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The Boston Celtics are an American professional basketball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, playing in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Founded in 1946 as one of the league's original eight teams, the Celtics play their home games at TD Garden, which they share with the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Boston Bruins.
The Celtics are regarded as one of the most successful basketball teams in NBA history; the franchise has won the most championships in the NBA with 18 and currently holds the record for the most recorded wins of any NBA team. The Celtics are one of the two charter BAA franchises (the other being the New York Knicks) still playing in their original city today.
The Celtics' rise to dominance began in the late 1950s, after coach Red Auerbach acquired Center Bill Russell, who would become the cornerstone of the Celtics dynasty, in a draft day trade in 1956. Led by Russell and superstar Point Guard Bob Cousy, the Celtics won their first NBA championship in 1957. Russell, along with a talented supporting cast of future Hall of Famers including John Havlicek, Tom Heinsohn, K.C. Jones, Sam Jones, Satch Sanders, and Bill Sharman, would usher the Celtics into the greatest period in franchise history, winning eight consecutive NBA championships throughout the 1960s.
After the retirement of Russell in 1969, the Celtics entered a period of rebuilding. Under the leadership of Center Dave Cowens and Point Guard Jo Jo White, the Celtics returned to championship contention in the mid-1970s, winning two NBA titles in 1974 and 1976.
In the 1980s, the Celtics returned to dominance, as well as renewed competition with the "Showtime" Lakers, who were led by Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Led by the "Big Three" of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish, the Celtics won the 1981, 1984, and 1986 championships. The team defeated the Lakers in the 1984 Finals, but lost to Los Angeles in 1985 and 1987.
After the retirements of Bird and McHale, the departure of Parish, and the untimely tragic deaths of 1986 draft pick Len Bias and star player Reggie Lewis, the Celtics struggled through the 1990s and much of the early 2000s. It would not be until the 2007 offseason, which saw the Celtics assemble a new "Big Three" of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen, that the team returned to their old glory and found success once again. Under the leadership of head coach Doc Rivers, the team defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in six games to win their 17th NBA championship in 2008, but lost to the Lakers in a seven-game series rematch in 2010, the latest Finals matchup between the two ancient rivals.
By the start of the 2013–14 season, none of the "Big Three" were still with the team. Garnett and Pierce were traded away to the Brooklyn Nets, while Allen left as a free agent, signing with the Miami Heat, which ushered in a new era for the team.
With the help of newly hired head coach Brad Stevens, the team began rebuilding back into a force again. In his second season, Stevens led the Celtics back to the playoffs in 2015. During the 2016–17 season the Celtics clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference, but were eliminated in the Conference Finals by the defending NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers in five games. This prompted an aggressive rebuild in 2017, where the team acquired All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward. However, the pair struggled with injuries throughout the 2017–18 season, and the team was once again defeated in the Eastern Conference Finals by the Cavaliers, despite pushing the series to seven games. Irving would sign with the Brooklyn Nets as a free agent during the 2019 offseason, and Hayward was dealt to the Charlotte Hornets in a sign-and-trade deal during the 2020 offseason.
Led by Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, the team became perennial championship contenders, making five Conference Finals appearances in 2018, 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024. After a 12-year drought, the Celtics returned to the NBA Finals in 2022, where they faced the Golden State Warriors in a rematch of the 1964 NBA Finals, losing in six games. The Celtics would return to the NBA Finals again in 2024, where they defeated the Dallas Mavericks in five games to win their 18th NBA championship.
The Celtics have a notable rivalry with the Los Angeles Lakers, which was heavily highlighted throughout the 1960s and 1980s. The franchise has played the Lakers a record 12 times in the NBA Finals (including their most recent appearances in 2008 and 2010), of which the Celtics have won nine. Four Celtics players (Bob Cousy, Bill Russell, Dave Cowens, and Larry Bird) have won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award for an NBA record total of 10 MVP Awards.
Both the nickname "Celtics" and their mascot "Lucky the Leprechaun" are a nod to Boston's historically large Irish population.
Home arenas[]
- Boston Arena (1946–1955)
- Boston Garden (1955–1995)
- TD Garden (formerly TD Banknorth Garden and FleetCenter) (1995–present)
Franchise history[]
- For details, see: History of the Boston Celtics
1946–1956: The building of a dynasty[]
The Celtics were formed in 1946 as a team in the Basketball Association of America, and became part of the National Basketball Association (NBA) after the merger of the BAA and the National Basketball League to form the NBA in the fall of 1949.[2] In 1950, the Celtics became the first franchise to draft an African American player, when they selected Chuck Cooper with the 14th pick in the second round of the 1950 NBA Draft.[3]
The Celtics had struggled during their early years, until the hiring of Coach Red Auerbach. One of the first major players to join the Celtics was Bob Cousy, whom Auerbach initially refused to draft.[4] Cousy eventually became the property of the Chicago Stags.[5] When that franchise went bankrupt, Cousy was acquired by the Celtics in a dispersal draft.
After the 1955–56 season, Auerbach made a stunning trade. He sent perennial All-Star Ed Macauley to the St. Louis Hawks along with the draft rights to Cliff Hagan in exchange for the Hawks' first round draft pick, the second overall.[6] After negotiating with the Rochester Royals, Auerbach used the pick to select University of San Francisco Cnter Bill Russell.[7] Auerbach also acquired Holy Cross standout, and 1957 NBA Rookie of the Year, Tommy Heinsohn.[8] Russell and Heinsohn worked extraordinarily well with Cousy, and they were the players around whom Auerbach would build the Celtics for more than a decade. Russell, who delayed joining until the middle of the 1957 season in order to play for the U.S. Olympic Team,[8] had an immediate impact.
1957–1969: The Bill Russell era and The Dynasty[]
In 1957, Russell went on to play almost every game of the season, and the Celtics advanced to the NBA Finals and defeated the St. Louis Hawks in seven games, giving the Celtics the first of their record 17 NBA Championships.[9]
In 1958, the Celtics again advanced to the NBA Finals, this time losing to the Hawks in 6 games.[10] However, with the acquisition of K.C. Jones that year, the Celtics began a dynasty that would last for more than a decade.[11]
In 1959, with Cousy at Point Guard, Russell at Center and Heinsohn at forward, the Celtics won the NBA Championship after sweeping the Minneapolis Lakers.[12] Still coached by Auerbach, the Celtics won seven more consecutive championships, extending their streak to eight in a row. During that time, the Celtics met the Lakers in the Finals six times, defeating them in every Finals matchup in the 1960s, which started an intense and often bitter rivalry between the two teams that has spanned generations.
In 1964, Auerbach made the Celtics the first NBA team to have an all African American starting lineup. On December 26, 1964, Willie Naulls replaced an injured Heinsohn, joining Russell, Tom 'Satch' Sanders, K.C. Jones, and Sam Jones in the starting lineup. The Celtics defeated St. Louis 97–84. Boston won its next 11 games with Naulls starting in place of Heinsohn. The Celtics of the late 1950s–1960s are widely considered as one of the most dominant teams of all time.
After the 1966 championship, Auerbach retired as coach and Russell took over as player-coach.[13] With his appointment, Russell also became the first African American coach in the NBA.[14] Auerbach would remain the General Manager, a position he would hold well into the 1980s. However, that year the Celtics' string of NBA titles was broken as they lost to the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference Finals. The aging team managed two more championships in 1968 and 1969, defeating the Lakers in each of those NBA Finals.[15] Russell retired after the 1969 season, effectively ending a dominant Celtics dynasty that had garnered 11 NBA titles in 13 seasons.[16] The streak of 8 consecutive NBA championships is the longest streak of consecutive championships in U.S. professional sports history.[17]
1970–1978: Cowens/Havlicek/White era[]
The 1970 season was a rebuilding year, as the Celtics had their first losing record since the 1949–50 season, the year prior to Auerbach's arrival.[18] However, with the acquisition of Dave Cowens, Paul Silas, and Jo Jo White, the Celtics soon became dominant again.[19] After losing in the Eastern Conference Finals in 1972, the Celtics regrouped and came out determined in 1973 and posted an excellent 68–14 regular season record. But the season ended in disappointment, as they were upset in 7 games by the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks in the Conference Finals.[20] The Celtics returned to the playoffs the next year, defeating the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Finals in 1974 for their 12th NBA Championship.[21] The teams split the first four games, and after the Celtics won Game 5 in Milwaukee they headed back to Boston leading three games to two, with a chance to claim the title on their home court. However, the Bucks won Game 6 when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar nestled in a hook shot with three seconds left in the game's second overtime, and the series returned to Milwaukee. But Cowens was the hero in Game 7, scoring 28 points, as the Celtics brought the title back to Boston for the first time in five years.
In 1976, the team won yet another championship, defeating the Phoenix Suns in 6 games. The Celtics advanced to the 1976 NBA Finals, which featured one of the greatest games in the history of the NBA. With the series tied at two games apiece, the Suns trailed early in the Boston Garden, but came back to force overtime. In double overtime, a Gar Heard turn-around jumper at the top of the key sent the game to an unprecedented third overtime, at which point the Celtics prevailed.[22] Tommy Heinsohn coached the team for those two championships. After the 1976 championship and a playoff appearance in 1977, Boston went into another phase of rebuilding.
