Legacy of the Big Three 2008

[Andrew]

Now that the latest trio of stars for Boston have secured a seventeenth banner for the rafters in TD Banknorth Garden in the biggest single season turnaround in NBA history, what do you think their legacy will be? Do you see jersey numbers being retired?

I think that Paul Pierce is a shoe-in to have his #34 retired, having played for the Celtics for ten years, winning a title and taking home Finals MVP honours. There was a possibility that was going to happen anyway but winning the championship has pretty much sealed it in my book.

I'm not sure about Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen at this point. I think there's a strong possibility, after all Garnett's #21 will surely be retired in Minnesota but their shorter tenure with the team might work against them. Still, being a part of this Celtics team and delivering the first title in over two decades is probably enough to warrant such an honour.

Personally, I think all three should have their jerseys retired even if it does mean the Celtics will have even fewer common numbers to hand out. If Charles Barkley's #34 can be retired in Phoenix after only four seasons and one NBA Finals appearance, a few years in Boston and at least one championship should be enough to justify #34, #5 and #20 joining the other great Celtics of seasons past.

[[Q]]

i agree with the Pierce theory. i figured if they won the title after that performance vs lebron, he would get his number up there. but for the other two, I don't think they'll get too much acclaim in Boston. KG will get his 21 retired in minny but i think this'll be more of a "remember that year?" sort of thing like the Lakers the year they got Payton & Malone.

[dansensei]

i think that both garnett and allen should stay for at least another 5 years in boston for their jerseys to be retired in that city...
but if they(garnett and allen) are the ones to decide, they will surely want to see their jerseys in the rafters of the garden, since it's in this city that they won their 1st championship...

[jonthefon]

Garnett will have his #21 raised up in Minny, not Boston, unless he keeps going for 20/10 for the next six or seven years in Boston (good luck).

[Andrew]

Cedric Maxwell didn't post those numbers, yet he was still a Finals MVP and his #31 has been retired. I think KG will need to play a few more seasons in Boston during which the team is a legitimate contender and be a significant reason for that, but I don't think he needs seven years as a Celtic posting 20/10.

[skip2mahbaby]

PP is a lock for the retired #34...

As for KG and ALlen, yeah, maybe a couple of years will do, as long as they will make the C's a contender every year (which I still see will happen), then their jerseys will probably be retired as well, considering all the hype and the help that they put to win the championship this year.

[The X]

The Truth was likely going to get his jersey retired, but it might've taken them years to do it....now he is a lock once he retires....

Garnett & Allen, nah....they've played one season....outside of game 6, Garnett wasn't that good in Finals....he'll have his number retired by the T'wolves....if the team can repeat & be at top of East for another few years, then it's possible....but far too premature to even mention those two as All-Time Celtics' Greats....

[Andrew]

Is it though? Their arrival was one of the chief reasons the Celtics now boast seventeen championships. Pierce was the standout player in the Finals but the efforts of KG and Allen helped them get there in the first place. Right now I wouldn't consider either a lock but should they win another title or at least contend for the next few years then they at least deserve consideration.

[The X]

I agree if they contend for the next few years then they do deserve consideration....

if it was Miami Heat, maybe they'd retire each of their jerseys after one title....Shaq will end up with his number retired by Miami, but he gave them 3 contending seasons including the title....

I think in the end, with Pierce it's a no brainer....with the other two, you'd want the organisation to wait quite a few years, just to see where the players fit in with the organisation's legacy....

but yeah, depends on the next couple of years....too early to say....and for me personally, too early to think about....


EDIT: Forget retired numbers, let's talk about the legacies of each player individually....for me, I always really liked Pierce the most out of the 3 as a player, but the Finals (& from game 7 of East Semis), he really has stepped up & firmly entrenched himself as a Celtics All-Time Great....all that being said, I don't think he will be a Hall of Famer though unless he can put together an MVP-like season next year which isn't out of the question....

Garnett, he was already Hall of Famer, title is just the cherry on top....his legacy was made in Minnesota (where he will have his number retired), and he further added to it by rejuvenating the Celtics....

Allen, like Paul Pierce, likely won't get close to Hall of Fame, but no shame in that....title is a nice for him as he's had his years of struggles....unlike Garnett, he won't get his number retired anywhere else....

[Andrew]

Perhaps, but if being prominent players on a championship squad is a must then they've already achieved that criteria. Besides, now that the current Big Three have wrapped up one title, the next question is whether they can do it all again which ultimately concerns their legacy.

[Lean]

I'd go with Pierce only. Maybe because of the length of his tenure in Boston.

