Dave Cowens: Auerbach’s "Stolen" Small-Center, the Blue-Collar Core of the Celtics

In the NBA's forest of giants, Dave Cowens was an outlier: listed at 6-foot-9, short for a center, he nonetheless became the interior core of the Boston Celtics' two cham- pionship runs in the 1970s through relentless running, scrapping and defensive instincts.

Born in 1948 in Kentucky, Cowens played college ball at Florida State University. In the 1970 draft, Celtics legend Red Auerbach used the 4th overall pick on the unassuming center—outside observers thought he was just another role big, but he became one of the most underestimated gems of that class.

Cowens' style was pure "blue-collar aesthetics": he would not overpower you with height; instead he wore you down with positioning, offensive rebounds and switch-everything defense. Alongside John Havlicek he formed Boston's old-and-new twin core—one providing wing flair and clutch shots, the other the dirty work inside. In the 1973 Finals Cowens took Finals MVP with double-double-level production; in 1974 Boston beat Milwaukee in seven to claim its first title in years.

He was never the most explosive center statistically, yet he was the model of a "winning big": turning every possession into a grind that dragged opposing stars into the mud. The retirement of his No. 18 in Boston is the highest tribute to that "small man, big heart" approach.

Related Reading

• The 1973 Finals: Cowens’ Finals MVP and the Seven-Game War With Phoenix
• 1973 NBA MVP: Dave Cowens (Boston Celtics)
• Historical Standing: Why Cowens Is the Best Value Championship Big
• The 1974 Title: Beating Milwaukee in Seven, Cowens’ Repeat Run
• The Twin Core With Havlicek: Boston’s Handoff