query: when did the celtics win championship?

title: 1975–76 Boston Celtics season

text: franchise history. The Celtics had a first round bye. (1) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Buffalo Braves: "Celtics win series 4–2" (1) Boston Celtics vs. (2) Cleveland Cavaliers: "Celtics win series 4–2" (E1) Boston Celtics vs. (W3) Phoenix Suns: "Celtics win series 4–2" 1975–76 Boston Celtics season The 1975–76 Boston Celtics season was their 30th in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and concluded with their 13th championship, defeating the Phoenix Suns in six games in the 1976 NBA Finals. The Celtics lost Don Chaney to the American Basketball Association before the 1975–76 season. To fill the gap in the backcourt they

title: Celtics–Lakers rivalry

text: for good, winning 97–91. The Celtics' victory in Game 4 was the largest comeback in the NBA Finals since 1971. The Lakers would win Game 5 103–98, despite blowing another large lead, and the series shifted back to Boston. However, the Celtics would close out the series in Game 6 with a dominant 131–92 win. The 39-point margin of victory was the largest ever in an NBA championship-clinching game, breaking the old record of 33, also set by the Celtics over the Lakers in Game Five of the 1965 NBA Finals, 129–96. Paul Pierce was named Finals MVP. This was

title: 1986–87 Boston Celtics season

text: which the Celtics would lose 4 games to 2. (1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (1) Boston Celtics "Lakers win series 4–2" 1986–87 Boston Celtics season The 1986–87 Boston Celtics season was the 41st season of the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Celtics entered the season as the defending NBA Champions, having defeated the Houston Rockets in the 1986 NBA Finals in six games, winning their sixteenth NBA championship. In the playoffs, the Celtics swept the Chicago Bulls in the First Round in three games, defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in the Semifinals in seven games, and the

title: Celtics–Lakers rivalry

text: only visiting team to win an NBA championship in that arena. Lakers owner Jerry Buss famously remarked that "this has removed the most odious sentence in the English language. It can never again be said that 'the Lakers have never beaten the Celtics'". The Celtics rebounded the following year to win the 1986 NBA Finals against the Rockets. In the 1987 NBA Finals, the two teams met for a tie-breaker of their 1980s Finals matches, and the Lakers once again emerged victorious in six games, with the iconic image of Magic Johnson's junior sky hook. This series marked the end

title: 1985–86 Boston Celtics season

text: reach the NBA Finals for a third consecutive season. In the NBA Finals, the Celtics faced off against the Houston Rockets in a rematch of the 1981 NBA Finals, which the Celtics won in six games. The Celtics would go on to win their 16th championship and the last for 22 years, defeating the Houston Rockets in six games in the NBA Finals, and had won 82 combined regular season and playoff games, a record that stood until the Chicago Bulls racked up 87 combined wins en route to a title (the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors broke that record with

title: 1983–84 Boston Celtics season

text: five series. (1) Boston Celtics vs. (5) New York Knicks: "Celtics win series 4-3" Last Playoff Meeting: 1974 Eastern Conference Finals (Boston won 4-3) Boston defeats the New York Knicks four games to three (4-3) in a best of seven series. (1) Boston Celtics vs. (2) Milwaukee Bucks: "Celtics win series 4-1" Last Playoff Meeting: 1983 Eastern Conference Semifinals (Milwaukee won 4-0) Boston defeats the Milwaukee Bucks four games to one (4-1) in a best of seven series. (E1) Boston Celtics vs. (W1) Los Angeles Lakers: "Celtics win series 4-3" Last Playoff Meeting: 1969 NBA Finals (Boston won 4-3) The

title: 2009–10 Boston Celtics season

text: for the twenty-first time in franchise history. The Celtics made it back to the NBA Finals after a one-year hiatus and played against the defending NBA champion and their rival, the Los Angeles Lakers. In a rematch of the 2008 NBA Finals, in which the Celtics defeated the Lakers in six games to capture their seventeenth championship, the Celtics were defeated this time by the Lakers in seven games. 2009–10 Boston Celtics season The 2009–10 Boston Celtics season was the 64th season of the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Celtics finished with a record of 50–32,

title: 76ers–Celtics rivalry

text: Los Angeles. Without Wilt, the Sixers managed a 55-27 record. Though Philadelphia again won the regular season series against the Celtics, they were no match for Boston in the playoffs and lost 4-1. The Celtics went on to win the championship, their 11th in 13 seasons. After this season, Russell retired and both teams would not meet in the playoffs until 1977. Ironically, the only two years Russell's Celtics did not win the championship, they lost to teams coached by Alex Hannum. The Sixers slumped until acquiring Julius Erving before the 1977 season. They became a contender in the East,

title: Boston Celtics

text: six games. In 1988, the Celtics lost in six games to future champion Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals. Following the season, head coach K.C. Jones retired and was replaced by assistant Jimmy Rodgers. Boston's hopes for 1988–89 faded when only 6 games into the season Larry Bird underwent a procedure to remove bone spurs in his feet. Bird did not play until after the All-Star Break, and the Celtics won just 42 games before a first round playoff defeat to the Detroit Pistons, who would go on to win the championship. Bird returned in 1989–90 and led the

title: Celtics–Knicks rivalry

text: Knicks' struggles continued by not qualifying for the playoffs from 1960–66. When the Knicks finally made it back to the playoffs in the 1966–67 season, they met the Celtics in the Division Semifinals. The Celtics won the first two, but the Knicks fought back to win Game 3. The Celtics ended the series with a win in New York, but did not win an NBA title that season as they were defeated by the Philadelphia 76ers in the next round. Boston won another title in 1968. In the 1968–69 season, the teams squared off in the Division Finals. Boston won

title: History of the Boston Celtics

text: in ). This record was set in Game 6 of the Finals. It was also the most a team needed to win a championship, surpassing the 1988 Los Angeles Lakers, who needed 24 in order to win the championship that year. The Celtics followed up the championship season with more dominance, winning the Atlantic Division with a record of 62–20. Unfortunately, it was announced just before the playoffs that Garnett would miss the entire post-season. In the first round of the 2009 NBA Playoffs, the team faced the seventh seed Chicago Bulls. Although the Celtics were favored, the Bulls surprised

