McHale would probably have to change his game if he played today. He basically played from 10 ft and closer for most of his touches but he did have a good midrange jump shot. In today's game he would probably play the 5 because even though he was 6'10", he had long arms and excellent timing on both offensive, defense, and on the boards. In today's game he'd probably shoot an even higher % in the low post because of the open lane and rules that favor the offense. I don't think the NBA has ever seen a power forward with better moves and scoring ability in the post than a prime Kevin Mchale.
@@MikeBrownLegendfouling isn’t defense, that wasn’t defense, it was a bunch of scrubs who couldn’t play it who had to resort to fouling and hoping the refs didn’t call it
That man is a beast! McHale should have been MVP in '87 and in the '86 Finals. The played on a broken foot for most of a season. I found him frustrating when he played the Lakers. He was big reason the Lakers lost in those Finals in the '80s. He's my other most respected PF. My favorite is Tim Duncan.
@Hello8 goodbye9 Even Bird said that McHale was as good if not better than him in '87. He has said this in several interviews. McHale actually finished third in MVP voting.
Growing up in Minnesota, I followed McHale through high school, college and in the NBA. Yes, the greatest post player. We even named our son, now 24, McHale.
Saw him play during his prime in the 80's my Dad had season tickets... There is no more " low post " game but if there was NOONE better than McHale low post....& I'd bet my balls that no team better than 86 Celtics...
Kevin McHale was basically unstoppable when he received the ball on the low block because he had more moves than U-Haul and was deadly accurate. Charles Barkley called him the best low post player he ever saw. On the Celtics he was known as the "Black Hole" because once you passed the ball down to McHale, the ball never came back out. Lol
I'm pretty sure it was Danny Ainge that called him a "black hole". You know you're a ball hog when your own teammates are calling you nicknames about it. lol
@@jonnyarnett I think you're right about it being Danny Ainge that came up that nickname. McHale probably never passed the ball back out because he knew he'd never see the rock again. lol I'd love to see you do a feature on the great Rick Barry although getting video on Barry might be a challenge. Barry is so underrated but was such a great player.
Jonny Arnett -NBA TH-camr yes Ainge did say that and Parish followed up by saying but he hits such a high percentage of his shots nobody has a problem with it
I watched nearly every Celtics game in the 80s. I saw him pass it out many times. It was a lot less than most because when he got the ball on his spot it was nearly an automatic 2 and a lot of old school 3s. He was as unstoppable as Kareem on the block only with more moves.
I love me some kevin. This man was impossible to defend in the low post. Watch “the best off” this man. His foot work is incredible. He goes up strong. Or goes up to fake, repeatedly until he’s open. Under rated as a player.
I definitely place him on my all-time team. As a teammate he was superb. I loved his effort and combined with Parrish and Bird, they are the finest front court ever.
It just sucked that Parrish Bird and Mchale seemed to all get old the same year.. Parrish was REALLY old but Bird and Mchale just had a lot of road miles on them...
How's this for a team? Scottie Pippen, Kevin McHale, James Worthy, Pau Gasol, and Tony Parker? All played second banana, but this is a great lineup. I know Pippen and Worthy were both small forwards, but Scottie could probably handle the "2". (Sorry, but I have a hard time putting D-Wade in this category, having led a title winner before LeBron came along.) Edit: Klay Thompson might be a great shooting guard for this discussion, but I can't take either Worthy or Pippen out of the lineup. Manu Ginobilli might be worth mentioning, too, but I already have a Tim Duncan teammate.
@@big8dog887 that's actually an insane lineup as far as chemistry due to every player having the ability to score, but are used to being 2nd or 3rd options, so are also willing passers, and great defense. And Klay could come off the bench and also be a closer, hes lights out, and having him fresh off the bench is a nightmare for any team. But yeah, Parker honestly glues that squad together, Ginobili and Duncan would be good for that team as well.
@@harrycraft5100 Pippen one of the greatest small forwards, swing men in NBA history. Plus he played in your jock, shut down D. The greatest "help" defender I have ever seen in 50 years of watching basketball. Not comparing the two men as they played 2 completely different roles and positions. Pippen will never get his due as he was the Lou Gehrig to MJ'S Babe Ruth. Neither will McHale.
@Jon Dhoe Bird made McHale great. What's your point? Was McHale on the dream team? Not 1/2 the defender, scorer or athlete Scottie was. You have no argument.
like a snake on 2 feet, tying you up in knots, twisting this way and that, utterly unpredictable-could fall away, go over, around, under...Barkley says what you said, adding 'I didn't know what to do with him and HATED playing him'
Literally the most underrated player of all time. One of top 5 Celtics ever (Bird, Russel, Pierce, Hondo). The premier power forward of the 1980's. Period. One of the 20 best players in NBA history. Period. And that's being conservative. He is literally ignored for being white, gangly and playing on the same team as arguably the best player of all time. Had he played for any other team he would have won at least one MVP. He was and is the supreme genius of the lower pivot, post up offensive game. Only Hakeem and Tim Duncan can realistically compare to Kevin in that hugely important category.