In the 1977 NBA Draft, the Celtics drafted a young forward named Cedric Maxwell.[23] Maxwell did not contribute much in his rookie season, but he showed promise. Auerbach's job became even tougher following the 1977–78 in which they went 32–50 as John Havlicek, the Celtics All-Time leading scorer, retired after 16 seasons.[24]
1979–1992: The Larry Bird era[]
In 1977–78, the Celtics owned two of the top eight picks in the 1978 NBA Draft.[25] Since the Celtics had two draft choices, Auerbach took a risk and selected junior Larry Bird of Indiana State with the 6th pick, knowing that Bird would elect to remain in college for his senior year. The Celtics would retain his rights for one year, a rule that was later changed, and Auerbach believed that Bird's potential would make him worth the wait. Auerbach also felt that when the college season ended the Celtics would have a great chance to sign Bird. Auerbach was right and Bird signed soon after leading Indiana State to the NCAA Championship game, where they fell to a Michigan State University team that was led by Magic Johnson.[26]
The other important story of the Celtics' 1978–79 season was the ongoing dispute between Auerbach and new owner John Y. Brown.[27] The dispute nearly led Auerbach to resign as General Manager for a position with the New York Knicks. With public support strongly behind Auerbach, Brown elected to sell the team rather than face the wrath of the city for being the man who drove Red to a hated rival. During his short ownership, Brown orchestrated a trade for Bob McAdoo that Auerbach despised, and the team unraveled.[28] The Celtics would struggle through the season, going 29–53 without Bird.[29] Newcomers Chris Ford, Rick Robey, Cedric Maxwell, and Tiny Archibald have failed to reverse the team's momentum.[30]
Bird debuted for the Celtics during the 1979–80 season, a year after his selection.[31] With a new owner in place, Auerbach made a number of moves that would bring the team back to prominence. Auerbach traded the unhappy McAdoo, a former NBA scoring champion, to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Guard M. L. Carr, a defensive specialist, and two first-round picks in the 1980 NBA Draft.[28] He also picked up Point Guard Gerald Henderson from the CBA. Carr, Archibald, Henderson, and Ford formed a highly competent backcourt, with their unique skills blending in perfectly with the talented frontcourt of Cowens, Maxwell, and Bird, who would go on to win NBA Rookie of the Year honors. The Celtics improved by 32 games, which at the time was the best single-season turnaround in NBA history, going 61–21 and losing to the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference Finals.
After the season, Auerbach completed what may be the most lopsided trade in NBA history. Auerbach had always been a fan of stockpiling draft picks, so even after the success of 1979–80 the Celtics had both the 1st and 13th picks in the 1980 NBA Draft left over from the M. L. Carr trade. Auerbach saw an opportunity to improve the team immediately, sending the two picks to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Center Robert Parish and the Warriors first round pick, the 3rd overall. With the draft pick, Auerbach selected University of Minnesota Power Forward Kevin McHale. With these three future Hall of Famers on the team the Celtics had a core in place to become a dominant team in the NBA.
The Celtics went 62–20 under coach Bill Fitch in 1980–81, despite losing Center Dave Cowens to retirement late in training camp. Once again the Celtics matched up with the 76ers in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics fell behind 3 games to 1 before coming back to win a classic 7th game, 91–90. The Celtics went on to capture the 1981 NBA Championship over the Houston Rockets, just two years after Bird had been drafted. Maxwell was named NBA Finals MVP.
Following the 1981-82 season, the Celtics once again met the Sixers in the playoffs. This time, they lost in seven games. In 1983, the Celtics were swept in the playoffs (a first for the franchise) by the Milwaukee Bucks; afterwards, Fitch resigned and the team was sold to new owners led by Don Gaston.
In 1983–84, the Celtics would go 62–20 and finally get back to the NBA Finals after a three year hiatus. In the Finals, the Celtics came back from a 2–1 deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games, winning their 15th championship. Bird renewed his college rivalry with Lakers star Magic Johnson during this series. After the series the Celtics have traded Henderson, whose dramatic steal in game 2 altered the course of the series and gave the Celtics a chance, to the Seattle SuperSonics in exchange for their first round pick in the 1986 NBA Draft.
In 1985, the Lakers and Celtics met again, but this time, the Lakers got revenge and took the championship. This was the first time that the Lakers had defeated the Celtics in the Finals and the only time the team had won a championship at Boston Garden. During the following offseason the Celtics acquired Bill Walton from the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Cedric Maxwell. Walton had been an All-Star and league MVP while leading the Portland Trail Blazers to the 1977 NBA championship, but injuries had hobbled him since. Considered the best-passing center in NBA history, he stayed healthy and was a big part of the Celtics' success in 1986.
In 1985–86, the Celtics fielded one of the best teams in NBA history. The 1986 Celtics won 67 games, going 40–1 at their home, the Boston Garden. Bird won his third consecutive MVP award after having arguably his finest season, and Walton won the Sixth Man of the Year Award. They won their 16th championship and last of the 20th century, defeating the Houston Rockets in the NBA Finals in six games in a rematch of the 1981 NBA Finals.
The Celtics won the second pick in the 1986 Draft and drafted University of Maryland star Len Bias, one of the most heralded prospects of his era. Bias died 48 hours later of an accidental cocaine overdose. Despite the tragedy, the Celtics remained competitive in 1986–87, going 59–23 and again winning the Eastern Conference Championship. They were defeated in the Finals by the Lakers in six games.
After the 1987–88 season, head coach K.C. Jones had retired. Jones was replaced as head coach by assistant Jimmy Rodgers. Rodgers faced immediate trouble in 1988–89 when, only 6 games into the season, Larry Bird decided to have surgery to remove bone spurs in both feet. The injury was to sideline Bird until well after the All-Star Break, although supposedly he would be able to return. However, despite his best attempts to return he was unable to make it back as the Celtics have stumbled to a 42–40 record and a first round playoff defeat to the eventual NBA champion Detroit Pistons.
Bird returned in 1989–90 to play in 75 games and lead the Celtics to a 52–30 record. In the playoffs, after winning the first two games of a Best of 5 series against the New York Knicks, the Celtics collapsed, losing 3 straight, including the decisive 5th game at the Boston Garden. In the wake of the embarrassing defeat, Rodgers was fired and replaced by assistant coach (and former Celtic player) Chris Ford.
Under Ford's leadership the Celtics improved to 56–26 in 1990–91, recapturing the Atlantic Division title even though Bird missed 22 games with a variety of injuries. In 1992, a late season rally allowed the Celtics to catch the New York Knicks and repeat as Atlantic Division champions. The team finished 51–31 and again matched up with the Indiana Pacers in the First Round, this time sweeping the series 3 games to 0. In the Eastern Conference Semifinals the Celtics lost a grueling 7 game series to the Cleveland Cavaliers, 4 games to 3. Due to back problems, Larry Bird played in only 45 of the 82 regular season games, and only 4 of the 10 playoff games.
After thirteen seasons with the club and winning a gold medal in the Barcelona Olympics with the Dream Team, Bird retired in 1992 primarily due to his back injuries.
1993–1998: Rebuilding years[]
At the time of Bird's retirement former Celtics Guard Chris Ford was the coach of the Celtics. 26-year old Reggie Lewis (out of Boston's Northeastern University) was seen as Bird's successor as the franchise player for the Celtics. Lewis, a Small Forward, fainted during a 1993 first round playoff matchup with the Charlotte Hornets. It was later revealed that Lewis had heart problems, yet he was able to get doctors to clear him for a comeback. He died of a heart attack after participating in a pickup basketball game during the offseason. The Celtics honored his memory during the following season by retiring his number 35.
In 1994, the Celtics hired former player M. L. Carr to be the team's new G.M. In his first draft in charge of the Celtics, he drafted University of North Carolina star Eric Montross with his first round draft pick. The Acie Earl era was already nearing an end, as Montross became the new heir apparent in the paint.
1994–95 was the Celtics' final season in the Boston Garden. The Celtics signed the aging Dominique Wilkins as a free agent, and he led the team in scoring with 17.8 PPG. Second-year player Dino Radja, a power forward from Croatia, added an interior presence to the team that had been lacking in 1993–94. The Celtics made the playoffs, losing to the heavily favored and eventual Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic in 4 games.
In 1995, the Celtics have moved from the Boston Garden into the Fleet Center (renamed the TD Banknorth Garden in 2005 and currently the TD Garden in 2009). Carr fired Chris Ford and took the coaching reins himself. After drafting Providence College star Eric Williams, the Celtics struggled to a 33–49 record. Things got worse in 1996–97 as the Celtics lost a franchise record 67 games, winning only 15 times despite the emergence of 1st-round draft pick Antoine Walker.
Carr stepped aside to another job in the organization when the Celtics convinced Rick Pitino to join the franchise as the team's president, front office manager, and head coach. Unfortunately for the franchise, Pitino was not the savior everyone expected him to be, although he acquired several talented young players during his tenure.
