25 Greatest Celtics of All-Time : #1

[Casperian]

Itīs the off-season, and we need something to talk about besides nonsensical trade-rumours.

So I thought we could make a big poll to decide once and for all who are the greatest Celtics players of all-time. Iīm sure it has been done many times before, and I know that itīs tricky to rate our legends, but Iīve figured that there is no better place for this than Celticsblog, and I havenīt seen such a poll here before.

This poll is to determine the greatest Celtic of all-time.
Players to consider:

Larry Bird
Bill Russell
Bob Cousy
John Havlicek
Tommy Heinsohn
Paul Pierce

Rules

1. Only players are eligible.
No former coaches, GMs or owners. The Celticsī history is just too rich of characters to include all of them (and most people would vote for Red, anyway, which would make this poll useless).

2. You can include off-the-court performances.
Although only former or current players are eligible, it is perfectly fine to include Tommy`s accolades as a coach and broadcaster, Danny Aingeīs contributions as a GM, and Dave Cowensī nap on a parkbench after celebrating with the fans in 1974 in your evaluation.

3. You have three votes.
The first vote is worth 4 points, the second 2 points, and the third 1 point. This is to pay tribute to the fact that many people have a problem to decide between players, and that we want this poll to be as accurate as possible. This system is certainly more suited for a poll like this than a simple "one vote" poll.


Just write a post with your votes, and after the poll is closed, I will go through the thread and count every vote personally. Iīll close the poll in 2-4 days, since I have no idea how the reaction will be.



A big "thank you" goes to Roy Hobbs and Steve Weinman, who encouraged me to do this poll and helped me with the system. I just hope you like the idea, and that we get at least 4 pages with this.^^

EDIT: And if you want to discuss your votes, do it here, please:

http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=28994.0

Makes it much easier for me to count the votes.
Thank you.

[Roy Hobbs]

I'm voting:

1. Bill Russell
2. Larry Bird
3. John Havlicek (sorry, he can't be left out of discussion for #1!)

[Hoyo de Monterrey]

Nice topic... Better then Ray Allen and Rondo for whoever these days

1. Russell
2. Bird
3. Bob Cousy- first to change the point guard position and revolutionized dribbling

[slam]

1. Bill Russell
2. Larry Bird
3. I don't think anyone is a definitive #3 (sorry if I'm messing you your poll)

[Redz]

1. Russell
2. Bird
3. Cousy

15 years ago you would have had to had beaten me to a pulp to take Larry off the top stop, but time passing has giving me some perspective.  Gotta be Russell at the top.  I hate leaving Hondo off there, but Cousy was more instrumental in the start of the of the dynasty.

[Casperian]

Included Havlicek and Cousy as "players to consider"

1 and 2 is really hard to decide.

1. Russell
2. Bird
3. Havlicek (I agree with you, Roy)

[jax_celtsfan]

1. Russel
2. Bird
3. Havlicek

[Donoghus]

1) Russell
2) Bird
3) Havlicek

[jambr380]

It goes against what I've seen, but I haven't seen as much of Russell, so:

Russell- what he did is unheard of today
Bird- an dominant talent in a time where athleticism did matter
Tommy- Pierce, Cooz, and Havlicek get honorable mentions here, but Tommy is a lifer and has accomplished more than any of us can really grasp.

[Truck Lewis]

I'm voting:

1. Bill Russell
2. Larry Bird
3. John Havlicek (sorry, he can't be left out of discussion for #1!)

ditto

[Silas]

1) Russell
2) Bird
3) Havlicek
4) Cousy

[ACF]

1) #  6
2) # 33
3) # 17

I never watched Russell or Hondo
play, but from what I know they
both belong in the top three.

[Scalablob990]

#1- Bill Russell
#2- Larry Bird
#3- Paul Pierce

#4 would be a toss up between Havlicek or Cousy.

[tenn_smoothie]

1 > Russell
2 > Bird
3 > Cowens

why does everyone always forget the 1970's group so easily ...... Dave Cowens was a great, great player and the anchor of that championship group ..... just like Russell in the 60's and Bird in the 80's. for my money, those are the three most important players in franchise history.

Havlicek was also great, but he was kind of the lieutenant for Russell and then Cowens ......... which is how i see Garnett and Pierce now - Garnett being the general and Pierce the lieutenant.

[Quinn]

1.)Russell
2.)Bird
3.)Cousy.