I always thought that McHale had the best inside post moves of any player I had ever seen in the NBA. Especially when you consider he wasn't a bully like Shaq, for example. McHale didn't knock you down and then just dunk on you. That over-under move was just amazing, and everyone knew it was coming. Couldn't stop it though.
My boy, you granted my wish and created an excellent video as expected! But most impressively you did it all within what... a week after I requested it? You are the MAN.
Joe Dumars was stupid good, that means even someone thats stupid has to say, "damn, that guy is really good", and i'm not a Pistons fan but he was as good a shooter as anybody, Bird Allen West, he's in that category and thats rarified air.....
Those who tout Karl Malone above him are ridiculous. He was great but Kevin was a master whose low post array should be studied minutely by every prospective power forward and center.
@@MaximusWolfe Karl has the points, true, and it's amazing that he was that good for that long, but was also lucky enough to have had Stockton feeding him the ball, and as top scorer on the Jazz, having plays (pick n roll anyone?) specifically designed to get him open, while McHale was not the centerpiece of the Celtics offense. I can still see Karl, ball cocked above his head, flying in to the basket, knee stuck out in front of him to clear a path...
@@jefffawcett Lets be honest, he was a powerforward for his prime. Unless you consider David Robinson, Rasho Nesterovic, Nazr Mohammed and Fabrico Oberto as powerforwards?
H3dgie nope. He won his first MVP in 2002 when he was 25 and obviously in his prime. He played 40.5 minutes a game while the 36 year old Robinson played 29.5. No one else on the roster who got any significant minutes was remotely a center so he was spending at least a quarter of his time at the center position. He repeated his MVP in 2003 playing 39 mine minutes a game while Robinson only played in 64 games and just 26 minutes per game. Again no one on the roster was remotely a center besides them so at least half his time was being a center. Then they had Nesterovic playing 28 minutes in 2004 and 25 minutes in 2005, so about 1/3 of Duncan’s minutes at center. 2006 it was Muhammad and Nesterovic splitting time at center, so a PF season for Duncan, the next year just him and they switched his listing to center on the roster. 2008 listed as C, only Elon also got time at the position, 20 minutes a game. Anyway, let’s just say half his career he was playing the center position. In the end it is irrelevant, Duncan is clearly a top 10 player of all time and McHale could’ve been if he hadn’t had the injuries and been forced to play through them.
nah...2 maybe. Kevin's minutes were actually reduced in the Finals to 13 per game. He was helpful off the bench as a rookie, but green as grass. The fact they cut his playing time around 4 minutes and Cornbread won MVP[tho Bird deserved it more] indicates at that point, just a good rebounding bench player with massive potential..he just didn't know the pro game yet
I lived in Detroit and was a Pistons fan. I hated the Celtics, but I admired all of them. McHale had so many different shots, he was impossible to defend. I loved watching him play.
@Mark Cianfarani No one could pass like Bird. Behind the back, pass, fake it, fake it, pass, between the opponents legs pass, full court pass, fall on the floor - no problem, pass. He did it all.
McHale was a long-armed, boneless wonder with quick feet, unbelieveable post moves, deep armpits and no ability to jump. He was a human octopus doing an impersonation of Frankenstein's monster. Always sweaty and pasty. Awesome defender, one of the greatest players ever down on the block.
It's really a question of peak vs sustained greatness. At the top of his game, he's top 2 or 3. Same thing with say, Barkley vs Malone. Peak is Chuck, but Mailman did it much longer and at a high enough level that you're honestly splitting hairs. McHale from 85-87 was nigh unstoppable. There's a reason there's a phrase "Kevin McHale-like post moves"
Good point. Granted Tim Duncan stands the test of time as a player overall and for his position. But in terms of other prime talents who played in the 80's to now, its pretty long term consistency and absurd peaks. We recognize the long term of course especially if we saw them play for two decades. But yeah rarely do we speak of 'prime McHale' who had the best combination of measurables and low post offensive scoring to put up nigh absurd efficiency numbers. Barkley flirted with .600 FG before but McHale did it TWICE and was sweet shooting the FTs as well while getting FTAs at a good rate.
@@t4d0W and barkley, like lebron, was a heavy steroid user so there is no respect there. kevin mchale was pure talent with a high moral character, he didn't cheat other than the phantom foul calls but that was out of his control. his career just happened to overlap with the godfather of cheating taking over. when david "lowlife" stern took over, he implemented cheating like sports had never seen before, for the love of money which is the root of all evil. implementing subjective officiating, allowing selective steroid use for chosen players=dwight howard, charles barkley, shaq, lebron james, dwayne wade, rigging the draft starting with patrick ewing in 85, etc etc... david stern was a true gangster for capitalism.
Thanks for highlighting Kevin McHale. As a pre-Kobe (RIP)/Shaq era Lakers fan I must grudgingly acknowledge McHale’s talent and greatness. Phew. That was hard to say about one of your team’s nemesis in Green.
Glad to see he is getting his due. Great player to watch and learn from. I wonder if he invented those moves on his own or was he taught? My second favorite player of all time after MJ.