title: Celtics–Lakers rivalry

text: 76ers to enter the Finals, marked by Johnny Most's famous call of "Havlicek stole the ball!" Unlike their previous two encounters, the Celtics dominated the Lakers, who were playing without an injured Elgin Baylor, and only Game 2 had a close score. The Celtics would win the series in Game 5 with a 129–96 victory over the Lakers. This was the largest margin of victory in a deciding Finals game, and would not be broken until 2008, when the Celtics defeated the Lakers once again by a score of 131–92. This was the Boston Celtics' eighth consecutive NBA Championship, a

title: Boston Celtics

text: deficit in Game 4 to win 97–91, the largest comeback in NBA Finals history. After again blowing a large lead, the Lakers hung on to win Game 5 103–98, sending the series back to Boston. In Game 6, the Celtics overpowered the Lakers, winning 131–92, clinching their 17th NBA title, and first since 1986. It remains the most win in a championship-clinching game; Paul Pierce was named Finals MVP. The win in Game 6 was a sense of relief, as it was a difficult path to this championship; in that game, these Celtics set a record for most games a

title: History of the Boston Celtics

text: 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.

title: Boston Celtics

text: champion Celtics for more than a decade. With Bill Russell, the Celtics advanced to the 1957 NBA Finals and defeated the St. Louis Hawks in seven games, the first of a record 17 championships. Russell went on to win 11 championships, making him the most decorated player in NBA history. In 1958, 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 that year, the Celtics began a dynasty that would last for more than a decade. In 1959, the Celtics won the NBA Championship after

title: 76ers–Celtics rivalry

text: Celtics advanced to the NBA Finals and defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in five games for their seventh straight title. In the 1966 season, the Sixers looked poised to end Boston's 7-year reign as NBA Champions; Philadelphia won the regular season series against Boston 6-4 and finished 55-25 to beat out the Celtics by one game and win the number one seed in Eastern Division. Chamberlain also won the MVP over Russell, who had won three of the previous four awards. When they met in the Conference Championship however, Boston defeated Philadelphia 4-1 and went on to win their eighth

title: 1964–65 Boston Celtics season

text: The 1965 NBA Draft took place on May 4, 1964. The Celtics had a division semifinal bye. (1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers: "Celtics win series 4–3" "Celtics win series 4–1" 1964–65 Boston Celtics season The 1964–65 NBA season was the Celtics' 19th season in the NBA. The Celtics finished the season by winning their eighth NBA Championship, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in five games. The team was named one of the 10 greatest teams in NBA history. In addition five players were inducted into the Hall of Fame - K.C. Jones, Sam Jones, Tom Heinsohn, Bill Russell,

title: Boston Celtics

text: century, the Celtics, after struggling through the 1990s, rose again to win a championship in 2008 with the help of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen in what was known as the new "Big Three" era, following the original "Big Three" era that featured Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish, which combined to win the 1981, 1984, and 1986 championships. Following the win in 2008, general manager Danny Ainge began a rebuilding process with the help of head coach Brad Stevens, who led the Celtics to a return to the playoffs from 2015. During the following season, the

title: History of the Boston Celtics

text: willing to come off the bench, deferring to the three big men already with the team. Walton would be 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 would win their 16th championship, easily defeating the Houston Rockets in the NBA Finals. Thanks to the 1984 trade of Gerald

title: Celtics–Knicks rivalry

text: traded to the Seattle SuperSonics. The Knicks descended into irrelevance and did not win a playoff series again until 2012. The Knicks had a major collapse after the end of the Ewing era as they did not win a single playoff game from 2001 to 2012. The Celtics went into a new era under the leadership of Paul Pierce, who became team captain in 2003 and brought them back to the playoffs. In 2006, they drafted Rajon Rondo and in 2007, they acquired Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, which formed their "big three." The trio helped the Celtics win their

title: Boston Celtics

text: the franchise's 16th championship and last of the 20th century. The Celtics won the second pick in the 1986 NBA draft after a remarkably poor year by the Seattle Supersonics, whose draft pick rights had been included in the 1984 trade of Gerald Henderson. They 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 loss the Celtics remained competitive in 1986–87, going 59–23 and again winning the Eastern Conference Championship. Injuries to key players led to a Lakers series win in

title: 2004–05 Boston Celtics season

text: the season, Walker was traded to the Miami Heat, while Payton went along with him signing as a free agent with the Heat will go to win the championship the following season. (3) Boston Celtics vs. (6) Indiana Pacers Indiana won 2–1 in the regular-season series: Last Playoffs meeting: 2004 Eastern Conference First Round (Indiana won 4–0) 2004–05 Boston Celtics season The 2004–05 NBA season was the 59th season for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association. The season is memorable when the team hired Doc Rivers to be their head coach for the upcoming season. During the offseason,

title: 1997–98 Boston Celtics season

text: and signed free agents Travis Knight, Andrew DeClercq and Bruce Bowen. Despite finishing with the NBA's second worst record in 1996–97, the Celtics were back in the headlines after hiring Rick Pitino as head coach. Pitino's Celtics career had an auspicious beginning on opening night when the Celtics upset the 5-time defending NBA Champion Chicago Bulls at the FleetCenter. Although the Celtics did not make the playoffs, they improved their win total by 21 games from the previous season, finishing sixth in the Atlantic Division with a 36–46 record. Second-year star Antoine Walker averaged 22.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per

title: Boston Celtics

text: to win the 1981 NBA Championship over the Houston Rockets, with Maxwell named NBA Finals MVP. Following the 1981–82 NBA season, the Celtics once again met the Sixers, and fell behind 3-1 before losing Game 7 at Boston Garden. In 1983 the Celtics were swept in the playoffs for the first time by the Milwaukee Bucks; afterward Fitch resigned and the team was sold to new owners led by Don Gaston. In 1983–84, the Celtics, under new coach K. C. Jones, would go 62–20 and return to the NBA Finals after a three-year hiatus. Boston came back from a 2–1

title: Celtics–Lakers rivalry

text: of an era for the Celtics. They did not reach the Finals again until 2008. The Lakers, meanwhile, went on to win the 1988 NBA Finals against the Detroit Pistons, before losing to the Pistons the following year in 1989, and win titles again in 2000, 2001 and 2002, all while the Celtics wallowed in mediocrity. Several journalists hypothesized that the Johnson–Bird rivalry was so appealing because it represented many other contrasts, such as the clash between the Lakers and Celtics, between Hollywood flashiness ("Lakers Showtime") and Boston/Indiana blue collar grit ("Celtic Pride"), and between blacks and whites. A 1984