The Celtics received the third and sixth draft picks in the 1997 NBA Draft, and used the picks to select a brand new backcourt. They drafted Chauncey Billups and Ron Mercer and dismantled much of the young team that lost 67 games the year before. David Wesley and Rick Fox were let go, and Williams was traded to the Denver Nuggets for a pair of second round draft picks.
1998–2013: The Paul Pierce era[]
The Celtics drafted Paul Pierce in the 1998 NBA Draft, a college star who had been expected to be drafted much higher than the Celtics' tenth overall pick. Other notable players Pitino acquired were Walter McCarty and veteran Kenny Anderson, both for future Finals MVP Billups. Pitino failed to coach any successful teams and resigned in 2001.
Following the resignation of Rick Pitino, the Celtics improved greatly under coach Jim O'Brien. Pierce matured into an NBA star and was ably complemented by Antoine Walker, along with the other role players acquired over the years. The team finished the season going 24–24 under O'Brien (after going 12–22 before Pitino's resignation) and following the 2000–01 season O'Brien was given the job of head coach on a permanent basis. As a result of numerous trades, the Celtics had three picks in the 2001 NBA Draft, a luxury that seemed to set the franchise up well for the long term. General Manager Chris Wallace used the picks on Joe Johnson, Joe Forte (a favorite of Red Auerbach), and Kedrick Brown.
The Celtics entered the 2001–02 season with low expectations. The team's success in the latter stages of 2000–01 was largely forgotten, and critics were surprised when the team, along with the New Jersey Nets, surged to the top of the Atlantic Division ahead of teams like the Philadelphia 76ers, who were fresh off a trip to the NBA Finals. The Celtics won a hard-fought five-game series with the 76ers in the first round, 3 games to 2. Pierce scored 46 points in the series-clinching blowout at the Fleet Center. In the Conference Semifinals, the Celtics defeated the favored Detroit Pistons 4 games to 1 in a series best remembered for the Celtics low-scoring Game 3 victory, which they won 66–64. In their first trip to the Eastern Conference Finals since 1988, the Celtics would jump out to a 2–1 series lead over the New Jersey Nets, after rallying from 21 points down in the fourth quarter to win Game 3, but would lose the next three games to fall 4 games to 2.
In 2003, the Celtics were sold by owner Paul Gaston to Boston Basketball Partners LLC, led by H. Irving Grousbeck, Wycliffe Grousbeck, Steve Pagliuca, Robert Epstein, David Epstein, and John Svenson. The team made it back to the playoffs, but were swept by the defending runner-ups Nets in the second round, despite bringing Game 4 to double overtime.
Before their elimination, the team hired Danny Ainge to take over the front office, pushing Chris Wallace to another job in the organization. Ainge believed the team had reached its peak and promptly stunned the team by sending Antoine Walker to the Dallas Mavericks (along with Tony Delk). In return, the Celtics received the oft-injured Raef LaFrentz and a first-round draft pick in 2004.
The Celtics made the playoffs, only to be utterly swept in the first round by the Indiana Pacers, losing all the 4 games by blowout margins.
2004–2007: The Arrival of Doc Rivers[]
The Celtics were a young team under new coach Doc Rivers during the 2004 season, yet they seemed to have a core of good young players, led by rookie Al Jefferson, to go along with a selection of able veterans. The Celtics went 45–37 and won their first Atlantic Division title since 1991–92. The Pacers defeated them in the first round yet again, with the series culminating in an embarrassing 27-point loss in Game 7 at the Fleet Center.
The Boston Celtics continued to rebuild on the night of the 2006 NBA Draft. Danny Ainge traded the rights to seventh overall pick Randy Foye, Dan Dickau, and Raef LaFrentz to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Sebastian Telfair, Theo Ratliff, and a future second-round pick. A subsequent trade with the Philadelphia 76ers for Allen Iverson was reported as a potential move beneficial to each team, although such a trade never happened and Iverson was shipped to the Denver Nuggets in December. Orien Greene was waived, and the Celtics replaced him by trading a first-round pick in the 2007 NBA Draft to the Phoenix Suns for rookie Rajon Rondo. In the second round the Celtics added Leon Powe to the team, and later signed Villanova star Allan Ray as an undrafted free agent.
The 2006–07 season was a gloomy one for the franchise. The season began with the death of Red Auerbach at the age of 89. Auerbach was one of the few remaining people who had been a part of the NBA since its inception in 1946. The Celtics went 2–22 from late December 2006 through early February 2007 after losing Paul Pierce due to injury, the result of a stress reaction in his left foot (he would later miss the latter part of March and all of April because of swelling in his left elbow). At first, the Celtics received a much needed boost from guard Tony Allen, but he tore his ACL on a dunk attempt in a game vs. the Indiana Pacers on January 10, 2007. The Celtics recorded a record of 24–58, second-worst in the NBA, including a franchise record 18-game losing streak that lasted from January 5 to February 14. As the streak grew, some suggested that Pierce sit out the rest of the season to the let the young players such as Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Rajon Rondo, and Delonte West get more experience.
At the end of the season, the Celtics, with the second-worst record in the NBA, were at least hopeful that they could secure a high draft pick and select either Greg Oden or Kevin Durant to help rebuild the franchise, but the Celtics fell to fifth in the Draft Lottery.
2007–2012: The new "Big Three": Pierce, Allen, and Garnett and Return to glory[]
2007–08 season: 17th NBA championship[]
With the acquisition of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen via trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves and Seattle SuperSonics respectively, Paul Pierce finally had a pair of superstar teammates by his side. The Celtics started the season hot, winning their first eight games, and going into 2008 with a 26–3 record. They finished the season with a 66–16 record, the most wins in a single season for the franchise since the last time they won the NBA Finals in the 1985–86 season. Their record guaranteed them home court advantage throughout the playoffs.
Their first matchup in the 2008 NBA Playoffs was against the eighth-seeded Atlanta Hawks. At home, the Celtics were dominant: their lowest home margin of victory against the Hawks in the playoffs was 19 in Game 2. However, the surprising Hawks were able to beat the Celtics in all the three games in Atlanta. The series went seven games, with the home team winning each game. The second round pitted Boston against LeBron James and his Cleveland Cavaliers. Once again, the series went to seven games. Game 7 saw Paul Pierce and LeBron James in a shootout with each scoring over 40 points, but the Celtics emerged victorious 97-92. In the Eastern Conference Finals the Celtics faced the Detroit Pistons. In Game 2, the Celtics finally lost at home for the first time in the playoffs. However, the Celtics bounced back to win Game 3 on the road in Detroit. The series continued and the Celtics took down the Pistons in six games, winning the deciding game on the road.
The 2008 NBA Finals were contested with the Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol-led Los Angeles Lakers in the middle of a dominant playoff run. They had swept the Denver Nuggets in the first round, defeated the Utah Jazz in the second round in six games, and extinguished the repeat hopes of the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs in five games in the Western Conference Finals. Factoring in the Lakers strong playoff run to the Finals and the Celtics problems of even reaching the Finals with two 7-game series, the Lakers were expected to beat a seemingly tired Boston team. It was the first time since 1987 that the two rivals had met in the NBA Finals. The first games of the series started with the Celtics once again dominating at home. Game 1 saw Paul Pierce suffer a knee injury early in the game only to come back and make 70-percent of his attempted field goals, resulting in a 98–88 Celtics win. In Game 2, Boston nearly lost a 24-point lead only to win 108–102. The Lakers returned to Staples Center and won Game 3, 87–81. When Los Angeles took a 24-point lead in the second quarter of Game 4 the Celtics appeared to be losing control of the series. Led by a bench that outscored the Lakers bench by 20-points, the Celtics took over Game 4 with a 97–91 victory, the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history. Although the Lakers won Game 5, 103–98, the series went back to Boston for Game 6, and the Celtics finished off Los Angeles with a 131–92 victory, defeating the Lakers in a 39-point blowout, and it marked their ninth NBA Finals victory over the Lakers. Game 6 was the most lopsided win in a NBA Finals game since the Chicago Bulls defeated the Utah Jazz by 42 points in Game 3 of the 1998 NBA Finals. Paul Pierce was named NBA Finals MVP. The Celtics had won their record 17th NBA championship, the first new banner for the TD Banknorth Garden, and the franchise's first championship in 22 years.
2008–2013: Post-championship seasons[]
The next year, in the 2008–09 season, the defending NBA champion Celtics picked up where they left off, starting the season 27–2, the best start for any team in NBA history. However, the Celtics lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in an NBA Finals rematch on Christmas Day and went on a slump the next few games. The Celtics did find a way to get back on track, winning 12 straight games only to have the winning streak ended once again by the Lakers on February 5, 2009. The game went into overtime where the Lakers have won by 1 point. The game was controversial because it had multiple questionable calls, resulting in star Kevin Garnett fouling out with just under 5 minutes left in the game. The Celtics continued to succeed until Garnett was injured in a game against the Utah Jazz on February 19, 2009. Garnett came back several weeks later, but was limited in the time and the games that he had played. While the Celtics defense struggled without Garnett, the offense thrived in his absence. The Celtics finished the year 17–7 without Garnett. The Celtics finished the year with a 62–20 record, earning the number 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, but their playoff run would end against the Orlando Magic in the semifinals, losing in seven games after leading the series 3–2, the first such occurrence in team history. In the prior round, they were pushed to a Game 7 against the Chicago Bulls, with four of those games went to overtime, yet the Celtics' experience was too much for the young Bulls.
