ESPNs "Greatest Celtic Team of All Time"

[clover]

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).

Well done, 'cept I'd swap Garnett in ahead of Heinsohn.  (Tommy's second team on coaching, anyway.)

[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.

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.

  You're ranking DJ ahead of him because of DJ's jumpshooting? Really?

[MisterMiyagi]

C: Russell
PF: McHale
SF: Bird
SG: PIERCE
PG: Rondo

If i could have the KG from Minnesota +08, I´d put him in PF.

And Paul has got to be in there!

[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.

  You're ranking DJ ahead of him because of DJ's jumpshooting? Really?

You'd rather have Rondo shooting the open jumper with the game on the line?

[Brendan]

I go Rondo / Hondo back court, Bird and McHale at forwards, and Bill holds down the pivot. I'm going off over all value to franchise plus peak performance.

Ray Allen and KG for their careers might have an argument, just not their Celtic years. Similarly I couldn't put Kareem or Wilt Chambrlain in as starters for LAL, since they spent many years away. 3 of Kareem's four best years were in MIL 71, 72, and 73, in addition to his resurgent 78 season. Of course he was at a high level for a ridiculously long period in LAL, I just can't start a guy whose best years were on another team AND he won a title there. Wilt spent only a few years there. I went with Mikan - he won titles, but he was pre-LA. So maybe Shaq who is similar to wilt, except he played his peak in LA, instead of his sunset.

[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.

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.

  You're ranking DJ ahead of him because of DJ's jumpshooting? Really?

You'd rather have Rondo shooting the open jumper with the game on the line?

  You said consistent, something DJ never was. There's a reason he hit open jumpers. Johnson didn't have a more rounded game than Rondo, just more experience. DJ was also a much better foul shooter.

  I don't have a problem ranking DJ over Rondo right now because he contributed over a longer period of time. But if Rondo has a few more big games this series (especially if the Celts win the series) I would probably swap them.

[stoyko]

All Binky Celtics All Stars

Pg-John Bagley/Sherman Douglas/Milt Palacio
SG-Kevin Gamble/Tony Delk
SF-Walter Mcarty/Todd Day
PF-Marty Conlon/Alaa Abdelnaby/Dino Radja
C-Joe Klein/Hank Finkel/Jim Loscutov

Coach-Jimmy Rogers
Honorable Mention-David Wesley, Greg Kite
These guys were never that good but I always had a soft spot in my heart for 'em.

[Q_FBE]

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).

Rondo is moving up that PG depth chart awful rapidly.....

With the Jones selction - did you mean KC or Sam.

Frank Ramsey, Jim Luscotoff, Don Nelson, Paul Silas, Nate Archibald, Cedric Maxwell, Bill Walton (well he was a role player by the time he got here but gave us one great season). Gosh, so many good players and people walked through the door. I have to acknowledge Antione Walker because his passion for the Celtics helped get us out of the dark ages (I know there are his detractors lurking everywhere but he was a good guy - his life coach was clearly not).

[Jon]

One thing to ask, given the fact that Cowens was only 6-9 and would likely be a power forward today (or at the very least, could play power forward) and given the fact that he was a league MVP and McHale never was, do you give him the nod at the PF spot over McHale?

To me, if it's strictly about talent, I do it since Cowens was the best player on the two Celtic titles teams of the '70s, something McHale never was.  However, if this team was actually ever going to play (obviously impossible), I might give it to McHale, since McHale's post moves might compliment Russell (who wasn't as offensively gifted) more than Cowens.  

I'd also do the same thing with L.A. and likely start Jabbar and Chamberlain at the 4/5 and likely bring Shaq and Mikan off the bench at the 4/5.  

[Roy Hobbs]

With the Jones selction - did you mean KC or Sam.

Sam.  K.C. was more of a role player, whereas Sam was a legit star.

[Edgar]

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).

yes I will leave 8 3 pointers per final gime at the end of my bench
just in case larry is cold.

[Edgar]

All Binky Celtics All Stars

Pg-John Bagley/Sherman Douglas/Milt Palacio
SG-Kevin Gamble/Tony Delk
SF-Walter Mcarty/Todd Day
PF-Marty Conlon/Alaa Abdelnaby/Dino Radja
C-Joe Klein/Hank Finkel/Jim Loscutov

Coach-Jimmy Rogers
Honorable Mention-David Wesley, Greg Kite
These guys were never that good but I always had a soft spot in my heart for 'em.

No Lohaus??
Gerald??

[TitleMaster]

Seems like everyone's forgotten JoJo White. I'd make him a starting PG with either DJ or Rondo as a backup. The only reason why I'd shy away from Cousy is that I'm not aware of how he was defensively. And that's key for a grind it out type of series where Houdini tricks don't win the game.

http://www.celtic-nation.com/interviews/jojo_white/jojo_white_page1.htm

JoJo's a complete player, both defensively and offensively, and he's had duels with Walt Frazier in their respective primes. His scoring, during those years, was in the 18-20 ppg and he never had trouble at the free throw line. He was the finals MVP of '76 due to his defensive pressure and especially for that game 5 triple OT.

[ajgoodman]

1. Marcus Banks
2. Gerald Green
3. Walter McCarty
4. Antoine Walker
5. Mark Blount

No brainer.

[RockinRyA]

1. Marcus Banks
2. Gerald Green
3. Walter McCarty
4. Antoine Walker
5. Mark Blount

No brainer.

id take walter out and put ricky davis there. probably replace toine with vin baker.

OT:

if the goal was to play a game (faker all time) my lineup would be this. (considering theyre at their prime) min:3 seasons as a celtic

C:Russell
PF:KG
SF:Bird
SG:Pierce
PG:DJ

C:Cowens
PF:Mchale
SF:Hondo
SG:Jones
PG:Rondo

C:Parish
PF:Tommy
SF:Sharman
SG:Ray
PG:Rondo