by MCT » Fri Feb 01, 2019 3:34 pm
PART III – SAMPLE ROSTER
The sample roster below shows the Celtics’ roster as it looked in late February, after Dave Cowens was activated from the injured list on 2/26/80. The players identified as the starters (the first five players) are the players who made the most starts at each position.
There is one quirk to this roster that I’d like to address. When Cowens was activated from the injured list, he swapped places with Don Chaney, who went on the IL. Consequently, this sample roster features Chaney on the injured list, even though he appeared in 60 games and was on the active roster for all but about twenty days of the regular season. The root cause of this is that the Celtics signed a twelfth player in January, Pete Maravich, but didn’t drop anyone off their existing roster to make room. Instead, they apparently rotated players on and off the injured list for the rest of the season.
If our sample roster is going to have Maravich on it – and I think it has to, as from the All-Star break on Maravich was on the Celtics’ active roster continuously, and was an integral part of the rotation – someone else has to be relegated to the injured list. Of the possible choices, I think Chaney makes the most sense. Chaney’s initial placement on the injured list on 2/26 falls within the boundaries of the mid-to-late February timeframe I typically use for sample rosters, and he only played in four games after that date. He was also left off the playoff roster. Chaney was the player whose presence on the team was sacrificed the most to make room for Maravich, even if Maravich didn’t necessarily directly replace him on the roster.
LARRY BIRD
History: 1st round pick of Celtics in 1978, as a junior eligible; returned to college for 1978-79 season, but signed with Celtics in June 1979 rather than re-enter that year’s draft.
Games Played (Regular Season 82 G, 36.0 MPG; Playoffs 9 G, 41.3 MPG): Bird appeared in every game the Celtics played.
Games Started (Regular Season: 82; Playoffs: 9): Bird started every game the Celtics played.
b-r.com position info: Position in old b-r.com header is listed as Forward. Primary position is shown as PF for all seasons through 1983-84 (including 1979-80), then as SF for all seasons from 1984-85 onward.
CEDRIC MAXWELL
History: 1st round pick of Celtics in 1977.
Games Played (Regular Season 80 G, 34.3 MPG; Playoffs 9 G, 35.6 MPG): The two games Maxwell didn’t play in were on 3/18/80 and 3/30/80. The latter was the last game of the regular season.
Games Started (Regular Season: 80; Playoffs: 9): Maxwell started every game he played in.
b-r.com position info: Position in old b-r.com header is listed as Forward. Primary position is shown as SF for all seasons of career.
NATE “TINY” ARCHIBALD
History: 2nd round pick of Royals in 1970. Acquired in trade associated with “franchise swap” between owners of Celtics and Braves/Clippers franchises, July 1978.
Games Played (Regular Season 80 G, 35.8 MPG; Playoffs 9 G, 36.9 MPG): Archibald didn’t play in two consecutive games on 3/11/81 & 3/12/81.
Games Started (Regular Season: 80; Playoffs: 9): Archibald started every game he played in.
b-r.com position info: Position in old b-r.com header is listed as Guard. Primary position is shown as PG for all seasons of career.
DAVE COWENS
History: 1st round pick of Celtics in 1970.
Games Played (Regular Season 66 G, 32.7 MPG; Playoffs 9 G, 33.4 MPG): The sixteen games Cowens didn’t play in were fourteen consecutive games from 1/23/80 through 2/23/80, and two consecutive games on 3/28/80 & 3/30/80 (the last two games of the regular season).
From 2/6/80 to 2/26/80, Cowens was on the injured list. This covers much of the fourteen-game stretch when he didn’t play. When Cowens went on the injured list on 2/6, Pete Maravich was activated. When the Celtics signed Maravich in January, they appear to have initially placed him on the IL, allowing them to keep their existing 11-man active roster intact. Cowens was apparently placed on the injured list on 2/6 so that Maravich could be activated. When Cowens was activated on 2/26, Don Chaney took his place on the IL.
Games Started (Regular Season: 55; Playoffs: 8): The eleven regular season games Cowens played in but didn’t start were eleven consecutive games from 2/26/80 through 3/14/80. These eleven games immediately followed the stretch of fourteen games that Cowens didn’t play in. Between games he didn’t play in and games he played in but didn’t start, Cowens was absent from the starting lineup for 25 consecutive games from 1/23 through 3/14.