The following year, in the 2009–10 season, with the return of Garnett from injury and the additions of Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels, the Celtics started the season 23–5 and at one point had the best record in the NBA. However, Doc Rivers, ultimately decided to lessen his aging stars' minutes to keep them fresh for the playoffs. As a result, the Celtics sputtered to an even 27–27 record the rest of the way and finished the 2009–10 regular season with a 50–32 record, with a better road (26–15) than home (24–17) record. Despite previous predictions that the Celtics would never go deeper into the playoffs, the Celtics still managed to make the NBA Finals despite their lowly fourth seeding. They defeated the Miami Heat in five games, upset the top-seeded Cavaliers in six games, and toppled the defending Eastern Conference Champion Orlando Magic, avenging their loss from the previous season. Rajon Rondo finally emerged as a bonafide superstar during post-season play, continuing his rise to fame beginning with his first All-Star appearance.
The Celtics and the Lakers met for the 12th time in the NBA Finals in a rematch of the 2008 NBA Finals. After taking a 3–2 lead heading into Los Angeles for Game 6, the Celtics appeared poised to win their 18th title and mark their tenth NBA Finals victory over the Lakers in their long-standing rivalry. However, Kendrick Perkins, the team's starting Center, suffered a severe knee injury early in Game 6, and the Celtics would lose Game 6 89–67, and would go on to blow a 13-point lead in Game 7, losing 83–79.
After speculation that coach Doc Rivers would resign to spend more time with his family, he affirmed on June 30, 2010 that he would return to the team for the 2010–11 season. With Perkins expected to be out until February 2011, the Celtics signed two former All-Star Centers, Shaquille O'Neal and Jermaine O'Neal, for insurance; they also signed Turkish center Semih Erden, their 2008 second round pick. The Celtics also welcomed back Delonte West to back-up Rondo.
Paul Pierce became the third Celtic to score 20,000 points, joining Larry Bird and John Havlicek. Ray Allen broke the NBA record for most three-pointers made in a career, while the Celtics won 3,000 games, the second team to do so. On February 17, however, Perkins was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder partially due to the expectation that O'Neal would return from his injuries to fill Perkins' role. The Celtics were 33–10 in games Perkins had missed during the year due to injury, and they were 19–3 in games that O'Neal played over 20 minutes. The Celtics were 41–14 at the time of the trade and held the Eastern Conference leaderboard despite another rash of injuries. Following the trade, however, they proceeded to win only 15 of their final 27 games to finish with a 56–26 record, sliding to the third seed, due to the difficult adjustment of new Celtics such as Jeff Green, Nenad Krstić, and Carlos Arroyo as well as player injuries. O'Neal played only five minutes after February 1.
The Celtics swept the New York Knicks 4–0 in the opening round of the 2011 NBA Playoffs, but in the semifinals, they were ousted by the eventual Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat in five games. O'Neal missed the first round of the playoffs, and he was limited to 12 minutes in two games in the second round against the Heat. O'Neal retired at the end of the season.
At the 2011 NBA Draft, the Celtics selected Providence Friar swingman MarShon Brooks with the 25th overall pick then immediately traded his rights to the New Jersey Nets for the rights to the 27th overall pick, power forward JaJuan Johnson. Then the Celtics selected E'Twaun Moore with the 55th overall pick in the 2nd round (reason being for his choice of #55), which reunited the Purdue teammates. During the short preseason following the 2011 NBA lockout, the Celtics signed free agents Marquis Daniels, Chris Wilcox, Keyon Dooling, and Greg Stiemsma, while acquiring Brandon Bass from the Orlando Magic for Glen Davis and Von Wafer. They also re-signed Jeff Green, only to have it voided after a physical revealed that Green was diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm, forcing him to miss the season.
The Celtics started the season 0–3 with Paul Pierce out with a heel injury. To fill the void, the Celtics signed French swingman Mickaël Piétrus, but did not make his season debut until January 6, 2012 against the Indiana Pacers. The Celtics, however, continued to struggle, at one point posting a five-game losing streak that was the longest in the 'Big Four' era.
At the All Star break, the Celtics were below .500 with a 15–17 record. However, they were one of the hottest teams after the break, going 24–10 the rest of the year and winning their 5th division title in a row. The Celtics would end up making the playoffs as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference in the 2012 NBA Playoffs.
In the playoffs, the Celtics would face the Atlanta Hawks, beating them in six games with a strong play by Pierce and Garnett. In the Conference Semifinals, they faced the eighth-seeded Philadelphia 76ers, led by Doug Collins and a young group of promising players, who had just upset the top-seeded Chicago Bulls in the First Round in six games after Derrick Rose tore his ACL. The 76ers would push the Celtics into a full-seven game series. Following a Game 7 85–75 win, the Celtics would face the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, who had defeated them in the playoffs the previous year. After losing Game 1 93–79, the Celtics fought back, pushing Miami into a Game 2 overtime, but ultimately fell short losing 115–111. Facing a 0–2 deficit heading back to Boston, the Celtics would comeback with a strong 101–91 Game 3 win and then a hard fought 93–91 Game 4 overtime win, with Dwyane Wade missing a potential game-winning three point shot at the buzzer. The Celtics then won Game 5 in Miami 94–90, taking a 3–2 series lead, giving them a chance to take the series back at the Garden and make the Finals for the third time in five years. The Celtics couldn't close out the series, however. Game 6 ended up in a blowout home loss of 98–79, taking the series back to Miami for Game 7, where the Celtics built an early lead, but eventually lost 101–88. Miami would go on to defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games in the Finals.
2012 became a pivotal offseason for Danny Ainge's Celtics, as both Allen and Garnett became free agents and only six players remained under contract (Rondo, Pierce, Avery Bradley, JaJuan Johnson, E'Twaun Moore, & Sean Williams). In the 2012 NBA Draft, the Celtics drafted three players, Jared Sullinger, Fab Melo, and Kris Joseph with their 21st, 22nd, and 51st picks respectively. The Celtics re-signed their free agents Garnett, Brandon Bass, and Keyon Dooling along with Chris Wilcox and Jeff Green, who both were returning to play after sustaining season-ending heart ailments. The Celtics have also signed former Dallas Mavericks Shooting Guard Jason Terry. On July 20, the Celtics acquired free agent Courtney Lee in a three-team sign and trade, sending JaJuan Johnson, E'Twaun Moore, Sean Williams, and future second round pick to the Houston Rockets and Sasha Pavlovic to Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Lee. Jason Collins was later signed to a one-year deal. However, Allen chose to sign with the Miami Heat, for less money, bringing the five-year "Big Three" era to a somewhat acrimonious end.
On September 20, Keyon Dooling was waived by the Celtics following his retirement from basketball, however, Dooling came back from retirement and signed with the Memphis Grizzlies later that year. In addition, the Celtics have signed Center Darko Miličić and guard Leandro Barbosa.
Later in the season, it was announced that Miličić would return to Europe for a family matter. On December 24, the Celtics have signed forward Jarvis Varnado of the NBA D-League team Sioux Falls to a deal. He was then waived on January 6 along with rookie forward Kris Joseph. On January 27, 2013, it was revealed that Rajon Rondo had tore the ACL on his right knee and would miss the rest of the season along with part of next season. On February 2, it was announced that Jared Sullinger would also miss the rest of the season due to having back surgery to cure his back that was rumored during the draft before he was drafted.
Despite losing Rondo and Sullinger due to injury, the Celtics have compiled a seven-game winning streak, namely against the Heat in double overtime and the Nuggets in triple overtime. The winning streak was snapped on February 12 when Leandro Barbosa suffered a torn ACL; he would miss the rest of the season as well. Then on February 18, the Celtics signed forward Terrence Williams to a deal. On February 21, the Celtics have traded Leandro Barbosa and Jason Collins for Washington Wizards guard Jordan Crawford. On February 28 and March 21, respectively, the Celtics have signed forwards D. J. White and Shavlik Randolph.
The Celtics finished the season with 41 wins, but played only 81 games after a home game against the Indiana Pacers on April 16 was cancelled following the Boston Marathon bombings; the game was not made up with both teams already assured of their playoff positions. The 41 wins were the lowest totals the Celtics achieved as a playoff-bound team since 2004. The Celtics trailed 3–0 to the New York Knicks in the opening round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs, before losing the series in six games. In Game 6, the Celtics nearly completed a come back when they went on a 20–0 run to cut the lead to 4, but that was the closest they got as the Knicks would take over to win the game and series.
