The Celtics' rise to dominance began in the late 1950s, after the team, led by coachRed Auerbach, acquiredBill Russell in 1956, later becoming the cornerstone of the Celtics dynasty. Led by Russell,Bob Cousy, andTom Heinsohn, the Celtics won their first NBA championship in1957. Russell, along with a talented supporting cast of futureHall of Famers including Heinsohn,Don Nelson,K. C. Jones,John Havlicek,Sam Jones,Satch Sanders, andBill Sharman, would usher the Celtics into the greatest period in franchise history, winning eight consecutive NBA championships from1959 to1966. After Russell became the team'splayer-coach, as well as the first African American head coach in any United States sport, they won back-to-back titles in1968 and1969. The Celtics entered a period of rebuilding after Russell retired in 1969.
In the mid-1970s, the Celtics became contenders once again, winning championships in1974 and1976 under the leadership of head coach Tom Heinsohn withDave Cowens, Havlicek, andJo Jo White. In the 1980s, the Celtics returned to dominance. Anchored by the "Big Three" ofLarry Bird,Kevin McHale, andRobert Parish, the team experienced a renewed rivalry with the"Showtime" Lakers and won championships in1981,1984, and1986, the latter two with head coach K. C. Jones against the Lakers. After the retirements of Bird and McHale, the departure of Parish, and the untimely deaths of 1986 draft pickLen Bias and star playerReggie Lewis, the Celtics struggled through the 1990s and much of the early 2000s.
After another period of rebuilding, the Celtics assembled a new "Big Three" around team captainPaul Pierce by acquiringRay Allen andKevin Garnett in the 2007 offseason. Under the leadership of head coachDoc Rivers, the team defeated the Lakers to win their 17th championship in2008, while also losing to the Lakers in the2010 Finals. Allen, Garnett, and Pierce were no longer with the team by the start of the 2013–14 season, with Garnett and Pierce being traded to theBrooklyn Nets for four total future first round picks. With two of these first round picks, the team draftedJaylen Brown andJayson Tatum in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Led by"The Jays", the team returned to theNBA Finals in2022, losing to theGolden State Warriors, and defeated theDallas Mavericks in2024 to secure their 18th championship.
The "Celtics" nickname and the team's mascot "Lucky the Leprechaun" are nods toBoston's historically large Irish population, and also to theOriginal Celtics, abarnstorming basketball team that played in the early 20th century.[14] The Celtics havea notable rivalry with theLos Angeles Lakers, who are second in NBA history with 17 championships. The teams' rivalry was especially pronounced in the 1960s and 1980s. The Celtics have played the Lakers a record 12 times in the NBA Finals and have defeated them nine times. 41 members ofBasketball Hall of Fame have played for the Celtics at least once in their careers. Four Celtics players (Bob Cousy, Bill Russell, Dave Cowens and Larry Bird) have won theNBA Most Valuable Player award; overall, Celtics players have won an NBA-record 10 MVP awards.[15]
Bob Cousy played 13 years for the team, 6 of them ending in NBA titles
The Celtics struggled during their early years, until the hiring of coachRed Auerbach.[20] 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 wasBob Cousy, whom Auerbach initially refused to draft out of nearbyHoly Cross because he was "too flashy".[21] Cousy's contract eventually became the property of theChicago Stags,[22] but when that franchise went bankrupt, Cousy went to the Celtics in a dispersal draft.