I went to USL in Lafayette, La and watched Andrew Toney's college career. During his senior year we hosted the final 16 of the NIT against Minnesota. They had thee big guys and we had Toney & his journeymen. Toney kept us within a point in the first half but Minnesota pulled away in the second half. It wasn't until a year later, when I watched the 76ers vs the Celtics, that I realized that one of those big men playing for Minnesota was Kevin McHale. While I hardly ever pulled for the Celtics, I always enjoyed watching them play during the Bird years. Kevin McHale was one of the reasons.
One thing that really jumps out from the footage is not only how skilled he is, but that he doesn't hold the ball too much for a low-post guy, it is so fluid the "catch-move-shot" sequence, and you can see that on the multiple double-teams he avoided by simply getting rid of the ball early.
I remember him very well, as a Big thorn on the side of my Lakers Showtime & Magic era, Boston had their Big 3 stars with Bird, McHale, & Parrish!!! My 80's Lakers had 4 us it's Magic 4 them it's Tragic!!! Big game James Worthy, and Perhaps the GOAT Scorer, the Captain Kareem Abdul Jabbar!!! It simply made for 1 of the greatest era's in all of Basketball History!!! Magic vs Bird rivalry is Historically the greatest the NBA has ever had, who did Jordan have as a rival?? Stockton 2 Malone? Sorry!!! Doesn't really even compare 2 Lakers vs Celtics WW3 games & Championships in the 80's, guess who was there in the trenches with Bird?? That's right, Kevin McHale!!! Great player that I ever so much despised during Showtime Lakers era of the 80's.
I got his autograph back in 1988, when i was 11, i went to a Celtics game and after the game, all the players were driving their cars out of the parking garage, great memory!
On May 20, 1984 in a downtown Milwaukee bar, Kevin McHale bought my friend and I a pitcher of beer while watching the Lakers play. Nice guy! It was an off day for the Celtics and Bucks. Also at his table were Red Auerbach and Dennis Johnson.
My uncle brought me to the game he scored 56 on Easter weekend in the eighties. Dude didnt miss. It was against the Pistons right before the Bad boy era. Very cool memory for a country boy from maine
Playing on a team with Bird makes it hard to stand out but McHale did and he deserves all the recognition for his contribution. Thanks for shining the spotlight on a true star performer and unselfish player. One thing McHale did very well was to watch for the insane passes he'd get from Bird, great hands, and a high BB IQ.
i seen a ton of celtics home games in the garden in the mid 80's and there was nothing like it when bill walton came in .. the best all around basketball team i ever seen
Great video, as a former Laker fan Kevin would drive me crazy. Great player, as tough as they come. LaChina and the likes couldnt carry his jock strap.
Crazy as it sounds, as a Celtics fan, I recall so many instances where I would rather have had the ball in McHale's hands than Bird's. Kevin's post-up game was artwork.
Would love to have a video on bill sharman, another seemingly forgotten celtics legend. He was a 4 time champion, 8 time all star and 7 time all nba, won another championship as a coach and 5 more as an executive and yet he's been completely forgotten
I grew up in Boston and was a huge Celtics fan during the Bird / McHale / Parrish era. Kevin had a couple of moves in the low post that nobody could defend, and his fall-away jumper was automatic!
I was a little kid and snuck into Laker Club at Lakers vs Celtics game. That was just something that didn't happen. Had to go through visitor team tunnel to get to it. I was standing there and all the adults were making a scene, I thought WOW I did it lol. I looked up and Kevin McHale was standing next to me. I was like SHOOT, thought I did something sneaking in, still cool. Stood in tunnel watched them all come out. I still remember he was really cool with the Lakers fans. I was surprised
I am a diehard Laker fan who lived in Boston from 84-86. I saw the Celtics many times on TV and while I hated their guts, I respected the players. McHale was a BAD MAN! Simply awesome.
Kevin was not only a great player, but also extremely funny and a great person. He was constantly talking during the games and had an awesome sense of humor. Met him at a restaurant with his wonderful family in the late 1980s and he couldn’t be more generous with his time. True Legend, along Mr. Bill Russell and Kevin Garnett the best big man in Celtics history.
As a teen in 90's at basketball camp the first post move they teach you is the "Kevin Mchale up and under. " They literally say his name with it, so now when I show a youngster that post move I say his name with it so they will know him and Hakeem is all you need to watch to understand post move mastery.
I watched every game as a kid and had every card. Studied them all. Kevin was awesome. Almost as good as Bird. Also Parish and Mcale had a good thing going on. He's for sure a all-star.
Bad Boys Pistons fan here. Kevin McHale was the one we feared the most. We were able to throw Rodman at Bird, but Mahorn and Salley couldn't keep up with McHale in the low post. Heck he even beat us with a 3-pointer one game in the playoffs, however I still say his foot was on the line.
He was a BEAST. As a Sixers fan, I used to hate him because he was so good. Whenever, Bird was neutralized, McHale was there to take up the slack. That entire Boston era was unmatched in terms of talent! Bird, McHale, Parrish, and Ainge gave me fits for years!!!
As several others have said, Kevin McHale was one of the greatest low post players amongst "bigs" of all time, perhaps rivaled only by Hakeem Olajuwon. With his back to the basket, he had more moves than nearly any other player I have seen. Additionally, he was 6' 11" with tremendous wing span and a killer fade-away shot.
