Last Updated on September 16, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
League Search Page > NBA > Boston Celtics > Roster & Statistics
The Boston Celtics 1998-99 were led by Antoine Walker, whose scoring, rebounding, and playmaking made him the team’s primary all-around contributor. Paul Pierce emerged as a reliable secondary scorer and versatile wing, while Kenny Anderson directed the offense with steady ball distribution. The statistics reflect a team that relied on balanced offensive creation from its leading forwards, solid rebounding, and complementary backcourt play rather than dominant interior production.
Roster
| NO. | PLAYER NAME | POS | HT | WT | DATE OF BIRTH | COLLEGE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Walter McCarty | PF | 6-10 | 230 | February 1, 1974 | Kentucky |
| 4 | Popeye Jones | PF | 6-8 | 250 | June 17, 1970 | Murray State |
| 5 | Ron Mercer | SG | 6-7 | 210 | May 18, 1976 | Kentucky |
| 7 | Kenny Anderson | PG | 6-1 | 168 | October 9, 1970 | Georgia Tech |
| 8 | Antoine Walker | PF | 6-9 | 224 | August 12, 1976 | Kentucky |
| 9 | Greg Minor | SG | 6-6 | 210 | September 18, 1971 | Louisville |
| 11 | Dana Barros | PG | 5-11 | 163 | April 13, 1967 | Boston College |
| 12 | Bruce Bowen | SF | 6-7 | 185 | June 14, 1971 | Cal State Fullerton |
| 13 | Damon Jones | PG | 6-3 | 185 | August 25, 1976 | Houston |
| 20 | Marlon Garnett | PG | 6-2 | 186 | July 3, 1975 | Santa Clara |
| 34 | Paul Pierce | SF | 6-7 | 235 | October 13, 1977 | Kansas |
| 40 | Tony Battie | C | 6-11 | 230 | February 11, 1976 | Texas Tech |
| 44 | Eric Riley | C | 7-0 | 245 | June 2, 1970 | Michigan |
| 45 | Andrew DeClercq | C | 6-10 | 230 | February 1, 1973 | Florida |
| 52 | Vitaly Potapenko | C | 6-10 | 280 | March 21, 1975 | Wright State University |
| 55 | Dwayne Schintzius | C | 7-1 | 260 | October 14, 1968 | Florida |
Regular Season Per Game
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | MP | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Pierce | SF | 21 | 48 | 47 | 34.0 | 16.5 | 6.4 | 2.4 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 2.4 | 13.5 | 5.9 | .439 | 4.3 | 1.8 | .412 | 4.1 | 2.9 | .713 |
| Antoine Walker | PF | 22 | 42 | 41 | 36.9 | 18.7 | 8.5 | 3.1 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 2.8 | 17.5 | 7.2 | .412 | 4.2 | 1.5 | .369 | 4.8 | 2.7 | .559 |
| Ron Mercer | SG | 22 | 41 | 40 | 37.8 | 17.0 | 3.8 | 2.5 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 2.2 | 17.2 | 7.4 | .431 | 0.7 | 0.1 | .167 | 2.6 | 2.0 | .790 |
| Dana Barros | PG | 31 | 50 | 16 | 23.1 | 9.3 | 2.1 | 4.2 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 1.8 | 7.4 | 3.4 | .453 | 3.2 | 1.3 | .400 | 1.5 | 1.3 | .877 |
| Kenny Anderson | PG | 28 | 34 | 33 | 29.7 | 12.1 | 3.0 | 5.7 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 2.1 | 10.5 | 4.7 | .451 | 0.7 | 0.2 | .250 | 3.0 | 2.5 | .832 |
| Vitaly Potapenko | C | 23 | 33 | 32 | 28.1 | 10.8 | 7.2 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 8.7 | 4.5 | .521 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.2 | 1.8 | .547 | |
| Tony Battie | C | 22 | 50 | 15 | 22.4 | 6.7 | 6.0 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 5.7 | 2.9 | .519 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 1.2 | 0.8 | .672 |
| Greg Minor | SG | 27 | 44 | 7 | 17.4 | 4.9 | 2.7 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 4.6 | 1.9 | .417 | 0.6 | 0.2 | .286 | 1.1 | 0.8 | .750 |
| Walter McCarty | PF | 24 | 32 | 4 | 20.6 | 5.7 | 3.6 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 5.5 | 2.0 | .362 | 1.6 | 0.4 | .260 | 1.8 | 1.3 | .702 |
| Eric Riley | C | 28 | 35 | 11 | 9.6 | 2.2 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 1.5 | 0.8 | .519 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.9 | 0.6 | .710 | |
| Andrew DeClercq | C | 25 | 14 | 1 | 18.4 | 5.4 | 4.5 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 1.6 | 4.1 | 2.0 | .491 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.1 | 1.4 | .655 | |