After the1955–56 season, Auerbach made a stunning trade, sending perennial All-StarEd Macauley to theSt. Louis Hawks along with the draft rights toCliff Hagan for the second overall pick in the draft.[23] After negotiating with theRochester Royals—a negotiation that included a promise that the Celtics owner would send the highly sought-afterIce Capades to Rochester if the Royals would let Russell slide to No. 2—Auerbach used the pick to selectUniversity of San FranciscocenterBill Russell.[24] Auerbach also acquired Holy Cross standout, and 1957 NBA Rookie of the Year,Tom Heinsohn.[25] Both Russell and Heinsohn worked extraordinarily well with Cousy, and they were the players around whom Auerbach would build the champion Celtics for more than a decade.[25] WithBill Russell, the Celtics advanced to the1957 NBA Finals and defeated the St. Louis Hawks in seven games, earning their first NBA title.[26] In 1958, the Celtics again advanced to theNBA Finals, this time losing to the Hawks in 6 games.[27]
1958–1969: Decade-long dynasty
Bill Russell starred on 11 NBA title teams in 13 years as a Celtic
Sam Jones played with the Celtics (1957–1969) winning 10 titles
Following the acquisition ofK.C. Jones in 1958, the Celtics began a dynasty that would last for more than a decade.[28] In 1959, the Celtics won the NBA championship after sweeping theMinneapolis Lakers, the first of their record eight consecutive championships.[29] During that time, the Celtics met the Lakers in the Finals five times, starting an intense and often bitter rivalry that has spanned generations. In 1964, the Celtics became the first NBA team to have an all African-American starting lineup. On December 26, 1964,Willie Naulls replaced an injured Tom Heinsohn, joiningTom 'Satch' Sanders, K.C. Jones,Sam Jones, and Bill Russell in the starting lineup. The Celtics defeated St. Louis 97–84. Boston won its next 11 games with Naulls starting in place of Heinsohn.[30] The Celtics of the late 1950s–1960s are widely considered one of the most dominant teams of all time.[31]
Auerbach retired as coach after the 1965–66 season and Russell took over as player-coach, which was Auerbach's ploy to keep Russell interested.[32] With his appointment Russell became the first African-American coach in any U.S. pro sport. Auerbach would remain the general manager, a position he would hold well into the 1980s. However, the Celtics' string of NBA titles ended when they lost to thePhiladelphia 76ers in the 1967 Eastern Conference Finals. The aging team managed two more championships in 1968 and 1969, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers each time.[33] Russell retired after the 1969 season, effectively ending a Celtics dynasty that had garnered an unrivaled 11 NBA titles in 13 seasons.[34] The team's run of 8 consecutive is the longest championship streak in U.S. professional sports history,[35] with Russell's 11 titles being themost won by an NBA player.
The 1969–70 season was a rebuilding year, as the Celtics had their first losing record since the1949–50 season. However, with the acquisition ofPaul Silas and future Hall of FamersDave Cowens[36] andJo Jo White,[37] 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 posted an excellent 68–14 regular season record. But the season ended in disappointment, as they were upset in seven games by theNew York Knicks in the Conference Finals.John Havlicek injured his right shoulder in game six and was forced to play game seven shooting left-handed.[38] The Celtics returned to the playoffs the next year, defeating theMilwaukee Bucks in the1974 NBA Finals for their 12th NBA championship.[39] Boston took a 3–2 series lead and had a chance to claim the title on their home court. The Bucks won Game Six in Boston whenKareem Abdul-Jabbar nestled in a hook shot with 3 seconds left in the game's second overtime, and the series returned to Milwaukee. 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 thePhoenix Suns in six games. The Finals featured one of the greatest games in NBA history. With the series tied at two games apiece, the Suns trailed early in the Boston Garden, but came back to force overtime. In double overtime, aGar Heard turn-around jumper at the top of the key sent the game to a third overtime, at which point the Celtics prevailed.[40] After the 1976 championship and aplayoff appearance in 1977, Boston went into another rebuilding phase. In the1977 NBA draft, the Celtics drafted a young forward fromUNC Charlotte namedCedric Maxwell.[41] "Cornbread" Maxwell did not contribute much in his rookie season, but he showed promise. Auerbach's job became even tougher following the1977–78 season in which they went 32–50 as Havlicek, the Celtics' all-time leading scorer, retired after 16 seasons.[42]