According to the TSN box scores, Cowens started eight of the Celtics’ nine playoff games. The game he is not shown starting was Game 2 of the Houston series (4/11/80), which was the Celtics’ second playoff game.
b-r.com position info: Position in old b-r.com header is listed as Center-Forward. Primary position is shown as C for all seasons of career, including 1979-80, with one exception. The exception is his comeback year in 1982-83, which is shown as PF.
CHRIS FORD
History: 2nd round pick of Pistons in 1972. Acquired in trade with Pistons, October 1978.
Games Played (Regular Season 73 G, 29.0 MPG; Playoffs 9 G, 31.0 MPG): Ford didn’t play in nine consecutive games from 3/11/80 through 3/23/80.
From 3/11/80 to 3/25/80, Ford was on the injured list. When Ford went on the IL on 3/11, Don Chaney was activated. When Ford was activated on 3/25, Chaney went back on the IL. The Celtics played games on both dates. Assuming that Ford was placed on the IL before the game on 3/11 was played (which I think is likely, but don’t know for certain, as neither Ford nor Chaney played in that game), Ford’s stay on the IL covered exactly the nine games he didn’t play in. Ford was definitely activated before the game on 3/25 was played, as he played in that game.
Games Started (Regular Season: 73; Playoffs: 9): Ford started every game he played in.
b-r.com position info: Position in old b-r.com header is listed as Guard-Forward. Primary position is shown as SG for all seasons of career.
M.L. CARR
History: Signed first pro contract with ABA, 1973. Signed as Veteran Free Agent, July 1979 (compensation owed to Pistons).
Games Played (Regular Season 82 G, 24.3 MPG; Playoffs 9 G, 19.1 MPG): Carr appeared in every game the Celtics played.
Games Started (Regular Season: 7; Playoffs: 0): Carr started six consecutive games from 3/11/80 through 3/18/80, and a single game on 3/30/80. The first five games of the six-game stretch (3/11 through 3/17) were at guard in place of Chris Ford, who was placed on the injured list on 3/11, the day of the first game. The final game of the six-game stretch (3/18) and the single game on 3/30 were at forward in place of Cedric Maxwell, who did not play in either game. The game on 3/30 was the last game of the regular season.
b-r.com position info: Position in old b-r.com header is listed as Forward-Guard. Primary position is shown as SF for all seasons of career.
RICK ROBEY
History: 1st round pick of Pacers in 1978. Acquired in trade with Pacers, January 1979.
Games Played (Regular Season 82 G, 23.4 MPG; Playoffs 9 G, 16.8 MPG): Robey appeared in every game the Celtics played.
Games Started (Regular Season: 27; Playoffs: 1): Robey started 25 consecutive games from 1/23/80 through 3/14/80, and two consecutive games on 3/28/80 & 3/30/80 (the last two games of the regular season). All of these starts were at center, and they represent all 27 games that Dave Cowens didn’t start. Cowens didn’t play in the first fourteen games of the 25-game stretch, or in the games on 3/28 & 3/30.
In the playoffs, according to the TSN box scores, Robey started Game 2 of the Houston series (4/11/80) at center. Cowens is shown playing off the bench.
b-r.com position info: Position in old b-r.com header is listed as Center-Forward. Primary position is shown as C for all seasons of career.
PETE MARAVICH
History: 1st round pick of Hawks in 1970. Signed as a free agent, January 1980.
Maravich started the season with the Jazz, but was waived in January when the Jazz bought out his contract. The Celtics then signed him on 1/22/80.
Games Played (Regular Season 26 G, 17.0 MPG; Playoffs 9 G, 11.6 MPG): When the Celtics signed Maravich on 1/22/80, they don’t appear to have immediately placed him on the active roster. I am guessing that he was placed on the injured list, but I don’t know that for certain. Maravich was activated on 2/6/80, which was the day of the Celtics’ first game following the All-Star break.
