# 1965–66 Boston Celtics season

The 1965–66 Boston Celtics season was their 20th in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
On October 29, 1965, Sam Jones set a Celtics single-game scoring record with 51, against the Detroit Pistons. His record would last until Larry Bird's 53 in 1983. The Celtics won their 8th title in a row, which still stands as a record for the most titles in a row. The Celtics defeated the Lakers 4 games to 3.
This also marked the final season Red Auerbach coached the Celtics, though his duties with the team only expanded as general manager in the following seasons; he would remain involved with the team in some form until his death 40 years later.

## 1966 NBA finals

The 1965-1966 NBA Finals was a thrilling seven-game series between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. The Celtics entered the series as the favorites, having won the championship the previous year and boasting a roster of talented players led by Bill Russell, John Havlicek, and Sam Jones. The Lakers, on the other hand, were led by Jerry West and Elgin Baylor, two of the most dominant players in the league.
The series began with a closely contested game one, which the Lakers won by a score of 133–129 in overtime. The Celtics bounced back in game two, with a 129–123 victory that featured standout performances from Russell and Jones. The series continued in this back-and-forth fashion, with each team trading wins and delivering memorable moments.
In game five, Russell had one of the greatest performances in NBA Finals history, recording 32 points and 30 rebounds to lead the Celtics to a 129–96 victory. The Lakers responded in game six, with Baylor scoring 41 points in a 120–118 win that forced a decisive game seven.
Game seven was a tightly contested affair, with both teams trading baskets and neither able to pull away. In the end, it was the Celtics who emerged victorious, thanks in large part to the heroics of Havlicek. With the score tied at 100-100 and just seconds remaining, Havlicek stole an inbound pass from the Lakers and scored the game-winning basket with five seconds left on the clock. The Celtics won the game 95-93 and secured their eighth championship in ten years.
The 1965-1966 NBA Finals will always be remembered as a classic series between two of the greatest teams in basketball history. The Celtics and Lakers would meet again in the Finals several times over the years, but this series remains one of the most memorable and significant in the history of the NBA.

## Offseason
### Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
| 1 | 8 | Ollie Johnson | SF | United States | San Francisco |

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Eastern Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Neutral | Div |
| x-Philadelphia 76ers | 55 | 25 | .688 | – | 22–3 | 20–17 | 13–5 | 20–10 |
| x-Boston Celtics | 54 | 26 | .675 | 1 | 26–5 | 19–18 | 9–3 | 19–11 |
| x-Cincinnati Royals | 45 | 35 | .563 | 10 | 25–6 | 11–23 | 9–6 | 16–14 |
| New York Knicks | 30 | 50 | .375 | 25 | 20–14 | 4–30 | 6–6 | 5–25 |

### Record vs. opponents

1965-66 NBA Records :
| Team | BAL | BOS | CIN | DET | LAL | NYK | PHI | SFW | STL |
| Baltimore | — | 3–7 | 3–7 | 5–5 | 4–6 | 7–3 | 5–5 | 4–6 | 7–3 |
| Boston | 7–3 | — | 5–5 | 6–4 | 7–3 | 10–0 | 4–6 | 8–2 | 7–3 |
| Cincinnati | 7–3 | 5–5 | — | 8–2 | 4–6 | 7–3 | 4–6 | 5–5 | 5–5 |
| Detroit | 5–5 | 4–6 | 2–8 | — | 2–8 | 2–8 | 3–7 | 2–8 | 2–8 |
| Los Angeles | 6–4 | 3–7 | 6–4 | 8–2 | — | 5–5 | 2–8 | 7–3 | 8–2 |
| New York | 3–7 | 0–10 | 3–7 | 8–2 | 5–5 | — | 2–8 | 5–5 | 4–6 |
| Philadelphia | 5–5 | 6–4 | 6–4 | 7–3 | 8–2 | 8–2 | — | 8–2 | 7–3 |
| San Francisco | 6–4 | 2–8 | 5–5 | 8–2 | 3–7 | 5–5 | 2–8 | — | 4–6 |
| St. Louis | 3–7 | 3–7 | 5–5 | 8–2 | 2–8 | 6–4 | 3–7 | 6–4 | — |

