Celtics Retiring Kevin Garnett's #5, and Selected as Hall of Fame finalist, in 24hrs

[hickfromfrenchlick]

Not worthy.

Sorry.

No you're not

Putting a guy in the rafters for 1 championship is the kind of green teamer spirit I've come to expect from my fellow fans.

Lame replies like this are as well.

Cool, just insult literally every other poster in this thread. You're the only real Celtics fans, got it.

But honestly, putting aside your ice cold take, I can't take you seriously until you remove the apostrophe from your handle. It's like a gigantic zit. Or zit's.

[Parliament10]

No you're not

Putting a guy in the rafters for 1 championship is the kind of green teamer spirit I've come to expect from my fellow fans.

Lame replies like this are as well.

Cool, just insult literally every other poster in this thread. You're the only real Celtics fans, got it.

But honestly, putting aside your ice cold take, I can't take you seriously until you remove the apostrophe from your handle. It's like a gigantic zit. Or zit's.

Both you guys stop with the Personal Attacks.

~ Parl

[zoyathedestroya]

Kevin Garnett's appearance on All the Smoke podcast hosted by Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson:

Watch on YouTube

[Setshot33]

Bill Walton put the 86 team over the top and produced some of the best upper echelon offense this franchise has ever seen.

His passing out of the post and the pick n roll play with Bird was legendary.
Did the Celtics retire his number(5)? No.
He just wasn't here long enough.

KG forced a culture change. Not only to the team in general but for Paul Pierce specifically. Saved Paul's career.
Very thankful for all he did.

He just wasn't here long enough to have #5 retired.

[lou310]

Bill Walton put the 86 team over the top and produced some of the best upper echelon offense this franchise has ever seen.

His passing out of the post and the pick n roll play with Bird was legendary.
Did the Celtics retire his number(5)? No.
He just wasn't here long enough.

KG forced a culture change. Not only to the team in general but for Paul Pierce specifically. Saved Paul's career.
Very thankful for all he did.

He just wasn't here long enough to have #5 retired.

That is an absurd comparison

[exculpatory]

KG forced a culture change.
Not only to the team in general but for Paul Pierce specifically.
Saved Paul's career.
Very thankful for all he did.

It was a completely symbiotic relationship.
Without KG, no ring & sustained Big 3 excellence.
Without Paul, no ring & sustained Big 3 excellence.
They needed each other equally to make it happen.
Neither one got it done alone during the years preceding - albeit KG, blessed with vastly better support players, went to the Finals once.

You are exaggerating what KG did for Paul.
Paul was ALWAYS a total stud & a complete player.
He was forced to play with absolutely **** support for his first 9 years until he was 30 **** years old!
Had Paul been given prime KG early in his career (like Kobe was given prime Shaq), they both would have 5 rings, not 1.

Given how great & super competitive those PP-KG teams were for 6 years, I can bend the rational longevity requirement, & hang #5!

[K For Three]

I remember this commercial came out when KG first got here, or not long after. I was in high school.

Watch on YouTube

[exculpatory]

I remember this commercial came out when KG first got here, or not long after. I was in high school.

Watch on YouTube

Absolutely classic.
Still gives me chills.

[SuperDeluxe]

I was on the fence on these acknowledgments, but after seeing his performance in "Uncut Gems" I'm kinda fine with it.

What the heck... The two things have been a lock for years! Deserved to the max, it was just a matter of when.

[Setshot33]

KG forced a culture change.
Not only to the team in general but for Paul Pierce specifically.
Saved Paul's career.
Very thankful for all he did.

It was a completely symbiotic relationship.
Without KG, no ring & sustained Big 3 excellence.
Without Paul, no ring & sustained Big 3 excellence.
They needed each other equally to make it happen.
Neither one got it done alone during the years preceding - albeit KG, blessed with vastly better support players, went to the Finals once.

You are exaggerating what KG did for Paul.
Paul was ALWAYS a total stud & a complete player.
He was forced to play with absolutely **** support for his first 9 years until he was 30 **** years old!
Had Paul been given prime KG early in his career (like Kobe was given prime Shaq), they both would have 5 rings, not 1.

Given how great & super competitive those PP-KG teams were for 6 years, I can bend the rational longevity requirement, & hang #5!

I know you are a Paul Pierce superfan and I respect that.

But when KG came here, Pierce made the comment that he would have to get in shape and be better on the defensive end now that KG was here.
At the time,Paul was the face of the franchise. So he basically admitted he wasn't committed to being his best until KG arrived.

At the time, it was shocking to hear that for me...and it cast Pierce in a different light as far as his leadership was concerned.