The Celtics owned two of the top eight picks in the1978 NBA draft.[43] Auerbach took a risk by selecting juniorLarry Bird ofIndiana State with the sixth overall pick, knowing that Bird would stay in college for his senior year but believing that his potential would make him worth the wait. The team retained Bird's rights for one year and signed him soon after he led Indiana State to the NCAA championship game. In 1978, Celtics ownerIrv Levin traded franchises withBuffalo Braves ownerJohn Y. Brown Jr.[44] Two weeks before the swap of franchises was made official, details of a six-player trade between the two teams were reported. Boston sentFreeman Williams,Kevin Kunnert, andKermit Washington to the Braves for "Tiny" Archibald, Billy Knight, andMarvin Barnes.[45] The move turned Boston fans against Brown, both because Kunnert and Washington were seen as key pieces of the team's future and because Auerbach publicly stated that he was not consulted about the trade.[45]
1979–1992: Larry Bird era
The relationship between Brown and Auerbach worsened with Brown's decision to acquireBob McAdoo in February 1979,[46] in exchange for three first-round draft picks that Auerbach had planned to use to rebuild the franchise.[47] Again, Brown made the trade without consulting Auerbach.[48] Auerbach almost left Boston to take a job with the New York Knicks as a result.[47] With public support strongly behind Auerbach, Brown sold the team toHarry Mangurian in 1979 rather than run the risk of losing his famed general manager.[49][50] The Celtics would struggle through the season, going 29–53.[51] NewcomersChris Ford,Rick Robey,Cedric Maxwell andNate Archibald failed to reverse the team's momentum.[52]
12 time All-StarLarry Bird played in the Celtics from 1979 to 1992. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
Larry Bird debuted for the Celtics during the1979–80 season.[53] With a new owner in place, Auerbach made a number of moves that would bring the team back to prominence. He almost immediately traded McAdoo,[54] a former NBA scoring champion, to theDetroit Pistons forguardM. L. Carr, a defensive specialist, and two first-round picks in the1980 NBA draft.[50] He also picked uppoint guardGerald Henderson from theCBA. Carr, Archibald, Henderson and Ford formed a highly competent backcourt, blending in well with the talented frontcourt of Cowens, Maxwell and Bird. With Bird winningNBA Rookie of the Year honors[55] the team went 61–21, a 32-game improvement from the previous season. Playing strong in the playoffs, the Celtics fell to the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference Finals.[56]
After the season, Auerbach completed one of the most lopsided trades in NBA history, garnering a pair of future Hall of Famers for a pair of first-round draft picks. Seeking to improve the team immediately, Auerbach sent the team's two first-round draft picks to theGolden State Warriors for bothcenterRobert Parish[57] and the Warriors' first-round pick. He then used the pick the Celtics obtained from Golden State to selectUniversity of Minnesotapower forwardKevin McHale.[58] The "Big Three" of Bird, McHale and Parish played together for the Celtics until 1992, won three NBA championships together,[59] and were later described as the best NBA frontcourt of all time.[60][61][62][63]
Robert Parish
Despite losingcenterDave Cowens to retirement late in training camp, the Celtics went 62–20 under coachBill Fitch in1980–81.[64] Once again, the Celtics faced the 76ers in the Eastern Conference Finals, falling behind 3–1 before coming back to win Game Seven, 91–90. The Celtics went on to win the 1981 NBA championship over theHouston Rockets,[65] with Maxwell being namedNBA Finals MVP.[66]
Following the1981–82 season, the Celtics once again met the 76ers in the playoffs. This time, they lost in seven games.[67] In1983 the Celtics were swept in the playoffs (a first for the franchise) by the Milwaukee Bucks;[68] afterwards, Fitch resigned and the team was sold to new owners led byDon Gaston.[69]
In1983–84, the Celtics under new coachK. C. Jones would go 62–20 and return to theNBA Finals after a three-year hiatus.[70] Boston came back from a 2–1 deficit to defeat the Lakers for their 15th championship.[71] Bird renewed his college rivalry with Lakers starMagic Johnson during this series. After the season, Auerbach officially retired as general manager, but maintained the position of team president.[72] He was succeeded byJan Volk.[72]
In 1985, the Lakers and Celtics met again in the Finals, with the Lakers winning.[73] This was the first time the Lakers had defeated the Celtics in the Finals and the only time the team had won a championship at Boston Garden. During the following off-season, the Celtics acquiredBill Walton from theLos Angeles Clippers in exchange forCedric Maxwell.[74] Walton had been an All-Star and league MVP while leading thePortland Trail Blazers to the 1977 NBA championship, but injuries had hobbled him since. Considered the best passing center in NBA history, he stayed healthy and was a big part of the Celtics' success in 1986.
