.

[Eddie20]

I agree with the Sportsnation consensus of 32, 33, 6, 14, and 17.

A 12 man team all-time roster would also be very interesting, if it would allow you to change player positions and put legendary 6th man's (Hondo & McHale) coming off the bench.

My Starters:

KG
Bird
Russell
Cousy
Pierce

My Rotation:

McHale
Havlicek
Parish
DJ
Ray Allen...I know Jones did more for the C's, but I can't leave his ability to spread the floor out of a rotation. Would be easier if he played his entire career in Green. If so, he might have replace Pierce as a starter.

11 and 12:

Cowens
S. Jones


Note: In a few years Rondo will probably surpass both Cousy and DJ, but it's hard to do it now when on the lone title he's won he wasn't a major factor.

[Eddie20]

Has anyone seen the Lakers team? Van Exel? Nixon? Odom? Gasol? It's quite a poorly compiled list for LA if I'm honest. Suggests that they really have never had much other than Magic, Kobe, Shaq, West and Kareem.

How about Wilt, Baylor, Mikan, Goodrich, and Worthy?

I also would probably go with a twin towers look and put Kareem at the 4 with either Shaq or Wilt at the 5. It's a shame that you ESPN doesn't allow you to do that.

[celticmaestro]

Has anyone seen the Lakers team? Van Exel? Nixon? Odom? Gasol? It's quite a poorly compiled list for LA if I'm honest. Suggests that they really have never had much other than Magic, Kobe, Shaq, West and Kareem.

How about Wilt, Baylor, Mikan, Goodrich, and Worthy?

Yeah they're there, but those players I listed and their inclusion (Odom etc.) really takes away from those players you listed, in my opinion.

[BballTim]

I actually think DJ is a legit candidate for 1st team PG. Combined staunch defense with clutch shooting.

Rondo is the better athlete, Cousy the purer passer, but DJ had a more rounded game, no?

  Rondo has a pretty well rounded game.

[Lucky17]

I actually think DJ is a legit candidate for 1st team PG. Combined staunch defense with clutch shooting.

Rondo is the better athlete, Cousy the purer passer, but DJ had a more rounded game, no?

  Rondo has a pretty well rounded game.

Until Rondo can learn to hit a jumper with greater consistency (and I'm not saying he can't, he just hasn't quite gotten there yet), I rank DJ slightly ahead of him.