| Damon Jones | PG | 22 | 13 | 0 | 16.4 | 5.8 | 2.4 | 2.2 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.9 | 5.8 | 2.2 | .387 | 2.5 | 1.2 | .455 | 0.3 | 0.2 | .750 |
| Bruce Bowen | SF | 27 | 30 | 1 | 16.5 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 3.1 | 0.9 | .280 | 0.9 | 0.2 | .269 | 0.8 | 0.4 | .458 |
| Popeye Jones | PF | 28 | 18 | 2 | 11.4 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 2.8 | 1.1 | .392 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.9 | 0.8 | .824 |
| Marlon Garnett | PG | 23 | 24 | 0 | 8.5 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 2.1 | 0.6 | .294 | 1.0 | 0.3 | .261 | 0.8 | 0.6 | .750 |
| Dwayne Schintzius | C | 30 | 16 | 0 | 4.2 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 0.3 | .250 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.2 | .750 | |
| Team Totals | 50 | 50 | 243.0 | 93.0 | 42.8 | 21.5 | 9.1 | 5.1 | 16.1 | 83.3 | 36.3 | .436 | 15.2 | 5.5 | .360 | 21.5 | 14.9 | .692 |
Regular Season Per 36 Mins
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | MP | PTS | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Pierce | SF | 21 | 48 | 47 | 1632 | 17.4 | 6.8 | 2.5 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 2.5 | 14.3 | 6.3 | .439 | 4.5 | 1.9 | .412 | 4.3 | 3.1 | .713 |
| Antoine Walker | PF | 22 | 42 | 41 | 1549 | 18.2 | 8.3 | 3.0 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 2.8 | 17.1 | 7.0 | .412 | 4.1 | 1.5 | .369 | 4.7 | 2.6 | .559 |
| Dana Barros | PG | 31 | 50 | 16 | 1156 | 14.4 | 3.3 | 6.5 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 2.7 | 11.6 | 5.2 | .453 | 5.0 | 2.0 | .400 | 2.3 | 2.0 | .877 |
| Ron Mercer | SG | 22 | 41 | 40 | 1551 | 16.2 | 3.6 | 2.4 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 2.1 | 16.4 | 7.1 | .431 | 0.7 | 0.1 | .167 | 2.4 | 1.9 | .790 |
| Tony Battie | C | 22 | 50 | 15 | 1121 | 10.8 | 9.6 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 2.3 | 1.4 | 9.1 | 4.7 | .519 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 2.0 | 1.3 | .672 |
| Kenny Anderson | PG | 28 | 34 | 33 | 1010 | 14.7 | 3.7 | 6.9 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 2.5 | 12.7 | 5.7 | .451 | 0.9 | 0.2 | .250 | 3.6 | 3.0 | .832 |
| Vitaly Potapenko | C | 23 | 33 | 32 | 927 | 13.8 | 9.2 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 2.8 | 11.1 | 5.8 | .521 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.1 | 2.3 | .547 | |
| Greg Minor | SG | 27 | 44 | 7 | 765 | 10.1 | 5.5 | 2.4 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 9.6 | 4.0 | .417 | 1.3 | 0.4 | .286 | 2.3 | 1.7 | .750 |
| Walter McCarty | PF | 24 | 32 | 4 | 659 | 9.9 | 6.3 | 2.2 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 2.2 | 9.7 | 3.5 | .362 | 2.7 | 0.7 | .260 | 3.1 | 2.2 | .702 |
| Eric Riley | C | 28 | 35 | 11 | 337 | 8.3 | 10.6 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 5.8 | 3.0 | .519 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.3 | 2.4 | .710 | |
| Marlon Garnett | PG | 23 | 24 | 0 | 205 | 9.0 | 3.7 | 3.2 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 2.1 | 9.0 | 2.6 | .294 | 4.0 | 1.1 | .261 | 3.5 | 2.6 | .750 |
| Popeye Jones | PF | 28 | 18 | 2 | 206 | 9.4 | 9.1 | 2.6 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 8.9 | 3.5 | .392 | 0.2 | 0.0 | .000 | 3.0 | 2.4 | .824 |
| Damon Jones | PG | 22 | 13 | 0 | 213 | 12.8 | 5.2 | 4.9 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 12.7 | 4.9 | .387 | 5.6 | 2.5 | .455 | 0.7 | 0.5 | .750 |
| Bruce Bowen | SF | 27 | 30 | 1 | 494 | 5.1 | 3.8 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 6.8 | 1.9 | .280 | 1.9 | 0.5 | .269 | 1.7 | 0.8 | .458 |
| Andrew DeClercq | C | 25 | 14 | 1 | 258 | 10.5 | 8.8 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 3.1 | 8.0 | 3.9 | .491 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.0 | 2.7 | .655 | |
| Dwayne Schintzius | C | 30 | 16 | 0 | 67 | 5.9 | 10.2 | 4.3 | 0.0 | 1.6 | 5.4 | 8.6 | 2.1 | .250 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.1 | 1.6 | .750 |