title: St. John's Jr. Celtics

text: the province for the Veitch Memorial Trophy at either the Junior A or B level. In 1980, the St. John's Junior Hockey League was organized and a legitimate Junior B league was formed. The winner of this league, not an all-star team, would represent the city in provincial and inter-provincial events. One of the founding members of this league was the St. John's "Brothers Rice" Jr. Celtics. In 1982, the Celtics would win their first league championship. They would win the Veitch Memorial Trophy and move on to the first ever Don Johnson Cup—an inter-provincial Junior Championship featuring the best

title: 1980–81 Boston Celtics season

text: Points; AVG = Average" The Celtics have a first-round bye. Boston defeats the Chicago Bulls four games to none (4-0) in a best of seven series. (1) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Chicago Bulls: "Celtics win series 4–0" Last Playoff Meeting: Not available (first playoff series) Boston defeats the Philadelphia 76ers four games to three (4-3) in a best of seven series after making a comeback when they were losing 3-1. (1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers: "Celtics win series 4–3" Last Playoff Meeting: 1980 Eastern Conference Finals (Philadelphia won 4-1) (E1) Boston Celtics vs. (W6) Houston Rockets: "Celtics win

title: History of the Boston Celtics

text: 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 first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs, before losing the series in six games. In Game 6, the Celtics nearly completed a comeback when they went on a 20-0 run to cut the lead to 4, but that was the closest they got as the New York Knicks would take over to win. On June 3, 2013, head coach Doc Rivers was allowed out of his contract to coach Los Angeles Clippers and the Celtics were given

title: History of the Boston Celtics

text: had struggled during their early years, but the hiring of Coach Red Auerbach would change their fortunes. One of the first major players to join the Celtics was Bob Cousy, whom Auerbach initially refused to draft. Cousy eventually became the property of the Chicago Stags. When that franchise went bankrupt, Cousy was acquired by the Celtics in a dispersal draft. He would become a huge part of the Celtics' success and eventually became good friends with his new coach. Under Auerbach the Celtics improved dramatically, becoming a consistent threat to win in the NBA's Eastern Division in each of his

title: Celtics–Lakers rivalry

text: a best-of-five. They also set an NBA record for most playoff games ever needed to win a championship, with 26, surpassing the previous record of 24 by the Lakers in 1988. This was the third straight year in which the L.A. Lakers advanced to the NBA Finals. Much of both rosters had been kept intact since the teams last meeting in 2008 and the Celtics' veterans Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Rasheed Wallace looked to add to their championship résumés, while Kobe Bryant and the Lakers looked to even the score against the Celtics. The Lakers were the

title: History of the Boston Celtics

text: 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

title: History of the Boston Celtics

text: 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. Prior to the 1978–79 season, the Celtics changed ownership, as Irv Levin

title: St. John's Jr. Celtics

text: Junior B clubs from New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador. In the final game, the Jr. Celtics defeated PEI's Kensington Bombers, 4–3, to win the first ever championship. Newfoundland's own Don Johnson had the honour of awarding the trophy bearing his name to his own son, Celtics' Michael Johnson, at the first event. Nine games into the 1982–83 season, the Celtics had to pull out of the league. They were mothballed in 1983–84, but returned after that year off. In 1989, the league retracted by half and was promoted to Junior A to compete for

title: History of the Boston Celtics

text: Conference Finals. The first few games of the series started with the Celtics once again dominating at the TD Banknorth Garden, the Celtics home turf. Game 1 saw Paul Pierce come back after apparently suffering a knee injury earlier in the game, and taking over the game for a 98–88 Celtics win. But in Game 2, Boston nearly lost a 20-point lead, ultimately winning, 97–91. Squandered leads would later become the story of the series. When the Lakers returned to Staples Center and won Game 3, 87–81, then took a 24-point lead in the second quarter of Game 4, some

title: Celtics–Lakers rivalry

text: of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson in the early 1990s, but in when the two teams met in the Finals for the first time since , with the Celtics winning the series 4–2. They met again in the 2010 NBA Finals, which the Lakers won in 7 games. The rivalry was renewed again on July 1, 2018 when LeBron James signed with the Lakers and when his former teammate Kyrie Irving was traded to the Celtics the previous year. The two had played for the Cleveland Cavaliers during 2014–17 and won a championship together in 2016. Additionally, former Celtics star

title: 76ers–Celtics rivalry

text: round. Though considered a MVP candidate in his prime, the Sixers traded him in 1992 and went through a period of rebuilding. After winning the championship in 1986, the Celtics also began a decline that started with tragedy. Two days after they drafted him in the 1986 draft, Len Bias died of a drug overdose. Reggie Lewis died of a heart attack in his prime in 1993. The Celtics then missed the playoffs in 1994, and did not post a winning record until the 2001-02 season. Despite the 90's being a period of stagnation for both teams, it did produce

title: History of the Boston Celtics

text: group of promising players that would push the Celtics into a full-seven game series. Following a Game 7 85–75 win the Celtics faced the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, who had defeated them in the playoffs the previous year. After losing Game 1 93–79, Boston 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 come back 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

title: 1984–85 Boston Celtics season

text: the Lakers in the NBA Finals. This also marked the only time the Celtics lost the NBA Finals at home. A majority of this team moved onto coaching later in their careers. Kevin McHale, Rick Carlisle, Larry Bird, Danny Ainge, Dennis Johnson, and Sam Vincent have all coached in the NBA. (1) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Cleveland Cavaliers: "Celtics win series 3-1" (1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Detroit Pistons: "Celtics win series 4-2" (1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers: "Celtics win series 4-1" (E1) Boston Celtics vs. (W1) Los Angeles Lakers "Lakers win series 4-2" <nowiki>*</nowiki> – Recorded statistics

title: 1983–84 Boston Celtics season

text: won 4–3, and the first time the two teams met in the Finals in the 1980s. The Celtics would go on to defeat the Lakers in seven games, winning their fifteenth NBA championship, and extending their NBA Finals victories over the Lakers to 8. "Note: GP= Games played; REB= Rebounds; AST= Assists; STL = Steals; BLK = Blocks; PTS = Points; AVG = Scoring Average" (1) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Washington Bullets: "Celtics win series 3-1" Last Playoff Meeting: 1982 Eastern Conference Semifinals (Boston won 4-1) Boston defeats the Washington Bullets three games to one (3-1) in a best of

