Hoops Habit
Fansided

Boston Celtics: The 25 Most Hated Opponents

By Bill Speros

Basketball: NBA Finals: Boston Celtics Bob Cousy (14) in action, layup vs St. Louis Hawks Bob Pettit (9). Boston, MA 3/30/1957--4/13/1957 CREDIT: Richard Meek (Photo by Richard Meek /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (Set Number: X4483 F18 )
Basketball: NBA Finals: Boston Celtics Bob Cousy (14) in action, layup vs St. Louis Hawks Bob Pettit (9). Boston, MA 3/30/1957--4/13/1957 CREDIT: Richard Meek (Photo by Richard Meek /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (Set Number: X4483 F18 ) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
18 of 26
Next
CHICAGO, UNITED STATES: Dennis Rodman of the Chicago Bulls leans on the scorers table as he waits to come into the game against the Utah Jazz 10 June in game four of the NBA Finals at the United Center in Chicago, IL. Rodman hit four free throws down the stretch to lead the Bulls as they beat the Jazz 86-82 to lead the best-of-seven series 3-1. AFP PHOTO/Jeff HAYNES (Photo credit should read JEFF HAYNES/AFP/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, UNITED STATES: Dennis Rodman of the Chicago Bulls leans on the scorers table as he waits to come into the game against the Utah Jazz 10 June in game four of the NBA Finals at the United Center in Chicago, IL. Rodman hit four free throws down the stretch to lead the Bulls as they beat the Jazz 86-82 to lead the best-of-seven series 3-1. AFP PHOTO/Jeff HAYNES (Photo credit should read JEFF HAYNES/AFP/Getty Images) /

9. Dennis Rodman

The Worm turned for both the Pistons and the Bulls. If an athlete ever best exemplified everything that ISN’T Boston or the Celtics, it was Dennis Rodman. When he was crashing the boards for the Pistons in the 1980s, his physical play drifted between rough and ugly. Rodman’s rivalry with the Celtics reached its pinnacle in the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals. As someone who covered that series on-site, it remains the most physically intense NBA playoff series I’ve ever witnessed in person or elsewhere. Rodman’s chief antagonist in that series was Boston guard Dennis Johnson.

Rodman kept waving his hand above Johnson. When the Celtics had won Game 7, DJ promptly mocked Rodman’s high-stepping antics. In the locker room, still stung by Boston’s victory, Rodman lashed out by attacking Bird, claiming Bird was overrated and had won three consecutive MVPs only “because he [was] white.” His commentary only went more bizarre from there.

Next: No. 8 -- The Sixers

Home/Boston Celtics