Last Updated on August 7, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
League Search Page > NBA > Boston Celtics > Roster & Statistics
The 2001–02 Boston Celtics were built around the high-scoring tandem of Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker, who drove the offense while also contributing significantly as playmakers and rebounders. Kenny Anderson provided steady ball distribution from the point, and Tony Battie supplied interior rebounding and defensive support. Boston’s balanced playmaking and strong wing scoring were clear strengths, though the offense depended heavily on its two featured stars for production.
Roster
| NO. | PLAYER NAME | POS | HT | WT | DATE OF BIRTH | COLLEGE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Walter McCarty | PF | 6-10 | 230 | February 1, 1974 | Kentucky |
| 4 | Tony Battie | C | 6-11 | 230 | February 11, 1976 | Texas Tech |
| 7 | Kenny Anderson | PG | 6-1 | 168 | October 9, 1970 | Georgia Tech |
| 8 | Antoine Walker | PF | 6-9 | 224 | August 12, 1976 | Kentucky |
| 9 | Milt Palacio | PG | 6-3 | 195 | February 7, 1978 | Midland College, Colorado State |
| 11 | Randy Brown | PG | 6-2 | 190 | May 22, 1968 | Houston, New Mexico State |
| 20 | Erick Strickland | PG | 6-3 | 210 | November 25, 1973 | Nebraska |
| 28 | Tony Delk | SG | 6-1 | 189 | January 28, 1974 | Kentucky |
| 30 | Mark Blount | C | 7-0 | 230 | November 30, 1975 | Pitt |
| 31 | Joe Johnson | SG | 6-7 | 240 | June 29, 1981 | Arkansas |
| 34 | Paul Pierce | SG | 6-7 | 235 | October 13, 1977 | Kansas |
| 40 | Joseph Forte | SG | 6-4 | 194 | March 23, 1981 | UNC |
| 42 | Kedrick Brown | SF | 6-7 | 222 | March 18, 1981 | Okaloosa-Walton Community College |
| 52 | Vitaly Potapenko | C | 6-10 | 280 | March 21, 1975 | Wright State University |
| 54 | Rodney Rogers | SF | 6-7 | 235 | June 20, 1971 | Wake Forest |
| 55 | Eric Williams | SF | 6-8 | 220 | July 17, 1972 | Vincennes University, Providence |
Regular Season Per Game
| PLAYER NAME | POS | AGE | GP | GS | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Pierce | SG | 24 | 82 | 82 | 40.3 | 26.1 | 6.9 | 3.2 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 2.9 | 19.5 | 8.6 | .442 | 6.3 | 2.6 | .404 | 7.8 | 6.3 | .809 |
| Antoine Walker | PF | 25 | 81 | 81 | 42.0 | 22.1 | 8.8 | 5.0 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 3.1 | 20.9 | 8.2 | .394 | 8.0 | 2.7 | .344 | 4.0 | 3.0 | .741 |
| Rodney Rogers | SF | 30 | 27 | 1 | 23.2 | 10.7 | 4.0 | 1.5 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 8.2 | 4.0 | .482 | 3.5 | 1.4 | .411 | 1.9 | 1.3 | .700 |
| Kenny Anderson | PG | 31 | 76 | 76 | 32.0 | 9.6 | 3.6 | 5.3 | 1.9 | 0.1 | 1.6 | 9.4 | 4.1 | .436 | 0.4 | 0.1 | .273 | 1.7 | 1.3 | .742 |
| Erick Strickland | PG | 28 | 79 | 4 | 20.8 | 7.7 | 2.7 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 6.2 | 2.4 | .389 | 3.1 | 1.2 | .385 | 2.0 | 1.7 | .845 |
| Tony Delk | SG | 28 | 22 | 16 | 25.9 | 7.4 | 3.6 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 7.8 | 2.7 | .349 | 3.0 | 0.9 | .299 | 1.4 | 1.0 | .733 |
| Tony Battie | C | 25 | 74 | 73 | 24.6 | 6.9 | 6.5 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 5.3 | 2.9 | .541 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 1.8 | 1.2 | .677 |
| Eric Williams | SF | 29 | 74 | 30 | 23.6 | 6.4 | 3.0 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 1.3 | 5.2 | 1.9 | .374 | 1.2 | 0.3 | .279 | 3.0 | 2.2 | .731 |
| Joe Johnson | SG | 20 | 48 | 33 | 20.9 | 6.3 | 2.9 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 6.2 | 2.7 | .439 | 1.8 | 0.5 | .273 | 0.5 | 0.4 | .769 |
| Vitaly Potapenko | C | 26 | 79 | 9 | 17.0 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 3.8 | 1.7 | .455 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 1.1 | .742 | |
