We have one of the all time great teams

[No1CeltsFan]

I agree w/everything but Pierce being underrated league wide....

Not no more he isn't. Before the Finals, ya damn right he is. Now, he's widely regarded in the Top 5.

[bballcool34]

I agree w/everything but Pierce being underrated league wide....

Not no more he isn't. Before the Finals, ya damn right he is. Now, he's widely regarded in the Top 5.

I'm hoping you mean Top 5 Small Forwards or Top 5 Wings- because Pierce is definitely not thought of to be in Top 5 players in the league by anyone (and nor should he be).

[exculpatory]

The Truth is top 3-5 wing in the game hands down. Kobe/Bron/Truth/Wade/Melo etc.

I always have disliked ranking points, wings (2-3s) and bigs (4-5s) together. IMHO it is silly. The people who play these 3 positions have vastly different skillsets, body types and roles.

Back to the OP, as a kid I saw some of the Russell era, but I really got into the Celts during the Hondo-Cowens-JoJo era, and obviously during the Bird-McHale-Chief-DJ-Danny era. If this team can win more 1 more championship, they will be regarded as a greater team than the 70s team. They would need 2 more championships and a couple more deep runs to get close to the 80s team. No team in any sport will be able to duplicate what Russell's teams did between 1959 and 1969.

Ex

P.S. Number 18 THIS YEAR GUYS!!!!!

[raptorschick]

It's a good squad, but waaaaay too old to make that claim.

The Greatest Team of All Time
'98 Bulls 72-10, WON NBA FINALS

PG Ron Harper (Age 34)
SG Michael Jordan (Age 35)
SF Scottie Pippen (Age 32)
PF Dennis Rodman (Age 37)
C Luc Longley (Age 29)

Bench
Toni Kukoc (Age 29)
Steve Kerr (Age 32)
Randy Brown (Age 29)
Bill Wennington (Age 34)

fixed

[Dirty Water]

fixed

except they were all 2 years younger

[rickbrunson]

Don't even make the 96 Bulls 09 Celtics comparison, it is ridiculous. I think its impossible to compare a team with MJ on it, because he was so much better than everyone else on the court. To me, he is worth the Cs "big 3" by himself. Pippen is at least twice the player Rondo is, being top 25 all-time. And don't forget that Doc can't coach his way out of a paper bag and would be going against the greatest coach of all time. Rodman v Sheed is a wash.
The Cs are very good, but please don't get crazy. They're not even the most talented team in the league THIS YEAR.

[TonyMontana]

Its 3am and I'm exhausted, but it hit me, and I wanted to share that we have one of the all time great teams. I feel pretty confident that history will prove us right in this. Years down the road this current era of great celtics teams will be remembered .

3am in the morning on a Sat night????? Im thinking why is this girl still laying next to me when she needs to be in her bed not MINE........... lmao. Whats wrong with you brah???

[vct33]

I agree with Hemingway, but how great will be measured by how many championships we win.

1.) The Russell era

2.) The Bird era

3.) The Cowens era

Where this team falls will depend on how many rings we get in the next few years. I think we have a good shot of eclipsing #3 and maybe #2, but no way #1.

These 3 HOF'ers are playing for their spot in history. Sit back and enjoy my friends, because this don't happen very often.

This team could never be as decorated as #1 because it was assembled so late in these players careers but the current Celtics would destroy the Russell Celtics on the court.

[Anklebreaker702]

The 1998 bulls were awful...apart from great defense. Honestly, those Pacers squads back then were good teams but not great, and they would have beaten them without timely hot streaks from Kukoc and big help from the refs. Same thing for Utah, they win without the refs and Karl Malone's choke artistry.

Sad thing about this topic is, the Lakers are closer to an all time great team than we are right now. The Kobe/Gasol/Artest/Odom combo is similar to ours but younger. I suppose either team could be a real all time great team - for us, we need continued improvement by Rondo and rejuvenation of Rasheed; the Lakers need Bynum to live up to his potential.

I like what you said as far as your honesty on where our 2 teams stand, but how can you call a team that completed a 3 peat awful?

[Gold Chain]

Win another title with that big 3 and people will have to least start talking a little more seriously.