2013–2017: End of the "Big Three" Era and Rebuilding[]
During the off-season, head coach Doc Rivers was allowed to terminate his contract. He departed the Celtics to coach the Los Angeles Clippers, and the Celtics received a 2015 unprotected first-round pick as compensation. A few days later, Pierce, Garnett (who waived a no-trade clause), Jason Terry, and D. J. White, were traded to the Brooklyn Nets for Keith Bogans, MarShon Brooks, Kris Humphries, Kris Joseph, Gerald Wallace, and three future first-round draft picks (2014, 2016, 2018), together with the right to swap 2017 first-round picks with Brooklyn. The deal was later approved by the league on July 12, 2013, effectively ending the 'Big 3' era and marking the start of a youth movement for the team.
On July 3, 2013, the Celtics have announced that Brad Stevens, the head coach of Butler University, would replace Doc Rivers as head coach. Halfway through the season, in January, Rajon Rondo made his return and was named the 15th Team Captain in team history, and the team furthered the youth movement by acquiring two draft picks in a three team trade that sent Jordan Crawford and MarShon Brooks to the Golden State Warriors while the Celtics received the Heat center Joel Anthony. The 2013–14 season have marked the Celtics' first missed playoffs since the "Big Three".
The next off-season, the Celtics drafted Marcus Smart with the 6th overall pick and James Young with the 17th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, and signed Evan Turner. The 2014–15 season had several roster moves, the most prominent being Rondo and rookie Dwight Powell traded to the Dallas Mavericks for center Brandan Wright, forward Jae Crowder, veteran point guard Jameer Nelson, and future picks. A total of 22 players spent time with the Celtics, leading scorer and rebounder Sullinger suffered a season-ending left metatarsal stress fracture, and the team was only tenth in the East with 28 games remaining. However, midseason acquisition Isaiah Thomas helped the team win 22 of their last 34 games, finishing the season with a 40–42 record, enough for the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs. The Celtics were swept by the eventual Eastern Conference champion and second seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round.
In the 2015 NBA Draft, Boston selected Terry Rozier, R.J. Hunter, Jordan Mickey, and Marcus Thornton with the 16th, 28th, 33rd, and 45th selections respectively. During the off-season, the Celtics signed forward Amir Johnson and traded Gerald Wallace and Chris Babb in exchange for Warriors forward David Lee.
The Celtics had finished the 2015-16 season with a 48–34 record, earning the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. They played the fourth seed Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the playoffs. After leading by 3 points in the fourth quarter of Game 1, guard Avery Bradley went down with a hamstring injury, making him sit out for the rest of the series. The Celtics lost the series 4–2 to the Hawks, ending their season.
2017–2024: The Tatum and Brown era ("The Jays")[]
In the 2016 NBA draft, the Celtics selected Jaylen Brown with the third pick. On July 8, 2016, the Celtics signed 4-time All-Star Al Horford. In the 2016-17 season, Boston took the league by storm. They had a hot start, led by Isaiah Thomas. He truly emerged as a star, and with the help of Boston's excellent depth, Boston finished as the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference, with a 53–29 record. Just before the Celtics' first round playoff series against the Chicago Bulls, Thomas' sister Chyna died in a car crash. That led to Thomas being even more dominant, and Boston took the series in six after losing the first two games. That series win was the first since 2012. In the second round, Boston faced the Washington Wizards. Thomas dropped 33 and 53 points in Games 1 and 2, respectively. Boston eventually took the series in 7. After a hip injury ended Thomas' impressive playoff run in game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics eventually lost to the defending NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers in five games.
For the 2017 NBA Draft, the Celtics won the draft lottery, earning them the first pick. They were projected to select freshman guard Markelle Fultz, but the pick was subsequently traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for the third pick in the 2017 draft and future picks. The 76ers would go on to draft Fultz, while the Celtics used the third pick to select freshman forward Jayson Tatum. Semi Ojeleye, Kadeem Allen, and Jabari Bird were selected with the 37th, 53rd, and 56th selections, respectively, in the second round. At the start of the off-season, the team signed Tatum and Ante Žižić, among others, with the biggest acquisition being the signing of Gordon Hayward. On August 22, 2017, the Celtics agreed to a deal that sent Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Žižić, and the Brooklyn Nets' 2018 first round draft pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Kyrie Irving. An additional draft pick (Celtics' 2020 second round) was later added to the package from the Celtics to the Cavaliers after doctors revealed that Thomas's injury was more significant than initially anticipated.
By the end of the off-season, only 4 Celtics' players remained from the 2016–17 team, with Marcus Smart being the longest tenured Celtic from the 2014 NBA Draft. On the team's opening night game in the first quarter against the Cavaliers, Hayward suffered a fractured tibia and dislocated ankle in his left leg, causing him to be ruled out for the rest of the regular season. Despite the loss, the Celtics went on a 16-game winning streak, which also went down as the fourth-longest winning streak in the teams' history. The streak started with a 102–92 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on October 20 and ended on November 22 to the hands of the Miami Heat with a 98–104 loss. The Celtics finished the year with a 55–27 record, good enough for second place in the Eastern Conference. In the playoffs, they defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in the First Round in seven games, and continued the feat in the Conference Semifinals by defeating the Philadelphia 76ers in five games before losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Conference Finals for the second consecutive year, this time in seven games.
The Celtics finished the 2018–19 season with a 49–33 record. Analysts started questioning team's performance and chances for the championship when the Celtics had a 10–10 record after the first 20 games on November 24, 2018. The Celtics then won the next eight games improving their record to 18–10. During the eight-game win streak, the Celtics defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 128–95, the New York Knicks 128–100, and also defeated the Chicago Bulls by 56 points (133–77), setting a record for the largest margin in a victory in franchise history, while also tying the record for largest victory margin by an away team. On February 9, 2019, the Celtics lost 129–128 to the Los Angeles Lakers after former Celtic Rajon Rondo hit the first game-winning shot in his NBA career. The Celtics finished the regular season place fourth in the Eastern Conference. During an April 7 game, Marcus Smart injured his hip and was ruled out for the rest of the regular season and the first round of the playoffs. In the 2019 Playoffs, the Celtics swept the Indiana Pacers in the first round, and then lost to the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in five games.
The Celtics held four picks in the 2019 NBA Draft. Following a series of transactions, the team landed Romeo Langford with the 14th pick and also added Grant Williams, Carsen Edwards, and Tremont Waters. During the 2019 offseason, Kyrie Irving and Al Horford signed with the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers, respectively. On June 30, 2019, the Celtics and point guard Kemba Walker agreed to a four-year maximum contract worth $141 million. On July 6, 2019, the Celtics officially acquired Walker in a sign and trade with the Charlotte Hornets; the Celtics sent guard Terry Rozier and a protected 2020 second-round draft pick to Charlotte in exchange for Walker and a 2020 second-round draft pick. On July 1, 2019, the Celtics agreed to a two-year contract with center Enes Kanter. On July 25, 2019, the Celtics agreed to a rookie contract with 7'5" center Tacko Fall.
Following the suspension of the 2019–20 NBA season, the Celtics were one of the 22 teams invited to the NBA Bubble to participate in the final 8 games of the regular season. The Celtics finished the season with a 48–24 record, finishing as the third seed. In the playoffs, the Celtics swept the Philadelphia 76ers in four games in the first round, advancing to the semifinals, where they defeated the defending NBA champion Toronto Raptors in seven games. The Celtics advanced to Eastern Conference Finals for the third time in four seasons, where they faced the Miami Heat in a rematch of the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics went on to lose to the Heat in six games.
In the 2020–21 season, the Celtics finished the regular season with a 36–36 record, clinching the 7th seed.
In the playoffs, the Celtics lost to the Brooklyn Nets in five games in the first round.
In June 2021, following the playoff exit, Danny Ainge announced his retirement from his role as president of basketball operations of the Celtics and head coach Brad Stevens was named as Ainge's replacement.
2021–22: Return to the NBA Finals[]
With the Portland Trail Blazers missing the postseason for the first time since 2013, the Celtics now hold the longest active playoff streak, making the playoffs every year since the 2014–15 season. They also clinched the Atlantic Division title for the first time since 2017 with a 139–110 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Celtics made the NBA playoffs as the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference, facing the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the postseason. The two teams met in last season's playoffs also in the first round, in which the Nets won in five games. This time however, the Celtics swept the Nets in four games, winning their first playoff series since 2020, and advancing to the semifinals, where they'll face the 3rd-seeded defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks. The two teams previously met in the 2019 NBA Playoffs also in the semifinals, with the Bucks winning in five games. The Celtics dethroned the defending champion Bucks in seven games, advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2020. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics faced the top-seeded Miami Heat in a rematch of the 2020 Eastern Conference Finals, in which the Heat won in six games to advance to the 2020 NBA Finals, where they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games. This was the third meeting between the two teams in the Eastern Conference Finals, with the Heat having won the past two meetings (2012, 2020). The Celtics defeated the Heat in seven games to advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010, where they faced the Golden State Warriors in a rematch of the 1964 NBA Finals. Despite winning Game 1 and taking a 2–1 series lead after winning Game 3, the Celtics would go on to lose to the Warriors in six games.