[Roseblade13]

The truth would have his number retired because of his franchiese loyalty and his achievement this year!!

KG and sugar ray could be retired if they would make the celtics contenders for the next years!!

KG has a possibility to be retired in both Minesotta and Boston depending on the next years!!

[kinokong]

pierce is an absolute lock.... getting stabbed, nearly blowing out his knee, going through crap seasons..... this guy is a true success story.....

[Sauru]

if the celtics repeat next season i see all 3 names going up. either way pierce is going up there for sure

[Alejandrov011]

I almost cry when i saw Kevin Garnett crying while Michelle Tafoya "tried" to have an interview.

When he screamed "Everything is possible" (something like that, i don't remember) i almost tear xD.




Pierce is a really succes story. He was in the celtics bad years and always being the leader... He deserves the trophy for what he has done and how he played in the finals... playing much more better than Kobe... with much more heart than anybody.


Pierce is a lock. And lets se how they fare in the next 3, 4 playoffs... That will show if Garnett and Allen will have their numbers retired


OFF: Miami has already a jersey retired. Remember 23!, for Jordan xD Ridiculuos

[Andrew]

if the celtics repeat next season i see all 3 names going up. either way pierce is going up there for sure

Out of interest, what do you think the chances were of Pierce's jersey being retired if he remained a lifelong Celtic but hadn't won a championship?

[cyanide]

I almost cry when i saw Kevin Garnett crying while Michelle Tafoya "tried" to have an interview.

When he screamed "Everything is possible" (something like that, i don't remember) i almost tear xD.

I actually got scared when that happened. In front of the camera and it looked like giant teeth screaming and snapping at me.

[buzzy]

if the celtics repeat next season i see all 3 names going up. either way pierce is going up there for sure

Out of interest, what do you think the chances were of Pierce's jersey being retired if he remained a lifelong Celtic but hadn't won a championship?

Even then his jersey would have been retired, im sure.

[Martti.]

The Celtics want to have Ainge's number retired. Pierce has his number retired for sure. If they have another title run, KG and Ray may have them retired also. It's hard for rookies to pick their jersey numbers, cause the Celtics have so many retired.

[Sauru]

if the celtics repeat next season i see all 3 names going up. either way pierce is going up there for sure

Out of interest, what do you think the chances were of Pierce's jersey being retired if he remained a lifelong Celtic but hadn't won a championship?

its my opinion he still would have been. even without a ring he would have deserved it if you ask me. the biggest injustice the celtics ever did to him was make him play behind walker and yet he stayed true to the team. then when they FINALLY ditched walker and made him the man he was surround by nothing and still hung around. i think he would have deserved it either way really

[Lamrock]

I would laugh if they retired Walker's number.

[Sauru]

I would laugh if they retired Walker's number.

i would shoot someone in the face. which is probably unfair cause it would be some random dude on the street who has no idea wtf is going on yet i would still shoot him in the face

[[Q]]

The Celtics want to have Ainge's number retired. Pierce has his number retired for sure. If they have another title run, KG and Ray may have them retired also. It's hard for rookies to pick their jersey numbers, cause the Celtics have so many retired.

reporter: so why did you pick number 66?
Scot Pollard, the forgotten Celtic: (looking up) because all of the other fucking numbers are taken.

well, at least NBA live will be accurate when they give randomly generated rookies odd numbers like 53.

[The X]

One last note & what I'm curious about, I'm wondering if Pierce can be an All-Defensive player next season....he showed during Finals that he's a lockdown force, combined with his team....if Kobe can make All-Defensive, I don't see why Pierce doesn't have a chance next season....

[Andrew]

its my opinion he still would have been. even without a ring he would have deserved it if you ask me. the biggest injustice the celtics ever did to him was make him play behind walker and yet he stayed true to the team. then when they FINALLY ditched walker and made him the man he was surround by nothing and still hung around. i think he would have deserved it either way really

I think so too. Obviously the Celtics' legacy sets higher standards than most teams when it comes to defining players as history significant to the club but I think it would have been a similar situation to Charles Barkley in Philadelphia had Pierce gone his career without a championship in Boston. He would have remained a significant player during his tenure with the team with All-Star and playoff appearances, including the trip to the ECF in 2002.

One last note & what I'm curious about, I'm wondering if Pierce can be an All-Defensive player next season....he showed during Finals that he's a lockdown force, combined with his team....if Kobe can make All-Defensive, I don't see why Pierce doesn't have a chance next season....

Possibly, if it becomes part of his reputation. He averages a decent number of steals and rebounds and if his efforts in the 2008 Finals give him a rep as a lockdown defender then he'll probably garner some attention when the teams are being picked.