title: Celtics–Lakers rivalry

text: the Lakers would blow the Celtics out with a 20-point differential in Game 3. Although the Celtics would take Game 4, the Lakers would win Game 5 and fuel speculation that the young Lakers were about to surge past the older Celtics. A defiant Bill Russell denied that any such thing was going to happen. Sure enough, despite several close games, including the decisive game only having a three-point differential once again, the Celtics would only require six games to close out the Lakers this time. This series would also be notable for its future implications in NBA telecasts. When

title: 76ers–Celtics rivalry

text: by 2, then dribble up court to preserve the Celtics' close victory, reminiscent of John Havlicek's series-clinching steal in 1965. After the 1985 playoffs, the rivalry would die down. Bird and the Celtics would win one more championship in 1986, but the Sixers would not reach another conference finals until 2001. The Sixers saw a steep decline through the rest of the '80's, trading Malone and Cheeks along with the retirements of Erving and Toney. Charles Barkley emerged as the Sixers new leader and a prominent NBA superstar, however he was not able to get the team past the second

title: Celtics–Lakers rivalry

text: to the Finals. The Lakers had home court advantage for the first time and won the first two games, but the Celtics rebounded to force and win a dramatic Game 7 at the Los Angeles Forum, defying Laker's owner Jack Kent Cooke's infamous prediction of a Lakers celebration. West was named Finals MVP despite being on the losing team, but it was small consolation in a decade where the Lakers went without a championship, every one of their Finals' losses in that decade coming at the hands of the Celtics. The 1969 Finals also caused a deterioration in the relationship

title: Celtics–Lakers rivalry

text: for 15 shooting. It was the only time a visiting team claimed an NBA championship in Boston Garden. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was named MVP of the series, making him the oldest player (38 years, 1 month, 24 days) ever to win the MVP of an NBA Finals series. After being eliminated in the Western Conference Finals a year earlier, the Lakers returned to the NBA Finals and were awarded homecourt advantage as they accumulated a 65–17 record while the Celtics finished the season with a 59–23 record. The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Celtics four games to two. In Game 1,

title: Celtics–Lakers rivalry

text: the Celtics' 17th championship, their first since 1986, extending their record for most NBA championships won by a single team. Their win in Game 6 was also a sense of relief. Entering the game, they set a record of most playoff games played in one season, with 26, breaking the previous record of 25 set by both the 1994 New York Knicks, whom Celtics Coach Doc Rivers played for, and the 2005 Detroit Pistons, both of whom lost in their respective finals in seven games (Knicks in , Pistons in ). However, for the 1994 Knicks, the first round was

title: Boston Celtics

text: 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 a third overtime, at which point the Celtics prevailed. Tommy Heinsohn coached the team for those two championships. After the 1976 championship and a playoff appearance in 1977, Boston went into another rebuilding phase. In the 1977 NBA draft, the Celtics drafted a young forward from UNC Charlotte named Cedric Maxwell. "Cornbread" Maxwell did not contribute much in his rookie season, but he showed promise. Auerbach's job became

title: St. John's Jr. Celtics

text: the Manitoba Centennial Cup at a National level. The Celtics were a part of this Junior A experiment for its two seasons, but the winners of the two seasons (St. John's Jr. 50's and Avalon Jr. Capitals) did not fare well in national playdowns, and the entire league returned to Junior B in 1991. The Jr. Celtics won the St. John's League championship in 1982, 1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2008, and 2011. They won the Provincial Veitch Memorial Trophy in 1982, 1995, 2001, 2003, 2008, and 2011. 1982 remains the Celtics' only Don Johnson Cup. In May 2016 all levels

title: Boston Celtics

text: draft. In 1985, the Lakers and Celtics met again in the championship round, with the Lakers winning. This was the first time the Lakers had defeated the Celtics in the finals, and the only time the team won a championship at Boston Garden. During the following off-season, 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. Considering the talent Boston had in its frontcourt - Robert Parish emerging as

title: History of the Boston Celtics

text: K.C. Jones that year, the Celtics began a dynasty that would last for more than a decade. 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. Still coached by Auerbach, the Celtics won seven more consecutive championships, extending their streak to eight in a row. During that timespan, the Celtics met the Lakers in the Finals six times, starting an intense and often bitter rivalry. The Celtics would eventually meet the Lakers a total of 11 times in the NBA Finals. In 1964, Auerbach

title: 1986–87 Boston Celtics season

text: era and the first time since the 1978–79 season. However, they continued with the previous season's historic dominance at home with a record of 39–2 at Boston Garden. "Note: GP= Games played; REB= Rebounds; AST= Assists; STL = Steals; BLK = Blocks; PTS = Points; AVG = Scoring Average" (1) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Chicago Bulls: "Celtics win series 3–0" (1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Milwaukee Bucks "Celtics win series 4–3" (1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Detroit Pistons "Celtics win series 4–3" Despite the loss of Bias, the Celtics remained competitive in 1986–87, going 59–23 and again winning the Eastern

title: Celtics–Lakers rivalry

text: Russell attempted to patch things up, although he never uttered a genuine apology. When Chamberlain died in 1999, Chamberlain's nephew stated that Russell was the second person he was ordered to break the news to. The Celtics and Lakers both found success in the 1970s, but there would be no rematch between the two teams. The start of the decade saw the Lakers' woes in the NBA Finals continue, with a loss to the New York Knicks in 1970. However, the Lakers rebounded two years later to win the 1972 NBA Finals and their first championship in Los Angeles, also

title: History of the Boston Celtics

text: 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 would meet again, but this time the Lakers would take the championship. During the following offseason the Celtics acquired Bill Walton from the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Cedric Maxwell. Walton was a star with the Portland Trail Blazers, but injuries had kept him from living up to expectations. He was also a lifelong Celtics fan and

title: Celtics–Lakers rivalry

text: the series. The Lakers, led by new head coach Butch van Breda Kolff, would actually root for the Celtics to win the series, thinking that Bill Russell would be easier to defeat than 76er Wilt Chamberlain (Chamberlain would become a Laker the following season). The Lakers would get what they wished for and face the Celtics, but ultimately to the same result. The Celtics won Game 1, and the two teams would alternate victories through Game 5. Game 5 was notable for an impressive Lakers' comeback sending it into overtime, but the Celtics would ultimately win that game. In Game

