Tag: Robert Parish

Every Boston Celtics jersey in team history worn by ONLY one player

This is every player in Celtics history who was the only player to wear their jersey number.

The Boston Celtics have more retired jerseys than any other team in the NBA does, and given that knowledge, it might surprise you that they have plenty of jerseys only worn by one player in the entire 75-year history of the team.

Of course, a few of them are among those retired jerseys, but quite a few of them are not. As we draw near to the end of the 2023 offseason series of every jersey ever worn by a Boston Celtics player in the regular season, we would of course be remiss if we skipped out on these loners.

Let’s take a look at those most unique of Celtics jerseys throughout the years.

Celtics icon Robert Parish on the first time he lost his cool on the court

“We had exchanged a few unpleasantries toward one another,” began Parish of his run-in with Detroit’s Bill Laimbeer.

The career of Boston Celtics legendary big man Robert Parish is sometimes overshadowed by a single moment in his career he wishes he could take back. While the Chief enjoyed a Hall of Fame-worthy career with the Celtics and Chicago Bulls, the brawl with Detroit Pistons’ Bill Laimbeer during Game 5 of the 1987 Eastern Conference finals is a black mark Parish hopes people will look past.

Parish recently discussed this infamous altercation on the CLNS Media “NBA History and Storytellers” podcast to talk about it. “I think fans can let it go because I have let it go,” he offered via Sports Illustrated’s Shandel Richardson.

“In the heat of the battle, that was the first time I ever lost control of my emotions and my temper.”

“We had exchanged a few unpleasantries toward one another,” he continued.  “Then a few elbows passed between us. Then I just lost it throwing punches … I couldn’t believe I lost my composure. That was the first time ever.”

His interlocutor, former teammate and now broadcaster Cedric Maxwell remarked he was most surprised by the lack of support Laimbeer had from his teammates.

“I was looking over my shoulder, Max, to be honest. But like you said, no one helped him. I don’t know what kind of message they were trying to send to him — I guess they were tired of the antics,” said Parish.

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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On this day: Shaq signs, Robert Parish leaves, Tiny Archibald trade; Arnie Risen passes

On this date in Boston Celtics history, the team added Shaquille O’Neal and Nate Archibald but lost Robert Parish in free agency.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, the team signed Hall of Fame big man Shaquille “Shaq” Rashaun O’Neal to the final stint of his storied career.  The Newark, New Jersey native was enticed by the principal owner of the Celtics Wyc Grousbeck, who used O’Neal’s rivalry with Kobe Bryant over the number of banners each had won to convince him to sign with Boston.

After securing head coach Doc Rivers’ approval on an assurance there would be no locker room subterfuge as had followed Shaq in the past. O’Neal signed a two-year minimum deal worth $2.8 million on this date on this date in 2010.

Shaq’s tenure as a Celtic did not result in a ring for him, with injury to him and several teammates derailing a Finals run and ultimately ending in his retirement from the sport at the end of the 2010-11 season.

On this day: Robert Parish, pick used for Kevin McHale traded for; Bird, Ainge drafted

Today saw the deal for Robert Parish and Kevin McHale and the drafts that brought Larry Bird and Danny Ainge to the Boston Celtics go down.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, President of Basketball Operations Red Auerbach pulled off one of the most lopsided trades in NBA history in 1980. Auerbach dealt a pair of first-round picks used to select big man Joe Barry Carroll and center Rickey Brown to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for big man Robert Parish and the draft pick used to select Kevin McHale.

In one fell swoop, Boston’s head honcho scooped up two-thirds of one of the greatest frontcourts ever assembled. Forward Larry Bird, who had already been drafted, completed the trio that win titles together in 1981, 1984, and 1986.

It is also the anniversary of the 1978 NBA draft, in which the Celtics took three players of note.

Who are the oldest players to play in the NBA (and more importantly, which of them were Boston alumni)?

A pair of Celtics alumni clocked in as among the oldest to ever play the game.

Who are the oldest players to play in the NBA — and more importantly, which of them were Boston Celtics alumni? The folks behind the Nonstop YouTube channel recently put together a list of the 10 oldest players to ever take the floor of an NBA game as an active player, and two of them were alumni of the Celtics.

