The Bill Simmons Podcast
A Cooper Flaggasm, NBA Trends, Lorne Michaels Stories, and a Celtics Pyramid With J. Kyle Mann and Susan Morrison
28 Feb 2025
In anticipation of the upcoming HBO documentary 'Celtics City', Bill reveals his 15 greatest Celtics ever (0:51), before talking with J. Kyle Mann about Cooper Flagg as an NBA prospect, a clear top three of NBA title contenders have emerged, a more fun league post-trade deadline, the 2024-25 rookie class, and more (10:27). Finally, Bill talks with author Susan Morrison about her new book, 'Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live.' They talk about Lorne Michaels giving Susan unprecedented access, shadowing him for an entire week of 'SNL', Lorne's exit and return to 'SNL', prolific Lorne Micheals quotes, and much more (01:15:29). Host: Bill Simmons Guests: J. Kyle Mann and Susan Morrison Producers: Kyle Crichton and Chia Hao Tat The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Full Episode
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Listen to the end of this episode for additional details. Must be 21 plus and president select states. Game problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit rg-help.com. The Bill Simmons Podcast is presented by FanDuel Sportsbook. We did this big docuseries for Max and HBO that premieres on March 3rd, Monday. It is about the Boston Celtics.
It is about eight decades, how they intersect with the NBA and the city of Boston. and America and all the great players and robberies and feuds. And we're all really proud of it. So Monday, March 3rd, it's coming. In the meantime, I have a little pyramid for you. Celtics pyramid. I narrowed it to 15 players and we're gonna do it right now. Here it is. 15 players. And the catch is,
It has to be the Celtics version of them. So this isn't like Kevin Garnett. I'm not taking Kevin Garnett's whole career. It's just Kevin Garnett on the Celtics. Anyway, pyramid. Top level. One guy, Bill Russell. I have him as the number three all-time guy. 11 of 13 titles. The most important on and off court NBA star ever. Relevant. Greatest winner in the history of sports. Also relevant.
He's at the top. Next two, Larry Bird, John Havlicek. I don't need to make the case for Larry Bird. I have him as the sixth best guy ever. Three straight MVPs, three titles. But here's a fun Larry Bird fact. MVP from 1980 to 1988. Fourth, second, second, second, first, first, first, third, second. That's over nine years. Larry Bird was amazing. And I think he even would have been better now.
John Havlicek, In the running for most underrated NBA superstar of all time, eight titles, 25,000 points, played 16 years, which is like playing 25 years now. I don't know how he did it. His three-year peak, 27, nine and eight. His four-year playoff peak, 27-9-6, was one of the most clutch players of his era, if not the number two clutch guy behind Jerry West.
And the greatest thing about him, all-time Swiss Army knife guy. Had this whole career as a six-man. He could play guard. He could play forward. Whatever your team needed, He could do it. And then eventually he ended up as a forward during the last couple of titles. But there's never been a career quite like that where you're just winning when you come in, you're winning when you leave.
And then the next level. So Bob Cousy, if I had to do a Mount Rushmore, he would be the fourth guy for that. Six rings, won an MVP, best non-center of the first 15 years of the league. The first fun, entertaining player in the history of the league. That's relevant. First great point guard ever. Relevant. 10 first all-NBAs, two second all-NBAs. He was just a dominant player.
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