When Maravich was activated, Dave Cowens was placed on the IL. I don’t know for certain whether these moves were made before or after the Celtics’ game on that day was played (neither Cowens nor Maravich appeared in the game), though I strongly suspect they were made before the game. If that’s correct, 2/6 was Maravich’s first game on the active roster, but he didn’t play.
Maravich made his Celtics debut in the team’s next game, on 2/8. At that point, the Celtics had 28 games remaining in the regular season. Maravich played in 26 of them. The two games after 2/8 that he didn’t play in were two consecutive games on 2/17/80 & 2/18/80. Maravich also played in all nine of the Celtics’ playoff games.
Maravich had appeared in 17 games for the Jazz before they waived him. Between the Jazz and the Celtics combined, he appeared in a total of 43 regular season games for the year.
Games Started (Regular Season: 4; Playoffs: 0): Maravich started four consecutive games from 3/18/80 through 3/23/80. These were in place of Chris Ford, who was on the injured list at the time.
b-r.com position info: Position in old b-r.com header is listed as Guard. Primary position is shown as SG for all seasons of career.
GERALD HENDERSON
History: 3rd round pick of Spurs in 1978. Signed as a free agent, June 1979. Henderson had been cut by the Spurs in training camp in 1978, so even though he had come out of college a year earlier, he had no regular season NBA experience prior to making the Celtics’ opening night roster.
Games Played (Regular Season 76 G, 14.0 MPG; Playoffs 9 G, 11.2 MPG): The six games Henderson didn’t play in were a single game on 12/9/79, four consecutive games from 2/8/80 through 2/15/80, and a single game on 3/25/80.
Games Started (Regular Season: 2; Playoffs: 0): Henderson started two consecutive games on 3/11/80 & 3/12/80. These were in place of Nate Archibald, who didn’t play in either game.
b-r.com position info: Position in old b-r.com header is listed as Guard. Primary position is shown as PG for all seasons of career.
JEFF JUDKINS
History: 2nd round pick of Celtics in 1978.
Games Played (Regular Season 65 G, 10.4 MPG; Playoffs 7 G, 1.4 MPG): The seventeen regular season games Judkins didn’t play in were single games on 12/9/79, 12/16/79, and 12/22/79; two consecutive games on 1/2/80 & 1/5/80; three games in a four-game stretch from 1/16/80 through 1/22/80 (didn’t play on 1/16, played on 1/18, didn’t play on 1/20 & 1/22); two consecutive games on 1/29/80 & 1/30/80; single games on 2/17/80 and 2/26/80; three games in a five-game stretch from 3/2/80 through 3/9/80 (didn’t play on 3/2, played on 3/4, didn’t play on 3/5, played on 3/7, didn’t play on 3/9); and single games on 3/14/80 and 3/25/80. Judkins seemed to play somewhat less frequently as the season wore on. He appeared in the first 27 games of the season, and 38 of the first 43. He then played in 27 of the remaining 39 games in the regular season.
Judkins appeared in seven of the Celtics’ nine playoff games. The two games he didn’t play in were Games 3 and 4 of the Philadelphia series. Even though he made an appearance in all but two of the Celtics’ playoff games, Judkins played only 10 minutes during the entire playoffs.
Games Started (Regular Season: 0; Playoffs: 0): Judkins did not start any games.
b-r.com position info: Position in old b-r.com header is listed as Guard-Forward. Primary position is shown as SF for all seasons of career. Note that even though Judkins’ position in the old header is listed as “Guard-Forward” (implying that guard was the position he played at the most over the course of his entire career), his primary position for each individual season of his career is shown as SF.
ERIC FERNSTEN
History: 4th round pick of Cavaliers in 1975. Signed as a free agent, June 1979.
Games Played (Regular Season 56 G, 7.7 MPG; Playoffs 5 G, 3.6 MPG): Fernsten is credited with appearing in 56 regular season games, but I only noted him in 55 TSN box scores. It is possible that Fernsten was omitted from the TSN box score to one game in which he did not compile any stats that would have been shown in the box score.
When b-r.com first added its game log feature several years ago, it used the TSN box scores as its original source, and it also showed Fernsten in only 55 box scores. Over time, however, b-r.com has collected additional box score data. Through this effort, they have been able to identify one additional game that Fernsten played in, and now show him in 56 box scores. That matches his official games played total.
