Last Updated on June 22, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
League Search Page > NBA > Boston Celtics > Roster & Statistics
Here’s a detailed breakdown of the Boston Celtics 2001–02 roster and player statistics:
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 |