Tag: Bob Cousy

Just how good of a player was Boston Celtics legend Bob Cousy?

Despite the erroneous assumptions otherwise, the NBA of the 1960s had exceptionally skilled players — and Cousy was among the best.

For whatever reason, there has been an erroneous assumption that players in the earlier decades of the NBA were unskilled hacks with far less skill than there is in today’s Association. And while it might be true that the way the game is played now might be hard for players of that era to adapt to, the same might be said in reverse in the absence of evidence.

But we are not entirely without evidence, given there is film of players from the first few decades of the league that clearly show how skilled, fast-paced, and complex the league was in those days.

One excellent example is the play of Boston Celtics legend Bob Cousy, the Hall of Fame point guard known as the “Houdini of the Hardwood” for the difficulty of his passes and court vision.

To see Cooz’s play for yourself, check out this highlight reel put together by the folks at Foobas Sports.

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Boston Celtics legend Bob Cousy lets rip on Steve Kerr

Bob Cousy lets rip on Steve Kerr

Steve Kerr risked the wrath of Boston Celtics fans on Thursday when he decided to bench Jayson Tatum for Team USA’s 95-91 semi-final victory over Serbia. Kerr has benched Tatum twice during the Olympics, despite the St. Louis native being one of the most complete talents on the roster.

During an interview with The Boston Globe, Celtics legend Bob Cousy let rip on Kerr’s decision to sit Tatum despite Team USA struggling throughout the game. He questioned whether Kerr had a bias against the Celtics and declared that Tatum had been embarrassed by Kerr’s actions and decision-making.

“Tatum is on the cover of Sports Illustrated this month,” Cousy said. “Any experts that I’ve read lately have chosen him in the top five, and sometimes No. 1 in the [expletive] world. Now Kerr is telling the world that he doesn’t agree… And then to not let Tatum get off the bench — to me, there’s got to be some kind of bias that he’s got against the Celtics. He’s not alone there…He must think Tatum is a detriment, and I don’t see how he can feel that way and know anything about basketball.”

Tatum went into the Olympics as a recently crowned NBA champion and All-NBA First-Team selection. He has proven himself to be one of the best players in the world. When looking at Team USA’s roster, there is no logical reason for him to have been benched on two occasions. 

Cousy’s comments mirror those of Celtics fans, many of whom had taken to social media to share their confusion at Kerr’s decision-making. Team USA is set to face France in the final game on Saturday.

It will be interesting to see whether Tatum returns to the rotation, or if Kerr once again chooses to keep him glued to the bench. 

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Boston Celtics Red Auerbach, Bob Cousy and Bill Sharman take on MLB’s Braves – in sports trivia

Watch three Celtics try to best three Braves on a popular 1970s sports trivia game show.

We might have broken a few brains when we revealed that the Boston Celtics beat the Washington Senators (or rather, a trio of representatives from each team) once on a sports-themed game show hailing from the early 1970s. But the Celtics seemed to turn everything they touched to gold back in those days. It wasn’t the only appearance for Boston on the show (called “Sports Challenge”) either.

Within a year of the win by Bill Russell, John Havlicek, and Red Auerbach, another trio of Celtics made an appearance on the show. Auerbach returned with champion Celtics Bob Cousy and Bill Sharman to face off against three stars of the then recently-relocated Atlanta (previously of Milwaukee) Braves MLB team, though we won’t give away the ending this time for the curious among you.

Watch the clip for yourself to see how the Celtics did their second time on the show courtesy of the CLNS Media YouTube channel “NBA History and Legends on CLNS”.

If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” “Celtics Lab,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.

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Rare passing footage of Celtics Houdini of the hardwood, Bob Cousy

See why Cousy was such a trailblazing passer with this video.

Most fans of the Boston Celtics know one of the best floor generals to ever grace the court was Celtics point guard Bob Cousy. But only the oldest fans among us have any memory of why he earned the nickname “Houdini of the Hardwood” with his unreal passing chops. Perhaps, the hardcore Boston history nerds have some idea through watching historical footage.

With court vision only matched by a handful of players in an era that had hardly seen such passing, the Holy Cross alum set the bar for future guards while setting up the Celtics for their dynasty of dynasties with their first title in 1957.

Watch the highlight video of rare passing footage of Cousy in the clip embedded below and get to know why the Celtics legend is held in such high regard, courtesy of the NBA.

If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” “Celtics Lab,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Boston Hall of Famer Bob Cousy wants to attend the hanging of Banner 18

With a condition or two he has more than earned in our estimation.

When they say you are a Boston Celtic for life, few people can say it louder than 95-year-old Celtics Hall of Famer Bob Cousy. The original Houdini of the Hardwood made that even clearer when he set the conditions for attending the Celtics’ celebration for finally winning Banner 18 this fall on opening night.

