“Easy Ed” as they called him was a legendary power forward/center for the Boston Celtics from 1950 to 1956. Macauley played in the first seven NBA All-Star Games and will always be remembered as being named the MVP of the first NBA All-Star Game. This occurred during his time with the Celtics. Furthermore, while he was with the Celtics he was also named to the league's All-NBA First Team for three consecutive seasons. In the 1953-54 season, he led the league in field goal percentage and was named to the All-NBA second team for the first and only time in his NBA playing career. He was also part of a legendary trade in April of 1956 when he and forward Cliff Hagan were sent to St. Louis in exchange for Bill Russell.

Having been part of a trade for Bill Russell who took the Celtics to never before seen heights should cast a shadow on Macaulay’s career. Nonetheless, Ed Macaulay had a wonderful career with remarkable accomplishments. Even after being traded to the St. Louis Hawks, Macaulay still would have some impressive moments as the Hawks would be one of the few teams to triumph over Russell and the Celtics. In 1958, Macaulay would win his first and only NBA championship with a victory over the Celtics that avenged the title loss in the previous season.

Macauley had scored 11,234 points in ten NBA seasons. “Easy Ed” was honored after he retired when his number 22 was retired by the Boston Celtics. A star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame followed along him with being immortalized in the NBA basketball Hall Of Fame.