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| 1979–80 Boston Celtics season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Division champions | |||
| Head coach | Bill Fitch | ||
| General manager | Red Auerbach | ||
| Owner | Harry T. Mangurian Jr. | ||
| Arena | Boston Garden Hartford Civic Center | ||
| Results | |||
| Record | 61–21 (.744) | ||
| Place | Division: 1st (Atlantic) Conference: 1st (Eastern) | ||
| Playoff finish | Eastern Conference finals (lost to76ers 1–4) | ||
Stats atBasketball Reference | |||
| Local media | |||
| Television | WBZ-TV | ||
| Radio | WBZ | ||
| |||
The1979–80 Boston Celtics season was the 34th season of theBoston Celtics in theNational Basketball Association (NBA). Bolstered by the play of 23-year-old rookieLarry Bird, the Celtics improved from 29–53 the previous year, to 61–21, at the time the best NBA single season turnaround ever, and would cruise to the Eastern Conference finals but lose to the Philadelphia 76ers 4–1.[1][2]
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 53 | Wayne Kreklow | SG | Drake | |
| 3 | 61 | Ernesto Malcolm | SG | Briar Cliff | |
| 4 | 68 | Nick Galis | SG | Seton Hall | |
| 5 | 90 | Jimmy Allen | New Haven | ||
| 7 | 130 | Steve Castellan | PF | Virginia | |
| 8 | 149 | Glenn Sudhop | C | NC State | |
| 9 | 168 | Kevin Sinnett | Navy | ||
| 10 | 186 | Alton Byrd | PG | Columbia |
| Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head coach Assistant(s) Legend
Roster |
| W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| y-Boston Celtics | 61 | 21 | .744 | – | 35–6 | 26–15 | 17–7 |
| x-Philadelphia 76ers | 59 | 23 | .720 | 2 | 36–5 | 23–18 | 19–5 |
| x-Washington Bullets | 39 | 43 | .476 | 22 | 24–17 | 15–26 | 9–15 |
| New York Knicks | 39 | 43 | .476 | 22 | 25–16 | 14–27 | 8–16 |
| New Jersey Nets | 34 | 48 | .415 | 27 | 22–19 | 12–29 | 7–17 |
| # | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | PCT | GB | |
| 1 | z-Boston Celtics | 61 | 21 | .744 | – |
| 2 | y-Atlanta Hawks | 50 | 32 | .610 | 11 |
| 3 | x-Philadelphia 76ers | 59 | 23 | .720 | 2 |
| 4 | x-Houston Rockets | 41 | 41 | .500 | 20 |
| 5 | x-San Antonio Spurs | 41 | 41 | .500 | 20 |
| 6 | x-Washington Bullets | 39 | 43 | .476 | 22 |
| 7 | New York Knicks | 39 | 43 | .476 | 22 |
| 8 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 37 | 45 | .451 | 24 |
| 8 | Indiana Pacers | 37 | 45 | .451 | 24 |
| 10 | New Jersey Nets | 34 | 48 | .415 | 27 |
| 11 | Detroit Pistons | 16 | 66 | .195 | 44 |
| 1980 playoff game log | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conference semifinals: 4–0 (home: 2–0; road: 2–0)
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Conference finals: 1–4 (home: 1–2; road: 0–2)
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| 1980 schedule | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||