Russell wasn’t good he was unbelievably good. And those eight followed the three he helped win in the previous decade (1956-57, 1958-60). In the decade of the 1960s, Russell led the Celtics to eight out of a possible 10 NBA championships with the 1966-70 seasons being the only exceptions. 1 and arguably the most dominating individual player for any sports franchise over a full decade. Is there any discussion about who should rank one-two on any list compiled by a Celtics fan old enough to read?īill Russell is easily No. He happens to be eighth on my personal list of storied Celtics, well behind the “starting five” and just behind two members of the original Big 3 off the bench. Where Paul Pierce, the player, ranks in Boston history is up for discussion. Only the raising of his Number 34 to its rightful place among the retired uniform numbers that hang in the rafters of the TD Garden stands in the way of a perfect career ending for the man they called “The Truth.” Pierce was also a key member of Boston’s “other” famed Big 3 (with Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen) that helped the Celtics claim their 17th and most recent NBA championship in 2008. His 24,021 points ranks second only to John Havlicek’s 26,395. On Monday, the Celtics signed their former University of Kansas star to a one-day contract so Pierce could officially retire as a member of the team that made him the 10th overall selection in the 1998 draft.ĭuring his 15 seasons in Boston, Pierce compiled some staggering numbers including franchise bests in 3-point field goals (1,823), free throws (6,434) and steals (1,583). That’s the way it should be for the second leading scorer in franchise history who spent 15 of his 19 NBA seasons playing for the most successful franchise in association history. It may be just a symbolic gesture, but it’s nice to see Paul Pierce retire as a member of the Boston Celtics.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |