The retired numbers project: Number 21 – Bill Sharman

From now until February 11, Red’s Army will be posting stories about the players behind the Celtics’ 22 retired numbers and that one retired nickname. Stories will be posted in the order that the numbers were retired.

In 1972 Jerry West finally won a championship.

Bill Russell had retired three years back, and the Celtics were only just getting things figured out under Tommy Heinsohn and a novel small ball run-and-gun approach to the game (at least it was novel for the NBA–the ABA was all about that kind of stuff).

The Lakers won 33 games in a row that year. That is, in an era when players flew commercial, and coach, an incredible single-season achievement. In context I would easily consider…