“It’s something I would love to participate in, but I would have one condition,” said Cooz via Boston Dot Com’s Khari Thompson. “That I share it with my dear friend and the only remaining player left from the 50s and 60s, Satch Sanders, who doesn’t get enough attention. I would love to have him by my side.”

That is certainly not out of the question, though there is a good chance both guests he requested present will be there anyway. “And the other friend I would ask to join me is Governor Maura Healey who has become a good friend, and of course who has a basketball background,’ He added.

“She always references the Celtics and how they’re doing, so we’d talk ball and then solve the problems with the state.” Still, an important issue remained on Cousy’s mind.

“This puts us back ahead of the (Los Angeles) Lakers,” he noted. “o have been a part of that is as good a legacy as I could hope for.”

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

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Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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On this day: Jo Jo White drafted, Bob Cousy dishes NBA-record 19 assists; Zaid Abdul-Aziz born

On this day, Boston Celtics Hall of Fame point guard Jo Jo White was drafted, and legendary Celtics floor general Bob Cousy made an NBA-record 19 assists.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, the franchise drafted Hall of Fame point guard Jo Jo White in the 1969 NBA draft out of the University of Kansas with the ninth overall pick.

White would play 10 seasons with the Celtics, winning two NBA championships with Boston in 1974 and 1976, and would win a Finals MVP in 1976. The former Jayhawk was elected to seven All-Star games during his tenure with the Celtics and two All-NBA teams among many other honors. The St. Louis native would play in 488 consecutive games finally derailed by injury in the 1977-78 season, setting a franchise record in the process.

He never recovered to be a high-level player afterward, and was traded to the Golden State Warriors for a 1979 first-round draft pick.

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Every Boston Celtics All-Star for each season the game was played

Every single Boston Celtics All-Star in franchise history.

The 2024 NBA All-Star Game is set to kick off in Indianapolis, Indiana. A pair of Boston Celtics will be part of the action for the third year in a row as Jayson Tatum plays as a starter and Jaylen Brown a reserve for the Eastern Conference All-Stars.

Tatum and Brown join a long list of Celtics stars who have participated in the event, now entering its 73rd year of existence, which actually got its start in the old Boston Garden. Initially created to improve the image of professional basketball after a point-shaving scandal in NCAA ball besmirched the sport in the eyes of the public, the event has taken on a life of its own as one of the league’s most anticipated events.

Let’s take a look at all the Celtics who have taken part.

On this day: Big man Travis Knight traded; Cousy wins All-Star MVP

On this day in Celtics history, Boston traded Travis Knight to the Los Angeles Lakers, and Bob Cousy won MVP of the 1954 All-Star Game.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, former Celtics center Travis Knight was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for big man Tony Battie. Knight was picked up with the 29th overall pick of the 1996 NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls after an outstanding career at the University of Connecticut,

Knight was soon renounced by the Bulls, who did not want to give him a three-year deal at that time. He then signed with the Lakers on a one-year deal, which he parlayed into an appearance in the 1997 Rookie All-Star Game, and later, a seven-year deal with Boston under new Coach and General Manager Rick Pitino.

Knight understood he was only cut out to be a role player as a pro, and implied he’d made a deal he regretted regarding playing for coach Pitino.

On this day: Boston legend Tommy Heinsohn scores 45 on Christmas Day

It is the most scored by a Celtics player on that day, and Tommy’s career-high.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, Hall of Fame Boston Celtics power forward Tommy Heinsohn scored 45 points in the Celtics’ 127-122 win over the (then) Syracuse Nationals (now, the Philadelphia 76ers) on the road on Christmas Day 1961.

It remains the record for points scored on any game played on Christmas by a Celtic player (point guards Kyrie Irving and Bob Cousy hold the next two highest scores on that day with 40 and 35 points, respectively). The yuletide offensive outburst was also the most points scored by the iconic power forward in any game of his storied career.

The Holy Cross alumnus went on to win his fifth title with the team later that season, but he played a game for the ages that holiday tilt first.

On this day: Len Bias, Garfield Smith, Sam Cassell born; Bob Cousy traded

On this day, Celtics Len Bias, Garfield Smith, and Sam Cassell — while Boston icon Bob Cousy had his rights traded to the Cincinnati Royals.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, small forward Len Bias was born in Landover, Maryland in 1963. Bias would attend his hometown University of Maryland after graduating high school, where he would rise to national attention with the Terrapins.

He would be taken by the Celtics with the second overall pick of the 1986 NBA draft, only to have tragedy follow soon after. To celebrate his good fortune of landing with the storied franchise, the former Terrapin returned to the University of Maryland campus to celebrate his ascent to a contending team in the NBA with several of his friends.

Bias would have a seizure and collapse after using cocaine, a cardiac arrhythmia triggered by the use of the drug that eventually killed him. His unexpected passing is one of the great tragedies of Celtics and NBA history — rest in peace.

Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports