BOSTON — Bill Walton and Dave Cowens never played together. Walton joined the Celtics shortly before the 1985-86 season, a few years after Cowens retired.
But they certainly had memorable battles as opponents during the 1970s, and Walton grew to appreciate No. 18 quite a bit.
“Here was Wilt (Chamberlain), just so dominant. Here was Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar), the best player I ever played against. And Dave Cowens, he would just come into town and torch them both, and they had no chance whatsoever,” Walton said Tuesday at the Liberty Hotel, where the Celtics celebrated the franchise’s 1966, 1976 and 1986 NBA championship teams. “He ran, he executed, Dave Cowens epitomizes what it means to be a great basketball player and a great leader, a great human being and someone who was a shining star.
“And when you look at Dave Cowens, talk to him, when you witness his brilliance and excellence, you just say, wow, we are so lucky to have Dave in our life. What he did on and off the basketball court is absolutely spectacular. I love that guy.”
Cowens wasn’t a flashy player. He had great fundamentals, did the dirty work in the paint, rebounded, ran the floor as well as any center and dove on the parquet for loose balls. He was a team-first guy with an all-around game, making him a perfect fit for the Celtics culture that Red Auerbach created.
But make no mistake, Cowens also was incredibly skilled. He averaged 16.6 points per game in 10 seasons with Boston, a span that included a league MVP award in 1973. Cowens also averaged 18.9 points and 14.4 rebounds per game in his playoff career, and he played a pivotal role in the C’s winning titles in 1974 and 1976.
Cowens isn’t often among the first five or even seven players mentioned when people list the greatest Celtics of all time. While it’s true that naming the best players from a franchise with 60 years of winning is difficult, it’s time to give Cowens more credit.
Walton is absolutely right in his analysis: Cowens was a great player and leader.
Thumbnail photo via Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports Images
