The top 25 Boston Celtics of all time

“Hold on,” you may be saying. “Didn’t Thomas play only two years and some change with the Celtics? Yes, that is true. However, in those two full seasons he played he was an All-Star and a scoring dynamo. In his time with Boston, he averaged 24.7 points per game. That’s best all time in Celtics history. Again, yes, it was a limited time, but that fact is amusing enough, and impressive enough, to get him on the final spot on this list.

Archibald is a Hall of Famer, but his best years came prior to his time with the Celtics. He joined Boston after missing a year with an Achilles injury. He was still good, made three All-Star Games, and helped the Celtics win a ring. Based on his entire career, he’d be higher on this list, but his five seasons with Boston weren’t Tiny in his prime.

Silas was a solid scorer and a tremendous rebounder, especially on the offensive boards. However, his claim to fame was his defense. The future coach made an NBA All-Defense team five times in his career, three times with the Celtics. His defensive rating is actually the highest of any Celtic. Now that doesn’t go all the way back into their history, but it’s still impressive.

Much like Isaiah Thomas, Horford has played only two years and some change with the Celtics, but he’s still with the team, so he’s adding to his totals. It’s been a strong start to his time with Boston, as he’s averaged 13.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game. He’s a do-it-all player who has performed well in the postseason to boot. He still has time to move up this list.

Maxwell is an underrated player, thanks to his efficiency. He led the NBA in true shooting percentage twice and actually is second all time in career true shooting percentage. Maxwell also led the NBA in offensive rating twice as a Celtic and was named Finals MVP in 1981 when he averaged 16.1 points per game in leading Boston to a title.

Jones is perhaps known better as a coach, given that he retired as a player in 1967. However, he spent his entire nine-year career with the Celtics. In that time, he won eight titles. Yes, eight, because the Celtics were dominant back in the day. He wasn’t much of a scorer, but he was a great passer and defender. It was a different era, so he loses a few points. But for his era he was great.

Give him a Tommy Point! Heinsohn is known as perhaps the homer-iest of the homer announcers, but he was quite the player. Unsurprisingly, Tommy played his entire career with the Celtics, and after winning Rookie of the Year he was a six-time All Star and made four All-NBA teams. The Hall of Famer is also seventh in points and rebounds per game in Celtics history.

Walker was a big man who shot threes before it was cool. He once jacked up eight three-point attempts per game. Sure, he made only one-third of them, but his three-point-shooting predilection led to him averaging 20.6 points per game as a Celtic. Walker loved to shoot, and even if he wasn’t always efficient, he was beloved and he was good. He’s still second in three-point makes, and attempts, in Boston history.

White played a ton of minutes for the Celtics back in the ‘70s, as he’s ninth in minutes played in Boston history, even if he isn’t in the top 10 in games played. He was a potent offensive weapon, he’s top 10 in points and points per game and made six All-Star teams. Of course, like basically every Celtic, he won a couple of rings as well, and he was Finals MVP in 1976.

Most of Johnson’s All-Star appearances came before he joined the Celtics, but he was still getting it done defensively when he was with Boston. He made four All-Defense teams rocking the green and won a couple of rings. Johnson may be more beloved in Seattle, given that the Sonics won only one title and Johnson was Finals MVP that year, but the Hall of Famer is also an adored Celtic. Rightfully so.

Yes, the same Don Nelson who became a legendary, beer-swilling, pot-growing head coach was once a great NBA player. In fact, he ranks 12th all time in Win Shares in Celtics history. His numbers won’t wow you, and he wasn’t a Hall of Fame-caliber player. (He made it as a coach). However, he was efficient, and he played 11 seasons with Boston, winning five titles in that time.

We’re going very old school with Macauley, as he retired before the 1960s even began. In his time with the Celtics, he averaged 18.9 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, and he was an All-Star all six seasons he played in Boston. Of course, he played in the ‘50s, which was basically a different era for the sport, so we can’t rate him too high.

Rondo has a prickly personality. He may not be the best teammate. On the other hand, the guy was a great passer, and at least when he was with Boston, he was a great defender. Rondo led the NBA in assists per game twice in his time with the Celtics, and he’s in the top 50 all time in both assists and steals per game. Just don’t play him in Connect Four. It will get intense.

