- The Boston Celtics have 17 championships in franchise history
- Only Larry Bird has won multiple Finals MVP awards as a member of the Boston Celtics
- Bill Russell has the most NBA championships in Celtics and NBA history with 11
With 17 NBA championships to their name, the Boston Celtics are one of the most successful franchises in league history. During the 1960s, the Celtics put together the greatest dynasty in the history of the game, winning eight championships in a row from 1959 through 1966. This is a truly unbreakable record and a feat we will likely never see again in our lifetime. The Celtics have continued that winning tradition up to the present day, where Jayson Tatum and others try to add to Boston’s story in the history books.
Just as we did with the Lakers recently, today we will scour the history of the Celtics and the players who made their franchise the success that it is. With that information, we will then count down the five greatest players who played each position for them on the court over time. These rankings will be based on stats, accolades, and each player’s overall impact on the Boston Celtics as a whole.
These 25 players are undoubtedly the greatest players in franchise history, while some are also among the greatest players in NBA history. As far as historic franchises go, no team may be as loaded from top to bottom as the Celtics are through all five positions.
These are the 5 greatest players at every position in Boston Celtics history.
The 5 Greatest Point Guards In Boston Celtics History
1. Bob Cousy
– 6x NBA Champion, 1x MVP, 13x All-Star, 2x All-Star Game MVP, 12x All-NBA Team Selection
2. Jo Jo White
– 2x NBA Champion, 1x Finals MVP, 7x All-Star, 2x All-NBA Team Selection
3. Rajon Rondo
– 1x NBA Champion, 4x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Team Selection, 4x All-Defensive Team Selection
4. Dennis Johnson
– 2x NBA Champion, 1x All-Star, 4x All-Defensive Team Selection
5. Nate Archibald
– 1x NBA Champion, 1x Comeback Player Of The Year, 3x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Team Selection
The point guard position is one that is absolutely loaded for the Boston Celtics. At the top spot is one of the innovators and pioneers of the position, Bob Cousy. In 13 seasons with Boston, Cousy would help the team win six NBA championships in seven seasons from 1957 through 1963. Cousy was named MVP in 1957 averaging 20.6 points and a league-leading 7.5 assists per game. Cousy would win a total of eight assists titles in his career all from 1953 through 1960. In 42 career Finals games, he would average 17.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 9.5 assists per game on his way to six NBA titles.
Jo Jo White is still the only point guard in Celtics history to win a Finals MVP award. White earned the honor in his second NBA championship with the team in 1976 when the Celtics defeated the Suns in six games. White earned the honor averaging 21.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game. From 1971 through 1977, White earned seven consecutive All-Star selections while averaging 19.8 points, 5.5 assists, and 1.4 steals per game on 44.3% shooting from the field.
When it comes to pure talent at the point guard position, Rajon Rondo has an argument to be the best in Celtics history. No one commanded an offense from a young age like Rondo did from 2007 through 2015 with the Celtics. In 2008, Rondo started all 26 playoff games for Boston en route to an NBA championship averaging 10.2 points, 6.6 steals, and 1.7 steals per game. Rondo would earn all four of his career All-Star selections with Boston from 2010 through 2013 while also taking home two assists titles and a steals title in 2010.
Dennis Johnson is well-known for guiding the Seattle SuperSonics to their only NBA title in 1979. After leaving Seattle, Johnson joined the Celtics in 1983-84 after a brief stint with the Phoenix Suns. Johnson would help the Celtics capture two NBA championships in 1984 and 1986 with over 16.0 points and 4.4 assists in each playoff run. In 1985, he earned his only All-Star selection in Boston with 15.7 points, 6.8 assists, and 1.2 steals per game.
The final point guard in the top-five in Celtics history is none other than Tiny Archibald. After tearing his Achilles in 1979, Archibald was written off as a liability due to his health. He responded by winning Comeback Player of the Year with Boston in 1980 averaging 14.1 points, 8.4 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. Archibald would help Boston secure the 1981 NBA title by averaging 15.6 points and 6.3 assists per game throughout the entirety of their playoff run.
The 5 Greatest Shooting Guards In Boston Celtics History
1. Sam Jones
– 10x NBA Champion, 5x All-Star, 3x All-NBA Team Selection
2. Bill Sharman
– 4x NBA Champion, 8x All-Star, 1x All-Star Game MVP, 7x All-NBA Team Selection
3. Ray Allen
– 1x NBA Champion, 3x All-Star
4. Danny Ainge
– 2x NBA Champion, 1x All-Star
5. Frank Ramsey
– 7x NBA Champion
The shooting guard position is another stacked position in Boston Celtics history littered with NBA champions. The first of these elite shooting guards is Sam Jones who helped Boston secure 10 NBA titles in 12 seasons with the team. His best stretch with the team came from 1962 through 1968, when he averaged 21.5 points and 5.1 rebounds per game on 46.0% shooting. In 64 career Finals games, Jones averaged 17.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game on 46.1% shooting from the floor.