That all being said, I just don't think KG was here long enough to earn his number retired...especially with only one ring.

Heck, Ainge has multiple rings and no one even thinks about putting #44 in the rafters.

Agree to disagree.

[LarryBirdsFingr]

There's no.better human being I have ever met in my life

Any stories you're willing to share?

Yeah I'm in the mountains rn I'll type one out later tonight

[sam_I_am]

KG forced a culture change.
Not only to the team in general but for Paul Pierce specifically.
Saved Paul's career.
Very thankful for all he did.

It was a completely symbiotic relationship.
Without KG, no ring & sustained Big 3 excellence.
Without Paul, no ring & sustained Big 3 excellence.
They needed each other equally to make it happen.
Neither one got it done alone during the years preceding - albeit KG, blessed with vastly better support players, went to the Finals once.

You are exaggerating what KG did for Paul.
Paul was ALWAYS a total stud & a complete player.
He was forced to play with absolutely **** support for his first 9 years until he was 30 **** years old!
Had Paul been given prime KG early in his career (like Kobe was given prime Shaq), they both would have 5 rings, not 1.

Given how great & super competitive those PP-KG teams were for 6 years, I can bend the rational longevity requirement, & hang #5!

With KG having his back, Pierce was freed to be more aggressive defensively in a way he never could before. No way he could get up close to guys like Kobe before without getting burned every time. The idea however that Pierce was somehow soft before KG is bull. The way those two guys played - it’s a travesty they didn’t get to play their whole career together.

That said, KG was only the big ticket for 1 season here in 2008. He was a shell of that guy from 2010 to 2013. In 2009, Pierce Ray and Rondo got to game 7 of ECF with Perk, Baby, Scal as the bigs. In 2010 KG was more like Al Horford (giving us 14/7 per game) than an all time great and it was Rondo and Pierce who carried that team.

I think KG deserves to have number retired as much as Max or DJ did because he was our guy for 5 years of awesome basketball. But we only had Hall of Famer KG for 1 1/2 years before his knee injury changed things.

[exculpatory]

KG forced a culture change.
Not only to the team in general but for Paul Pierce specifically.
Saved Paul's career.
Very thankful for all he did.

It was a completely symbiotic relationship.
Without KG, no ring & sustained Big 3 excellence.
Without Paul, no ring & sustained Big 3 excellence.
They needed each other equally to make it happen.
Neither one got it done alone during the years preceding - albeit KG, blessed with vastly better support players, went to the Finals once.

You are exaggerating what KG did for Paul.
Paul was ALWAYS a total stud & a complete player.
He was forced to play with absolutely **** support for his first 9 years until he was 30 **** years old!
Had Paul been given prime KG early in his career (like Kobe was given prime Shaq), they both would have 5 rings, not 1.

Given how great & super competitive those PP-KG teams were for 6 years, I can bend the rational longevity requirement, & hang #5!

I know you are a Paul Pierce superfan and I respect that.

#1. But when KG came here, Pierce made the comment that he would have to get in shape and be better on the defensive end now that KG was here.
At the time, Paul was the face of the franchise. So he basically admitted he wasn't committed to being his best until KG arrived.
At the time, it was shocking to hear that for me...and it cast Pierce in a different light as far as his leadership was concerned.

#2. That all being said, I just don't think KG was here long enough to earn his number retired...especially with only one ring.
Heck, Ainge has multiple rings and no one even thinks about putting #44 in the rafters.

Agree to disagree.

#1. I stand 1000% by what I wrote.
#2. You have a valid point. However, I am ok with it. Besides, it will be another 15 years before we hang JSmooth’s number. LOL.
:0)

[exculpatory]

KG forced a culture change.
Not only to the team in general but for Paul Pierce specifically.
Saved Paul's career.
Very thankful for all he did.

It was a completely symbiotic relationship.
Without KG, no ring & sustained Big 3 excellence.
Without Paul, no ring & sustained Big 3 excellence.
They needed each other equally to make it happen.
Neither one got it done alone during the years preceding - albeit KG, blessed with vastly better support players, went to the Finals once.

You are exaggerating what KG did for Paul.
Paul was ALWAYS a total stud & a complete player.
He was forced to play with absolutely **** support for his first 9 years until he was 30 **** years old!
Had Paul been given prime KG early in his career (like Kobe was given prime Shaq), they both would have 5 rings, not 1.

Given how great & super competitive those PP-KG teams were for 6 years, I can bend the rational longevity requirement, & hang #5!