Regular Season Totals
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | MP | PTS | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Pierce | SF | 21 | 48 | 47 | 1632 | 791 | 309 | 115 | 82 | 50 | 113 | 647 | 284 | .439 | 204 | 84 | .412 | 195 | 139 | .713 |
| Antoine Walker | PF | 22 | 42 | 41 | 1549 | 784 | 359 | 130 | 63 | 28 | 119 | 735 | 303 | .412 | 176 | 65 | .369 | 202 | 113 | .559 |
| Ron Mercer | SG | 22 | 41 | 40 | 1551 | 698 | 155 | 104 | 67 | 12 | 89 | 707 | 305 | .431 | 30 | 5 | .167 | 105 | 83 | .790 |
| Dana Barros | PG | 31 | 50 | 16 | 1156 | 464 | 105 | 208 | 52 | 5 | 88 | 371 | 168 | .453 | 160 | 64 | .400 | 73 | 64 | .877 |
| Kenny Anderson | PG | 28 | 34 | 33 | 1010 | 412 | 103 | 193 | 33 | 2 | 71 | 357 | 161 | .451 | 24 | 6 | .250 | 101 | 84 | .832 |
| Vitaly Potapenko | C | 23 | 33 | 32 | 927 | 356 | 238 | 59 | 24 | 20 | 72 | 286 | 149 | .521 | 0 | 0 | 106 | 58 | .547 | |
| Tony Battie | C | 22 | 50 | 15 | 1121 | 335 | 300 | 53 | 29 | 71 | 45 | 283 | 147 | .519 | 3 | 0 | .000 | 61 | 41 | .672 |
| Greg Minor | SG | 27 | 44 | 7 | 765 | 214 | 117 | 50 | 20 | 6 | 38 | 204 | 85 | .417 | 28 | 8 | .286 | 48 | 36 | .750 |
| Walter McCarty | PF | 24 | 32 | 4 | 659 | 181 | 115 | 40 | 24 | 13 | 40 | 177 | 64 | .362 | 50 | 13 | .260 | 57 | 40 | .702 |
| Eric Riley | C | 28 | 35 | 11 | 337 | 78 | 99 | 13 | 9 | 26 | 26 | 54 | 28 | .519 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 22 | .710 | |
| Damon Jones | PG | 22 | 13 | 0 | 213 | 76 | 31 | 29 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 75 | 29 | .387 | 33 | 15 | .455 | 4 | 3 | .750 |
| Andrew DeClercq | C | 25 | 14 | 1 | 258 | 75 | 63 | 10 | 13 | 9 | 22 | 57 | 28 | .491 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 19 | .655 | |
| Bruce Bowen | SF | 27 | 30 | 1 | 494 | 70 | 52 | 28 | 21 | 9 | 13 | 93 | 26 | .280 | 26 | 7 | .269 | 24 | 11 | .458 |
| Popeye Jones | PF | 28 | 18 | 2 | 206 | 54 | 52 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 51 | 20 | .392 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 17 | 14 | .824 |
| Marlon Garnett | PG | 23 | 24 | 0 | 205 | 51 | 21 | 18 | 5 | 1 | 12 | 51 | 15 | .294 | 23 | 6 | .261 | 20 | 15 | .750 |
| Dwayne Schintzius | C | 30 | 16 | 0 | 67 | 11 | 19 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 16 | 4 | .250 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | .750 | |
| Team Totals | 50 | 50 | 12150 | 4650 | 2138 | 1073 | 453 | 255 | 777 | 4164 | 1816 | .436 | 758 | 273 | .360 | 1077 | 745 | .692 |
HeatingUp Impact Index: Team Impact Spotlight
| Player Name | Role Tier | MPG | Usage Tier | PPG | RPG | APG | STK (SPG + BPG) | Impact Index | Notes | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antoine Walker | Primary Offensive Engine (1.1) | 36.9 | High (1.2) | 18.7 | 8.5 | 3.1 | 2.2 | 85.80 | As Boston’s main offensive weapon, Walker carried a huge share of the creation burden from the power-forward spot, mixing face-up attacks with increasingly frequent three-point attempts. Contemporary coverage also showed how much the Celtics leaned on his scoring when games tightened, including a 24-point outing against Atlanta that ended a six-game losing streak. Los Angeles Times game report | — |
| Paul Pierce | Emerging Two-Way Wing Creator (1.05) | 34.0 | High (1.2) | 16.5 | 6.4 | 2.4 | 2.7 | 70.56 | Pierce immediately looked more advanced than a typical rookie wing, combining physical isolation scoring with unusually active defense. His 1.7 steals and 1.0 blocks were part of the early impression that he could influence games away from his jumper, and retrospective basketball coverage notes that he finished third in Rookie of the Year voting after establishing himself quickly as one of Boston’s better players. Basketball Network’s retrospective on Pierce’s rookie season | NBA All-Rookie First Team (1999); Rookie of the Year voting: 3rd (1999) |