Would McHale be as good in today’s NBA?
Yes
Yea.. I doubt it
Better
No question
McHale would probably have to change his game if he played today. He basically played from 10 ft and closer for most of his touches but he did have a good midrange jump shot. In today's game he would probably play the 5 because even though he was 6'10", he had long arms and excellent timing on both offensive, defense, and on the boards. In today's game he'd probably shoot an even higher % in the low post because of the open lane and rules that favor the offense. I don't think the NBA has ever seen a power forward with better moves and scoring ability in the post than a prime Kevin Mchale.
Averaging 60% from the field over a whole season with 17 shots per game is insane.
And this was when they played defense in the NBA
Ya. Thats really impressive.
@@MikeBrownLegendfouling isn’t defense, that wasn’t defense, it was a bunch of scrubs who couldn’t play it who had to resort to fouling and hoping the refs didn’t call it
@@MrBubblecakeSo you've never heard of the hand check rule. Nice to know you know nothing about the game.
I've wanted a decent Kevin McHale Video FOREVER! Countless Larry Bird videos, never seen ONE Specifically about Kevin, well done sir!
Yes
I hated McHale. And I've also been waiting for a video to give this great player the respect he's due!
@Hello8 goodbye9 Charles Barkley and Isiah Thomas wouldn't have the respect they do for him if that were the case.
Max: There are plenty of McHale video's, "McHales 9 day reign, "McHale Scoring Highlights" and more check em out!
@@patrickj.7887 Was mostly referring to the dozen or so NBA TH-camrs I'm subscribed to.
Kevin McHale, the most forgotten power forward of all time.
He was voted one of the 50 greatest in 1997. Cedric Maxwell (who maybe didn't play the exact same position, granted) is much more forgotten, it seems.
ja8ames
I don’t even know Maxwell.
That man is a beast! McHale should have been MVP in '87 and in the '86 Finals. The played on a broken foot for most of a season. I found him frustrating when he played the Lakers. He was big reason the Lakers lost in those Finals in the '80s. He's my other most respected PF. My favorite is Tim Duncan.
@Hello8 goodbye9
Even Bird said that McHale was as good if not better than him in '87. He has said this in several interviews. McHale actually finished third in MVP voting.
When McHale was in his prime I would take him over Duncan.
Growing up in Minnesota, I followed McHale through high school, college and in the NBA. Yes, the greatest post player. We even named our son, now 24, McHale.
I named my daughter, now 16, Jordan.
I remember him at Hibbing High School. Kevin was a couple heads taller than everybody. I loved watching him play with the Celtics.
I saw him play many times. Underrated? Extremely so. He is up there with the best.
Saw him play during his prime in the 80's my Dad had season tickets... There is no more " low post " game but if there was NOONE better than McHale low post....& I'd bet my balls that no team better than 86 Celtics...
Curtis Hopkins could be the name of an underrated legend also.
Was averaging 26 and 10 in 87’
@@housesports000 yep and he never sniffed those numbers again after the injury
I thought underrated too, but he's in the top 50 of all time, so nah.
Speaking of underrated Celtics Dennis Johnson would be a good player to do as well
DJ was incredible. Those teams were as good as any of the super teams today. Better in my opinion
@@ROBERTTONUS neither Maxwell or DJ were underrated both were highly regarded
@@ROBERTTONUS here's a mention BIRD STEALS THE BALL... Pass to DJ!!
th-cam.com/video/H_RJ5XN8TK8/w-d-xo.html 🏀
Magic said that DJ was one of the toughest defensive players that ever guarded him; that should tell you everything you need to know about DJ.
@@ROBERTTONUS the best part (as always) Johnny Most losing his fucking mind lol
Kevin McHale was basically unstoppable when he received the ball on the low block because he had more moves than U-Haul and was deadly accurate. Charles Barkley called him the best low post player he ever saw. On the Celtics he was known as the "Black Hole" because once you passed the ball down to McHale, the ball never came back out. Lol
I'm pretty sure it was Danny Ainge that called him a "black hole". You know you're a ball hog when your own teammates are calling you nicknames about it. lol
@@jonnyarnett I think you're right about it being Danny Ainge that came up that nickname. McHale probably never passed the ball back out because he knew he'd never see the rock again. lol I'd love to see you do a feature on the great Rick Barry although getting video on Barry might be a challenge. Barry is so underrated but was such a great player.
@@jonnyarnett well after winning 2 6th man of year awards he wanted the rock!!
Jonny Arnett -NBA TH-camr yes Ainge did say that and Parish followed up by saying but he hits such a high percentage of his shots nobody has a problem with it
I watched nearly every Celtics game in the 80s. I saw him pass it out many times. It was a lot less than most because when he got the ball on his spot it was nearly an automatic 2 and a lot of old school 3s. He was as unstoppable as Kareem on the block only with more moves.
McHale was great in the post and a true team player!
Dude was 6 10 with an 8 foot wingspan. Largest ape index in sports history of + 14 inches.
GerMart bruh... what?
GerMart how is “ape index” racist towards non whites? It’s a measurement
F me, havent heard ape factor mentioned for 25 years...
