Making the case for Robert Parish is not hard in my eyes. That said, mine goggles aren’t the only eyeballs passing judgment on this league anymore; as a matter of fact, every year that passes by with new generations capture the basketball fanbase- their perspective changes as the game evolves. As our core audience likes to point out, before “the bubble” my takes were fire but since I’ve been placed among the boomers of NBA analysts and as one of our young fans likes to say when I complain that I’m not a “boomer,” “you should hear what we say about Marv Albert and HUBEY Brown…”
Anyway, rather than my standard “move n groove” highlights, I’ve put these clips together intending to demonstrate just how crucial the Chief was to those 1980s Celtics champions. So, for my young ‘fans’ out there, this was made especially for you (and Bobby Manning)…
Robert Parish was one of the best big men in the NBA. He was known for his speed and athleticism, which helped him win three championships with the Boston Celtics. This video highlights some of the best moments during his career.
Main focus:
• Positioning – Robert was a giant among men when it came to placing himself in the position to be successful, both literally and figuratively. Despite their reputations as nonathletes, the often maligned (lack of speed and agility) Original Big Three were still among the best rebounding front lines of their era. Before Cedric Maxwell was traded, the Celtics front line led offensive rebounding and became known as the best in history. Unless your name is Moses Malone, you weren’t snatching too many boards against these giants.
• Endurance/durability– throughout his career, he never missed more than a dozen or so games. His first 10 years? He played in no less than 77 games (rookie year was his low). At the tail end of the 14 seasons he spent in Boston, playoff injuries would plague him the deeper the C’s would advance. Parish had a high threshold for pain and would often play until he couldn’t run but as the 1980s gave way to the ’90s, Parish was still the rock of the roster, even as his durability was waining.
• RUNNING! Coach Bill Fitch ran the hell out of Chief during his first 3 seasons in Boston. Robert has recently told CLNS that he is thankful now for Coach Fitch telling him about utilizing his great mobility and speed to beat defenders up-court for layups. Parish is still widely regarded as one of the Association’s best-ever running big men. He ranks as one of the best for a reason.
“No Big Ran the Floor like Chief, no big got up and down better either.” – Boston Globe Sports Columnist and co-host of CLNS’ Ryan Goodman and Tanguay Podcast, Bob Ryan
• The 2 Man Game… as we knew it is extinct today but in the “old NBA” it was an art and an effective weapon against the best of defensive opponents. No one played the 2-man game better than Robert Parish and Larry Bird. They perfected it and routinely punked opposing defenders with it. Parish told CLNS in 2021 that he developed an instinct for pick and roll basketball watching Rick Barry and Clifford Ray while Parish sat on the bench with the Golden State Warriors. Less than 4 seasons later Parish and Bird were blowing up Boston Garden crowds with how well they ran the pick and roll, slipping picks, give and goes… 2 man basketball at It’s best. Man, I miss it.
• Shot blocker- Chief Averaged 2-ish blocks per game for his career and he changed more shots than that. Parish was an intelligent shot blocker and his timing and instincts were uncanny. He made shots way more difficult than they needed to be for opposing scorers, that’s for sure.
• Dunker– I know… you hate the thought of an ‘old timer’ like Chief being an athletic slammer, but let’s be honest, not many 7 footers threw it down like the Chief. His dunks were not glamorous but were certainly thunderous. He had a sneaky vertical and was quick off of his feet.
• Lethal midrange jumper. That tee’d up, high arching rainbow 17 footer was just far enough out to have to guard him on the pop, the slip or the roll. The only difficult decision was whether or not to foul him if he got an open look. Once Chief teed up that jumper, there was absolutely no stopping it.
• THE GLIDE– Parish never developed a real handle, but he had one of the cleanest jump pivots in Boston Celtics history. This added another level of believability to his knack for running the break, even post ankle injuries. His greatest attribute during transitions would have to be his ability to glide like a gazelle. How he glided up and down the court for a big man was amazing, and if you wanna call it antique then I’ll never argue with you. Players today just don’t value these types skill sets.
• Beloved– Boston loved him, Charlotte loved him, Chicago loved him and the Boston fans loved him in all three places. That’s about all you need to know about Robert Parish. He didn’t say much. He seldom smiled or showed any emotions. But sports fans in Boston appreciate the effort, intangibles, and natural abilities. Boston fans also appreciate blue collar champions and Robert embodied that trait.
• Repertoire of Patented Plays– Most players today struggle to identify 1 (if that) patented, staple move. Parish had 3-4 distinct moves in his arsenal. He spun the baseline like a guard, popped to 12 feet for a mini skyhook, swept through the lane with hook or reverse turn around that nearly hit the rafters. Oh, and he was a good free throw at around 78 percent for a career.
Robert Parish was a lot of fun to watch and I’m pleased to say that I saw the latter part of his prime and the ending seasons of his career. What I missed from his early years I’ve since caught up on, thanks to the vast archives I own on VHS and also the video vault on YouTube.
In closing, Robert Parish is unquestionably an all-NBA center, just edging into the top 10 big men in NBA History.
Where would you put Chief in your top 15 list? Click here to give your list.