Bill Sharman is another iconic name in the history of the Boston Celtics. Sharman would help Boston win four NBA championships during his time with the team from 1952 through 1961. In his eight All-Star seasons, Sharman averaged 19.1 points per game on 43.1% shooting. His best performances were saved for the playoffs and NBA Finals. In 29 career Finals games, he would average 19.8 points per game as well as 3.3 rebounds per game.
When Ray Allen arrived in Boston, he was seen as the perfect complement to Paul Pierce and newly-acquired big man Kevin Garnett. Over the next five years, he would prove to be exactly that as he helped lead Boston to an NBA championship in his very first year with the team in 2008. In those five seasons, Allen averaged 16.7 points per game on 40.9% shooting from three. In the 2008 Finals, Allen helped Boston secure the title with 20.3 points per game on an incredible 52.4% shooting from three.
If there was ever a scuffle to be had or a spark needed to be ignited during the 1980s for the Celtics, chances are it started with Danny Ainge. Ainge played eight seasons with Boston from 1982 through 1989, where he would win two NBA championships. During his eight seasons, Ainge would average just 11.3 points, 4.4 assists, and 1.2 steals per game but there are no numbers that can be put on what he provided as a leader and vocal presence on the court.
Coming in at number five in terms of shooting guards for the Celtics is Frank Ramsey. Although devoid of individual accolades in his career, Ramsey helped the Celtics win seven NBA championships during his 10-year career in Boston. Ramsey was consistent and effective during the height of his career, averaging 13.4 points and 5.5 rebounds per game over 10 years in the NBA. Ramsey ended his career helping the Celtics win six NBA championships in a row from 1959 through 1954.
The 5 Greatest Small Forwards In Boston Celtics History
1. Larry Bird
– 3x NBA Champion, 2x Finals MVP, 3x MVP, 1x Rookie Of The Year, 12x All-Star, 1x All-Star Game MVP, 10x All-NBA Team Selection, 3x All-Defensive Team Selection
2. John Havlicek
– 8x NBA Champion, 1x Finals MVP, 13x All-Star, 11x All-NBA Team Selection, 8x All-Defensive Team Selection
3. Paul Pierce
– 1x NBA Champion, 1x Finals MVP, 10x All-Star, 4x All-NBA Team Selection
4. Cedric Maxwell
– 2x NBA Champion, 1x Finals MVP
5. Jayson Tatum
– 4x All-Star, 1x All-Star Game MVP, 3x All-NBA Team Selection
Much like the first two positions we have already covered, the small forward position is loaded with NBA champions and immense talent. The leader of this group by far is the incomparable Larry Bird. Bird is one of the greatest players in NBA history and the last player to ever win three consecutive MVP awards from 1984 through 1986. He helped lead the Celtics to three NBA championships with two Finals MVP awards in 1984 and 1986. On his remarkable three-year stretch from 1984 through 1986, Bird averaged 26.2 points, 10.1 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.8 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game.
John Havlicek is something of a folk hero in Boston. Hondo was a member of the Celtics dynasty as a young man during the 1960s and helped ease the transition of life after Bill Russell in the 1970s. After winning six titles with Russell during that time, Havlicek would help the Celtics win two more in 1974 and 1976. He would win Finals MVP in 1974 averaging 26.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game. Between 1967 and 1974, Hondo hit his peak as a player averaging 23.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 1.3 steals per game.
Paul Pierce is one of the most iconic names in Boston Celtics history as well. Pierce stuck through some of the toughest times in Boston history in the early 2000s only to be the one to lead them to the promised land one more time in 2008. With Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen at his side, Pierce led the Celtics to an NBA title in 2008, winning Finals MVP honors with 21.8 points and 6.3 assists per game. He is also the franchise’s all-time leading scorer and played an entire season after being stabbed eight times in a nightclub just weeks before the season started.
Cedric Maxwell played for the Celtics for eight seasons from 1978 through 1985. Maxwell doesn’t have the individual accolades that some of the others on this list do but he has accomplished more than most. Maxwell was a two-time NBA champion with the Celtics in 1981 and 1984 and averaged 13.7 points and 6.6 rebounds in his Celtics career. In 1981, Maxwell would be named Finals MVP when Boston defeated the Rockets in six games averaging 17.7 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game.
It won’t be too long before Jayson Tatum is much higher up on this list of great Boston small forwards. Tatum has already been to three Conference Finals in his young career as well as one NBA Finals. In 2022-23, Tatum became the first Celtics player to average 30.0 points per game or more in a season with 30.1 points per game on 46.6% shooting. In his six years with the team, he has averaged 22.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.1 steals per game in 439 career appearances.
The 5 Best Power Forwards In Boston Celtics History
1. Kevin McHale
– 3x NBA Champion, 2x Sixth Man Of The Year, 7x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Team Selection, 6x All-Defensive Team Selection
2. Kevin Garnett
– 1x NBA Champion, 1x Defensive Player Of The Year, 5x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Team Selection, 4x All-Defensive Team Selection
3. Tom Heinsohn
– 8x NBA Champion, 1x Rookie Of The Year, 6x All-Star, 4x All-NBA Team Selection
4. Paul Silas
– 2x NBA Champion, 1x All-Star, 3x All-Defensive Team Selection
5. Satch Sanders
– 8x NBA Champion, 1x All-Defensive Team Selection
The man who stands above everyone else in terms of Boston power forwards is Kevin McHale. With three NBA championships under his belt during the 1980s, McHale boasted some of the best footwork and overall two-way ability from any power forward ever. Before becoming a regular starter in 1986, McHake was a two-time Sixth Man of the Year with Boston in 1984 and 1985. Overall in his Celtics career, he averaged 17.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game over 13 years from 1981 through 1993.