title: History of the Boston Celtics

text: MVP himself. With Johnson starting alongside ex-CBA player Gerald Henderson, and former Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Danny Ainge, veterans Quinn Buckner and M.L. Carr coming off the bench, the Celtics once again had the backcourt depth to complement their talented frontline. In 1983–84 the Celtics would go 62–20 and finally get back to the NBA Finals after a three-year hiatus. In the final, the Celtics came back from a 2–1 deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers, winning their 15th championship. Bird renewed his college rivalry with Lakers star Magic Johnson during this series. After the series the Celtics

title: 76ers–Celtics rivalry

text: 76ers–Celtics rivalry The 76ers–Celtics rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics. The two teams have the most meetings in the NBA playoffs, playing each other in 21 series, with the Celtics winning 13 of them. The 76ers are considered to be the Celtics' second greatest rival, after the Los Angeles Lakers. The Syracuse Nationals and Boston Celtics played in the Eastern Division in the 1950s. The Nationals beat the Celtics in three straight playoff series in 1954, 1955, and 1956, winning the NBA Championship in 1955. After the 1956 season the

title: Cornwall Celtics

text: Cornwall Celtics The Cornwall Celtics are Junior "B" box lacrosse team from Cornwall, Ontario, Canada. The Celtics play in the OLA Junior B Lacrosse League. The Cornwall Celtics joined the OLA-B in 2006 with the Hamilton Bengals. These two teams are just 2 more teams in a huge expansion of the OLA-B in recent years. Their first season was a good start for such a competitive level of play. They first game was a 15-7 loss to the Gloucester Griffins on April 22, 2006. On May 6, 2006, the Celtics picked up their first win against the Milton Mavericks, 6-5.

title: 1972–73 Boston Celtics season

text: Knicks: "Knicks win series 4–3" 1972–73 Boston Celtics season The 1972–73 Boston Celtics season was their 27th in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Celtics finished the season with the best record in the league at 68–14. This mark is the Celtics franchise best. Third-year forward Dave Cowens won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award ahead of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Tiny Archibald. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics lost to the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks. This table only displays picks through the second round. (1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Atlanta Hawks: "Celtics win series 4–2" (1) Boston

title: Boston Celtics

text: the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs, before losing the series in six games. In Game 6, the Celtics nearly completed a comeback when they went on a 20–0 run to cut the lead to 4, but that was the closest they got as the New York Knicks would take over to win. During the offseason, head coach Doc Rivers was allowed out of his contract and left to coach the Los Angeles Clippers, giving the Celtics a 2015 unprotected first round pick as compensation. A few days later, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett (after waiving his no-trade clause),

title: Boston Celtics

text: due to injury, with a 19–3 record with O'Neal played over 20 minutes. Consequently, Perkins was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in February, when the Celtics were 41–14 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 injuries – O'Neal played only five minutes – and difficult adjustment of new Celtics such as Jeff Green, Nenad Krstić and Carlos Arroyo. The 2010–11 season still provided three landmarks: the

title: 76ers–Celtics rivalry

text: were voted in 1980 as being the greatest team in the History of the NBA to that point. In 1968, the Sixers finished 62-20, eight games above Boston, and Chamberlain won his third consecutive MVP award. Both teams met in the Conference Championship again, and the Celtics won the Series in seven games after trailing 3-1, and went on to win the 1968 NBA Championship. After the season, 76ers head coach Alex Hannum left the NBA for the ABA in order to move closer to his family on the West Coast, and Chamberlain requested a trade, and was traded to

title: Celtics–Knicks rivalry

text: go on another championship run. They beat Earl's old team, the Baltimore Bullets in round one, and met the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. Boston won Game 1 at home, but the Knicks won the next three (Game 4 in 2OT). Boston fought back to tie the series at 3, but the Knicks routed them in Game 7 and went on to win their second NBA title. The teams met in the Conference Finals for the 3rd year in a row in the 1973–74 season. Boston won the series 4–1 and would go on to win their 12th NBA

title: Celtics–Lakers rivalry

text: Rajon Rondo also signed with the Lakers in 2018, a day after LeBron’s signing. During the first decade of the NBA in the 1950s, the Minneapolis Lakers had the first NBA dynasty. Minneapolis would win the first ever Championship Series of the newly formed NBA in 1950 (three BAA Finals were played between 1947–1949 and retroactively counted as NBA Championships, one of which was won by the Lakers in 1949). Under Hall of Fame head coach John Kundla, and with the NBA's first superstar in George Mikan, they would win three more titles in 1952, 1953, and 1954. The Celtics

title: Boston Celtics

text: Los Angeles Lakers each time. Russell retired after the 1969 season, effectively ending a Celtics dynasty that had garnered an unrivaled 11 NBA titles in 13 seasons. The team's run of 8 consecutive is the longest championship streak in U.S. professional sports history. The 1970 season was a rebuilding year, as the Celtics had their first losing record since the 1949–50 season. However, with the acquisition of Dave Cowens, Paul Silas, and Jo Jo White, the Celtics soon became dominant again. After losing in the Eastern Conference Finals in 1972, the Celtics regrouped and came out determined in 1973 and

title: Boston Celtics

text: center Robert Parish and the Warriors' first round pick, the 3rd overall. He then used the pick to select University of Minnesota power forward Kevin McHale. With the addition of star prospect Larry Bird, the Celtics' new "Big 3" put the team back on the path to dominance. Despite losing center Dave Cowens to retirement late in training camp, the Celtics went 62–20 under coach Bill Fitch in 1980–81. Once again the Celtics faced the 76ers in the Eastern Conference Finals, falling behind 3 games to 1 before coming back to win the 7th game 91–90. The Celtics went on

title: History of the Boston Celtics

text: retired. However, Bias died 48 hours after he was drafted, after using cocaine at a party and overdosing. It was the first in a long string of bad luck for the Celtics. Despite the loss of Bias, the Celtics remained competitive in 1986–87, going 59–23 and again winning the Eastern Conference Championship. However, in the Finals the tired, aging, and injured Celtics ran into perhaps the best Los Angeles Lakers team of the decade. The biggest injury was yet another foot injury for Bill Walton, who only played 10 regular season games in 1986–87 after playing 80 games the year