Sharman has a weird claim to fame among ‘50s basketball players. He was perhaps the best free-throw shooter of the bunch. Seven times in his 10 seasons with the Celtics, he led the league in free-throw percentage. He’s still 15th in career free-throw percentage. Sure, he did more than make free throws, or he wouldn’t be a Celtics legend. But it’s where he stuck out.

Allen is a Hall of Famer, but he spent only five seasons with the Celtics. However, he was part of the “Big Three” that helped turn things around for the beloved franchise, getting the team its first ring in years. Allen is the most prolific three-point shooter of all time, literally. He’s made more three-pointers than anybody else in NBA history. He made three All-Star teams in his time with Boston. Allen is also tops in career free-throw percentage in Celtics history. Take that, Bill Sharman!

Rookie of the Year? Cowens did it. Most Valuable Player? He did that too. Cowens averaged 18.2 points and a whopping 14.0 rebounds per game in his career and made three All-NBA teams and three All-Defense teams. He was a truly legendary defensive player, as his defensive rating is the second best of all time.

If you are a “count the rings” style of NBA fan, you probably love Jones. He played 12 seasons, all with the Celtics, and won 10 titles. Not that the Hall of Famer was riding his teammates' coattails. He was a five-time All-Star and a three-time All-NBA player. Due in part to how long he played with the Celtics, he’s seventh in career Win Shares in franchise history, and he’s also in the top 10 in games played.

Garnett’s best years came in Minnesota, where he was an MVP. The trade that brought him to Boston, though, legitimately changed the franchise. Garnett was the de facto leader of its title team. His intensity, skill and defensive prowess were vital. The Big Ticket played six years with the Celtics, making five All-Star teams and four All-Defense teams. If this were a Timberwolves list, he’d be No. 1. For the Celtics, though, he still makes the top eight.

Talk about efficiency. Cousy played 13 seasons with the Celtics. He was an All-Star every year and All-NBA 12 times. Cousy also won six titles as the point guard and de facto quarterback for these Boston teams. His playmaking skills were unparalleled in his era. For eight-straight seasons, he led the league in assists per game.

Parish had what you would call a lengthy career. He played 21 seasons, retiring when he was in his 40s. Parish is still tops in career games played in NBA history. You could call him an accumulator as such, as he ranks in the top five in a lot of categories in Celtics history, including games and minutes. Still, we’re talking about the guy with the most rebounds and blocks of any Celtic. That counts for a lot.

When you think of the glorious ‘80s and the Celtics, the name Larry Bird comes to mind first, but McHale probably pops up second. That’s with good reason. He played the entirety of the ‘80s in Boston and also three seasons in the ‘90s. McHale was such a Boston legend that he appeared on a couple of episodes of “Cheers"! He was also a great, and efficient, player, as he ranks 11th all time in offensive rating, and he’s top 25 in true shooting percentage and effective field-goal percentage.

Havlicek stole the ball, famously, but he did so much more. He’s the franchise leader in games played, minutes, field goals and several other categories. Nobody did more for the Celtics, at least in terms of sheer numbers. Hondo is a Hall of Famer, an eight-time champ and an NBA Finals MVP.

Pierce is the face of the Celtics for the new millennium. The Truth played 15 seasons with the Celtics, making 10 All-Star Games. In his time with Boston, he averaged 21.8 points per game, third highest in Celtics history. Sure, he won only one title, but do you know who was the Finals MVP that year? Of course you do. It was Pierce. Who else could it have been after all he did for the franchise?

In the modern era of the NBA, Larry Legend is the greatest Celtic ever. He didn’t just make All-Star Games and win three-point competitions, though. He was named NBA MVP three times and was Finals MVP twice. Bird played his entire career with the Celtics and averaged 24.3 points per game. Had his back not given out, he may have played even longer. He didn’t need to though to become arguably the best NBA player of the 1980s.

Russell was so amazing. He averaged 15.1 points and a staggering 22.5 rebounds per game. Blocks weren’t kept as a stat in his time, but he would have assuredly put up some amazing defensive numbers. Russell is second in career rebounds and career rebounds per game, and he made 12 All-Star Games. Oh, also he won five MVPs and 11 NBA titles. He did all of that with the Celtics. Russell is the Celtics, and the Celtics are Russell. No offense to Bird, but nobody but Russell could top this list.