The additional box score b-r.com now shows Fernsten in is for the game on 12/28/79. The Celtics’ opponent in this game was Los Angeles. At some point in time, b-r.com appears to have obtained nearly complete box score data for the Lakers for the 1979-80 season. b-r.com has data for all statistical categories for almost every game the Lakers played, even those statistical categories that do not appear in the TSN box scores. When b-r.com received the complete box score data, they apparently discovered that Fernsten played in this game, even though he does not appear in the TSN box score. Fernsten did not compile any stats that would have been shown in the TSN box score.
Crediting Fernsten with playing in the game on 12/28, he played in 27 of the first 46 games of the season (through 1/20/80); 22 of the next 23 games (1/22/80 through 3/9/80; the only game Fernsten didn’t play in during this period was on 3/2/80), and seven of the last thirteen games of the regular season (from 3/11/80 on).
Not surprisingly, Fernsten’s heaviest period of usage, the 23 games from 1/22 through 3/9, contains the 14-game stretch when Dave Cowens was apparently out with an injury. While Cowens was out, Fernsten seems to have been the team’s primary backup at center. The first game in this stretch, on 1/22, was the last game Cowens played before dropping out of the lineup. Cowens returned eight games before the end of the 23-game stretch, but played off the bench for his first few weeks back and may have been limited in his availability. Outside of this 23-game stretch, Fernsten played in just 34 out of 59 games.
Fernsten appeared in five of the Celtics’ nine playoff games. The games he played in were Games 1, 3 and 4 of the Houston series, and Games 2 and 5 of the Philadelphia series. Fernsten played only 18 minutes during the entire playoffs.
Games Started (Regular Season: 0; Playoffs: 0): Fernsten did not start any games.
b-r.com position info: Position in old b-r.com header is listed as Center-Forward. Primary position is shown as C for most seasons of career, but 1979-80 is one of two exceptions shown as PF (the other is 1983-84).
INJURED LIST:
DON CHANEY
History: 1st round pick of Celtics in 1968. Acquired in trade with Lakers, December 1977.
Games Played (Regular Season 60 G, 8.7 MPG): Chaney appeared in 56 of the first 61 games of the regular season, a stretch running through 2/23/80. The five games before 2/23 that Chaney didn’t play in were on 10/17/79, 11/21/79, 11/24/79, 12/7/79 and 2/15/80.
Chaney was then on the injured list from 2/26/80 to 3/11/80, and again from 3/25/80 to the end of the season. His four appearances after 2/23 were during the period in March between his two stints on the injured list.
Chaney was initially placed on the injured list on 2/26. The Celtics had been carrying one too many players since signing Pete Maravich in January, requiring them to juggle players on and off the IL for the rest of the season. When they first signed Maravich, they appear to have initially placed Maravich on the injured list, allowing them to keep their existing 11-man active roster intact. When Maravich was activated just after the All-Star break, Dave Cowens was apparently out with an injury, so he was moved to the injured list. When Cowens returned on 2/26, someone else needed to be dropped from the active roster. Chaney apparently suffered a conveniently-timed injury, and was moved to the IL to make room for Cowens.
Chaney was activated again from 3/11 to 3/25, while Chris Ford was on the injured list. The Celtics played games on both dates. Assuming that Chaney was activated before the game on 3/11 was played (which I think is likely, but don’t know for certain, as neither Ford not Chaney played in that game), he was on the active roster for a total of nine games. Chaney appeared in four of those nine games (didn’t play on 3/11, played on 3/12, didn’t play on 3/14, played on 3/15 & 3/17, didn’t play on 3/18, played on 3/20, didn’t play on 3/22 & 3/23), bringing his games played total for the season to 60.
Chaney was definitely placed on the injured list before the game on 3/25 was played, as Ford played in the game. Chaney finished the regular season on the injured list, and remained inactive for the playoffs.
Games Started (Regular Season: 0): Chaney did not start any games.
b-r.com position info: Position in old b-r.com header is listed as Guard. Primary position is shown as SG for all seasons of career.
Last edited by
MCT on Fri Feb 08, 2019 6:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.