Parish: 1986 Celtics Greatest, Walton's Impact Unmatched

0:00It's March 26th. This is Boston Celtics News today, your AI-powered team coverage. Robert Parrish, the Hall of Fame Center for the Boston Celtics, calls the 1985-86 Celtics one of the greatest teams ever. He even ranks them above the 1996-97 Chicago Bulls, who won 69 games and a title. The big reason, according to Parrish, is Bill Walton coming off the bench. The Celtics already had stars like Larry Bird, Kevin McCale, Parrish himself, and Dennis Johnson. What they needed was a strong backup big man for rim protection, rebounding, and scoring inside. Walton, though past his prime and injury riddled, changed everything in under 20 minutes per game. He averaged 7.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks. That spark gave the team new confidence and separated them from the pack. Parrish knows talent, having played his final year with those bulls alongside Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippin, and Dennis Rodman.

1:00No one on that bull squad, Mash Walton's unique impact, Parrish says. He picks the Celtics every time and a head-to-head matchup. When Boston won the title that year, Walton earned 6 Man of the Year honors. It boosted both their legacies in a big way.