The Celtics won the second pick in the1986 NBA draft and draftedUniversity of Maryland starLen Bias, one of the most heralded prospects of his era.[75] Bias died 36 hours later of an accidental cocaine overdose.[76] Despite the tragedy, the Celtics remained competitive in1986–87, going 59–23 and again winning the Eastern Conference Championship.[77] They were defeated in the Finals by the Lakers in six games.
In 1988, the Celtics lost in six games to the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals.[78] Following the season, head coach K.C. Jones retired and was replaced by assistantJimmy Rodgers. Boston's hopes for1988–89 faded when Bird underwent a procedure to remove bone spurs in his feet early in the season, and the Celtics won just 42 games before a first-round playoff defeat to the Pistons. Bird returned in1989–90 and led the Celtics to a 52–30 record. In theplayoffs, the Celtics collapsed after winning the first two games in a best-of-five series against the New York Knicks, losing three straight games and the series. After the playoffs, Rodgers was fired and replaced by assistant coach and former Celtics playerChris Ford.
Under Ford's leadership, the Celtics improved to 56–26 in1990–91, recapturing the Atlantic Division title even though Bird missed 22 games with several injuries. The Celtics again lost to the Pistons in the playoffs. In 1992, a late-season rally allowed a 51–31 Celtics team to catch the New York Knicks and repeat as Atlantic Division champions. After sweeping the Indiana Pacers in the first round, the Celtics lost a seven-game Eastern Conference Semifinals series to theCleveland Cavaliers. Back injuries limited Bird to only 45 regular season games, and just four of ten in the playoffs. After thirteen NBA seasons and a gold medal at theBarcelona Olympics with theDream Team, continued back trouble led Bird to retire in 1992.
1993–1998: Tragedy and decline
The loss of Bird and the aging of the team's other veteran stars forced coach Chris Ford into rebuilding mode.[79] Hopes centered on 26-year-oldReggie Lewis, asmall forward out of Boston'sNortheastern University. In thefirst round of the 1993 playoffs Lewis fainted during Boston's four-game series loss by theCharlotte Hornets.[80] An examination revealed heart problems,[81] but Lewis was able to get doctors to clear him for a comeback. Before he could make it he died of a heart attack while shooting baskets at Brandeis University during the off-season.[82] The Celtics honored his memory by retiring his number 35.[83] With McHale having retired after the Celtics' playoff loss to the Hornets, Boston's original Big 3 era came to an end in 1994 upon Robert Parish's signing with Charlotte.[57] The team collapsed, finishing out of the playoffs with a 32–50 mark.
In 1994, the Celtics hired former player and legendary towel-waving cheerleaderM. L. Carr as the team's new vice president of basketball operations. Working alongside general managerJan Volk, Carr selectedUniversity of North Carolina starEric Montross with Boston's first-round pick in the1994 NBA draft. Montross became the new heir apparent in the paint, but failed to develop and was eventually traded.1994–95 was the Celtics' final season in theBoston Garden. The Celtics signed agingDominique Wilkins as a free agent, who led the team in scoring with 17.8 PPG. Second-year playerDino Rađa, a power forward fromCroatia, added an interior presence the team had been lacking in1993–94. The Celtics made the playoffs, losing to the heavily favoredOrlando Magic in four games. In 1995, the Celtics moved from the Boston Garden to the Fleet Center (later TD BankNorth, thenTD Garden). Carr firedChris Ford and took the coaching reins himself. After draftingProvidence College star Eric Williams, the Celtics struggled to a 33–49 record.
Things got worse in1996–97 as the Celtics lost a franchise-record 67 games, setting an unwantedNBA record winning only once against other Atlantic Division teams and just fifteen victories overall. In spite of the emergence of 1st-round draft pickAntoine Walker, Carr resigned after the season ended, whileRick Pitino was hired to join the franchise as the team's president, director of basketball operations, andhead coach, reportedly on a $70 million ten-year contract. Volk resigned on May 7, 1997.[84][85] Pitino's appointment as team president was controversial as Auerbach, the incumbent who had filled that role for more than 25 years, first heard about the change from local media. Unfortunately for the franchise, Pitino was not the savior everyone hoped he would be. Auerbach bore the insult of being elbowed out with dignity, even as the team failed to improve.