| Walter McCarty | PF | 27 | 56 | 0 | 12.8 | 3.8 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 3.2 | 1.4 | .444 | 1.8 | 0.7 | .394 | 0.3 | 0.2 | .684 |
| Milt Palacio | PG | 23 | 41 | 0 | 12.6 | 3.7 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 3.3 | 1.3 | .385 | 0.8 | 0.3 | .353 | 1.2 | 0.9 | .706 |
| Kedrick Brown | SF | 20 | 29 | 5 | 8.4 | 2.2 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 2.4 | 0.8 | .329 | 0.9 | 0.2 | .185 | 0.7 | 0.4 | .600 |
| Mark Blount | C | 26 | 44 | 0 | 9.4 | 2.1 | 1.9 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 1.7 | 0.7 | .421 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 0.7 | .811 | |
| Joseph Forte | SG | 20 | 8 | 0 | 4.9 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 1.5 | 0.1 | .083 | 0.4 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.000 |
| Randy Brown | PG | 33 | 1 | 0 | 6.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | ||
| Team Totals | 82 | 82 | 241.8 | 96.4 | 42.2 | 21.0 | 9.7 | 3.6 | 13.6 | 82.1 | 34.8 | .424 | 23.7 | 8.5 | .359 | 23.9 | 18.3 | .764 |
Playoff Per Game
| PLAYER NAME | POS | AGE | GP | GS | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Pierce | SG | 24 | 16 | 16 | 42.0 | 24.6 | 8.6 | 4.1 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 3.8 | 18.9 | 7.6 | .403 | 6.5 | 1.9 | .288 | 9.8 | 7.5 | .764 |
| Antoine Walker | PF | 25 | 16 | 16 | 43.9 | 22.1 | 8.6 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 3.4 | 19.9 | 8.2 | .411 | 6.8 | 2.6 | .385 | 4.0 | 3.1 | .781 |
| Kenny Anderson | PG | 31 | 16 | 16 | 35.0 | 12.0 | 3.1 | 4.8 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 1.8 | 12.3 | 5.1 | .416 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.2 | 1.8 | .800 | |
| Rodney Rogers | SF | 30 | 16 | 0 | 24.6 | 8.9 | 5.5 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 6.8 | 2.9 | .426 | 3.3 | 1.2 | .365 | 2.2 | 1.9 | .886 |
| Eric Williams | SF | 29 | 16 | 16 | 30.4 | 7.8 | 4.4 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 5.9 | 2.9 | .500 | 1.9 | 0.9 | .467 | 1.4 | 1.1 | .739 |
| Tony Battie | C | 25 | 16 | 16 | 27.7 | 6.1 | 7.6 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 5.4 | 2.6 | .488 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 0.8 | .619 | |
| Tony Delk | SG | 28 | 14 | 0 | 16.2 | 4.7 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 4.6 | 1.6 | .354 | 2.4 | 0.9 | .394 | 0.9 | 0.5 | .583 |
| Walter McCarty | PF | 27 | 14 | 0 | 13.9 | 3.1 | 2.4 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 2.7 | 1.2 | .447 | 1.3 | 0.2 | .167 | 0.6 | 0.5 | .778 |
| Erick Strickland | PG | 28 | 12 | 0 | 9.8 | 2.9 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 3.3 | 0.9 | .282 | 1.7 | 0.3 | .200 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.000 |
| Kedrick Brown | SF | 20 | 2 | 0 | 1.5 | 2.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.000 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Mark Blount | C | 26 | 4 | 0 | 9.8 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 0.5 | .500 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.000 | |
| Team Totals | 16 | 16 | 240.0 | 91.3 | 43.3 | 18.8 | 8.9 | 4.8 | 14.1 | 78.4 | 32.8 | .418 | 22.9 | 7.9 | .343 | 22.9 | 17.8 | .774 |
Regular Season Per 36 Mins
| PLAYER NAME | POS | AGE | GP | GS | MP | PTS | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Pierce | SG | 24 | 82 | 82 | 3302 | 23.4 | 6.2 | 2.8 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 2.6 | 17.4 | 7.7 | .442 | 5.7 | 2.3 | .404 | 7.0 | 5.7 | .809 |
| Antoine Walker | PF | 25 | 81 | 81 | 3406 | 19.0 | 7.5 | 4.3 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 2.7 | 17.9 | 7.0 | .394 | 6.8 | 2.3 | .344 | 3.4 | 2.5 | .741 |