@GerMart You're the only dimwit who brought up race. Enjoy the video and shut up.
Wow, you're really edgy. 🤣🤣🤣
Most underrated Celtic player in history ...
I love me some kevin. This man was impossible to defend in the low post. Watch “the best off” this man.
His foot work is incredible. He goes up strong. Or goes up to fake, repeatedly until he’s open.
Under rated as a player.
I definitely place him on my all-time team. As a teammate he was superb. I loved his effort and combined with Parrish and Bird, they are the finest front court ever.
It just sucked that Parrish Bird and Mchale seemed to all get old the same year.. Parrish was REALLY old but Bird and Mchale just had a lot of road miles on them...
U gay
Kevin Mchale was a beast in the low post One of my favorite players along with Larry Legend.
J34xalpha KING
I used to have a McHale throwback as a kid
KM suffers from the same stigma as Pippen. Playing next to a super star will always over shadow everyone else no matter how good they are.
How's this for a team? Scottie Pippen, Kevin McHale, James Worthy, Pau Gasol, and Tony Parker? All played second banana, but this is a great lineup. I know Pippen and Worthy were both small forwards, but Scottie could probably handle the "2". (Sorry, but I have a hard time putting D-Wade in this category, having led a title winner before LeBron came along.)
Edit: Klay Thompson might be a great shooting guard for this discussion, but I can't take either Worthy or Pippen out of the lineup. Manu Ginobilli might be worth mentioning, too, but I already have a Tim Duncan teammate.
@@big8dog887 that's actually an insane lineup as far as chemistry due to every player having the ability to score, but are used to being 2nd or 3rd options, so are also willing passers, and great defense. And Klay could come off the bench and also be a closer, hes lights out, and having him fresh off the bench is a nightmare for any team. But yeah, Parker honestly glues that squad together, Ginobili and Duncan would be good for that team as well.
Dont believe Pippen was n McHale s league
@@harrycraft5100 Pippen one of the greatest small forwards, swing men in NBA history. Plus he played in your jock, shut down D. The greatest "help" defender I have ever seen in 50 years of watching basketball. Not comparing the two men as they played 2 completely different roles and positions. Pippen will never get his due as he was the Lou Gehrig to MJ'S Babe Ruth. Neither will McHale.
@Jon Dhoe Bird made McHale great. What's your point? Was McHale on the dream team? Not 1/2 the defender, scorer or athlete Scottie was. You have no argument.
Haven't watched yet, excited to see the man of 1,000 post moves. Unguardable
Best moves on the low post ever, so effortlessly and accurate.
like a snake on 2 feet, tying you up in knots, twisting this way and that, utterly unpredictable-could fall away, go over, around, under...Barkley says what you said, adding 'I didn't know what to do with him and HATED playing him'
Hakeem?
Literally the most underrated player of all time. One of top 5 Celtics ever (Bird, Russel, Pierce, Hondo). The premier power forward of the 1980's. Period. One of the 20 best players in NBA history. Period. And that's being conservative. He is literally ignored for being white, gangly and playing on the same team as arguably the best player of all time. Had he played for any other team he would have won at least one MVP. He was and is the supreme genius of the lower pivot, post up offensive game. Only Hakeem and Tim Duncan can realistically compare to Kevin in that hugely important category.
I always thought that McHale had the best inside post moves of any player I had ever seen in the NBA. Especially when you consider he wasn't a bully like Shaq, for example. McHale didn't knock you down and then just dunk on you. That over-under move was just amazing, and everyone knew it was coming. Couldn't stop it though.
Olajuwon's post game was better but there's hardly any shame in coming second to that beast.
I agree. McHale was the best ever!
Well done!! 86 Celtics are truly the best ever.
JaronZ
I gotta go with those 70 win Bulls
They were indeed- the NBA's finest team ever.
@@dumisatonyjohnson8145 Bulls had no competition.
I agree. They played inside out and could slow it way down with precision. It was unbeliveable to watch.
86 Celtics would have ate the 96 bulls alive
My boy, you granted my wish and created an excellent video as expected! But most impressively you did it all within what... a week after I requested it? You are the MAN.
His down low game was amazing! His drop-step and ability to move on his pivot was awesome!
He was flat-out Unstoppable definitely one of the top 5 power forwards of all time
Glad you made a video about Kevin McHale, one of the greatest in the post.
One of my favorite players of all time. Tried to play like him. I still have a McHale t-shirt!
Jonny: How about a "How Good Was Joe Dumars REALLY?" It would be just as appreciated as this one on Kevin McHale.
Yep, he'll definitely get one at some point, bro. Thanks for the suggestion!
Joe Dumars was stupid good, that means even someone thats stupid has to say, "damn, that guy is really good", and i'm not a Pistons fan but he was as good a shooter as anybody, Bird Allen West, he's in that category and thats rarified air.....
Joe D was a great all-around guard and one of the best on-ball defenders the NBA has ever seen.
Screw Detroit. 😏
When Michael and Kobe steal your moves, you gotta be something special.
It's good to see a Lakers' fan give an honest account of a rival Celtic, giving him the right respect.
Red traded Joe Barry Carrol for McHale & Chief! What a genius!!
