# 1991–92 Boston Celtics season

The 1991–92 NBA season was the 46th season for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association. This marked the thirteenth and final NBA season for All-Star forward, and Celtics legend Larry Bird, who would retire after the season. Bird missed nearly half of the season due to a nagging back injury, only playing just 45 games. Midway through the season in January, the Celtics traded Brian Shaw to the Miami Heat in exchange for Sherman Douglas. The Celtics trailed the New York Knicks in the Atlantic Division for the first half of the season, holding a 28–18 record at the All-Star break. But a furious rally at the end of the season helped the Celtics finish with a 51–31 record, and claim the division title (and the #2 Eastern Conference seed, although since they finished six games behind the #3 seed Cleveland Cavaliers in record, Cleveland would have home court in a head-to-head playoff series). The Celtics also qualified for the playoffs for the thirteenth consecutive season.
One of the season highlights for Bird was a 49-point performance in a nationally televised double-overtime win over eventual Western Conference champion Portland Trail Blazers. It was the most points for Bird since February 15, 1988, when he scored 49 at Phoenix Suns. Bird averaged 20.2 points, 9.6 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game, while Reggie Lewis led the team with 20.8 points and 1.5 steals per game. Bird and Lewis were both selected for the 1992 NBA All-Star Game, but Bird did not play due to injury. In addition, Robert Parish averaged 14.1 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, and surpassed the 20,000 point mark, while sixth man Kevin McHale provided the team with 13.9 points and 5.9 rebounds per game off the bench, but only played 56 games due to a leg injury, Kevin Gamble provided with 13.5 points per game, and second-year guard Dee Brown contributed 11.7 points and 5.3 assists per game, but only played just 31 games due to a knee injury. Also, top draft pick Rick Fox was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.
In the playoffs, the Celtics swept the Indiana Pacers in three straight games of the Eastern Conference First Round, then took a 2–1 series lead over the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, but lost in seven games.
Following the loss, the Celtics would not win a playoff series for another ten years.

## Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
| 1 | 24 | Rick Fox | SF | Canada | North Carolina |

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Atlantic Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-Boston Celtics | 51 | 31 | .622 | — | 34–7 | 17–24 | 19–9 |
| x-New York Knicks | 51 | 31 | .622 | — | 30–11 | 21–20 | 20–8 |
| x-New Jersey Nets | 40 | 42 | .488 | 11 | 25–16 | 15–26 | 15–13 |
| x-Miami Heat | 38 | 44 | .463 | 13 | 28–13 | 10–31 | 14–14 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 35 | 47 | .427 | 16 | 23–18 | 12–29 | 15–13 |
| Washington Bullets | 25 | 57 | .305 | 26 | 14–27 | 11–30 | 7–21 |
| Orlando Magic | 21 | 61 | .256 | 30 | 13–28 | 8–33 | 8–20 |
    y – clinched division title
    x – clinched playoff spot
| # | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | z-Chicago Bulls | 67 | 15 | .817 | – |
| 2 | y-Boston Celtics | 51 | 31 | .622 | 16 |
| 3 | x-Cleveland Cavaliers | 57 | 25 | .695 | 10 |
| 4 | x-New York Knicks | 51 | 31 | .622 | 16 |
| 5 | x-Detroit Pistons | 48 | 34 | .585 | 19 |
| 6 | x-New Jersey Nets | 40 | 42 | .488 | 27 |
| 7 | x-Indiana Pacers | 40 | 42 | .488 | 27 |
| 8 | x-Miami Heat | 38 | 44 | .463 | 29 |
| 9 | Atlanta Hawks | 38 | 44 | .463 | 29 |
| 10 | Philadelphia 76ers | 35 | 47 | .427 | 32 |
| 11 | Milwaukee Bucks | 31 | 51 | .378 | 36 |
| 12 | Charlotte Hornets | 31 | 51 | .378 | 36 |
| 13 | Washington Bullets | 25 | 57 | .305 | 42 |
| 14 | Orlando Magic | 21 | 61 | .256 | 46 |
    z – clinched division title
    y – clinched division title
    x – clinched playoff spot