| Rodney Rogers | SF | 30 | 27 | 1 | 626 | 16.6 | 6.2 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 2.4 | 12.8 | 6.2 | .482 | 5.5 | 2.2 | .411 | 2.9 | 2.0 | .700 |
| Erick Strickland | PG | 28 | 79 | 4 | 1643 | 13.3 | 4.7 | 4.0 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 2.1 | 10.7 | 4.2 | .389 | 5.4 | 2.1 | .385 | 3.4 | 2.9 | .845 |
| Kenny Anderson | PG | 31 | 76 | 76 | 2430 | 10.8 | 4.1 | 6.0 | 2.1 | 0.1 | 1.8 | 10.6 | 4.6 | .436 | 0.5 | 0.1 | .273 | 2.0 | 1.5 | .742 |
| Joe Johnson | SG | 20 | 48 | 33 | 1003 | 10.9 | 5.0 | 2.7 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 10.6 | 4.7 | .439 | 3.2 | 0.9 | .273 | 0.9 | 0.7 | .769 |
| Walter McCarty | PF | 27 | 56 | 0 | 718 | 10.6 | 6.4 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 9.0 | 4.0 | .444 | 5.0 | 2.0 | .394 | 1.0 | 0.7 | .684 |
| Milt Palacio | PG | 23 | 41 | 0 | 518 | 10.6 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 1.7 | 9.4 | 3.6 | .385 | 2.4 | 0.8 | .353 | 3.5 | 2.5 | .706 |
| Tony Delk | SG | 28 | 22 | 16 | 570 | 10.2 | 5.0 | 3.2 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 10.9 | 3.8 | .349 | 4.2 | 1.3 | .299 | 1.9 | 1.4 | .733 |
| Tony Battie | C | 25 | 74 | 73 | 1819 | 10.1 | 9.5 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 7.7 | 4.2 | .541 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 2.6 | 1.7 | .677 |
| Eric Williams | SF | 29 | 74 | 30 | 1747 | 9.7 | 4.6 | 2.2 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 2.0 | 7.9 | 3.0 | .374 | 1.8 | 0.5 | .279 | 4.5 | 3.3 | .731 |
| Vitaly Potapenko | C | 26 | 79 | 9 | 1343 | 9.7 | 9.3 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 1.7 | 8.1 | 3.7 | .455 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.2 | 2.4 | .742 | |
| Kedrick Brown | SF | 20 | 29 | 5 | 245 | 9.3 | 7.3 | 2.2 | 2.6 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10.3 | 3.4 | .329 | 4.0 | 0.7 | .185 | 2.9 | 1.8 | .600 |
| Mark Blount | C | 26 | 44 | 0 | 415 | 8.2 | 7.4 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 6.6 | 2.8 | .421 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.2 | 2.6 | .811 | |
| Joseph Forte | SG | 20 | 8 | 0 | 39 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 2.8 | 11.1 | 0.9 | .083 | 2.8 | 0.0 | .000 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 1.000 |
| Randy Brown | PG | 33 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12.0 | 0.0 | 6.0 | 0.0 | 6.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Playoff Per 36 Mins
| PLAYER NAME | POS | AGE | GP | GS | MP | PTS | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Pierce | SG | 24 | 16 | 16 | 672 | 21.1 | 7.3 | 3.5 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 3.3 | 16.2 | 6.5 | .403 | 5.6 | 1.6 | .288 | 8.4 | 6.4 | .764 |
| Antoine Walker | PF | 25 | 16 | 16 | 703 | 18.1 | 7.1 | 2.7 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 2.8 | 16.3 | 6.7 | .411 | 5.6 | 2.2 | .385 | 3.3 | 2.6 | .781 |
| Rodney Rogers | SF | 30 | 16 | 0 | 394 | 13.0 | 8.0 | 3.1 | 1.5 | 0.6 | 2.0 | 9.9 | 4.2 | .426 | 4.8 | 1.7 | .365 | 3.2 | 2.8 | .886 |
| Kenny Anderson | PG | 31 | 16 | 16 | 560 | 12.3 | 3.2 | 4.9 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 1.8 | 12.7 | 5.3 | .416 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.3 | 1.8 | .800 | |
| Erick Strickland | PG | 28 | 12 | 0 | 118 | 10.7 | 4.0 | 5.2 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 2.7 | 11.9 | 3.4 | .282 | 6.1 | 1.2 | .200 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 1.000 |
| Tony Delk | SG | 28 | 14 | 0 | 227 | 10.5 | 5.4 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 2.4 | 10.3 | 3.6 | .354 | 5.2 | 2.1 | .394 | 1.9 | 1.1 | .583 |
