Who are the most underrated and overrated Celtics alltime

[Bahku]

* Sherman Douglas also had one of the highest Celtics single-game assist counts with 18 in March of 1995 ... he had some weaknesses for sure, but being a ball-hog was not one of them. *

[jasail]

I don't think Max gets enough credit. To this day he plays the villain role for that 1985 team. But the bench as a whole was the Achilles of that team.  ML and Buckner weren't the players they were in years before, and Carlisle was a rookie.  The bench was essentially Wedman and Max.

But many are quick to overlook that and point out that we traded Max, brought in Walton and the next year we were champs.  It was not Walton alone, the bench was much better during the 86 run.  The addition of Sichting and the improved play from Carlisle are understated.

So that said Max is probably one of my most underrated players.  Mainly b/c of how his bad rep (developed in part by Red manipulating the media during contract negotiations) has overshadowed his great play.

Dave Cowens gets my most overrated award.  He was a good, undersized guy and a hustle player taboot and that is going to win you fans in this town.  But he played some years with Paul Silas, and Silas put up some serious numbers behind him and never gets credit for it.      

[BballTim]

My most overrated might be Larry Bird. And take this the right way. He is a top 10 player of all time, top 2 at his position, top 3 in clutch shots, could do EVERYTHING (except defend at a all-defensive level), and he’s pretty bad ass.

  Bird made the all-defensive 2nd team 3 times. His defense was pretty underrated.

[hardlyyardley]

To disagree about Dee Brown.....definitely overrated....could jump and that's it

To some extent. KC is overrated....not a HOF player, but an integral part of many championships

Underrated:

Sam Jones, Paul Silas and Don Chaney

[jasail]

My most overrated might be Larry Bird. And take this the right way. He is a top 10 player of all time, top 2 at his position, top 3 in clutch shots, could do EVERYTHING (except defend at a all-defensive level), and he’s pretty bad ass.

  Bird made the all-defensive 2nd team 3 times. His defense was pretty underrated.

IMO Larry was a cerebral defensive player.  He knew how to make his opponent work, and how to work them to a spot that they were not strong from.  Physically he was not a top defensive player.  What he lacked in pure skill he compensated for with knowledge and vision.  

To disagree about Dee Brown.....definitely overrated....could jump and that's it

To some extent. KC is overrated....not a HOF player, but an integral part of many championships

Underrated:

Sam Jones, Paul Silas and Don Chaney

I agree with Paul Silas, should have added him after my comments on Cowens. 

[BballTim]

My most overrated might be Larry Bird. And take this the right way. He is a top 10 player of all time, top 2 at his position, top 3 in clutch shots, could do EVERYTHING (except defend at a all-defensive level), and he’s pretty bad ass.

  Bird made the all-defensive 2nd team 3 times. His defense was pretty underrated.

IMO Larry was a cerebral defensive player.  He knew how to make his opponent work, and how to work them to a spot that they were not strong from.  Physically he was not a top defensive player.  What he lacked in pure skill he compensated for with knowledge and vision.  

  Bird did a tremendous job of disrupting the opponent's offense. He wasn't a lock-down defender but he was one of the best you'll ever see at covering the passing lanes.

[More Banners]

UR:  Cowens and Gerald Henderson for sure.

OR:  Antoine leads the pack.  Ainge is grossly overrated as a player during his Celtic years, but mostly by nostalgic Celtic fans.

Thoughts on some other players mentioned:
 
The Brian Shaw/Douglas trade had to happen. Brian Shaw is a royal Edited.  Profanity and masked profanity are against forum rules and may result in discipline., and I don't care if I'm not supposed to write that Brian Shaw is an Edited.  Profanity and masked profanity are against forum rules and may result in discipline. on CB, because he simply is, and no action by the moderators will change that.  He left the country rather than play for the C's, then signed and still refused to play, forcing the team to sue him to get him to play for the team.  And now he's an assistant with the Lakers.  What an Edited.  Profanity and masked profanity are against forum rules and may result in discipline..

[2short]

Wasn't Cowens (deserved) named to the greatest 50 players in the nba history? then he can't be underrated
dee brown wasn't that good
brian shaw wasn't that good when he was with boston but came into his own later on, he was however a limited guard
gerald henderson good call

[Eddie20]

Over:
Walton...that bench was really good with Wedman and Sichting, but Walton gets all the glory. He was good, but a current Brad Miller, an old Sabonis, or an old Divac would've had equal impact on that team.
Walker...some people actually think he and Pierce formed a good duo.
Posey...he was solid, but thought of too highly by Celtic fans.


Under:
DJ...great big game player. Could've had huge numbers if not surrounded by so many stars.
Radja...if only he played longer.

[ederson]

TP eddie about Radja. Poor man`s Duncan imo

[moiso]

Antoine was hugely overrated.  Underrated- maybe Rick Fox.

[Edgar]

over:  gerald green

under: Delonte West

[goz421]

No way can you overrate Bird, Lewis, or Ainge.  Lewis never reached his cieling and was becomming unstoppable on a lousy team.  Bird and Ainge are champions.

Bird not defend.  That statement is probably by someone who never saw him lay and is going by skin color.

Bird's only weakness was his physical durability.

Overrated- Antoine-hated his game.  Dino Radja.  Couldn't put away the ciggaretes.  Rick Fox- was a much better Laker, same with Shaw.

Berry who never played yet put the screw to the C's for daring to draft him. All those Laker fan boys who didn't want to play for the C's.  Fox, Shaw, Berry.  Kedrick Brown what a dissapoinment.



Underratted.  Hondo. Havelcheck for those who don't know.  Ever checked his numbers out.  WOW!!!
Joe Johnson- Boy was I mad when the gave him away.

[Fan from VT]

Interesting question: Overrated/underrated now or when they were playing?

Now still overrated:
-Antoine (fond nostalgia, but definition of 90's volume numbers getting more press than effectiveness/efficiency).
-Posey.

At the time:
-Marcus Banks
-Gerald Green



Reggie Lewis is an interesting case. He died when i was 10/11 years old, so i never saw him play. But to hear people talk, he was going to be what kobe is now. But really he couldn't shoot from three, and he was barely over 20 ppg twice. he got a good number of steals and impressive blocks, but but never made an all-defensive first or second team. his rebounds and assists were good/decent for a scorer. He was 27 when he died, so there wasn't as much room for growth as is remembered (a player's numerical peak is about 28-32). In retrospect he seems like an above average defender, but not quite elite and same for scoring (never very close to the elite of the league). So he seems like a perennial borderline all-star, like a more efficient, better blocking but worse passing joe johnson? or even in the gerald wallace range, with better scoring but less rebounding and steal/block stats? Very similar profile to Stephen Jackson, actually. Or offensively like corey maggette plus some defense. Iguodala, with better blocks but worse assists and rebounds and better interior scoring and similar 3 point shooting?

No disrespect intended, he was clearly a very good player and an excellent teammate that you'd want on the team, but I'm not sure he was the franchise guy that people imply.

[Prof. Clutch]

I'm gonna go with Eric Montross as simultaneously the most underrated and overrated Celtic player of all time, not because he truly was either, but only because I randomly thought of him recently and need to get it out of my system.

THE MONTROSITY!!!!