### Game log

Several of the Celtics games were played in neutral sites, such as Providence, Rhode Island. The games in Providence occurred on November 9 and 26, December 30, February 10 and March 4. Games were also played in Fort Wayne, Indiana (against Detroit on January 27) and in Syracuse, New York (against Philadelphia on February 12) and Memphis, Tennessee (against St. Louis on March 7).
1965–66 Game Log :
October
GameDateOpponentScoreLocationRecord
1October 16Cincinnati Royals102–98Boston Garden1–0
2October 20Los Angeles Lakers100–96Boston Garden2–0
3October 23@ St. Louis Hawks110–120St. Louis Arena2–1
4October 28@ Cincinnati Royals108–113Cincinnati2–2
5October 29@ Detroit Pistons106–108Detroit2–3
6October 31Baltimore Bullets105–100Boston Garden3–3 :
November
GameDateOpponentScoreLocationRecord
7November 5@ Baltimore Bullets129–118Baltimore4–3
8November 6Philadelphia 76ers101–91Boston Garden5–3
9November 9Baltimore Bullets130–116Providence6–3
10November 11St. Louis Hawks87–83Boston Garden7–3
11November 12@ Philadelphia 76ers114–123Convention Hall7–4
12November 13Detroit Pistons122–93Boston Garden8–4
13November 16@ San Francisco Warriors108–105San Francisco9–4
14November 17@ Los Angeles Lakers115–125Los Angeles9–5
15November 19Cincinnati Royals129–103Boston Garden10–5
16November 20@ New York Knicks122–108Madison Square Garden11–5
17November 24New York Knicks125–110Boston Garden12–5
18November 26Detroit Pistons134–114Providence13–5
19November 27Los Angeles Lakers101–95Boston Garden14–5 :
December
GameDateOpponentScoreLocation/AttendanceRecord
20December 3Philadelphia 76ers103–119Boston Garden14–6
21December 4@ St. Louis Hawks100–94St. Louis Arena15–6
22December 5@ Cincinnati Royals99–108Cincinnati15–7
23December 7St. Louis Hawks112–96New York, NY16–7
24December 8Los Angeles Lakers108–106Boston Garden17–7
25December 11San Francisco Warriors143–106Boston Garden18–7
26December 15Cincinnati Royals110–117Boston Garden18–8
27December 17@ Detroit Pistons114–112Detroit19–8
28December 22New York Knickerbockers123–120Boston Garden20–8
29December 25@ Baltimore Bullets113–99Baltimore21–8
30December 26Baltimore Bullets120–99Baltimore22–8
31December 28@ Philadelphia 76ers93–102Baltimore22–9
32December 29@ New York Knicks99–96Madison Square Garden23–9
33December 30San Francisco Warriors116–113Providence24–9 :
January
GameDateOpponentScoreLocation/AttendanceRecord
34January 1@ St. Louis Hawks98–100St. Louis Arena24–10
35January 2@ Los Angeles Lakers124–113Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena25–10
36January 5@ Los Angeles Lakers113–120Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena25–11
37January 7@ San Francisco Warriors115–114San Francisco Civic Auditorium26–11
38January 8@ San Francisco Warriors124–96San Francisco Civic Auditorium27–11
39January 12Los Angeles Lakers114–102Boston Garden28–11
40January 14@ Philadelphia 76ers100–112Convention Hall28–12
41January 16Philadelphia 76ers137–122Boston Garden29–12
42January 18Detroit Pistons115–116Philadelphia29–13
43January 19Baltimore Bullets129–89Boston Garden30–13
44January 21Cincinnati Royals113–96Boston Garden31–13
45January 22@ Baltimore Bullets107–132Baltimore Civic Center31–14
46January 25@ Cincinnati Royals101–113Cincinnati Gardens31–15
47January 27Detroit Pistons131–112Fort Wayne, IN32–15
48January 28Detroit Pistons105–108Boston Garden32–16
49January 29@ New York Knickerbockers119–107Madison Square Garden33–16
50January 30New York Knickerbockers118–115Boston Garden34–16 :
February
GameDateOpponentScoreLocation/AttendanceRecord
51February 1Detroit Pistons100–81New York35–16
52February 2@ Detroit Pistons93–99Cobo Arena35–17
53February 4St. Louis Hawks117–95Boston Garden36–17
54February 5@ Baltimore Bullets94–113Baltimore Civic Center36–18
55February 6Philadelphia 76ers100–99Boston Garden37–18
56February 7San Francisco Warriors112–107Philadelphia38–18
57February 9New York Knicks121–117Boston Garden39–18
58February 10San Francisco Warriors117–128Providence, RI39–19
59February 11San Francisco Warriors99–96Boston Garden40–19
60February 12Philadelphia 76ers85–83Syracuse, NY41–19
61February 13Los Angeles Lakers110–120Boston Garden41–20
62February 15@ Cincinnati Royals123–136Cincinnati Gardens41–21
63February 18@ San Francisco Warriors106–128San Francisco Civic Auditorium41–22
64February 19@ Los Angeles Lakers115–111Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena42–22
65February 21@ Los Angeles Lakers115–108Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena43–22
66February 22@ San Francisco Warriors116–108San Francisco Civic Auditorium44–22
67February 24St. Louis Hawks134–106Boston Garden45–22
68February 26@ New York Knicks100–95Madison Square Garden46–22
69February 27@ Baltimore Bullets92–132Baltimore Civic Center46–23 :
March
GameDateOpponentScoreLocation/AttendanceRecord
70March 1@ St. Louis Hawks120–95Kiel Auditorium47–23
71March 2New York Knickerbockers140–104Boston Garden48–23
72March 4St. Louis Hawks112–132Providence, RI48–24
73March 5@ Philadelphia 76ers85–102Convention Hall48–25
74March 6Philadelphia 76ers110–113Boston Garden48–26
75March 7St. Louis Hawks106–104Memphis, TN49–26
76March 10@ Cincinnati Royals124–120Cincinnati Gardens50–26
77March 13Baltimore Bullets129–98Boston Garden51–26
78March 17@ Detroit Pistons128–103Cobo Arena52–26
79March 19@ New York Knicks126–113Madison Square Garden53–26
80March 20Cincinnati Royals121–104Boston Garden54–26 :
1965–66 Schedule :

