25 Greatest NBA Playoff Performers of All-Time
By Bill Speros
13. Sam Jones
Where there was Bill Russell in the spotlight winning 11 NBA titles, there was also Sam Jones. The quick, fleet-footed guard was a constant scoring option for the dynastic Celtics. He remains an NBA template for playoff consistence, longevity and excellence. Jones played with Russell on 10 of his 11 title-winners, averaging 18.9 points in over 154 playoff games.
Jones boasted a near perfect form with his jump shot and nailed multiple clutch shots for the Celtics during his and their heyday. And along with K.C. Jones, Sam Jones confused and stymied opposing defenses. In Russell’s Book “Second Wind,” he said of Jones in those final, game-deciding moments: “Red would be looking around at faces, trying to decide what play to call. It’s a moment when even the better players in the NBA will start coughing, tying their shoelaces and looking the other way. At such moments I knew what Sam would do as well as I know my own names. ‘Gimme the ball,’ he’d say. ‘I’ll make it.’ And all of us would look at him, and we’d know by looking that he meant what he said. Not only that, you knew that he’d make it.”
Next: No. 12