Red was a master in the art of fleecing Myers, lol.
@@MrBronx61 Red was a master in the art of fleecing.
Consider the trade that landed him Bill Russell.
@@bricefleckenstein9666 - Danny Ainge learned from Red....just ask the Nets, lol.
I don't remember who nicknamed him Joe Barely Cares but no one earned their name more than he did lol
I remember my NBA book said that JB stood for ‘Just Breathing’. I’m glad I was a Celts fan in the 80’s otherwise they’d be easy to hate- so cocky!!!
It was really nice to see Kevin McHale recognized! Still Im a Lakers lover that would love to see a vídeo like this on Big James Worthy! Thank you
He's gonna get one. Might jump around to a couple other players first, but Big Game James is definitely coming
Before Tim Duncan stepped on the court, Kevin McHale was considered by most to be the greatest Power Forward to ever play in the NBA.
Those who tout Karl Malone above him are ridiculous. He was great but Kevin was a master whose low post array should be studied minutely by every prospective power forward and center.
And let’s be honest, Duncan was more of a center, just because the Spurs called him a forward doesn’t change that.
@@MaximusWolfe Karl has the points, true, and it's amazing that he was that good for that long, but was also lucky enough to have had Stockton feeding him the ball, and as top scorer on the Jazz, having plays (pick n roll anyone?) specifically designed to get him open, while McHale was not the centerpiece of the Celtics offense. I can still see Karl, ball cocked above his head, flying in to the basket, knee stuck out in front of him to clear a path...
@@jefffawcett Lets be honest, he was a powerforward for his prime. Unless you consider David Robinson, Rasho Nesterovic, Nazr Mohammed and Fabrico Oberto as powerforwards?
H3dgie nope. He won his first MVP in 2002 when he was 25 and obviously in his prime. He played 40.5 minutes a game while the 36 year old Robinson played 29.5. No one else on the roster who got any significant minutes was remotely a center so he was spending at least a quarter of his time at the center position. He repeated his MVP in 2003 playing 39 mine minutes a game while Robinson only played in 64 games and just 26 minutes per game. Again no one on the roster was remotely a center besides them so at least half his time was being a center. Then they had Nesterovic playing 28 minutes in 2004 and 25 minutes in 2005, so about 1/3 of Duncan’s minutes at center. 2006 it was Muhammad and Nesterovic splitting time at center, so a PF season for Duncan, the next year just him and they switched his listing to center on the roster. 2008 listed as C, only Elon also got time at the position, 20 minutes a game. Anyway, let’s just say half his career he was playing the center position. In the end it is irrelevant, Duncan is clearly a top 10 player of all time and McHale could’ve been if he hadn’t had the injuries and been forced to play through them.
Great video. Been waiting for this one. Bird doesn’t have 3 Rings without him
nah...2 maybe. Kevin's minutes were actually reduced in the Finals to 13 per game. He was helpful off the bench as a rookie, but green as grass. The fact they cut his playing time around 4 minutes and Cornbread won MVP[tho Bird deserved it more] indicates at that point, just a good rebounding bench player with massive potential..he just didn't know the pro game yet
LOL
Mc Hale was awesome, but Bird would have rings no matter who He played with !
Charles Barkley said McHale was his toughest opponent. That puts him near the top of all time.
I can't stand Charles Barkley. He never has anything good to say about the Celtics.
I lived in Detroit and was a Pistons fan. I hated the Celtics, but I admired all of them. McHale had so many different shots, he was impossible to defend. I loved watching him play.
Best low post power forward ever.
No one had better low post moves.
Frankenstein! That's what we used to call him.
@Mark Cianfarani That was GREAT!!! I could watch that over and over again!
@Mark Cianfarani No one could pass like Bird. Behind the back, pass, fake it, fake it, pass, between the opponents legs pass, full court pass, fall on the floor - no problem, pass. He did it all.
McHale was a long-armed, boneless wonder with quick feet, unbelieveable post moves, deep armpits and no ability to jump. He was a human octopus doing an impersonation of Frankenstein's monster. Always sweaty and pasty. Awesome defender, one of the greatest players ever down on the block.
Great description.
It's really a question of peak vs sustained greatness. At the top of his game, he's top 2 or 3. Same thing with say, Barkley vs Malone. Peak is Chuck, but Mailman did it much longer and at a high enough level that you're honestly splitting hairs. McHale from 85-87 was nigh unstoppable. There's a reason there's a phrase "Kevin McHale-like post moves"
Good point. Granted Tim Duncan stands the test of time as a player overall and for his position. But in terms of other prime talents who played in the 80's to now, its pretty long term consistency and absurd peaks. We recognize the long term of course especially if we saw them play for two decades. But yeah rarely do we speak of 'prime McHale' who had the best combination of measurables and low post offensive scoring to put up nigh absurd efficiency numbers. Barkley flirted with .600 FG before but McHale did it TWICE and was sweet shooting the FTs as well while getting FTAs at a good rate.
