Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. Their 16 NBA world championships are the most of any basketball franchise.

Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
Founded	1946
Arena	TD Banknorth Garden (formerly FleetCenter)
Team History	Boston Celtics (1946-present)
Team Colors	Green and White
NBA Championships	16 (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976, 1981, 1984, 1986)
Owner	Wycliffe “Wyc” Grousbeck
Head Coach	Doc Rivers
Mascot	"Lucky"

Franchise History

The Celtics were formed in 1946 as a team in the Basketball Association of America. After the merger of the BAA and the National Basketball League to form the National Basketball Association, the Celtics acquired rookie Bill Russell in 1956. Russell had an immediate impact; that year, the Celtics advanced to the NBA Finals and defeated the then St. Louis Hawks in seven games, giving the Celtics the first of a record 16 NBA Championships. In 1957, the Celtics again advanced to the NBA Finals, this time losing to the Hawks in 6 games. However, with the acquisition of K.C. Jones, the Celtics began a dynasty that would last 8 seasons.

In 1959, with Russell and Jones, the Celtics won the NBA Championship with the sweep of the Minneapolis Lakers. Under coach Red Auerbach, the Celtics won another seven championships for eight championships in a row. During that timespan, the Celtics met the Lakers in the Finals six times, starting an intense- and sometimes bitter- rivalry. The Celtics would eventually meet the Lakers a total of 10 times in the NBA Finals. After the 1966 championship, though, Auerbach retired. Russell took over as a player and coach. However, that year the Celtics' string of NBA titles was broken. The aging team managed two more championships, though, in 1968 and 1969, each against the Lakers in the NBA Finals. Russell retired after the 1969 season, effectively ending a dominant Celtics dynasty that had garnered 11 NBA titles. The streak of 8 consecutive NBA championships is the longest streak of consecutive championships in U.S. sports history.

The next season was one of rebuilding as the Celtics had their first losing record in a long time. However, with Dave Cowens, Paul Silas, and Jo Jo White, the Celtics became dominant again. In 1974 the team bested the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Finals, and in 1976 the team won yet another championship after defeating the Phoenix Suns. After the 1976 victory, though, Boston went into another phase of rebuilding.

The rebuilding phase only lasted two years. With the acquisition of NBA legend Larry Bird, Robert Parish, and Kevin McHale, the Celtics yet again became a dominant team in the NBA, playing in 5 NBA Finals in the 1980s. The team won a title in 1981, and the following year K.C. Jones was named head coach. Jones led the Celtics to four consecutive NBA Finals appearances against the Lakers and the Houston Rockets between 1984 and 1987, winning championships in 1984 and 1986. The three Finals where the Celtics played the Lakers featured the matchup of Bird versus NBA great Magic Johnson.

After the retirement of Bird, the Celtics yet again went into rebuilding. In 1994 the Celtics moved from the Boston Garden into the Fleet Center. Under current general manager Danny Ainge and coach Doc Rivers, the Celtics won the division championship in the 2004-2005 season, but lost to the Indiana Pacers in game 7 in the postseason. As of 2005 the Celtics are the only team in NBA history to have never lost a Game 7 in the NBA Finals. They are a perfect 7-0 in these games, winning in 1957, 1960, 1962, 1966, 1969, 1974, and 1984.

Historical Rivalries

The Boston Celtics have had a longstanding rivalry, especially throughout the 80s, with the Los Angeles Lakers. At the height of the rivalry, the Lakers and Celtics would win 8 NBA Championships in the decade (The Lakers won 5 while the Celtics won 3), and would play each other in the NBA Finals 3 different times. The rivalry was cooled off as the Celtics slipped into mediocrity in the 90s, but Lakers-Celtics is considered by many NBA fans to be the league's greatest rivalry. The Celtics also have historical ties with the Philadelphia 76ers, who played with the Celtics in tense playoff series in the 60s and 80s.

Players of note

Basketball Hall of Famers:

Nate Archibald
Larry Bird
Walter A. Brown
Bob Cousy
Dave Cowens
Wayne Embry (inducted as a contributor, not as a player; was the first African-American to serve both as a general manager and team president in the NBA)
John Havlicek
Tom Heinsohn
Bailey Howell
K. C. Jones
Sam Jones
Clyde Lovellette
Ed Macauley
Pete Maravich
Kevin McHale
Robert Parish
Andy Phillip
Frank Ramsey
Arnie Risen
Bill Russell
Bill Sharman (inducted both as a Celtics player and as a coach, most notably with the Los Angeles Lakers)
John Thompson (only played in the NBA for two years; inducted for his coaching career at Georgetown University)
Bill Walton

Not to be forgotten:

Retired numbers:

00 Robert Parish
1 Walter Brown (founding owner)
2 Red Auerbach (legendary coach and executive)
3 Dennis Johnson
6 Bill Russell
10 Jo Jo White
14 Bob Cousy
15 Tom Heinsohn
16 Satch Sanders
17 John Havlicek
18* Jim Loscutoff
18 Dave Cowens
19 Don Nelson
21 Bill Sharman
22 Ed Macauley
23 Frank Ramsey
24 Sam Jones
25 K.C. Jones
31 Cedric Maxwell
32 Kevin McHale
33 Larry Bird
35 Reggie Lewis

* Note: Loscutoff's 18 jersey was retired, but kept active for Dave Cowens

Other notable figures

Broadcaster Johnny Most
Len Bias
Chuck Cooper (first black player drafted by an NBA team)

Current Roster (updated October 6, 2005)

2004/2005 Season Coaching Staff

HEAD COACH: Doc Rivers
ASSISTANT COACHES: Dave Wohl, Tony Brown, Jim Brewer, Kevin Eastman, Armond Hill and Paul Pressey

2005 Draft picks

18th overall: Gerald Green, Gulf Shores Academy
50th overall: Ryan Gomes, Providence College
53rd overall: Orien Greene, University of Louisiana at Lafayette

External links