2022–23: Ime Udoka's firing, Joe Mazzulla becomes the new head coach, post-Finals season and near historic comeback in the Eastern Conference Finals[]
In the offseason, head coach Ime Udoka was suspended until June 30, 2023, for a violation of the team's code of conduct, following a team investigation into an inappropriate relationship between himself and a female Celtics staff member. Assistant coach Joe Mazzulla was named interim head coach on September 22, 2022. After 42 wins in the first 59 games of the season, Mazzulla was named the permanent head coach and signed to a contract extension on February 16, 2023. By the end of the season, the Celtics had managed to improve on their previous season's record by 6 games, finishing at 57–25, achieving their most regular season wins since 2009.
The Celtics qualified for the 2023 NBA playoffs as the 2nd seed in the Eastern Conference, behind the Milwaukee Bucks. Despite entering the postseason as modest favorites for the championship, the team struggled all postseason, taking six and seven games to win their first two series against the Atlanta Hawks and the Philadelphia 76ers, respectively (this being only the first time since 2018 that the Celtics took longer than four games to win a first round series, not counting 2021, in which they had lost in the first round), and nearly blowing a 2–1 lead in the latter series. Nevertheless, the Celtics advanced to the Eastern Conference finals for the fifth time in the last seven seasons. In this round, Boston faced their rivals the Miami Heat for the third time in four years, and quickly found themselves in trouble, going 0–3 down in the series, a position from which no team had ever advanced before. However, the Celtics refused to give up, and became only the fourth team in NBA history to force a Game 7 from such a position when Derrick White made a dramatic buzzer-beating putback layup at the end of Game 6, the first buzzer-beater made by a team trailing and facing elimination since Michael Jordan's famous 1989 shot against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Despite hopes of becoming the first NBA team to overcome a 0–3 series deficit, Boston failed to make history in Game 7, collapsing in a 84–103 home defeat, during which Jayson Tatum injured his ankle on the very first play of the game, and ending their season just one win short of a return to the NBA Finals.
2023–24: Best record in the NBA, 23rd NBA Finals appearance and 18th NBA championship[]
During the 2023 off-season, the Celtics acquired Kristaps Porziņģis from the Wizards, and traded Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies in a three-team deal, and also traded Grant Williams to the Dallas Mavericks. On October 1, 2023, the Celtics acquired Jrue Holiday in exchange for Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams III and two draft picks. On February 7, 2024, before the trade deadline, the Celtics acquired Xavier Tillman from the Grizzlies.
On March 14, 2024, the Celtics became the first team to clinch a playoff berth with their 117–107 win over the Phoenix Suns and the Philadelphia 76ers’ 114–105 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. Six days later, on March 20, the Celtics won the Atlantic Division championship for the third straight season in a row following a 122–119 win over the Milwaukee Bucks during a 7-game winning streak. Three days after clinching the Atlantic Division, the Celtics defeated the Chicago Bulls. As a result they clinched the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference for the first time since 2017.
On April 3, 2024, the Celtics defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder with a 135-100 win, clinching the best record in the NBA and securing a home court advantage throughout the playoffs for the first time since 2008, it was also the first time the Celtics went on to win 60 or more regular season games since 2009.
In the playoffs, the Celtics faced the the 8th-seeded Miami Heat in the first round, the team that had defeated them in last season's Eastern Conference Finals in seven games despite overcoming a 3–0 series lead, but were unable to fully complete the comeback, as they lost Game 7 at home in blowout fashion. In their seventh playoff meeting, the Celtics would get their revenge on the Heat, defeating them in 5 games. In the conference semifinals, the Celtics faced the 4th-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers. The two teams previously met in the 2018 Eastern Conference Finals, where the Cavaliers defeated the Celtics in seven games. Just like in the first round against the Heat, the Celtics defeated the Cavaliers in 5 games, winning their first playoff series against the Cavaliers for the first time since 2010. In their third consecutive Eastern Conference Finals appearance, the Celtics faced the 6th-seeded Indiana Pacers. The two teams previously met in the first round of the 2019 NBA Playoffs, in which the Celtics swept the Pacers in 4 games. Just like in their previous playoff meeting, the Celtics would go on to sweep the Pacers in 4 games to make their 23rd NBA Finals appearance in franchise history. The Celtics will face the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals and are seeking to win their 18th NBA championship in order to overtake their archrivals, the Los Angeles Lakers, for the most NBA championships won.
2024-present: ITC Entertainment[]
On 1 July 2024, Boston Basketball Partners officially announced that it had reached an agreement to sell the Celtics onto ITC Entertainment, an mass sports company managed by Alan Littler and Cody Taylor.[32] the NBA Board of Governors officially agreed to the sale itself and the deal was officially closed on November 25.
Historical rivalries[]
Los Angeles Lakers[]
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The Boston Celtics have a long-standing rivalry with the Los Angeles Lakers, which is widely regarded as the league's greatest rivalry, as these two teams have faced each other 12 times in the NBA Finals, with the most recent being the 2010 Finals. The teams have won a combined 34 NBA championships in the 77 NBA seasons. In the 1960s, the Celtics faced and defeated the Lakers six straight times in the NBA Finals, despite the efforts of Jerry West, Elgin Baylor and later, Wilt Chamberlain. The rivalry was renewed in the 1980s, when the Lakers and Celtics won 8 of the 9 NBA Championships awarded from 1980–1988 (the Lakers won 5 while the Celtics won 3), and played each other in the NBA Finals on 3 occasions. The rivalry cooled off as the Celtics slipped into mediocrity in the mid-to-late 1990s and the Lakers would become a dynasty in the early 2000s, led by Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. The two teams would meet in the 2008 Finals, with the Celtics defeating the Lakers in six games to win their 17th championship and marking their ninth victory over the Lakers in the Finals. The two teams would meet again in the 2010 Finals, but this time, the Lakers got revenge, defeating the Celtics in seven games to win their 16th championship, just one championship behind the Celtics for the most in the NBA at the time. A decade later in 2020, the Lakers would tie the Celtics for the most NBA championships won at 17 after they won the Finals. As of the end of the 2017–18 season, Boston is the only team with a winning overall record against the Lakers.
Philadelphia 76ers[]
In the Eastern Conference, the Celtics long-standing rivals have been the Philadelphia 76ers,[33] led by Wilt Chamberlain in the 1960s, and by Julius Erving and Moses Malone in the 1970s and 1980s. The Celtics-Sixers rivalry in the 1980s was marked by intense personal confrontations between Larry Bird and Julius Erving. Their most recent playoff rivalry came in the 2002 First Round, as then-Sixer Allen Iverson and Paul Pierce, both prolific scorers of their time, went head-to-head.
Detroit Pistons[]
Another fierce rivalry formed in the 1980s between the Celtics and the Detroit Pistons. The two franchises met in the playoffs 5 times between 1985 and 1991, and more than once there was a physical confrontation between a Celtics player and Detroit's Bill Laimbeer. The rivalry, like their rivalry with the Lakers, cooled in the 1990s as the Celtics slid into a long decline, although there was a renewal of interest when the teams met in the 2002 East Semifinals, and later in the 2008 East Finals.
Other rivalries[]
Boston's other fierce rivals included the Atlanta Hawks (dating back to the late 1950s, which resurfaced during the rivalry of Larry Bird and Dominique Wilkins in the 1980s, and then later in 2008), Milwaukee Bucks (during the mid-1980s), Indiana Pacers (1991–92 and 2003–05; both involved Larry Bird as a player and as an executive), New York Knicks (both were original NBA franchises, and have never moved to another city nor changed its nickname), and New Jersey Nets (2002 and 2003). In addition, the San Antonio Spurs have provided a tough challenge for Boston, especially since adding Tim Duncan with the number one pick in the 1997 NBA Draft. Since then, the Spurs racked up 18 straight wins against Boston before the streak was broken on St. Patrick's Day 2007, concomitantly ending a 17-year, 15-game drought in San Antonio.[34]
Individually, Paul Pierce developed rivalries on the court with LeBron James and Ron Artest. During the games between the Celtics and the Cavaliers, Pierce and James often combine explosive scoring with defensive intensity.[35]
Players[]
Current roster[]
Boston Celtics 2024-25 season roster | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
0 Jayson Tatum • 4 Jrue Holiday • 7 Jaylen Brown • 8 Ron Harper Jr. • 8 Kristaps Porziņģis • 8 Lonnie Walker IV • 9 Derrick White • 11 Payton Pritchard • 13 Drew Peterson • 20 J.D. Davison • 26 Xavier Tillman • 27 Jordan Walsh • 30 Sam Hauser • 40 Luke Kornet • 42 Al Horford • 44 Jaden Springer • 88 Neemias Queta • Baylor Scheierman • Dmytro Skapintsev • Anton Watson | ||||
Players who left during the season | ||||
Not yet applicable | ||||
Head coach: Joe Mazzulla | ||||
Regular Season • Playoffs • Finals |
Retired numbers[]
The Celtics have retired 22 numbers, the most of any professional sports franchise in North America. All of the retired numbers are currently hanging in the rafters of TD Garden.