The Celtics received the third and sixth draft picks in the1997 NBA draft,[86] and used the picks to select a brand new backcourt throughChauncey Billups andRon Mercer. The young team that lost 67 games the year before was dismantled, withDavid Wesley,Dino Rađa andRick Fox being let go, and Williams traded to theDenver Nuggets for a pair of second round draft picks (Williams would return to the Celtics in 1999 and played for four years).Walter McCarty was also acquired in a trade with the Knicks. With a promising start, upsetting the defending championsChicago Bulls at home on opening night,[87] and hard play from the youngsters that led to leaderships in turnovers and steals, the team improved its victories from 15 to 36 despite many losing streaks.[88][89] Billups was subsequently traded to the Raptors during his rookie year,[90] and Mercer was traded to the Nuggets during his third season.[91]
1998–2013: Paul Pierce era
Drafted by the Celtics in 1998,Paul Pierce went on to star for the Celtics and later won the NBA Finals MVP Award when the team won the NBA championship in 2008
The following year in the1998 NBA draft, the Celtics draftedPaul Pierce,[92] a college star who had been expected to be drafted much earlier than the Celtics' 10th overall pick. Pierce had an immediate impact during the lockout-shortened1998–99 season, averaging 19.5 points and being namedRookie of The Month in February as he led the league in steals.[93] However, the Celtics continued to struggle as Pitino failed to achieve meaningful success. After Boston lost to theToronto Raptors on March 1, 2000, on a buzzer-beater byVince Carter, Pitino delivered the memorable "walking through that door" speech, invoking Bird, McHale and Parish, which has been frequently cited over the years as a reality check for organizations wrestling with bygone glory.[94] He resigned in January 2001.[95]
Following the resignation of Rick Pitino, the Celtics saw modest improvement under coachJim O'Brien.Paul Pierce matured into an NBA star and was ably complemented by Antoine Walker and the other players acquired over the years. While the team was 12–21 when Pitino left, O'Brien's record to finish the season was 24–24.[96] Following the2000–01 season O'Brien was given the job of head coach on a permanent basis. As a result of numerous trades, the Celtics had three picks in the2001 NBA draft. They selectedJoe Johnson,Joe Forte, andKedrick Brown. Only Johnson managed to succeed in the NBA, becoming a perennial All-Star after leaving the Celtics.
The Celtics entered the2001–02 season with low expectations. The team's success in the latter stages of 2000–01 was largely forgotten, and critics were surprised when the team, along with theNew Jersey Nets, surged to the top of theAtlantic Division ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers, who were fresh off a trip to theNBA 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 game at theFleet Center. In the Conference Semifinals, the Celtics defeated the favored Detroit Pistons 4–1. In their first trip to theEastern Conference Finals since1988, 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.[97]
2003–2007: New ownership and arrival of Doc Rivers
In 2003, the Celtics were sold by owner Paul Gaston to Boston Basketball Partners L.L.C.,[98] led byH. Irving Grousbeck,Wycliffe Grousbeck andSteve Pagliuca. The team made it back to theplayoffs but were swept by the Nets in the second round, despite bringing Game 4 to double overtime.[99] Before their elimination, the team hired former Celtics' guardDanny Ainge as general manager, moving Chris Wallace to another position in the organization. Ainge believed the team had reached its peak and promptly sent Antoine Walker to theDallas Mavericks (along withTony Delk).[100] In return, the Celtics received the often-injuredRaef LaFrentz,Chris Mills,Jiří Welsch,[101] and a first-round pick in2004. The Celtics made theplayoffs, only to be swept in the first round by the Indiana Pacers, losing all four games.[102]
Head coachDoc Rivers led the Celtics to an NBA title in 2008.
The Celtics were a young team under new coachDoc Rivers during the 2004–05 season,[103] having drafted youngstersAl Jefferson,Delonte West andTony Allen in the 2004 Draft. Yet they seemed to have a core of good young players, led by Pierce and rookieAl Jefferson, to go along with a group of able veterans. The Celtics went 45–37 and won their firstAtlantic Division title since1991–92, receiving a boost from returning star Antoine Walker in mid-season. The Pacers defeated them in the first round yet again, with the series culminating in an embarrassing 27-point loss in Game 7 at theFleet Center. After the season Walker was traded again, this time to theMiami Heat. Despite Pierce's career season, in which he averaged career-highs in points (26.8), the Celtics missed the playoffs with a 33–49 record, owing largely to a young roster and constant roster shuffling, which saw the likes ofMarcus Banks,Ricky Davis andMark Blount traded for underachieving former first-overall pickMichael Olowokandi and former all-starWally Szczerbiak.
