Community Rankings: Best Celtics Ever

Larry Bird is the greatest Celtic of all time. The best All-Around player of All Time. He shoots. He scores. He rebounds. He passes. He plays defense. He is clutch. He is a champ. He does everything.

when I was in Prague this summer?

1} Russell
2} Bird
3} Havlicek

  I have tons of respect for all Bill Russell accomplished on the basketball court but I never saw him play a single game. There has never been a better defender in NBA history and a bigger winner.

  I saw Larry Bird’s entire career and find it hard to believe anyone who has ever warn a Celtics uniform was ever better then “the Legend” He could beat you in more ways then Russell could. He could beat you in more ways then Jordan or Magic or anyone else ever could. His career gets under appreciated because it was cut short by injuries but those injuries were a direct result of the reckless abandon in which he went about his craft. He gave his heart and soul plus his health to the Boston Celtics and for that I rate him #1 all-time. Just a one of a kind basketball talent we were lucky enough to have on our side.

1986 v. 2008

Russell was the greatest Celtic of all time, and Bird was the most well-rounded Celtic of all time. In some ways they are a classic apples/oranges comparison, in terms of the generations they represent, the positions they played, and the roles/impact they had on their team.
Russell’s passing, defense and rebounding completely transformed the way the center position could be played. Bird’s overall game made him the focal point of every defensive scheme, and his clutch shooting in particular was huge.
It’s a great debate, but I say Russell’s pioneering work, and its results, make him No. 1.

I paraphrase. Given the choice I would draft Russell over Bird…..and then make a trade for Bird.

Never saw Russell play but 11 titles in 13 years is the measuring stick by which everyone is measured. Bird was awe-inspiring but Russell gets the nod as #1.

As far as how far we should go down the list, I’m not sure why 23 was picked. I’m not sure if we should just keep going until Antoine finally makes the list.

He won TWO World Championship not only as a player coach, but the first African American NBA coach.

  Just playing devils advocate here. If Russell’s 11 titles in 13 seasons automatically makes him the greatest Celtic player of all-time as many have suggested then why isn’t he also considered the greatest player in NBA history by most rather then Michael Jordan who “only” has 6 titles?

  I don’t think it a should be as cut and dried as most here seem to think. The eras in which they played were so completely different so NBA titles might not be the best way to measure the greatness or impact of these two players. I’m not even going to go so far as to say one era was superior to another but I will say that Bird had to beat a whole lot tougher competition for his 3 titles then either Russell or Jordan had to beat for their 17 combined titles. I believe that’s is undeniable. If that’s the case then you have to move on to other ways of measuring greatness.

  I have flip flopped on the Bird/Russell debate for three decades. The way of measuring this kind of thing is so subjective. If it is NBA titles which is what they all play for, then Russell is the greatest basketball player the world has ever seen hands down. So why is it generally excepted that Jordan, not Russell is the greatest player in NBA history?

  Russell came to a playoff team and made them champions for a decade. He wasn’t the only addition but he is generally and rightfully considered the main cog. Bird came to the worst team in the NBA and made them into title contenders for a decade, 3 time champions. Bird also wasn’t the only addition but is generally and rightfully considered the main cog.

  I just don’t think it is as cut and dried as most do. Bird’s impact on the games in which he played, the Celtic’s franchise and the NBA itself rivals that of Bill Russell’s. Bird’s all around skill set is rivaled by almost no one in NBA history.

+1

No such thing as 1 player being the best , better yet one’s favorite would be more appropriate ……..

How soon we forget. Maybe you have to be over 50 to appreciate Bill Russell, old enough to have seen him play. They changed the rules of Basketball for him when he started playing, as he was so adept at getting the rebound, doubling the width of the free throw lane. As for the competition, don’t overlook the talent that Russell played against: Baylor, Chamberlain, West (all on one team once, if you don’t think there was a Celtic’s opponent with the equivalent talent of Magic and Kareem), and other legendary hall of famers. The same argument will be made some day about the “inferiority” of Michael Jordan. (After all, how could he compete with the awesome athleticism of today’s athletes? I’m being facetious here.)
When I saw Bird play, I thought I’d never seen a better passer. Not Magic, not Stockton, not Cousy, not Kidd (yes, he’s up there as well, though I don’t like to admit it.) More than his shooting or rebounding, which were awesome, that is what stood out. All of these players, especially Bird, had (have) an extra dimension to their game: they were passer-playmakers, which is distinctly different from being a good passer, able to orchestrate a game several moves in advance. (Rondo has some of that ability, which is why I think he could be the best point guard of his generation, and is why I expect the Celtics will keep him over others such as Paul, if given the opportunity). What Russell did with defense, Bird did with offense.
Still, though Bird was an awesome player, no player was better than Bill Russell. For too many reasons to recount.
Oh, one more thing: For all you young worshippers of athleticism as a benchmark for greatness, know that Russell was more of a world class athlete by the standards of his day, measured against world records for running and jumping, than Jordan. Though it is only a small piece of what makes a player great, it is likely that Russell was both faster and a better jumper than His Airiness. His 11 championships are well deserved.