Boston Celtics retired numbers | |||
No. | Player | Position | Tenure |
---|---|---|---|
00 | Robert Parish | C | 1980–1994 |
1 | Walter A. Brown | founder, owner | 1946–1964 |
2 | Red Auerbach | head coach, executive | 1950–2006 |
3 | Dennis Johnson | G | 1983–1990 |
5 | Kevin Garnett | F | 2007–2013 |
6 | Bill Russell | C | 1956–1969 |
10 | Jo Jo White | PG | 1969–1979 |
14 | Bob Cousy | PG | 1950–1963 |
15 | Tom Heinsohn | F | 1956–1965 |
16 | Satch Sanders | PF | 1960–1973 |
17 | John Havlicek | SF | 1962–1978 |
18 | Dave Cowens | C | 1970–1980 |
LOSCY | Jim Loscutoff | PF | 1955–1964 |
19 | Don Nelson | F | 1965–1976 |
21 | Bill Sharman | G | 1951–1961 |
22 | Ed Macauley | C | 1950–1956 |
23 | Frank Ramsey | SF | 1954–1964 |
24 | Sam Jones | SG | 1957–1969 |
25 | K.C. Jones | PG | 1958–1967 |
31 | Cedric Maxwell | SF | 1977–1985 |
32 | Kevin McHale | PF | 1980–1993 |
33 | Larry Bird | F | 1979–1992 |
34 | Paul Pierce | F | 1998–2013 |
35 | Reggie Lewis | SF | 1987–1993 |
MIC | Johnny Most | Broadcaster | 1953–1990 |
Notes[]
- Bill Russell served as head coach (1966–69).
- Tom Heinsohn also served as head coach (1969–78); as broadcaster (1966–1969, 1980–2020).
- Satch Sanders also served as head coach (1978).
- Dave Cowens also served as head coach (1978–79).
- Loscutoff, who wore #18, asked that his legacy be honored by allowing other Celtics to wear his number in the future. On one of the banners of retired numbers at the TD Garden, Loscutoff is represented by a square with the letters "LOSCY". #18 was later retired for Dave Cowens.
- K.C. Jones also served as head coach (1983–88).
- Cedric Maxwell also served as broadcaster (2001–present); briefly wore No. 30 in 1977–78.
- Reggie Lewis died of a heart attack while still playing for the team; number retired posthumously.
Season-by-season records[]
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, % = Percentage
Season | W | L | % | Playoffs | Results |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Boston Celtics | |||||
1949-50 | 22 | 46 | .324 | ||
1950-51 | 39 | 30 | .565 | Lost Division Semifinals | New York 2, Boston 0 |
1951-52 | 39 | 27 | .591 | Lost Division Semifinals | New York 2, Boston 1 |
1952-53 | 46 | 25 | .648 | Won Division Semifinals Lost Division Finals |
Boston 3, New York 1 Syracuse 2, Boston 0 |
1953-54 | 42 | 30 | .583 | Lost Division Semifinals | Syracuse 2, Boston 0 |
1954-55 | 36 | 25 | .500 | Won Division Semifinals Lost Division Finals |
Boston 2, New York 1 Syracuse 3, Boston 1 |
1955-56 | 39 | 33 | .542 | Lost Division Semifinals | Syracuse 2, Boston 1 |
1956-57 | 44 | 28 | .611 | Won Division Finals Won NBA Finals |
Boston 3, Syracuse 0 Boston 4, St. Louis 3 |
1957-58 | 49 | 23 | .681 | Won Division Finals Lost NBA Finals |
Boston 4, Philadelphia 1 St. Louis 4, Boston 2 |
1958-59 | 52 | 20 | .722 | Won Division Finals Won NBA Finals |
Boston 4, Syracuse 3 Boston 4, Minneapolis 0 |
1959-60 | 59 | 16 | .787 | Won Division Finals Won NBA Finals |
Boston 4, Philadelphia 2 Boston 4, St. Louis 3 |
1960-61 | 57 | 22 | .722 | Won Division Finals Won NBA Finals |
Boston 4, Syracuse 1 Boston 4, St. Louis 1 |
1961-62 | 60 | 20 | .750 | Won Division Finals Won NBA Finals |
Boston 4, Philadelphia 3 Boston 4, Los Angeles 1 |
1962-63 | 58 | 22 | .725 | Won Division Finals Won NBA Finals |
Boston 4, Cincinnati 3 Boston 4, Los Angeles 2 |
1963-64 | 59 | 21 | .738 | Won Division Finals Won NBA Finals |
Boston 4, Cincinnati 1 Boston 4, San Francisco 1 |
1964-65 | 62 | 18 | .775 | Won Division Finals Won NBA Finals |
Boston 4, Philadelphia 3 Boston 4, Los Angeles 1 |
1965-66 | 54 | 26 | .675 | Won Division Semifinals Won Division Finals Won NBA Finals |
Boston 3, Cincinnati 2 Boston 4, Philadelphia 1 Boston 4, Los Angeles 3 |
1966-67 | 60 | 21 | .741 | Won Division Semifinals Lost Division Finals |
Boston 3, New York 1 Philadelphia 4, Boston 1 |
1967-68 | 60 | 21 | .741 | Won Division Semifinals Won Division Finals Won NBA Finals |
Boston 4, Detroit 2 Boston 4, Philadelphia 3 Boston 4, Los Angeles 2 |
1968-69 | 48 | 34 | .585 | Won Division Semifinals Won Division Finals Won NBA Finals |
Boston 4, Philadelphia 1 Boston 4, New York 2 Boston 4, Los Angeles 3 |
1969-70 | 34 | 48 | .415 | ||
1970-71 | 44 | 38 | .537 | ||
1971-72 | 56 | 26 | .683 | Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals |
Boston 4, Atlanta 2 New York 4, Boston 1 |
1972-73 | 68 | 14 | .829 | Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals |
Boston 4, Atlanta 2 New York 4, Boston 3 |
1973-74 | 56 | 26 | .683 | Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Won NBA Finals |
Boston 4, Buffalo 2 Boston 4, New York 1 Boston 4, Milwaukee 3 |
1974-75 | 60 | 22 | .732 | Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals |
Boston 4, Houston 1 Washington 4, Boston 2 |
1975-76 | 54 | 28 | .659 | Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Won NBA Finals |
Boston 4, Buffalo 2 Boston 4, Cleveland 2 Boston 4, Phoenix 2 |
1976-77 | 44 | 38 | .537 | Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals |
Boston 2, San Antonio 0 Philadelphia 4, Boston 3 |
1977-78 | 32 | 50 | .390 | ||
1978-79 | 29 | 53 | .354 | ||
1979-80 | 61 | 21 | .744 | Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals |
Boston 4, Houston 0 Philadelphia 4, Boston 1 |
1980-81 | 62 | 20 | .756 | Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Won NBA Finals |
Boston 4, Chicago 0 Boston 4, Philadelphia 3 Boston 4, Houston 2 |
1981-82 | 63 | 19 | .768 | Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals |
Boston 4, Washington 1 Philadelphia 4, Boston 3 |
1982-83 | 56 | 26 | .683 | Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals |
Boston 2, Atlanta 1 Milwaukee 4, Boston 0 |
1983-84 | 62 | 20 | .756 | Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Won NBA Finals |
Boston 3, Washington 1 Boston 4, New York 3 Boston 4, Milwaukee 1 Boston 4, Los Angeles 3 |
1984-85 | 63 | 19 | .768 | Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Lost NBA Finals |
Boston 3, Cleveland 1 Boston 4, Detroit 2 Boston 4, Philadelphia 1 LA Lakers 4, Boston 2 |
1985-86 | 67 | 15 | .817 | Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Won NBA Finals |
Boston 3, Chicago 0 Boston 4, Atlanta 1 Boston 4, Milwaukee 0 Boston 4, Houston 2 |
1986-87 | 59 | 23 | .720 | Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Lost NBA Finals |
Boston 3, Chicago 0 Boston 4, Milwaukee 3 Boston 4, Detroit 3 LA Lakers 4, Boston 2 |
1987-88 | 57 | 25 | .695 | Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals |
Boston 3, New York 1 Boston 4, Atlanta 3 Detroit 4, Boston 2 |
1988-89 | 42 | 40 | .512 | Lost First Round | Detroit 3, Boston 0 |
1989-90 | 52 | 30 | .634 | Lost First Round | New York 3, Boston 2 |
1990-91 | 56 | 26 | .683 | Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals |
Boston 3, Indiana 2 Detroit 4, Boston 2 |
1991-92 | 51 | 31 | .622 | Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals |
Boston 3, Indiana 0 Cleveland 4, Boston 3 |
1992-93 | 48 | 34 | .585 | Lost First Round | Charlotte 3, Boston 1 |
1993-94 | 32 | 50 | .390 | ||
1994-95 | 35 | 47 | .427 | Lost First Round | Orlando 3, Boston 1 |
1995-96 | 33 | 49 | .402 | ||
1996-97 | 15 | 67 | .183 | ||
1997-98 | 36 | 46 | .439 | ||
1998-99 | 19 | 31 | .380 | ||
1999-00 | 35 | 47 | .427 | ||
2000-01 | 36 | 46 | .439 | ||
2001-02 | 49 | 33 | .598 | Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals |
Boston 3, Philadelphia 2 Boston 4, Detroit 1 New Jersey 4, Boston 2 |
