In June of 1946, the BAA was created, and so where the Boston Celtics. Walter Brown who owned the Boston Garden was the owner of the team. and hired John Russell as the teams first head coach. the Celtics first ever games was delayed because Celtic Chuck Conners, broke the backboard. Conners would go on to star in the hit TV western "the Rifleman"
The Celtics would make their first ever playoff trip in 1948, but would lose 2-1 to the Chicago Stags. in 48-49, the Celtics would go under alot of Transformations, head coach Russell, was replaced by Alvin Julian, and only 3 Celtics that where on opening night roster, where still celtics at the end of the season.
When the BAA, and the NBL merged to form the NBA, the Celtics joined the newly created league, but where among one of the worst teams, yet the team perservered.
in 1950 after 6 teams went defunct, the Celtics got Ed Macauley, from the defuncted Bombers. the Celtics also aquired a rookie gaurd Bob Cousey from the Chicago Stags. Cousey and MaCauley would help turn the Celtics around. and the Celtics hired a new head coach, Red Auerbach.. the Celtics would finish with their first plus .500 record in team history at 39-30. but Lost to New York in the Playoffs.
The Next season the Celtics aquired Bill Sharman, and improved yet again, and was 1 win out of first place, but the Celtics would lose to the Knicks yet again. the Celtics would finaly win a playoff series the next year. in a triple overtime thriller, the Celtics where lead by Bob Couseys Playoff record 50 points. as they beat the Syracuse Nationals, but once again, the Knicks ended the Celtics season.
from '53-56 Boston was a medocre team, who made the playoffs but never really where contenders, for the title. but then in 1956, the Celtics once again hit a double jackpot. first using their territorial pick to selected Tom Heinson out of Holy Cross, and then with a trade with the St Louis Hawks, were the Celtics aquired San Fransico big man, Bill Russell.
In 1957, the Celtics, and the Hawks would meet in the Finals, and the series would go to 7, and game 7 was the first game to be played in front of a national audience. and after a hard fought close game, the Celtics lead by 2, and St. Louis Gaurd Bob Pettit had a chance to tie it at the Buzzer, but missed and the Celticss won their first NBA Championship.
Boston and St Louis would meet again in the NBA finals, but St Louis would defeat Boston this time, and win the title. the next year Boston added KC Jones, whom they had drafted two years earlier, but didnt play due to military service. the Celtics would once again make the NBA finals, but this time, they faced a new foe. the Minneapolis Lakers. the Lakers where lead by a young rookie named Elgin Baylor. tough the Celtics swept the series, and won the title, this would be the first of many NBA finals series between the two teams.
The next 4 years would be some of the most glorius in team History, the Celtics would dominate the league, though guys like Baylor, Hal Greer, and Wilt Chamberlin would greats who played at this time. the Celtics always managed to win the title. in 1963, after the Celtics had won their 5th stright NBA title, Bob Cousey called it quits. he would leave the game being the alltime assist lead(though the his record has been broken alot of times now).
Though the loss of Cousey was big, the Celtics still had Bill Russell. Russell would lead the Celtics to 3 more concecutive titles, bringing the Boston total to 8. and 9 in the last 10 years. the next year Red Auerbach would retire has head coach, and Bill Russell would take over as player-coach. the change was to much for the Celtics as their string of titles came to an end to the Wilt Chamberlin lead 76ers.
Boston would not forget their loss to the Sixers, and the two teams faced of again in the 1968 playoffs. after the Sixers took a 3-1 series lead, it looked as if the Celtics dynasty was over, but Bill Russell railled the Celtics who won the next three, and went on to beat the Lakers in the finals for their 10th NBA title in 12 years.
in 68-69 Boston only won 48 games, their lowest since the title runs had begane, but facing, and beating the 76ers, and Knicks in the playoffs, and facing the Lakers for their NBA record 11th championship in 13 years.
The next year, the Celtics lost Bill Russell, and Sam Jones to retirement, and failed to make the playoffs for the first time in 20 years.(3rd longest streak in NBA History). The Next season the Celtics added, Dave Cowens from the Draft, and Don Nelson from free agentcy, along with Jo-Jo White, Don Cheany, and John Havlicek who where allready with the team. but the Celtics 44-38 record wasnt good enough to make the playoffs.
in 72-73 the Celtics improved, and make the playoffs, but lost to the Knics. the Next year the Celtics beat the Buffalo Braves, and the Knics, to make it back to the NBA finals. the Celtics would face the Milwaukee Bucks, who were lead by their superstar center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. the Celtics would win the series in 7. and win their 12th NBA title in 18 years.