Kevin Garnett arrived in Boston with the Celtics later on in his career in 2008. Immediately, Garnett was embraced by the city and fans for which he rewarded them handsomely. In his first season with the Celtics in 2008, Garnett would be named Defensive Player of the Year and help the Celtics capture their first NBA championship since 1986. He averaged 18.8 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game to do so and forever etched his name in Celtics history.
Tom Heinsohn was a member of the Boston Celtics for his entire career from 1957-1965. Heinsohn would win an NBA championship every year of his career with the Celtics other than their 1958 loss to the St. Louis Hawks. During this time, Heinsohn averaged 18.6 points and 8.8 rebounds per game during the regular season, making six All-Star teams and four All-NBA Second Teams. In 52 career games in the NBA Finals, he would go for 19.9 points and 9.1 rebounds per game on nine trips and eight championship wins.
Paul Silas was not a member of the Boston Celtics for a long time but still did enough to be considered one of their all-time greats. Silas was a member of the Celtics’ 1974 and 1976 championship teams in which he was an All-Defensive First Team member in 1976. He was also an All-Star in 1975 averaging 11.5 points and 11.2 rebounds per game. In his four seasons in Boston, Silas averaged 11.5 points and 12.3 rebounds per game on 43.9% shooting from the field.
The final top-five power forward on today’s list is frontcourt savant during their 1960s dynastic run, Tom “Satch” Sanders. Satch played his entire career with the Celtics from 1961 through 1973 and helped them win eight NBA championships along the way. In his time with the Celtics, Sanders averaged 9.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game but was much more important on the defensive side of the ball. Sanders was the perfect complement to Bill Russell in their frontcourt and is part of what made them such a defensive stalwart during their era.
The 5 Best Centers In Boston Celtics History
1. Bill Russell
– 11x NBA Champion, 5x MVP, 12x All-Star, 1x All-Star Game MVP, 11x All-NBA Team Selection, 1x All-Defensive Team Selection
2. Dave Cowens
– 2x NBA Champion, 1x MVP, 1x Rookie Of The Year, 8x All-Star, 1x All-Star Game MVP, 3x All-NBA Team Selection, 3x All-Defensive Team Selection
3. Robert Parish
– 3x NBA Champion, 9x All-Star, 2x All-NBA Team Selection
4. Kendrick Perkins
– 1x NBA Champion
5. Ed Macauley
– 6x All-Star, 4x All-NBA Team Selection
The group of centers for the Boston Celtics starts out with one of the greatest players in NBA history. In 12 seasons in Boston, Bill Russell led the Celtics to 11 NBA championships with his stout defensive ability and rebounding dominance. Russell was also named a five-time MVP of the league and voted on by his peers as the best player in basketball. For his career, Russell averaged 15.1 points and 22.5 rebounds per game along with the countless amounts of steals and blocks he accumulated before the league kept track. Not only is Russell the greatest center in Celtics history but he is quite possibly the greatest in NBA history.
Dave Cowens is the only player not named Cousy, Russell, or Bird to win MVP in Celtics history. Cowens earned the award in just his third season in 1973 averaging 20.5 points and 16.2 rebounds per game. He would win championships with the team in 1974 and 1976 likely deserving Finals MVP honors in 1976. In 13 career NBA Finals games, Cowens averaged 21.7 points and 12.8 rebounds per game in two successful championship victories.
Robert Parish was a mainstay with the Celtics during their exciting days in the 1980s. Alongside Larry Bird and Kevin McHale, Parish helped deliver three NBA championships in 14 seasons in Boston. Overall in his career there, Parish averaged 16.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game. The Chief gave Boston an overwhelming advantage in physicality and dominance on the boards. In seven straight All-Star seasons from 1981 through 1987, Parish averaged 18.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game as one of the better players on the court every night.
Kendrick Perkins is a household name these days as an analyst on ESPN with wild takes and petty jabs at his peers. During his early career with the Celtics from 2004-2011, he was a defensive strongpoint for the franchise and one of the more reliable rebounders in the league. Perkins would only average 6.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game with the Celtics over eight seasons but his impact went far beyond the numbers. Between taking bigger opponents out of their game and making them regret trying him in the paint, Perkins became an NBA champion in 2008 and his injury in 2010 may have prevented them from winning another.
The final member of the top-five centers in Celtics history is Ed Macauley. As Boston’s center from 1951 through 1956, Macaulay would earn six All-Star selections and four All-NBA Team selections. He would average 18.9 points and 8.1 rebounds over this time as well. Despite his individual success, Macaulay would not win an NBA championship with the team during his tenure. Macaulay would have his revenge though, as part of the Hawks team that defeated the Celtics in the 1958 NBA Finals.
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