## Playoffs

1966 playoff game log :
Division Semifinals: 3–2 (home: 1–2; road: 2–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
March 23
Cincinnati
L 103–107
Bill Russell (22)
Bill Russell (29)
Russell, Havlicek (4)
Boston Garden 9,510
0–1
2
March 26
@ Cincinnati
W 132–125
Sam Jones (42)
Bill Russell (16)
K. C. Jones (9)
Cincinnati Gardens 10,027
1–1
3
March 27
Cincinnati
L 107–113
John Havlicek (36)
Bill Russell (25)
K. C. Jones (6)
Boston Garden 13,571
1–2
4
March 30
@ Cincinnati
W 120–103
Sam Jones (32)
Bill Russell (26)
John Havlicek (8)
Cincinnati Gardens 12,107
2–2
5
April 1
Cincinnati
W 112–103
Sam Jones (34)
Bill Russell (31)
Bill Russell (11)
Boston Garden 13,909
3–2 :
Division Finals: 4–1 (home: 2–0; road: 2–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
April 3
@ Philadelphia
W 115–96
Sam Jones (29)
Bill Russell (18)
three players tied (4)
Municipal Auditorium 6,563
1–0
2
April 6
Philadelphia
W 114–93
Sam Jones (23)
Bill Russell (29)
K. C. Jones (11)
Boston Garden 13,909
2–0
3
April 7
@ Philadelphia
L 105–111
John Havlicek (27)
Bill Russell (23)
Sam Jones (6)
Municipal Auditorium 10,454
2–1
4
April 10
Philadelphia
W 114–108 (OT)
John Havlicek (27)
Bill Russell (30)
Russell, Havlicek (7)
Boston Garden 13,909
3–1
5
April 12
@ Philadelphia
W 120–112
John Havlicek (32)
Bill Russell (31)
Bill Russell (6)
Municipal Auditorium 8,623
4–1 :
NBA Finals: 4–3 (home: 2–2; road: 2–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
April 17
Los Angeles
L 129–133 (OT)
Bill Russell (28)
Bill Russell (26)
Sam Jones (9)
Boston Garden 13,909
0–1
2
April 19
Los Angeles
W 129–109
Havlicek, S. Jones (21)
Bill Russell (24)
John Havlicek (7)
Boston Garden 13,909
1–1
3
April 20
@ Los Angeles
W 120–106
Sam Jones (36)
Bill Russell (19)
Sanders, K. C. Jones (5)
Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena 15,101
2–1
4
April 22
@ Los Angeles
W 122–117
John Havlicek (32)
Bill Russell (18)
Larry Siegfried (7)
Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena 15,251
3–1
5
April 24
Los Angeles
L 117–121
Bill Russell (32)
Bill Russell (28)
Siegfried, K. C. Jones (6)
Boston Garden 13,909
3–2
6
April 26
@ Los Angeles
L 115–123
John Havlicek (27)
Bill Russell (23)
K. C. Jones (6)
Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena 15,069
3–3
7
April 28
Los Angeles
W 95–93
Bill Russell (25)
Bill Russell (32)
Sanders, K. C. Jones (3)
Boston Garden 13,909
4–3 :
1966 schedule :

## Awards, records and milestones
### Awards

* John Havlicek, All-NBA Second Team
* Sam Jones, All-NBA Second Team
* Bill Russell, All-NBA Second Team