2002-03 | 44 | 38 | .537 | Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals |
Boston 4, Indiana 2 New Jersey 4, Boston 0 |
2003-04 | 36 | 46 | .439 | Lost First Round | Indiana 4, Boston 0 |
2004-05 | 45 | 37 | .549 | Lost First Round | Indiana 4, Boston 3 |
2005-06 | 33 | 49 | .402 | ||
2006-07 | 24 | 58 | .293 | ||
2007-08 | 66 | 16 | .805 | Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Won NBA Finals |
Boston 4, Atlanta 3 Boston 4, Cleveland 3 Boston 4, Detroit 2 Boston 4, LA Lakers 2 |
2008-09 | 62 | 20 | .756 | Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals |
Boston 4, Chicago 3 Orlando 4, Boston 3 |
2009-10 | 50 | 32 | .610 | Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Lost NBA Finals |
Boston 4, Miami 1 Boston 4, Cleveland 2 Boston 4, Orlando 2 LA Lakers 4, Boston 3 |
2010-11 | 56 | 26 | .683 | Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals |
Boston 4, New York 0 Miami 4, Boston 1 |
2011-12 | 39 | 27 | .591 | Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals |
Boston 4, Atlanta 2 Boston 4, Philadelphia 3 Miami 4, Boston 3 |
2012-13 | 41 | 40 | .506 | Lost First Round | New York 4, Boston 2 |
2013-14 | 25 | 57 | .305 | ||
2014-15 | 40 | 42 | .488 | Lost First Round | Cleveland 4, Boston 0 |
2015-16 | 48 | 34 | .585 | Lost First Round | Atlanta 4, Boston 2 |
2016-17 | 53 | 29 | .646 | Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals |
Boston 4, Chicago 2 Boston 4, Washington 3 Cleveland 4, Boston 1 |
2017-18 | 55 | 27 | .671 | Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals |
Boston 4, Milwaukee 3 Boston 4, Philadelphia 1 Cleveland 4, Boston 3 |
2018-19 | 49 | 33 | .598 | Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals |
Boston 4, Indiana 0 Milwaukee 4, Boston 1 |
2019-20 | 48 | 23 | .676 | Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals |
Boston 4, Philadelphia 0 Boston 4, Toronto 3 Miami 4, Boston 2 |
2020-21 | 36 | 36 | .500 | Won Play-in game for No. 7 seed Lost First Round |
Boston 118, Washington 100 Brooklyn 4, Boston 1 |
2021-22 | 51 | 31 | .622 | Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Lost NBA Finals |
Boston 4, Brooklyn 0 Boston 4, Milwaukee 3 Boston 4, Miami 3 Golden State 4, Boston 2 |
2022-23 | 57 | 25 | .695 | Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals |
Boston 4, Atlanta 2 Boston 4, Philadelphia 3 Miami 4, Boston 3 |
2023-24 | 64 | 18 | .780 | Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Won NBA Finals |
Boston 4, Miami 1 Boston 4, Cleveland 1 Boston 4, Indiana 0 Boston 4, Dallas 1 |
Totals | 3378 | 2346 | .590 | ||
Playoffs | 358 | 267 | .573 | 18 Championships |
Franchise Leaders[]
Statistic(s) | Total | Player(s) |
---|---|---|
Games Played | 1,270 | John Havlicek |
Minutes Played | 46,471 | John Havlicek |
Field Goals | 10,513 | John Havlicek |
Field Goal Attempts | 23,930 | John Havlicek |
Field Goal Percentage | .563 | Kendrick Perkins |
Three-point Field Goals | 1,578 | Paul Pierce |
Three-point Field Goal Attempts | 4,273 | Paul Pierce |
Three-point Field Goal Percentage | .412 | Eddie House |
Free Throws | 5,808 | Paul Pierce |
Free Throw Attempts | 7,212 | Paul Pierce |
Free Throw Percentage | .912 | Ray Allen |
Offensive Rebounds | 3,450 | Robert Parish |
Defensive Rebounds | 7,601 | Robert Parish |
Rebounds | 21,620 | Bill Russell |
Assists | 6,945 | Bob Cousy |
Steals | 1,556 | Larry Bird |
Blocked Shots | 1,703 | Robert Parish |
Turnovers | 2,826 | Paul Pierce |
Personal Fouls | 3,281 | John Havlicek |
Points | 26,395 | John Havlicek |
Uniform image gallery[]
Court image gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ A statement from the Boston Celtics
- ↑ "Celtics Related Books". nba.com. http://www.nba.com/celtics/history/publications.html. Retrieved 2008-02-01.
- ↑ "Earl Lloyd - First Black Coach". Net Industries. http://sports.jrank.org/pages/2874/Lloyd-Earl-First-Black-Coach.html. Retrieved 2008-02-01.
- ↑ "Celtics tried to pass on ultimate passer". http://espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00014144.html. Retrieved 2008-02-17.
- ↑ "Bob Cousy Biography". http://www.nba.com/history/players/cousy_bio.html. Retrieved 2008-02-01.
- ↑ Official Website of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame - Hall of Famers
- ↑ David Kamp.com - Only the Ball Was Brown
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Recap - 1950s". http://www.nba.com/celtics/history/Recap_1950s.html. Retrieved 2008-02-17.
- ↑ NBA.com: Bob Pettit Bio
- ↑ St. Louis Hawks (1955–1968)
- ↑ Boston Celtics (1946-Present)
- ↑ LAKERS: Los Angeles Lakers History
- ↑ Boston Celtics
- ↑ Bill Russell
- ↑ Discover the Wisdom of Mankind on Boston Celtics
- ↑ NBA.com Heritage Week: Power Rankings, 1969-70
- ↑ "Unbreakable" Sports Records (The World Almanac)
- ↑ "Auerbach, Red". http://www.jewsinsports.org/profile.asp?sport=basketball&ID=137. Retrieved 2008-02-02.
- ↑ Bio at BlinkBits. Boston Celtics
- ↑ Recap - 1970s Celtics.com
- ↑ Bucks NBA
- ↑ SUNS: Greatest Game Ever
- ↑ http://www.sportsfilter.com/cat.cfm/sports/Basketball.html
- ↑ http://www.espnshop.com/catalog/productdetail/model--65226~9-42215/
- ↑ "Oklahoma Sooners Official Athletic Site - Men's Basketball". http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/okla-thousand-point.html. Retrieved 2008-02-17.
- ↑ "100 Great Moments in Big Ten Men's Basketball History". http://bigten.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/120404aaa.html. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
- ↑ Bill Simmons (2006-10-30). "Memories of Red". ESPN. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/061030. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 NBA.com: Bob McAdoo Bio
- ↑ CNN/SI - 33: Timeline
- ↑ NBA.com: All-Time Finals Challenge: 1981 Celtics
- ↑ "Boston Celtics History". http://www.nba.com/celtics/celtics_history.html. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
- ↑ A statement from the Boston Celtics
- ↑ Celtics continue strong play, handle 76ers for ninth straight win, Associated Press, March 10, 2008.
- ↑ Celtics come out on top at Spurs for first time in 17 years, Associated Press, March 17, 2007.
- ↑ Brian Windhorst, James, Pierce Resume Rivalry: Cavaliers Standout Set to Go Head-to-Head, The Akron Beacon Journal, March 24, 2006
External links[]
Preceded by Philadelphia Warriors 1956 |
NBA Champions Boston Celtics 1957 |
Succeeded by St. Louis Hawks 1958 |
Preceded by St. Louis Hawks 1958 |
NBA Champions Boston Celtics 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, & 1966 |
Succeeded by Philadelphia 76ers 1967 |
Preceded by Philadelphia 76ers 1967 |
NBA Champions Boston Celtics 1968 & 1969 |
Succeeded by New York Knicks 1970 |
Preceded by New York Knicks 1973 |
NBA Champions Boston Celtics 1974 |
Succeeded by Golden State Warriors 1975 |
Preceded by Golden State Warriors 1975 |
NBA Champions Boston Celtics 1976 |
Succeeded by Portland Trail Blazers 1977 |
Preceded by Los Angeles Lakers 1980 |
NBA Champions Boston Celtics 1981 |
Succeeded by Los Angeles Lakers 1982 |
Preceded by Philadelphia 76ers 1983 |
NBA Champions Boston Celtics 1984 |
Succeeded by Los Angeles Lakers 1985 |
Preceded by Los Angeles Lakers 1985 |
NBA Champions Boston Celtics 1986 |
Succeeded by Los Angeles Lakers 1987 & 1988 |
Preceded by San Antonio Spurs 2007 |
NBA Champions Boston Celtics 2008 |
Succeeded by Los Angeles Lakers 2009 & 2010 |
Preceded by Denver Nuggets 2023 |
NBA Champions Boston Celtics 2024 |
Succeeded by TBD |
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