title: Boston Celtics

text: fresh off a trip to the NBA Finals. The Celtics won a hard-fought 5-game series with the 76ers in the first round, 3–2. Pierce scored 46 points in the series-clinching blowout at the Fleet Center. In the Conference Semifinals, the Celtics defeated the favored Detroit Pistons 4–1. In their first trip to the Eastern Conference Finals since 1988, the Celtics jumped out to a 2–1 series lead over the Nets, after rallying from 21 points down in the fourth quarter to win Game 3, but would lose the next three games to fall 4–2. In 2003, the Celtics were sold

title: Celtics–Lakers rivalry

text: games. The Celtics win over the Lakers in 1966 marked an unprecedented eight consecutive championships, the longest streak of any North American professional sports team. The Lakers acquired Wilt Chamberlain in 1968, which brought the personal rivalry between him and Bill Russell, previously a feature of the Celtics-76ers rivalry, to Celtics-Lakers. The Lakers posted the best record in the West during the 1968–1969 season. By contrast, the aging Celtics struggled to obtain the fourth seed, with Russell and Jones playing in their final seasons. Despite this, the Celtics upset the Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks and made it

title: History of the Boston Celtics

text: Celtics drafted a young forward from the UNC Charlotte named Cedric Maxwell. Maxwell did not contribute much in his rookie season, but he showed promise. Auerbach's job became even tougher following a horrible 1977–78 in which they went 32–50 as John Havlicek, the Celtics All-Time leading scorer, retired after 16 seasons. Thanks to a trade and their poor record in 1977–78, the Celtics owned two of the top eight picks in the 1978 NBA draft. 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

title: 2014–15 Boston Celtics season

text: Thomas was acquired from the Phoenix Suns. On March 9, 2015, the Celtics passed the previous season's win total of 25 with a 100–90 win over the Miami Heat. On April 13, 2015, the Celtics qualified for the playoffs for the 7th time in the last 8 seasons and for the first time since 2012–13. Their season ended after being swept in the first round playoff series by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Source: NBA.com 2014–15 Boston Celtics season The 2014–15 Boston Celtics season was the 69th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA)., The Boston Celtics finished the

title: 1989–90 Boston Celtics season

text: the regular season, the Celtics had scored an average of 110 points per a game, and allowed an average of 106 points per game. During the playoffs against the Knicks that year, the Celtics quickly took the first 2 games of the series, but the New York Knicks would come back and rally to win 3 games in a row, sending the Celtics home. (4) Boston Celtics vs. (5) New York Knicks: "Knicks win series 3–2" Last Playoff Meeting: 1988 Eastern Conference First Round (Boston won 3–1) Larry bird 24.5 ppg 1989–90 Boston Celtics season The 1989–90 NBA season was

title: 1987–88 Boston Celtics season

text: trailed 3–2 to Dominique Wilkins and the Atlanta Hawks, but won the final two games. They advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the fifth consecutive time, becoming the first team to do so since the 1968–69 Boston Celtics (which reached the previous thirteen). However, they would lose to Isiah Thomas and the 2nd-seeded Detroit Pistons in six games. (1) Boston Celtics vs. (8) New York Knicks: "Celtics win series 3-1" Last Playoff Meeting: 1984 Eastern Conference Semifinals (Boston won 4-3) (1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Atlanta Hawks: "Celtics win series 4-3" Last Playoff Meeting: 1986 Eastern Conference Semifinals (Boston

title: 76ers–Celtics rivalry

text: the Eastern Conference Finals that season to face the Sixers. The Sixers beat Boston in 5, but failed to win the title against the Lakers. The next season, both the Celtics and the Sixers finished with the best record in the NBA at 62-20, but Boston held the tiebreaker in the ranking. In a classic 7-game Eastern Finals, the Celtics beat the 76ers in 1981 4-3, coming all the way back from a 3-1 deficit to win the next 3 games in classic finishes. The Celtics won Games 5 and 6 by 2 points each and the seventh game by

title: 76ers–Celtics rivalry

text: 1 point, 91-90, coming back from a 7-point deficit with a few minutes left to win on a Larry Bird banker from the left side with barely a minute left. The Celtics then defeated the Houston Rockets on their way to their first title in 5 years. For the 1981-1982 season, the Celtics again had the best record in the NBA at 63-19, followed by Philadelphia at 58-24, with one of the Sixers' key victories in the regular season being a win in Boston to snap the Celtics' 18-game winning streak. In the 1982 Eastern Finals, Boston attempted to come

title: 1992–93 Boston Celtics season

text: finish second in the Atlantic Division with a solid 48–34 record (only 3 games behind the previous year, when Bird was on the team). The Celtics held home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs against the 5th-seeded Charlotte Hornets, but during Game 1 of the series, All-Star forward Reggie Lewis collapsed on the court (Lewis would never again play in a Celtics uniform, and would die before the next season began). Boston held on to win Game 1, but (minus Lewis) lost the next three games, and thus the series. (4) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Charlotte Hornets:

title: 1988–89 Boston Celtics season

text: still dangerous at Boston Garden (defeating both the Lakers and Pistons) but struggled mightily away from home, failing to record a road win over a team with a winning record. The Celtics faced the Detroit Pistons in the postseason for the 4th time in 5 seasons, but this time much earlier, in the first round. The Pistons were heavily favored but hope arose for a competitive series when the Celtics activated Bird for their playoff roster. However, Bird never suited for a game and the Pistons easily dispatched the Celtics in a three-game sweep. (1) Detroit Pistons vs. (8) Boston

title: 76ers–Celtics rivalry

text: Celtics traded for Bill Russell and drafted K.C. Jones, both of whom starred and won Championships at the University of San Francisco. Also adding Tom Heinsohn with a territorial pick, the Celtics would win their next three playoff series against the Nationals in the playoffs (1957, 1959, and 1961) before the Nationals were sold and moved to Philadelphia. In 1963, the Syracuse Nationals moved to Philadelphia and became the 76ers, renewing the basketball rivalry between Philadelphia and Boston (from when the Warriors had been in Philadelphia). Shortly after the All-Star break in 1965, the Sixers acquired Wilt Chamberlain from the