### Record vs. opponents

1991-92 NBA Records :
| Team | ATL | BOS | CHA | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | LAC | LAL | MIA | MIL | MIN | NJN | NYK | ORL | PHI | PHO | POR | SAC | SAS | SEA | UTA | WAS |
| Atlanta | – | 3–1 | 2–2 | 0–5 | 0–5 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 |
| Boston | 1–3 | – | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 5–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| Charlotte | 2–2 | 1–3 | – | 0–4 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 |
| Chicago | 5–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | – | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 |
| Cleveland | 5–0 | 1–3 | 3–2 | 2–3 | – | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 |
| Dallas | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | – | 3–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–5 | 0–4 | 1–4 | 0–2 |
| Denver | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–3 | – | 0–2 | 0–4 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–4 | 1–3 | 1–5 | 1–1 |
| Detroit | 4–1 | 0–4 | 4–1 | 1–4 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | – | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| Golden State | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | – | 2–2 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 5–0 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 2–0 |
| Houston | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | – | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 1–4 | 2–0 |
| Indiana | 4–1 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 1–3 | 0–5 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | – | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 |
| L.A. Clippers | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 2–0 | – | 2–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 1–3 | 0–2 |
| L.A. Lakers | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 3–2 | – | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 4–1 | 1–3 | 1–4 | 1–3 | 1–1 |
| Miami | 2–2 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | – | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–4 | 3–1 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–0 |
| Milwaukee | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–4 | – | 2–0 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| Minnesota | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | – | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–6 | 0–4 | 2–3 | 0–2 |
| New Jersey | 1–3 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–0 | – | 2–3 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 |
| New York | 2–2 | 2–3 | 4–0 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 | – | 4–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 |
| Orlando | 2–2 | 0–5 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–4 | – | 3–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–3 |
| Philadelphia | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 1–3 | 2–3 | – | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 5–0 |
| Phoenix | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | – | 3–2 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 |
| Portland | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | – | 5–0 | 2–2 | 4–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 |
| Sacramento | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–5 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 0–5 | – | 1–3 | 1–4 | 1–3 | 2–0 |
| San Antonio | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | – | 3–1 | 1–4 | 0–2 |
| Seattle | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 4–1 | 1–3 | – | 3–1 | 2–0 |
| Utah | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 1–3 | – | 2–0 |
| Washington | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 0–4 | 3–2 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | — |

### Game log
## Playoffs

1992 playoff game log :
First round: 3–0 (home: 2–0; road: 1–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
April 23
Indiana
W 124–113
Reggie Lewis (32)
Robert Parish (14)
John Bagley (9)
Boston Garden 14,890
1–0
2
April 25
Indiana
W 119–112 (OT)
John Bagley (35)
Robert Parish (14)
John Bagley (15)
Boston Garden 14,890
2–0
3
April 27
@ Indiana
W 102–98
Reggie Lewis (32)
Ed Pinckney (14)
John Bagley (11)
Market Square Arena 16,530
3–0 :
Conference Semi-finals: 3–4 (home: 2–1; road: 1–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1May 2@ Cleveland
L 76–101
Kevin Gamble (22)
Ed Pinckney (10)
John Bagley (8)
Richfield Coliseum 17,496
0–1
2May 4@ Cleveland
W 104–98
Robert Parish (27)
Robert Parish (8)
John Bagley (11)
Richfield Coliseum 20,273
1–1
3May 8Cleveland
W 110–107
Reggie Lewis (36)
Robert Parish (17)
Reggie Lewis (7)
Boston Garden 14,890
2–1
4May 10Cleveland
L 112–114 (OT)
Reggie Lewis (42)
Robert Parish (18)
John Bagley (7)
Boston Garden 14,890
2–2
5May 13@ Cleveland
L 98–114
Reggie Lewis (27)
Joe Kleine (11)
John Bagley (5)
Richfield Coliseum 20,273
2–3
6May 15Cleveland
W 122–91
Reggie Lewis (26)
Dee Brown (8)
Larry Bird (14)
Boston Garden 14,890
3–3
7May 17@ Cleveland
L 104–122
Reggie Lewis (22)
Ed Pinckney (9)
Bagley, Brown (5)
Richfield Coliseum 20,273
3–4 :
1992 schedule :