| Eric Williams | SF | 29 | 16 | 16 | 487 | 9.2 | 5.2 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 6.9 | 3.5 | .500 | 2.2 | 1.0 | .467 | 1.7 | 1.3 | .739 |
| Walter McCarty | PF | 27 | 14 | 0 | 194 | 8.2 | 6.3 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 7.1 | 3.2 | .447 | 3.3 | 0.6 | .167 | 1.7 | 1.3 | .778 |
| Tony Battie | C | 25 | 16 | 16 | 443 | 7.9 | 9.8 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 2.4 | 0.9 | 7.0 | 3.4 | .488 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.7 | 1.1 | .619 | |
| Mark Blount | C | 26 | 4 | 0 | 39 | 5.5 | 6.5 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 3.7 | 1.8 | .500 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.000 | |
| Kedrick Brown | SF | 20 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 60.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12.0 | 0.0 | 24.0 | 24.0 | 1.000 | 12.0 | 12.0 | 1.000 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
HeatingUp Impact Index: Regular Season Team Impact Spotlight
| PLAYER NAME | ROLE TIER | MPG | USAGE TIER | PPG | RPG | APG | STK (SPG + BPG) | IMPACT INDEX | NOTES | AWARDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Pierce | Starter/Star | 40.3 | High | 26.1 | 6.9 | 3.2 | 2.9 | 102.43 | Go-to scoring wing and primary closer, Pierce gave Boston a true offensive centerpiece. His improved three-point shooting (40.4%) opened up the floor, while his ability to attack off the dribble and draw contact helped drive a 49-win season and Eastern Conference Finals run. | NBA All-Star 2002, All-NBA Third Team 2002, MVP Voting (11th), Eastern Conference Finals 2002 |
| Antoine Walker | Starter/Star | 42.0 | High | 22.1 | 8.8 | 5.0 | 2.0 | 99.26 | Point-forward duties fell heavily on Walker, who functioned as both a scorer and secondary playmaker. He pushed tempo, created offense from the perimeter, and finished among the league leaders in minutes while serving as Boston’s offensive co-star. | NBA All-Star 2002, Eastern Conference Finals 2002 |
| Kenny Anderson | Starter/Star | 32.0 | Medium | 9.6 | 3.6 | 5.3 | 2.0 | 49.01 | Steady table-setting point guard who balanced a veteran roster. Anderson wasn’t a high-volume scorer, but his ball security, playmaking, and perimeter defense helped keep Boston’s offense organized around Pierce and Walker. | Eastern Conference Finals 2002 |
| Rodney Rogers | Key Contributor | 23.2 | Medium | 10.7 | 4.0 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 39.73 | Instant-offense forward brought valuable bench scoring after arriving midseason. His combination of strength and 41.1% three-point shooting gave Boston a different look and added punch to the second unit. | Eastern Conference Finals 2002 |
| Tony Battie | Starter/Star | 24.6 | Low | 6.9 | 6.5 | 0.5 | 1.7 | 34.56 | Rim-protecting center handled much of the dirty work inside. Battie rebounded effectively, finished efficiently near the basket, and supplied needed interior defense on a roster built around perimeter stars. | Eastern Conference Finals 2002 |
| Tony Delk | Key Contributor | 25.9 | Medium | 7.4 | 3.6 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 33.88 | Microwave scoring guard added depth after joining Boston during the season. His willingness to shoot off the catch or pull-up gave the Celtics another perimeter option in rotational lineups. | Eastern Conference Finals 2002 |
| Eric Williams | Key Contributor | 23.6 | Low | 6.4 | 3.0 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 25.20 | Defensive-minded wing embraced a supporting role and routinely matched up against larger forwards. His physical style and versatility allowed Boston to mix defensive assignments throughout the season. | Eastern Conference Finals 2002 |