@@t4d0W and barkley, like lebron, was a heavy steroid user so there is no respect there. kevin mchale was pure talent with a high moral character, he didn't cheat other than the phantom foul calls but that was out of his control. his career just happened to overlap with the godfather of cheating taking over. when david "lowlife" stern took over, he implemented cheating like sports had never seen before, for the love of money which is the root of all evil. implementing subjective officiating, allowing selective steroid use for chosen players=dwight howard, charles barkley, shaq, lebron james, dwayne wade, rigging the draft starting with patrick ewing in 85, etc etc... david stern was a true gangster for capitalism.
He was SOLID.... that dude was unmovable in his game
Loved growing up in Massachusetts in the 80's . Go Boston.👍
His low post moves and footwork were really amazing.
McHale was one of the most unstoppable players around the rim. His long arms had amazing dexterity. He scored 56, Bird did 60 just 2 weeks later!
Thanks for highlighting Kevin McHale. As a pre-Kobe (RIP)/Shaq era Lakers fan I must grudgingly acknowledge McHale’s talent and greatness. Phew. That was hard to say about one of your team’s nemesis in Green.
Besides his amazing talent his enthusiasm and sense of humor make him so likable and his SHOULDERS!
Glad to see he is getting his due. Great player to watch and learn from. I wonder if he invented those moves on his own or was he taught? My second favorite player of all time after MJ.
Love the channel dude. I'm 37 years old and share 90% of your opinions on the game. Keep up the good work.
Great Video again. Keep it up, i really like your content
Same here 🖐️
Those numbers almost look like if prime shaq could make free throws. This video is really an eye opener.
Charles Barkley said McHale was the best player he ever played against
And Charles is always right lol. He also made that comment between licking his fingers
My fav player ever and the reason I love/follow the NBA to this day.
I went to USL in Lafayette, La and watched Andrew Toney's college career. During his senior year we hosted the final 16 of the NIT against Minnesota. They had thee big guys and we had Toney & his journeymen. Toney kept us within a point in the first half but Minnesota pulled away in the second half. It wasn't until a year later, when I watched the 76ers vs the Celtics, that I realized that one of those big men playing for Minnesota was Kevin McHale. While I hardly ever pulled for the Celtics, I always enjoyed watching them play during the Bird years. Kevin McHale was one of the reasons.
McHale would be among my top 3or 4 Power Forwards, along w/ Duncan, Dirk, Mailman Malone, Worthy
One thing that really jumps out from the footage is not only how skilled he is, but that he doesn't hold the ball too much for a low-post guy, it is so fluid the "catch-move-shot" sequence, and you can see that on the multiple double-teams he avoided by simply getting rid of the ball early.
I remember him very well, as a Big thorn on the side of my Lakers Showtime & Magic era, Boston had their Big 3 stars with Bird, McHale, & Parrish!!! My 80's Lakers had 4 us it's Magic 4 them it's Tragic!!! Big game James Worthy, and Perhaps the GOAT Scorer, the Captain Kareem Abdul Jabbar!!! It simply made for 1 of the greatest era's in all of Basketball History!!! Magic vs Bird rivalry is Historically the greatest the NBA has ever had, who did Jordan have as a rival?? Stockton 2 Malone? Sorry!!! Doesn't really even compare 2 Lakers vs Celtics WW3 games & Championships in the 80's, guess who was there in the trenches with Bird?? That's right, Kevin McHale!!! Great player that I ever so much despised during Showtime Lakers era of the 80's.
I got his autograph back in 1988, when i was 11, i went to a Celtics game and after the game, all the players were driving their cars out of the parking garage, great memory!
When he retired he was considered by most the best power forward of all time
good call on shouting out Kevin McHale - indeed a Legend as part of the original Big 3
and from a Lakers fan, no less. Class
Kevin McHale is top 10 PF all time
I'd say top 5 in all honesty.
Kg,Dunan,Malone,Barkley,McCale, Dirk
🤣🤣🤣🤣 top 50 maybe
@@cesartaker top 50 PF's??? You bugging lol
@@lamar1990lg The video clearly states it. He only got 2 good seasons (so that makes him a top 5?) I don't think so...
I didn't say Top 5 I said Top 10
On May 20, 1984 in a downtown Milwaukee bar, Kevin McHale bought my friend and I a pitcher of beer while watching the Lakers play. Nice guy! It was an off day for the Celtics and Bucks. Also at his table were Red Auerbach and Dennis Johnson.
The greatest low post player of all time.. Unstoppable.
My uncle brought me to the game he scored 56 on Easter weekend in the eighties. Dude didnt miss. It was against the Pistons right before the Bad boy era. Very cool memory for a country boy from maine
A prime Kevin McHale is probably the 3rd best PF of all time behind only Duncan & Garnett. Great video, McHale doesn’t get the credit he deserves
Young & Ambitious um dirk have u forgot
Wade Walker Dirk ain’t better than Duncan & KG and McHale in his prime was a deadly scorer and better defensively
@@WadeWalker22 You mean Barkley & Malone.
McHale trained KG and Duncan tho and Malone was a dirty player.
@@MISTERO70 McHale clotheslined Rambis.
Playing on a team with Bird makes it hard to stand out but McHale did and he deserves all the recognition for his contribution. Thanks for shining the spotlight on a true star performer and unselfish player. One thing McHale did very well was to watch for the insane passes he'd get from Bird, great hands, and a high BB IQ.