title: 76ers–Celtics rivalry

text: straight NBA Championship. The next year the Sixers brought in Alex Hannum as head coach. Hannum had also coached the Bob Pettit-led St. Louis Hawks to the 1958 NBA Championship-the last year someone had defeated the Celtics in the championship. The Sixers went a then-NBA record 68-13 while the Celtics were 60-21. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Sixers overpowered Boston, beating them in five games and ending Boston's eight-year reign as NBA champions. The Sixers won the NBA Championship by beating the San Francisco Warriors in six games, giving the Sixers and Chamberlain their first title. The 1966-67 76ers

title: 1974–75 Boston Celtics season

text: 1974–75 Boston Celtics season The 1974–75 Boston Celtics season was the 29th season of the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Boston Celtics were one of a handful of teams to play home games in four arenas. Their main venue was Boston Garden, but three home games were played at the Hartford Civic Center, three at the Providence Civic Center and one at the Springfield Civic Center. This table only displays picks through the second round. The Celtics had a first round bye. (1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Houston Rockets: "Celtics win series 4-1" (1) Boston Celtics

title: Boston Celtics

text: 2017–18 season, the Celtics wore special edition "City" uniforms designed by Nike. Their first "City" uniforms were in gray and featured a pattern of the parquet floor throughout, a green shamrock with white trim on the left leg, green letters with white trim, Red Auerbach's signature near the uniform tag, and a portion of the 2008 championship banner on the beltline. For the 2018–19 season, the Celtics wore white "City" uniforms with green letters and shamrocks trimmed in gold. It also has Red Auerbach's signature near the uniform tag and a gold-trimmed alternate Celtics logo on the beltline. In addition,

title: Boston Celtics

text: The other two coaches that won 2 NBA titles with the team are Tom Heinsohn and K. C. Jones. Both Bill Fitch and Doc Rivers led the Celtics to 1 NBA championship the latter being the most recent coach to do so. Brad Stevens is the team's current head coach. The Boston Celtics logo since 1968 features a leprechaun spinning a basketball, named Lucky, originally depicted with a large basketball for a background. It was originally designed by Zang Auerbach, the brother of Celtics head coach Red Auerbach. Through the 1995–96 season, the logo's only colors were black, white and

title: Boston Celtics

text: Championship game. Freeman Williams was also taken, being traded before the 1978–79 season began. In 1978, owner Irv Levin traded his stake in the Celtics to John Y. Brown, Jr. for control of the Buffalo Braves, which he moved to California as the San Diego Clippers. As part of the deal trades were made between the two franchises which resulted in many former Braves joining the Celtics. A move that irked Auerbach was a trade Brown made with the Braves that saw Buffalo's franchise center Bob McAdoo join the Celtics in return for three first round draft picks Auerbach had

title: Boston Celtics

text: and Garnett. In the Conference Semifinals the Celtics faced the Philadelphia 76ers led by Doug Collins and a young group of promising players that would push the Celtics into a full-seven game series. Following a Game 7 85–75 win the Celtics faced the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, who had defeated them in the playoffs the previous year. After losing the first two games in Miami, Boston fought back and won the next three games. With the possibility of closing the series at home, the C suffered a blowout loss at the TD Garden of 98–79, taking the

title: 1972–73 Boston Celtics season

text: 1972–73 Boston Celtics season The 1972–73 Boston Celtics season was their 27th in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Celtics finished the season with the best record in the league at 68–14. This mark is the Celtics franchise best. Third-year forward Dave Cowens won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award ahead of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Tiny Archibald. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics lost to the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks. This table only displays picks through the second round. (1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Atlanta Hawks: "Celtics win series 4–2" (1) Boston Celtics vs. (2) New York

title: 1980–81 Boston Celtics season

text: 1980–81 Boston Celtics season In 1980–81 the Boston Celtics went 62-20 under coach Bill Fitch. Despite losing center Dave Cowens to retirement late in training camp, the Celtics went on to capture the 1981 NBA Championship over the Houston Rockets. The highlight was that this championship was achieved just two years after Larry Bird had been drafted. Cedric Maxwell was named NBA Finals MVP. After the 1979-80 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

title: Boston Celtics

text: of coach Red Auerbach. In the franchise's early days, Auerbach had no assistants, ran all the practices, did all the scouting—both of opposing teams and college draft prospects—and scheduled all road trips. One of the first great players to join the Celtics was Bob Cousy, whom Auerbach initially refused to draft out of nearby Holy Cross because he was "too flashy." Cousy's contract eventually became the property of the Chicago Stags, but when that franchise went bankrupt, Cousy went to the Celtics in a dispersal draft. After the 1955–56 season, Auerbach made a stunning trade, sending perennial All-Star Ed Macauley

title: 2004–05 Boston Celtics season

text: never suit up for the Hawks and was released shortly after. He then re-signed with the Celtics afterwards for the remainder of the season. The team went on a 7-game winning streak in March, finishing first place in the Atlantic Division with a 45–37 record. Paul Pierce was selected for the 2005 NBA All-Star Game. Despite their mediocre record, the Celtics earned the #3 seed in the Eastern Conference. In the playoffs, they lost to the 6th-seeded Indiana Pacers in a seven-game first round series. Boston did not return to the playoffs until 2008 en route to the championship. Following

title: Boston Celtics

text: faced each other 61 times during the playoffs, with the Celtics winning 34 times. The Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers are the two teams who have the most meetings in the NBA Playoffs, playing each other in 19 series, of which the Celtics have won 12. The 76ers are considered as the Celtics' biggest rival in the Eastern Conference. The rivalry reached its peak when players Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain of the 76ers played each other from 1965 to 1968. Their play would result in the Celtics not winning every NBA Finals series in the 1960s when the Sixers

title: 1991–92 Boston Celtics season

text: three straight games of the first round, but succumbed to the Cavaliers in a 7-game Eastern Conference semifinal series. . Starter PG- 5 John Bagley. SG- 35 Reggie Lewis SF- 34 Kevin Gamble PF- 54 Ed Pinckney C- 00 Robert Parrish (2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Indiana Pacers: "Celtics win series 3–0" Last Playoff Meeting: 1991 Eastern Conference First Round (Boston won 3–2) (2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Cleveland Cavaliers: "Cavaliers win series 4–3" Last Playoff Meeting: 1985 Eastern Conference First Round (Boston won 3–1) 1991–92 Boston Celtics season The 1991–92 NBA season was the 46th season for the Boston