| Ron Mercer | Primary Scoring Wing (1.1) | 37.8 | High (1.2) | 17.0 | 3.8 | 2.5 | 1.9 | 66.53 | Mercer’s role was that of a high-minute scoring wing who could take difficult shots without needing a designed possession every time. He showed the ceiling of that role with a career-high 35 points against Denver, while late-season reporting also captured his frustration with Boston’s inconsistent home performances and his belief that the young Celtics had to play with more focus. Washington Post report on Mercer’s 35-point game | — |
| Kenny Anderson | Half-Court Lead Guard (1.05) | 29.7 | High (1.2) | 12.1 | 3.0 | 5.7 | 1.1 | 50.59 | Anderson was the principal organizer, responsible for getting Boston into its offense while also being asked to adapt to Rick Pitino’s pressure-heavy system. ESPN’s season preview specifically identified his adjustment to Pitino’s defensive demands as a major issue, while describing him as the player whose point-guard play could determine whether Boston’s young core progressed. ESPN’s 1999 Celtics season preview | — |
| Vitaly Potapenko | Physical Starting Center (1.05) | 28.1 | High (1.2) | 10.8 | 7.2 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 48.74 | Potapenko gave Boston the bruising interior presence it had been missing, with his strength allowing the Celtics to play bigger and compete on the glass. The Boston Globe later described him as a fierce, burly center and noted that Boston acquired him during the season for Andrew DeClercq and a first-round pick, underlining how seriously the organization viewed the need for a stronger interior piece. Boston Globe retrospective on Potapenko’s Celtics role | — |
| Dana Barros | Sixth-Man Floor Spreader (1.05) | 23.1 | Medium (1.1) | 9.3 | 2.1 | 4.2 | 1.1 | 38.58 | Barros worked as the veteran second-unit organizer and perimeter release valve, capable of changing the rhythm of a game without dominating the ball. In Boston’s win at Philadelphia, his three-point shooting helped fuel a 17-5 third-quarter run, while his passing was also central to the Celtics’ transition game in contemporary coverage. Los Angeles Times report on Boston’s win at Philadelphia | — |
| Tony Battie | Interior Energy Big (1.05) | 22.4 | Medium (1.1) | 6.7 | 6.0 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 36.50 | Battie supplied athletic interior defense and second-chance activity, often changing the game through blocks and rebounds rather than touches. Rick Pitino specifically praised his work ethic and desire to improve when Boston extended his contract, and the Celtics had already trusted him with a meaningful role after acquiring him during the season. CBS News report on Battie’s contract extension | — |
| Andrew DeClercq | Mobile Frontcourt Reserve (1.0) | 18.4 | Medium (1.1) | 5.4 | 4.5 | 0.7 | 1.5 | 24.20 | DeClercq was used as a mobile interior reserve who could give Boston useful rebounding and activity without needing offensive possessions. His role disappeared when the Celtics traded him to Cleveland for Potapenko in March, a move that reflected Boston’s decision to replace mobility with greater size and physical strength at center. | — |
| Walter McCarty | Stretch Four Reserve (1.0) | 20.6 | Medium (1.1) | 5.7 | 3.6 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 23.60 | McCarty’s value came from giving Boston a different frontcourt look, with enough perimeter skill to pull opposing forwards away from the paint. His offensive role was modest, but he remained part of the rotation because his combination of size, shooting range and positional flexibility fit Pitino’s desire for interchangeable pieces. Posting and Toasting retrospective with Walter McCarty | — |
| Damon Jones | Reserve Shooting Guard-Point Guard (1.0) | 16.4 | Low (1.0) | 5.8 | 2.4 | 2.2 | 0.5 | 21.80 | Jones was a late-season backcourt addition used mainly to provide another ball-handler and shooting option during Boston’s roster churn. He appeared in only 13 games, so the contemporary record offers limited evidence of a settled role; his brief stint was more about filling minutes and testing another young guard than establishing him as part of the core. | — |
