John Hollinger invented the Player Efficiency Rating in 2007 as a way to measure a player’s overall greatness and performance. A score of 15 indicates an average player, 20 indicates an All-Star player, and 25 represents an MVP and superstar-level player.
The greater the score, the more skilled the player.
With that said, let’s look at the best players in Boston Celtics history, according to PER.
Paul Pierce earned the nickname “The Truth” for a reason: he was a threat who could always get a bucket. Pierce played in Boston for 15 years, making 10 All-Star teams, four All-NBA teams, and winning the title in 2007-08.
Kevin Garnett is one of the finest players in league history, particularly among big men, despite playing in an era replete with outstanding big men. KG joined the Celtics after concluding that he had no chance of winning a championship with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
KG won one championship with the Cs and came awfully close to winning another.
The Celtics selected Ed Macauley in the 1950 dispersal draft, and he spent six seasons in Boston. Macauley made the All-Star squad in all six seasons, averaging 18.9 points and 8.1 rebounds, and was named to four consecutive All-NBA teams.
Robert Williams’ ranking this high on the list may call into question the metric’s validity. Big players tend to have a higher PER than guards because they impact the game in a variety of ways, including shot blocking, rebounding, and efficient scoring.
Williams spent five seasons in Boston and emerged as one of the league’s top young big players in 2021-22, averaging 10 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, and 73.6 percent from the field. He also made Second Team All-Defense.
