NBA All-Time Rank No. 45: Kevin McHale

Ranking the top 50 players in NBA history…

45. Kevin McHale

One of the best power forwards to play the game, McHale, to this day, had some of the best footwork for a big man that the NBA has ever seen.

The Boston Celtics legend won three championships (1981, 1984, 1986), averaging 17.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game on 55.4 percent shooting over 13 seasons, all with Boston.

A seven-time All-Star with six All-Defensive selections to his name, McHale’s post moves, particularly his up-and-under, were unguardable. He won back-to-back Sixth Man of the Year awards (1983-85) before reaching his peak, which was probably the 1986-87 season, when McHale averaged 26.1 points and 9.9 rebounds, finishing No. 4 in MVP voting (behind only Larry Bird, Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson — decent company).

McHale was a “Robin” to Bird during Boston’s 1980s dynasty, but he could have been Batman nearly anywhere else.

McHale’s fundamentals were a precursor to guys like Tim Duncan, and even further ahead, Nikola Jokić. While McHale was always challenged by more athletic, stronger big men like Moses Malone or Charles Barkley, he often dominated regardless, due to his advanced skill set, savvy and mental toughness.

McHale — like Bird — played through severe injuries late in his career. He left the NBA behind with 17,335 points scored, and his No. 32 hangs in the rafters at TD Garden.

But who ranks ahead of McHale at No. 44 all-time?