With KG having his back, Pierce was freed to be more aggressive defensively in a way he never could before. No way he could get up close to guys like Kobe before without getting burned every time.
TRUE.

The idea however that Pierce was somehow soft before KG is bull. The way those two guys played - it’s a travesty they didn’t get to play their whole careerS together. = 5 RINGs!

That said, KG was only the big ticket for 1 season here in 2008. He was a shell of that guy from 2010 to 2013. In 2009, Pierce Ray and Rondo got to game 7 of ECF with Perk, Baby, Scal as the bigs. In 2010 KG was more like Al Horford (giving us 14/7 per game) than an all time great and it was Rondo and Pierce who carried that team. ALL TRUE!

I think KG deserves to have number retired as much as Max or DJ did because he was our guy for 5 years of awesome basketball. But we only had Hall of Famer KG for 1 1/2 years before his knee injury changed things. ALL TRUE!

Great **** post, Sam!

[Saint Lazarus]

Unquestionably, career wise, Larry & KG were significantly more transcendent than Paul.

And during the Celtics Big 3 era, KG clearly exceeded Paul with regard to visible intensity & vocal culture-changing leadership, as well as defensive ability.

How the **** ever, Paul **** Pierce was a MEGA-clutch, quasi-Super Star in his own right & was by far & away the offensive heart & soul of those magnificent Celtics teams. He & KG were ABSO **** LUTELY EQUAL contributors. (Paul Pierce is & was, by **** light years, the most underappreciated quasi-Super Star of his generation - even by mother **** Celtics fans to this **** day. It will ALWAYS totally piss me off.)


In terms of home grown Celtics Super Stars between 1980 & 2020. it will ALWAYS be Larry AND then the **** Truth.

And there is an excellent possibility that JSmooth will follow in Paul’s foot steps during the next few years - in his own quietly determined way (much more similar to Paul’s persona than the competitive lunacy of KG).

I don't get why you have to add the quasi-superstar superlative to Pierce's accomplishments. Pierce was the foundation of the Celtics for a decade, and his talent willed the team to multiple playoff runs. He is what he is, a perennial all star that would have dominant games or stretches at a time.

Implying that Pierce was a superstar just takes away from his actual achievements and invites criticism.

[exculpatory]

Unquestionably, career wise, Larry & KG were significantly more transcendent than Paul.

And during the Celtics Big 3 era, KG clearly exceeded Paul with regard to visible intensity & vocal culture-changing leadership, as well as defensive ability.

How the **** ever, Paul **** Pierce was a MEGA-clutch, quasi-Super Star in his own right & was by far & away the offensive heart & soul of those magnificent Celtics teams. He & KG were ABSO **** LUTELY EQUAL contributors. (Paul Pierce is & was, by **** light years, the most underappreciated quasi-Super Star of his generation - even by mother **** Celtics fans to this **** day. It will ALWAYS totally piss me off.)


In terms of home grown Celtics Super Stars between 1980 & 2020. it will ALWAYS be Larry AND then the **** Truth.

And there is an excellent possibility that JSmooth will follow in Paul’s foot steps during the next few years - in his own quietly determined way (much more similar to Paul’s persona than the competitive lunacy of KG).

I don't get why you have to add the quasi-superstar superlative to Pierce's accomplishments. Pierce was the foundation of the Celtics for a decade, and his talent willed the team to multiple playoff runs. He is what he is, a perennial all star who would have dominant games or stretches at a time.

Implying that Pierce was a superstar just takes away from his actual achievements and invites criticism.

Because that is EXACTLY what quasi-Super Star means to me - not quite a Jordan or a Bird - but a perennial All Star who played as well as any Super Star for very long stretches at a time, who consistently played universally acknowledged Super Stars like LeBron & Kobe EQUAL head to head or sometimes outplayed them, who also possessed a very unique ‘clutch gene’ making him one of the most clutch players of his generation = Paul was a cut well above a perennial All Star = hence, quasi-Super Star fits.

[Fencer reregistered]

Fun highlight video for old #5 (actual basketball starts about 45 seconds in):

Watch on YouTube

[zoyathedestroya]

Watch on YouTube

[ThumbsUpBaby]

The day I've been waiting for after PP's retirement ceremony.

Congrats KG! The heart of the team. "ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE" still feels like it was yesterday.

[FlatearthZorro]

The best player on that championship team and this comes from a career long PP follower, who got dragged into basketball by Pierce. If KG wasn't hurt they would've won 2 or even 3 with a little bit of luck. It just wasn't meant to be, I guess.

Well deserved for Kevin, tho.

edit: Imo, Garnett was robbed of a far superior career by the Wolves.