| Greg Minor | Defensive Wing Specialist (1.0) | 17.4 | Medium (1.1) | 4.9 | 2.7 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 18.60 | Minor’s role was built around defensive effort and athletic wing play rather than offensive creation. He became particularly valuable in the second half of the season, but a fractured hip suffered against Miami ended his campaign; Pitino said afterward that the injury could keep him out for at least three months, a significant blow to Boston’s already thin rotation. CBS News report on Boston’s loss to Milwaukee and Minor’s injury | — |
| Popeye Jones | Rebounding Specialist Reserve (1.0) | 11.4 | Low (1.0) | 3.0 | 2.9 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 14.00 | Jones was essentially an interior utility piece, asked to rebound, absorb physical possessions and provide extra frontcourt minutes rather than create offense. Boston’s eventual decision to trade him with Mercer and Schintzius reflected a roster reshuffle around younger perimeter talent and the newly acquired Potapenko. | — |
| Eric Riley | Emergency Rim Protector (1.0) | 9.6 | Low (1.0) | 2.2 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 12.80 | Riley’s minutes were largely matchup-driven, with his main contribution coming from size and shot-blocking around the basket. Contemporary reporting described Boston’s interior problems during the season, and Riley’s limited offensive involvement made him a situational center rather than a regular part of the team’s offensive structure. | — |
| Bruce Bowen | Perimeter Defense Specialist (1.0) | 16.5 | Low (1.0) | 2.3 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 11.80 | Bowen was already being used primarily for defensive work, accepting a tiny offensive role in exchange for perimeter pressure and positional toughness. His Boston stint ended when he signed with Philadelphia, and later reporting from UPI explicitly characterized him as a defensive specialist, consistent with the role he had begun carving out with the Celtics. UPI report on Bowen’s career progression | — |
| Eric Riley | Emergency Rim Protector (1.0) | 9.6 | Low (1.0) | 2.2 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 12.80 | Riley’s minutes were largely matchup-driven, with his main contribution coming from size and shot-blocking around the basket. Contemporary reporting described Boston’s interior problems during the season, and Riley’s limited offensive involvement made him a situational center rather than a regular part of the team’s offensive structure. | — |
| Marlon Garnett | Deep-Court Guard Reserve (1.0) | 8.5 | Low (1.0) | 2.1 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 8.00 | Garnett was used sparingly at the back of Boston’s guard rotation, with his opportunities coming mainly when the Celtics needed another ball-handler. The available independent season coverage is limited, and his brief appearances never developed into a consistent offensive assignment. | — |
| Dwayne Schintzius | Deep Frontcourt Reserve (1.0) | 4.2 | Low (1.0) | 0.7 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 5.20 | Schintzius occupied a very narrow emergency role, appearing only in short stretches while Boston searched for workable combinations around its center position. The Celtics’ midseason roster movement eventually moved him out of the rotation, leaving little contemporary evidence of a sustained tactical role beyond frontcourt depth. | — |
| Team Totals | 1998-99 Boston Celtics | 243.0 | — | 93.0 | 42.8 | 21.5 | 14.2 | — | Boston’s lockout-shortened season revolved around Walker, Mercer and rookie Pierce as the principal scoring threats, with Anderson organizing the offense and Pitino repeatedly trying to manufacture defensive pressure. The Celtics finished 19-31 and missed the playoffs, while the roster underwent significant experimentation at both guard and center. | — |