| Joe Johnson | Key Contributor | 20.9 | Low | 6.3 | 2.9 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 24.36 | Young combo wing flashed the smooth offensive game that would later define his career. Boston used him in a complementary role, where his shot creation potential occasionally surfaced despite inconsistent minutes. | Rising Stars Challenge Participant 2002, Eastern Conference Finals 2002 |
| Erick Strickland | Key Contributor | 20.8 | Low | 7.7 | 2.7 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 28.14 | Reserve guard provided backcourt depth with reliable outside shooting and secondary ball handling. His 38.5% mark from deep helped stretch defenses around the team’s primary scorers. | Eastern Conference Finals 2002 |
| Vitaly Potapenko | Bench | 17.0 | Low | 4.6 | 4.4 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 20.20 | Physical interior presence who supplied rebounding and screens in limited minutes. Potapenko’s role centered on toughness and frontcourt depth rather than offensive production. | Eastern Conference Finals 2002 |
| Walter McCarty | Bench | 12.8 | Low | 3.8 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 14.40 | Stretch forward off the bench, McCarty quietly knocked down 39.4% of his threes and helped maintain spacing when Boston went to reserve-heavy lineups. | Eastern Conference Finals 2002 |
| Milt Palacio | Bench | 12.6 | Low | 3.7 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 13.60 | Backup point guard brought defensive energy and steady ball movement. His role was modest, but he provided dependable guard depth over 41 appearances. | Eastern Conference Finals 2002 |
| Mark Blount | Bench | 9.4 | Low | 2.1 | 1.9 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 10.00 | Developmental center saw limited minutes but displayed the athletic profile that would eventually earn him a larger NBA role. Most of his value came around the basket on both ends. | Eastern Conference Finals 2002 |
| Kedrick Brown | Bench | 8.4 | Low | 2.2 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 10.40 | Athletic young wing contributed mainly through energy plays and defense. His offensive game remained raw, though flashes of transition scoring hinted at upside. | Eastern Conference Finals 2002 |
| Randy Brown | Bench | 6.0 | Low | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 6.00 | Veteran guard appeared only briefly but offered experienced depth and defensive awareness whenever called upon. | Eastern Conference Finals 2002 |
| Joseph Forte | Bench | 4.9 | Low | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 5.40 | Limited opportunities made evaluation difficult, though Forte remained a young scoring prospect attempting to find a consistent role in the rotation. | Eastern Conference Finals 2002 |
| TEAM TOTALS | — | 241.8 | — | 96.4 | 42.2 | 21.0 | 13.3 | — | Boston built its identity around the Pierce-Walker partnership, surrounding the star duo with veteran playmaking, defensive wings, and frontcourt toughness. The formula helped produce 49 wins and an unexpected trip to the 2002 Eastern Conference Finals. | NBA All-Star 2002: Paul Pierce, Antoine Walker; All-NBA Third Team 2002: Paul Pierce; Rising Stars Challenge 2002: Joe Johnson |
HeatingUp Impact Index: Playoff Team Impact Spotlight
| PLAYER NAME | ROLE TIER | MPG | USAGE TIER | PPG | RPG | APG | STK (SPG + BPG) | IMPACT INDEX | NOTES | AWARDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Pierce | Starter/Star | 42.0 | High | 24.6 | 8.6 | 4.1 | 3.0 | 106.13 | Isolation scorer and late-clock problem solver, Pierce carried Boston’s offense during its surprising 2002 playoff run. He attacked bigger defenders off the dribble, lived at the foul line with nearly 10 free-throw attempts per game, and supplied strong rebounding and rim protection from the wing. | Eastern Conference Finals 2002, NBA All-Star 2002, All-NBA Third Team 2002 |
