Ten-time Celtics Champion, Sam Jones, was expected to retire after the 1968-69 season, but Bill Russell calling it quits was a bit of a shocker. Sam was going to be sorely missed, but John Havlicek, JoJo White and Larry Siegfried were still arouind to pick up some of the slack. But who was going to replace the seemingly-irreplaceable Russell?
Well, it wasn't going to be 7-footer, Hank Finkel, traded to Boston prior to the 1969-70 season. Finkel had his best statistical season in his first stint in Beantown, but he was not Russ - not even close. As Hank's wife, Kathy, said at the time - she knew her husband was not Bill Russell every time she saw his paycheck.
Then came "The Savior". 6'8.5", 130 pound Dave Cowens, taken at number-4 in the 1970 NBA draft.. "Too small to play center in the NBA" is what many critics uttered, but "Big Red" proved them wrong. He never lived-and-breathed basketball, but once on the court, he gave you everything.
Henry Finkel remained with the Celtics for several more seasons as a backup to Dave, but it was Cowens that proved to be an extremely-effective replacement for perhaps the best center to ever take to the NBA hardwood.
Eight-time All-Star, 1973 MVP, 2-time Champ - these are just a few of the awards earned by one of the most fiery and intense players I have ever had the pleasure to observe. Many younger Celtics fans may not give "Big Red" the credit he deserves since he played in the 1970's, but I rate him somewhere between #4-and-#6 on the Celtics' All-Time Ladder. Where do our readers put him.
Dave Cowens as Celtics Savior? You bet! Younger fans may not think so, but I watched him many times at the Old Boston Garden. I rate him somewhere between #4-and-#6 on my All-Time Celtics Ladder. Where do you put him?https://t.co/9bdMFLRDhL
— Tom Lane (@CelticsSentinel) January 25, 2023
I've said before, and I'll say again ... if a healthy Dave Cowens were playing in this era, we'd all be scratching our heads saying, "Draymond WHO?"
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