The Celtics would make it back to the Finals 2 years later, and face the Phoenix Suns. the Celtics won the series in 6, but game 5 is called the greatest game of alltime. the Celtics beat the Suns 128-126 in triple Overtime. This would be Bostons 13th NBA title, in 20 years.
The Next season the Celtics struggled, though they made the Playoffs, and beat the San Antonio Spurs, they didnt make the finals. as they lost to the Sixers. in 77-78 the Celtics won only 34 games, the lowest since 1949-50. and failed to make the playoffs.
In 78-79, unpopular owner Irv levin, and the owner of the Buffalo Braves, John Y. Brown. swapt teams. Brown wanted to own a team in his home city of Boston. and Levin moved the Buffalo Braves to San Diego where they became the Clippers. there was also a 7 player deal in the trade. Boston acquired Nate Archibald, Billy Knight, Marvin Barnes, and two future draft choices and San Diego received Freeman Williams Kevin Kunnert, and forwards Kermit Washington and Sidney Wicks. but the pick Boston got involving that trade, would make everything seem obsolete. the Celtics used the #6th pick to draft Indiana forward Larry Bird. Bird wouldnt join the team until the next season. and the Celtics finised 29-53
The Next season the Celtics would have the best record in the NBA, while Larry Bird won rookie of the year honors. but the Celtics would lose in the playoffs to Philadelphia.
In the draft the Celtics traded the #1 pick, to the Warriors for Robert Parish, and the #3 pick. which became Kevin McHale. all the pieces where now set for the Celtics to return to the NBA finals. which they did, as they defeated the Moses Malone lead Rockets in 6.
The next two seasons the Celtics would have wonderful seasons, but stumble in the playoffs. losing to Phill in 82, and Milwaukee in 83. in 83-84 KC Jones took over coaching for Bill Fitch, and the Celtics added gaurd Dennis Johnson to the team. Larry Bird would go on to win the first of three concecutive MVP awards, as the Celtics returned to the Finals to face the Magic Johnson lead Los Angeles Lakers. the Celtics and Lakers would fight hard in their first of many epic NBA finals during the 80s. and the Celtics came out on top in 7.
The Lakers and Celtics would meet again in the NBA finals. but unlike the previous nine times, the Celtics wouldnt come out on top. as the Lakers won the NBA title.But the Next year lead by MVP larry Bird, the Celtics would steal the title back.
When the 85-86 season ended for the Celtics, it ended in Celebration. when the 86-87 season begain, it was marred by Tragety. the Celtics had the #2 pick in the 1986 draft, and used it on Maryland's Len Bias. but two days later Bias overdosed on cocain, and died. the move that was suppost to rejuvinate the celtics, would set them back years. the Season was also not very kind to Boston, as all their Major players suffered from injury, but the Celtics did manage to fight their way to the Finals, where they lost to the Lakers.
The trip to the finals in 87 would be the Celtics last. as they lost to Detroit the next season in 6, and age caught up with the vetran team. the next season Larry Bird missed all but 6 games, and the Celtics only won 42 games. and were swept by Detroit. but one birght spot was Reggie Lewis, who was a second year player who lead the Celtics in scoring.
in 88-89 with Bird back, the Celtics improved 10 games over the previous year, and where second in the Atlantic. but after winning the first two in their best of 5 vs New York. the Patrick Ewing lead Knicks came back to win three stright.
The Celtics would beat the Pacers the next year to advance past the first round for the first time in 2 years, but would once again lose to the Pistons. the next year the Celtics lead by Lewis, won the Atlatic, and after sweeping the Pacers, lost to the Cavaliers.
Just before the 1992-93 season, Larry Bird announced his retirment. his 13 years with the Celtics where some of the greatest in NBA history. the Celtics fell out of the gates, but regoruped and made the playoffs, and faced the Charlotte Hornets. The Hornets would beat the Celtics in 4, but Reggie Lewis would collapse in game 1, and later while shooting hoops, he collapsed again. he later died.
With Lewis's death, and McHale retiring, the Celtics would miss the playoffs, and only win 32 games. this would mark the last chapter in the Celtics dynasty. Robert Parrish would sign with the Hornets, and the Boston Gardenw as demolised, and the Fleet center became the Celtics new home.
the next 10 years would be some of the worst for the Celtics. the Celtics would only make the playoffs once 1993-94. and would have a top 5 pick, in 6 of the 10 years. they added players like Antoine Walker, Paul Pierce, Tony Battie, Calbert Cheany, Walter McCarty, and Eric Williams. but it wasnt until the team fired Rick Pitino, and made assist coach Jim O'Brien head caoch in 2001 did the Celtics have a decent season.