| Antoine Walker | Starter/Star | 43.9 | High | 22.1 | 8.6 | 3.3 | 1.9 | 94.51 | Functioning almost like a point forward, Walker handled major creation duties while stretching defenses with his three-point shooting. His combination of rebounding, passing, and shot volume made him a central piece of Boston’s playoff attack. | Eastern Conference Finals 2002, NBA All-Star 2002 |
| Kenny Anderson | Starter/Star | 35.0 | Medium | 12.0 | 3.1 | 4.8 | 1.3 | 51.55 | Veteran floor general brought control and pace to a team built around two high-usage stars. Anderson’s steady ball handling and mid-range game helped keep Boston organized throughout its postseason run. | Eastern Conference Finals 2002 |
| Rodney Rogers | Key Contributor | 24.6 | Medium | 8.9 | 5.5 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 41.12 | Physical scoring forward gave the second unit real punch. Rogers mixed spot-up shooting with power drives and often shifted momentum with quick scoring bursts off the bench. | Eastern Conference Finals 2002 |
| Eric Williams | Starter/Star | 30.4 | Low | 7.8 | 4.4 | 1.3 | 1.9 | 33.88 | Defensive wing responsibilities defined his postseason. Williams routinely took difficult perimeter assignments while contributing efficient complementary scoring and strong three-point shooting. | Eastern Conference Finals 2002 |
| Tony Battie | Starter/Star | 27.7 | Low | 6.1 | 7.6 | 0.8 | 2.5 | 37.40 | Rim-running center anchored much of Boston’s interior defense. His 1.9 blocks per game reflected how often he cleaned up mistakes and challenged shots around the basket. | Eastern Conference Finals 2002 |
| Tony Delk | Bench | 16.2 | Low | 4.7 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 18.40 | Instant-offense guard saw a smaller playoff role than during parts of the regular season, but his willingness to fire from deep still gave Boston an extra perimeter threat. | Eastern Conference Finals 2002 |
| Walter McCarty | Bench | 13.9 | Low | 3.1 | 2.4 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 12.20 | Stretch-forward minutes were limited, yet McCarty continued to provide floor spacing and lineup flexibility when Boston needed another perimeter-oriented frontcourt option. | Eastern Conference Finals 2002 |
| Erick Strickland | Bench | 9.8 | Low | 2.9 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 11.80 | Reserve combo guard filled spot minutes as a secondary ball handler and perimeter shooter. His role fluctuated from series to series based on matchup needs. | Eastern Conference Finals 2002 |
| Kedrick Brown | Bench | 1.5 | Low | 2.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 6.00 | Athletic young wing barely cracked the rotation, though his brief appearances hinted at the explosiveness that made him an intriguing developmental prospect. | Eastern Conference Finals 2002 |
| Mark Blount | Bench | 9.8 | Low | 1.5 | 1.8 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 9.20 | Energy big man supplied frontcourt depth in limited opportunities. His length and activity around the rim offered occasional defensive value off the bench. | Eastern Conference Finals 2002 |
| TEAM TOTALS | — | 240.0 | — | 91.3 | 43.3 | 18.8 | 13.7 | — | Boston’s Eastern Conference Finals run was driven by the star duo of Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker, while Kenny Anderson provided stability and a deep collection of role players supplied defense, rebounding, and situational shooting throughout the postseason. | NBA All-Star 2002: Paul Pierce, Antoine Walker; All-NBA Third Team 2002: Paul Pierce |