title: Boston Celtics

text: the 2008–09 season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Celtics wore a modified version of their home uniforms, accented with gold, to commemorate last season's championship team. The Celtics have also worn special edition Christmas Day uniforms since the 2008–09 season. For the first four games, they wore their regular green uniforms modified with the NBA logo inside a snowflake. Then in the 2012–13 season, they wore monochrome uniforms with green lettering trimmed in white. For the 2016–17 season, the Celtics wore a special green uniform with a more ornate script lettering, but without the additional striping. Starting with the

title: 1985–86 Boston Celtics season

text: hammering the Hawks in the third quarter by a score of 36–6. (1) Boston Celtics vs. (2) Milwaukee Bucks: "Celtics win series 4–0" The Eastern Conference Finals matched the Celtics up against the Milwaukee Bucks and head coach Don Nelson. Nelson was a former Celtic player who enraged the Celtics in the 1983 NBA Playoffs by accusing Celtic guard Danny Ainge of "dirty" play. The Celtics swept the Bucks. This was the third time in four years that the Bucks and the Celtics had met in the playoffs; the Bucks defeated the Celtics in the 1983 Eastern Conference Semifinals, and

title: Celtics–Lakers rivalry

text: their 'Big Three' of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen. Los Angeles was led by MVP Kobe Bryant and All-Star Pau Gasol. The Celtics' 66–16 record gave them home court advantage over Los Angeles (57–25). The Celtics won Game 1 98–88, highlighted by a dramatic comeback by Paul Pierce after a third quarter knee injury. In Game 2, the Celtics had a comfortable 24-point lead in the fourth quarter, before Kobe Bryant led a furious Lakers run that cut the lead to two. However the Celtics would hold on to win 108-102, taking the commanding 2–0 series lead. As

title: Celtics–Lakers rivalry

text: NBA Finals. This marked the first of Boston's record eight straight titles. This was the first NBA Finals series between the Lakers and Celtics after the Lakers moved to Los Angeles. Boston would win game one. However, the Lakers would edge out for close victories in Game 2 and Game 3. The Celtics would win Game 4 before the Lakers would come back and win another close victory in Game 5. In the Game 5 victory, Baylor grabbed 22 rebounds and set the still-standing NBA record for points in a finals game with 61, despite fouling out of the game.

title: History of the Boston Celtics

text: seasons, he had played his last game in the NBA in the 1987 NBA Playoffs. The Celtics did add some new players in the 1987 NBA draft. In the first round, the Celtics selected a promising guard/forward out of Northeastern University by the name of Reggie Lewis. The Celtics also added Brad Lohaus in the second round, giving head coach K.C. Jones a few more weapons to choose from. Jones was not one to play rookies, however, and both Lewis and Lohaus spent much of the 1987–88 season on the bench while Jones continued to play his veterans. The team

title: History of the Boston Celtics

text: believed momentum in the series had shifted the Lakers' way. However, the Celtics did not give up. Led by a bench that outscored the Lakers bench by 20 points, they fought back. The Celtics locked up their defense and took over Game 4 with a crushing 97–91 victory, the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history. Although the Lakers took Game 5, 103–98, the series went back to Boston for Game 6, and the Celtics finished it off with a dominating 131–92 victory. This game would mark the largest margin of victory for a clinching finals game in NBA history. The

title: History of the Boston Celtics

text: 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 Three' era. At the All Star break,

title: History of the Boston Celtics

text: "ceremonial" way, became the "Vice Chairman of the Board") Unfortunately for the Celtics, Pitino was not the savior everyone expected him to be, although he did acquire several talented young players during his tenure. The Celtics, after going 15–67 in 1996–97, had the best chance at winning the NBA's draft lottery in 1997. Their odds were augmented even further by a 1996 trade that sent Eric Montross to Dallas in exchange for the Mavericks 1st round pick in 1997 (as well as a swap in draft picks in 1996 that allowed the Celtics to move up to select Walker), which

title: 1987–88 Boston Celtics season

text: won 4-1) (1) Boston Celtics vs. (2) Detroit Pistons: "Pistons win series 4-2" Last Playoff Meeting: 1987 Eastern Conference Finals (Boston won 4-3) The Celtics would end up losing to the Detroit Pistons in the conference finals as an aging Celtics team was beginning to falter against a younger and fresher pistons team. This would be the first time in 5 years that the Celtics would not make it to the finals and would not return to another finals until 2008. 1987–88 Boston Celtics season The 1987–88 Boston Celtics season was the 42nd season of the Boston Celtics in the

title: 1974–75 Boston Celtics season

text: vs. (2) Washington Bullets: "Bullets win series 4-2" 1974–75 Boston Celtics season The 1974–75 Boston Celtics season was the 29th season of the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Boston Celtics were one of a handful of teams to play home games in four arenas. Their main venue was Boston Garden, but three home games were played at the Hartford Civic Center, three at the Providence Civic Center and one at the Springfield Civic Center. This table only displays picks through the second round. The Celtics had a first round bye. (1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Houston

title: History of the Boston Celtics

text: 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. Pitino had led the University of Kentucky to an NCAA Championship and was a very successful head coach at the college level, with a short NBA stint with the New York Knicks several years prior. Some controversy was generated when Pitino was given the title of team "President", taking such title away from Red Auerbach (Auerbach, who by 1997 was holding the title in a

title: 1988–89 Boston Celtics season

text: Celtics: "Pistons win series 3-0" Last Playoff Meeting: 1988 Eastern Conference Finals (Detroit won 4-2) 1988–89 Boston Celtics season The 1988–89 Boston Celtics season was the 43rd season of the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association (NBA). This was the first season for Jim Rodgers as head coach. Rodgers had been a Celtics assistant coach prior to this season. This year's Celtics team was severely hindered by the loss of star forward Larry Bird to a heel injury which required surgery. Bird played only six early-season games before being lost to injury. Initially, Bird was expected back in March,

title: Celtics–Lakers rivalry

text: to their NBA careers, and reignite the rivalry between the two storied franchises that they came to represent. The Celtics-Lakers rivalry was renewed in the 1980s, in large part due to the personal rivalry between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. Magic said of the games against the Celtics, "when the new schedule would come out each year, I'd grab it and circle the Boston games. To me, it was "The Two" and the other 80." Similarly, Bird said that, "the first thing I would do every morning was look at the box scores to see what Magic did. I didn't