Robert Parish, the NBA’s all-time leader in games played, is known for his longevity and the dedication to yoga and nutrition that helped to make it possible. Parish played until he was 43 years and 254 days old, winning his fourth NBA championship in his final season.

Before him, Bob Cousy, the first-ever superstar point guard, played in the 1950s and retired from the Celtics at 34 but later returned briefly as a Sacramento Kings player-coach, becoming the oldest player in the NBA in that era at 41 years and 150 days.

Check out the clip embedded above to hear how they stuck around so long in such a competitive league.

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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Who has the highest block average in Boston Celtics playoff history?

Can you guess who that center might be, as well as the others of the top ten rim protectors in the history of Boston’s playoff action?

When talking about nabbing steals in the NBA playoffs, fans of the Boston Celtics might be surprised to learn that despite his fame as one of the most fearsome shot blockers in the recent history of the sport, the man we have come to call the Timelord, Celtics center Robert Williams III, does not hold the record for the most playoff blocks per game for the storied ball club.

In fact, that record belongs to another Boston big man. Can you guess who that center might be, as well as the others of the top ten rim protectors in the history of Boston’s playoff action?

Let’s take a look at the record books to find out.

Who has played the most playoff games in Boston Celtics history?

Can you guess who that might be, as well as the others of the top ten players in terms of postseason play in the history of Boston’s playoff action?

When talking about getting onto the court in the NBA playoffs, fans of the Boston Celtics might be surprised to learn that despite his fame as one of the winningest competitors in any sport, Hall of Fame Boston big man Bill Russell does not hold the record for the most playoff games played over the course of his storied career with the ball club.

In fact, that record belongs to another Boston player who took the court alongside Russell for several seasons. Can you guess who that might be, as well as the others of the top ten players in terms of postseason play in the history of Boston’s playoff action?

Let’s take a look at the record books to find out.

Which Boston Celtics have the highest postseason winning percentages?

The Boston Celtics have won an NBA-record 17 titles in the nearly eight-decade history of the storied ball club, putting their players in a great position in terms of the percentage of games they have won in the postseason.

The Boston Celtics have won an NBA-record 17 titles in the nearly eight-decade history of the storied ball club, putting their players in a great position in terms of the percentage of games they have won in the postseason.

And while the bulk of those titles came to Boston in the epic run of the Celtics as the dynasty of NBA dynasties in the late 1950s and early 1960s under the tenure of Hall of Fame Celtics Bill Russell and Sam Jones, a fair amount of playoff series were won in the Boston resurgence of the 1980s during the “Original Big Three” era of Larry Bird, Robert Parish, and Kevin McHale, John Havlicek nearly bridging the gap between the two reigns.

Let’s dive into which Boston alumni had the best winning percentages in the playoffs (h/t Hoops Hype for the data).

Which Boston Celtics alumni won the most playoff series?

The Boston Celtics have won more titles than any other organization based in the same city in which the franchise was started, but who won the most series?

The Boston Celtics have won more titles than any other organization based in the same city in which the franchise was started, and are tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most NBA championships in league history with 17 apiece. But the Celtics also won them more as a team effort and with more of their titles coming in the years when the playoffs had fewer rounds as well.

Thus, the list of total postseason series won by individual players in the history of the league put together by the staff of our sister site Hoops Hype has fewer Boston alumni on it despite the Celtics’ dominance of the sport for much of the history of the NBA.

But that list has more than a few Celtics alumni on it — let’s take a look at who won how many series among former Boston players.

On this day: Danny Ainge hits 1000th 3-pointer, Robert Parish plays 1561st game

On this day, Celtics Danny Ainge hit his 1,000th career 3-pointer, and Robert Parish played his 1,561st game, an NBA record.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, former Celtic shooting guard and team president Danny Ainge became the third NBA player in league history to reach 1,000 made 3-point shots in 1995. He was no longer with Boston at the time, having been traded to the Sacramento Kings and Portland Trail Blazers before landing with the Phoenix Suns, the team with whom he was playing when he passed that lofty record.

Only Dale Ellis and Reggie Miller had shot as many 3-pointers at that time in NBA history, the dynamics of the game still focused on near-basket makes with shots from the midrange being taken in abundance still being the norm.

The game has changed a LOT since Ainge’s era as a player.