The greatest up and under low post player of all time. His up and under moves whats as unstopable as the sky hog of Kareem.
I was a sixer fan back in those days. Kevin McHale was really, really good. Coming from a Dr. J. and Barkley fan, that is high praise.
Finally a good video on Kevin McHale
i seen a ton of celtics home games in the garden in the mid 80's and there was nothing like it when bill walton came in .. the best all around basketball team i ever seen
"He's the best player I ever played against and had to guard." - Charles Barkley
Great video, as a former Laker fan Kevin would drive me crazy. Great player, as tough as they come.
LaChina and the likes couldnt carry his jock strap.
One of the most underrated forwards in history.. unstoppable in the post..
I had always said he has to be one of the best one on one McHale will murder Duncan cmon
Best intro for basketball channel🔥
From an 80s' rockets fan and UH alum. How Good Was Kevin McHale REALLY? star on the best team ever put together. Thanks Red, Larry, DJ, et al.
Crazy as it sounds, as a Celtics fan, I recall so many instances where I would rather have had the ball in McHale's hands than Bird's. Kevin's post-up game was artwork.
I think Kevin is the best down low player in nba history
Quiet low key guy like Bill Russell. A major reason those two are underrated
Would love to have a video on bill sharman, another seemingly forgotten celtics legend. He was a 4 time champion, 8 time all star and 7 time all nba, won another championship as a coach and 5 more as an executive and yet he's been completely forgotten
I grew up in Boston and was a huge Celtics fan during the Bird / McHale / Parrish era. Kevin had a couple of moves in the low post that nobody could defend, and his fall-away jumper was automatic!
A very strong player who knew his role. And more importantly, he was a winner.
I was a little kid and snuck into Laker Club at Lakers vs Celtics game. That was just something that didn't happen. Had to go through visitor team tunnel to get to it. I was standing there and all the adults were making a scene, I thought WOW I did it lol. I looked up and Kevin McHale was standing next to me. I was like SHOOT, thought I did something sneaking in, still cool. Stood in tunnel watched them all come out. I still remember he was really cool with the Lakers fans. I was surprised
Excellent video as always! 👍 😃
If you go by his healthy starter seasons, I would take him over Tim Duncan
Yeah McHale at his peak is insane
A washed up Kevin McHale can still dominate today.
I am a diehard Laker fan who lived in Boston from 84-86. I saw the Celtics many times on TV and while I hated their guts, I respected the players. McHale was a BAD MAN! Simply awesome.
Another one! Woo! Great way to start a Friday
My favorite McHale move was the upfake-step-under scoop shot, catch a towel from the ball boy, dab his forehead, then shoot the free throw.
CLASSIC Kevin McHale! Well said good sir.
Kevin was not only a great player, but also extremely funny and a great person. He was constantly talking during the games and had an awesome sense of humor. Met him at a restaurant with his wonderful family in the late 1980s and he couldn’t be more generous with his time. True Legend, along Mr. Bill Russell and Kevin Garnett the best big man in Celtics history.
As a teen in 90's at basketball camp the first post move they teach you is the "Kevin Mchale up and under. " They literally say his name with it, so now when I show a youngster that post move I say his name with it so they will know him and Hakeem is all you need to watch to understand post move mastery.
Thanks for this. Often overlooked Superstar
I was a Celtic fan back then. McHale was simply unstoppable.
McHale was a beast. Also enjoyed his episodes on Cheers.
I watched every game as a kid and had every card. Studied them all. Kevin was awesome. Almost as good as Bird. Also Parish and Mcale had a good thing going on. He's for sure a all-star.
Good job. Glad to see a video in McHale. That Celtic team had great players
Could you do a video on Tom Chambers? I feel he is very underrated when people mention all-time greats. Very dominant scorer and dunker too
He made it look so easy. I can’t think of anyone in today’s nba that anywhere near his skills in the post.
Bad Boys Pistons fan here. Kevin McHale was the one we feared the most. We were able to throw Rodman at Bird, but Mahorn and Salley couldn't keep up with McHale in the low post. Heck he even beat us with a 3-pointer one game in the playoffs, however I still say his foot was on the line.
It’s basically a the Dream shake, but Olajuwon added a few more athletic finishes.. But it’s there..
Great post presence..
Jacob Jones the “dream” travels almost every time. He’d fit it well in today’s game
Kevin was torturing players before olajuwan was even close to being in the NBA.
He was a BEAST. As a Sixers fan, I used to hate him because he was so good. Whenever, Bird was neutralized, McHale was there to take up the slack. That entire Boston era was unmatched in terms of talent! Bird, McHale, Parrish, and Ainge gave me fits for years!!!
As several others have said, Kevin McHale was one of the greatest low post players amongst "bigs" of all time, perhaps rivaled only by Hakeem Olajuwon. With his back to the basket, he had more moves than nearly any other player I have seen. Additionally, he was 6' 11" with tremendous wing span and a killer fade-away shot.
Put it this way. McHale was damn near on par with Duncan and Olajuwon.
6'10" with an 8 ft wing span. UNREAL
Kevin McHale was a beast! All around game Inside and Outside.