“The 3-point shot would have certainly added more to my career points, but I don’t know how many,’’ Havlicek said. “It’s one of those things that people will speculate on. I’m just happy with what I have.’’
Havlicek began his career as a role player for the Celtics in the early 1960s and turned into one of the game’s premier scorers during the 1970s, averaging 28.9 points during the 1970-71 season and 27.5 the next. He was a staple on Boston’s two championship teams in the 1970s before retiring in 1978, averaging a not-so shabby 16.1 points in his final season. He finished with eight NBA titles.
Former teammate and coach Tom Heinsohn recalls a young Havlicek fresh out of Ohio State.
“He had a great pair of hands and he was playing his first year with [Bob] Cousy,’’ Heinsohn said. “He didn’t have a shot. He would play defense and would develop his game, but offensively he came back the next year a different player.’’
As Heinsohn, Bill Russell, Don Nelson, Sam Jones, and K.C. Jones aged, Havlicek grew into his prime. He and Dave Cowens were the key reasons the Celtics were strong in the 1970s. They bridged the gap between Russell and Larry Bird.
“I came into a great situation where I had all veterans around me, and through the process of osmosis, I guess, I became one of the people they could rely on,’’ said Havlicek.
“When Russell and all the great players were there, I was just sort of one of the people that contributed, and then when he left, I had to carry the team a little bit more, so my numbers became a little bit better. But I would have preferred it the other way.
“These days, you have players with numbers: ‘He’s a 1 or a 2 or a 3.’ We didn’t have numbers, we were basketball players. Sam Jones and I, neither one of us were point guards, but we played the backcourt a lot together because we were basketball players. Frank Ramsey guarded [center] Nate Thurmond. We were versatile. That’s kind of talent that we had.’’
Havlicek said he was able to develop a personality and style in Boston because there was little player movement in the league.