The Celtics continued to rebuild in the2006 NBA draft. The Celtics selected Kentucky point guardRajon Rondo, who was to become a key piece in the team's revival. In the second round the Celtics added centerLeon Powe.[104] The2006–07 season was a gloomy one for the franchise, starting with the death of Red Auerbach at 89. Auerbach was one of the few remaining people who had been a part of the NBA since its inception in 1946.[105] The Celtics went 2–22 from late December 2006 through early February 2007 after losing Pierce to injury, the result of a stress reaction in his left foot. At first, the Celtics received a much-needed boost from guardTony Allen but he tore hisACL andMCL on a needless dunk attempt after the whistle.[106] The Celtics compiled a record of 24–58, second-worst in the NBA, including a franchise-record18-game losing streak.[107] At the end of the season, the Celtics, with the second-worst record in the NBA, were at least hopeful that they could secure a high draft pick and select eitherGreg Oden orKevin Durant to help rebuild the franchise, but the Celtics fell to fifth in the Draft Lottery.
2007–2012: Pierce, Allen, and Garnett "Big Three" era
In the 2007–08 season, Celtics completed the largest single-season turnaround inNBA history. The team went 66–16 in the regular season, a 42-game improvement over its 2006–07 record. However, the team struggled in the early rounds of the playoffs, needing seven games to defeat the Atlanta Hawks in the first round and another seven to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers in the conference semifinals. The Celtics then beat the Detroit Pistons in six games in the Eastern Conference Finals, winning two road games.[110]
For the 11th time in league history, and for the first time since 1987, the Celtics and the Lakers faced off in the NBA Finals. The Celtics won Game One at home 98–88, fueled by strong play by Garnett and Pierce's dramatic comeback from a second-half knee injury. They won Game Two 108–102 despite nearly blowing a 24-point lead in the fourth quarter. As the series shifted to Los Angeles, the Lakers stifled Pierce and Garnett in Game Three and won 87–81. However, the Celtics would overcome a 24-point deficit in Game 4 to win 97–91, making the largest in-game 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 and clinching their 17th NBA title.Paul Pierce was named Finals MVP.[111] With the win the Celtics set a record for most games a team had ever played in a postseason with 26.[112]
The 2008–09 Celtics started off the season at 27–2, the then-best starting record in NBA history.[113] They also had a franchise-record 19-game streak.[114] After the All-Star Break,Kevin Garnett was injured in a loss against theUtah Jazz and missed the last 25 games of the season. Garnett was eventually shelved for the playoffs. The 2009 Celtics still finished with 62 victories, but their playoff run would end against the Magic in the second round.[115]
In 2009, with the return of Garnett from injury and the additions ofRasheed Wallace andMarquis Daniels, the Celtics started the season 23–5 and at one point had the best record in the NBA. However, Doc Rivers decided to lessen his aging stars' minutes to keep them fresh for the playoffs. As a result, the Celtics sputtered to an even 27–27 record the rest of the way and finished the 2009–10 regular season with a 50–32 record.[116] Despite being the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, the Celtics managed to make theNBA Finals. Rajon Rondo emerged as a star during postseason play.[117] For the 12th time, the Celtics faced the Lakers in the Finals. After taking a 3–2 lead heading into Los Angeles for Game Six, the Celtics appeared poised to win their 18th title. However, starting centerKendrick Perkins suffered a severe knee injury early in Game Six,[118] and the Celtics went on to lose the series in seven games.
