Advertisement

Who are the Boston Celtics’ top-10 all-time leaders in playoff games played?

Justin Quinn
·4 min read

With 17 titles to their name and over seven decades of history, it is inevitable that the Boston Celtics are among the most heavily represented teams in games played in the history of the NBA playoffs.

But who are the players who have played the most games for this storied franchise? Those 17 titles were won with the blood and sweat of an elite cadre of Celtics who spent more time than any others on the court to make those banners more than just a goal. The answers might surprise you, even if you consider yourself a keen follower of Celtics history — and how close some are to each other is another revelation.

Can you name the top 10 players in franchise history in terms of games played in the postseason? Scroll down, and see how you did.

Danny Ainge - 112 playoff games played

<a class="link " href="https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/atlanta/" data-i13n="sec:content-canvas;subsec:anchor_text;elm:context_link" data-ylk="slk:Atlanta Hawks;sec:content-canvas;subsec:anchor_text;elm:context_link;itc:0">Atlanta Hawks</a> Tree Rollins, center, collides with Boston Celtics Danny Ainge under the basket during first-period NBA action at Boston Garden, Sunday, April 25, 1983, Boston, Mass. The two players later become involved in a melee which emptied both benches. The Celtics downed Atlanta 98-78. (AP Photo/Paul Benoit)

Tom Sanders - 130 playoff games played

Tom Sanders of the Boston Celtics is shown as he dribbles the ball in around Chet Walker of the <a class="link " href="https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/philadelphia/" data-i13n="sec:content-canvas;subsec:anchor_text;elm:context_link" data-ylk="slk:Philadelphia 76ers;sec:content-canvas;subsec:anchor_text;elm:context_link;itc:0">Philadelphia 76ers</a> in their National Basketball Association playoff game at Boston Garden, Wednesday, April 11, 1968, Boston, Mass. (AP Photo)

Don Nelson - 134 playoff games played

Boston Celtics forward Don Nelson (19) is defended by <a class="link " href="https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/new-york/" data-i13n="sec:content-canvas;subsec:anchor_text;elm:context_link" data-ylk="slk:New York Knicks;sec:content-canvas;subsec:anchor_text;elm:context_link;itc:0">New York Knicks</a> forward Dave DeBusschere (22) at Madison Square Garden. Manny Rubio-USA TODAY Sports

Paul Pierce - 136 playoff games played

<a class="link " href="https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3704" data-i13n="sec:content-canvas;subsec:anchor_text;elm:context_link" data-ylk="slk:LeBron James;sec:content-canvas;subsec:anchor_text;elm:context_link;itc:0">LeBron James</a> (23) of the <a class="link " href="https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/cleveland/" data-i13n="sec:content-canvas;subsec:anchor_text;elm:context_link" data-ylk="slk:Cleveland Cavaliers;sec:content-canvas;subsec:anchor_text;elm:context_link;itc:0">Cleveland Cavaliers</a> and Paul Pierce (34) of the Boston Celtics stand on the court in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals during the 2010 NBA playoffs on May 7, 2010 at TD Banknorth Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)

Sam Jones - 154 playoff games played

Los Angeles Lakers Wilt Chamberlain (13) and Boston Celtics Bailey Howell (18) and Sam Jones (24) move to gain control of a loose ball in the fourth period of their NBA playoff game at Boston Garden, April 27, 1969. The Celtics won 111-105 but trail 2 games to one in the championship. (AP Photo/Frank C. Curtin)
Los Angeles Lakers Wilt Chamberlain (13) and Boston Celtics Bailey Howell (18) and Sam Jones (24) move to gain control of a loose ball in the fourth period of their NBA playoff game at Boston Garden, April 27, 1969. The Celtics won 111-105 but trail 2 games to one in the championship. (AP Photo/Frank C. Curtin)

Larry Bird - 164 playoff games played

Jon Koncak of the Atlanta Hawks, right, gets wrapped up in Boston Celtics Larry Bird, left, and Bill Walton, center, in first quarter action on Tuesday, April 29, 1986, in Boston Garden playoff action. (AP Photo)
Jon Koncak of the Atlanta Hawks, right, gets wrapped up in Boston Celtics Larry Bird, left, and Bill Walton, center, in first quarter action on Tuesday, April 29, 1986, in Boston Garden playoff action. (AP Photo)

Bill Russell - 165 playoff games played

6-foot-10-inch Bill Russell (6) of the Boston Celtics, puts the big stretch on to score as Woody Sauldsberry (14) of the Philadelphia Warriors throws his 6-foot7 frame into the air in an attempt to block the shot in <a class="link " href="https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/golden-state/" data-i13n="sec:content-canvas;subsec:anchor_text;elm:context_link" data-ylk="slk:Philadelphia;sec:content-canvas;subsec:anchor_text;elm:context_link;itc:0">Philadelphia</a>, Pa., March 27, 1958. Other players are Arnie Risen (19) of the Celtics and Joe Graboski (9) of the Warriors. (AP Photo/Sam Myers)

Robert Parish - 168 playoff games played

Kevin McHale - 169 playoff games played

John Havlicek - 172 playoff games played

Boston’s John Havlicek drives to the basket for two points against the <a class="link " href="https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/la-lakers/" data-i13n="sec:content-canvas;subsec:anchor_text;elm:context_link" data-ylk="slk:Lakers;sec:content-canvas;subsec:anchor_text;elm:context_link;itc:0">Lakers</a> in the final game of the NBA title playoff at Los Angeles May 3, 1968. Mel Counts, 7 feet tall, tries to stop him. Lakers’ Jerry West at left. Boston won, 124-109 to take the title, 4 games to 2. (AP Photo/HF)

Story originally appeared on Celtics Wire