## Player statistics
### Regular season

Boston Celtics statistics :
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| John Bagley | 73 | 59 | 23.9 | .441 | .238 | .716 | 2.2 | 6.6 | .8 | .1 | 7.2 |
| Kenny Battle$^†$ | 8 | 0 | 5.8 | .750 | | 1.000 | 1.1 | .0 | .1 | .0 | 1.8 |
| Larry Bird | 45 | 45 | 36.9 | .466 | .406 | .926 | 9.6 | 6.8 | .9 | .7 | 20.2 |
| Dee Brown | 31 | 20 | 28.5 | .426 | .227 | .769 | 2.5 | 5.3 | 1.1 | .2 | 11.7 |
| Sherman Douglas$^†$ | 37 | 0 | 17.7 | .455 | .111 | .680 | 1.5 | 4.1 | .6 | .2 | 7.3 |
| Rick Fox | 81 | 5 | 19.0 | .459 | .329 | .755 | 2.7 | 1.6 | 1.0 | .4 | 8.0 |
| Kevin Gamble | 82 | 77 | 30.4 | .529 | .290 | .885 | 3.5 | 2.7 | .9 | .5 | 13.5 |
| Rickey Green | 26 | 0 | 14.1 | .447 | .250 | .722 | .9 | 2.6 | .7 | .0 | 4.1 |
| Joe Kleine | 70 | 3 | 14.2 | .491 | .500 | .708 | 4.2 | .5 | .3 | .2 | 4.7 |
| Reggie Lewis | 82 | 82 | 37.4 | .503 | .238 | .851 | 4.8 | 2.3 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 20.8 |
| Tony Massenburg$^†$ | 7 | 0 | 6.6 | .444 | | .500 | 1.3 | .0 | .0 | .1 | 1.4 |
| Kevin McHale | 56 | 1 | 25.0 | .509 | .000 | .822 | 5.9 | 1.5 | .2 | 1.1 | 13.9 |
| Robert Parish | 79 | 79 | 28.9 | .535 | | .772 | 8.9 | .9 | .9 | 1.2 | 14.1 |
| Ed Pinckney | 81 | 36 | 23.7 | .537 | .000 | .812 | 7.0 | .8 | .9 | .7 | 7.6 |
| Kevin Pritchard | 11 | 0 | 12.4 | .471 | .000 | .778 | 1.0 | 2.7 | .3 | .4 | 4.2 |
| Larry Robinson | 1 | 0 | 6.0 | .200 | | | 2.0 | 1.0 | .0 | .0 | 2.0 |
| Brian Shaw$^†$ | 17 | 3 | 25.6 | .427 | .000 | .875 | 4.1 | 5.2 | .7 | .6 | 10.3 |
| Stojko Vranković | 19 | 0 | 5.8 | .469 | | .583 | 1.5 | .3 | .0 | .9 | 1.9 |

### Playoffs

Boston Celtics statistics :
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| John Bagley | 10 | 10 | 30.8 | .442 | .250 | .703 | 2.7 | 8.5 | .9 | .1 | 11.1 |
| Larry Bird | 4 | 2 | 26.8 | .500 | .000 | .750 | 4.5 | 5.3 | .3 | .5 | 11.3 |
| Dee Brown | 6 | 0 | 20.0 | .500 | .000 | .667 | 2.0 | 5.2 | .2 | .7 | 8.0 |
| Sherman Douglas | 6 | 0 | 10.8 | .360 | .000 | .500 | .7 | 1.7 | .0 | .0 | 3.2 |
| Rick Fox | 8 | 0 | 8.4 | .478 | .500 | 1.000 | .8 | .5 | .3 | .3 | 3.6 |
| Kevin Gamble | 10 | 10 | 33.5 | .473 | .000 | .800 | 4.2 | 2.3 | 1.2 | .6 | 13.6 |
| Joe Kleine | 9 | 0 | 9.1 | .409 | .000 | 1.000 | 2.4 | .1 | .0 | .1 | 2.2 |
| Reggie Lewis | 10 | 10 | 40.8 | .528 | .333 | .762 | 4.3 | 3.9 | 2.4 | .8 | 28.0 |
| Kevin McHale | 10 | 0 | 30.6 | .516 | .000 | .795 | 6.7 | 1.3 | .5 | .5 | 16.5 |
| Robert Parish | 10 | 10 | 33.5 | .495 | | .714 | 9.7 | 1.4 | .7 | 1.5 | 12.0 |
| Ed Pinckney | 10 | 8 | 31.4 | .603 | .000 | .839 | 8.4 | .7 | 1.2 | .9 | 9.6 |
| Stojko Vranković | 1 | 0 | 3.0 | 1.000 | | | .0 | 1.0 | .0 | .0 | 2.0 |
* $^†$ Denotes player spent time with another team in the season. Stats reflect time with the Celtics only.

## Awards and records

* Rick Fox, NBA All-Rookie Team 2nd Team