During the 2010 off-season, with Perkins expected to be out until February 2011, the Celtics signed two former All-Star centers,Shaquille O'Neal andJermaine O'Neal. Shaquille O'Neal's presence wound up leading to Perkins' departure: the Celtics were 33–10 in games Perkins had missed during the year due to injury[119] and had a 19–3 record in games when O'Neal played over 20 minutes.[120] Consequently, Perkins was traded to theOklahoma City Thunder in February, when the Celtics were 41–14 and led the Eastern Conference despite another rash of injuries. Following the trade, however, they proceeded to win only 15 of their final 27 games. They finished with a 56–26 record, sliding to the third seed.[119][121] The 2010–11 season still provided three landmarks: The Celtics became the second team to reach 3,000 victories, Paul Pierce became the third Celtic to score 20,000 points (the others are Larry Bird and John Havlicek), and Ray Allen broke the NBA record for most career three-pointers. The2011 NBA playoffs started with the Celtics sweeping the New York Knicks 4–0 in the opening round. In the second round, they were ousted by eventual Eastern Conference champions Miami Heat in five games. Shaquille O'Neal, limited to 12 minutes in two games of the second round, retired at the end of the season.[122]
The Celtics started thelockout-shortened season 0–3, as Pierce was out with a heel injury. At the All-Star break, the Celtics were below .500 with a 15–17 record. However, they were one of the hottest teams in the league after the break, going 24–10 the rest of the year and winning their fifth division title in a row. The Celtics made the playoffs as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. In the playoffs, the Celtics faced theAtlanta Hawks in the first round, beating them in six games led by strong play from Pierce and Garnett. In the conference semifinals, the Celtics defeated the 76ers in seven games. The Celtics faced the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, losing in seven games to the eventual NBA champions.
The 2012 off-season started with the Celtics having only six players under contract. While Kevin Garnett was signed to a new contract, Ray Allen signed with the Miami Heat for less money than the Celtics offered; this move brought the five-year "Big Three" era to a somewhat acrimonious end. The Celtics finished the season with 41 wins.[123] The Celtics trailed the New York Knicks 3–0 in the first round of the2013 NBA playoffs before losing the series in six games. In Game Six, the Celtics nearly completed a comeback when they went on a 20–0 run to cut the lead to four.[124]
2013–2016: Rebuilding years
During the off-season, head coachDoc Rivers was allowed to terminate his contract. He departed the Celtics to coach the Los Angeles Clippers, and the Celtics received a 2015 unprotected first-round pick as compensation. A few days later, Pierce, Garnett (who waived a no-trade clause),Jason Terry, andD. J. White, were traded to theBrooklyn Nets forKeith Bogans,MarShon Brooks,Kris Humphries,Kris Joseph,Gerald Wallace, and three future first-round draft picks (2014, 2016, 2018), together with the right to swap 2017 first-round picks with Brooklyn.[125] The deal marked the start of a youth movement for the team.[126]
On July 3, 2013, the Celtics announced thatBrad Stevens, the head coach ofButler University, would replace Doc Rivers as head coach.[127] Halfway through the season, in January, Rajon Rondo made his return and was named the 15th Team Captain in team history, and the team furthered the youth movement by acquiring two draft picks in a three-team trade that sent Jordan Crawford and MarShon Brooks to the Golden State Warriors while the Celtics received the Heat centerJoel Anthony. The 2013–14 season marked the Celtics' first missed playoffs since the "Big Three".[128]
The next off-season, the Celtics draftedMarcus Smart with the 6th overall pick andJames Young with the 17th overall pick in the2014 NBA draft,[129] and signedEvan Turner. The 2014–15 season had several roster moves, the most prominent being Rondo and rookieDwight Powell traded to the Dallas Mavericks for centerBrandan Wright, forwardJae Crowder, veteran point guardJameer Nelson, and future picks.[130] A total of 22 players spent time with the Celtics,[131] leading scorer and rebounder Sullinger suffered a season-ending left metatarsal stress fracture,[132] and the team was only tenth in the East with 28 games remaining.[133] However, midseason acquisitionIsaiah Thomas helped the team win 22 of their last 34 games, finishing the season with a 40–42 record, enough for the seventh seed in theEastern Conference Playoffs.[134] The Celtics were swept by the second seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round.
In the2015 NBA draft Boston selectedTerry Rozier,R.J. Hunter,Jordan Mickey, andMarcus Thornton with the 16th, 28th, 33rd, and 45th selections respectively. During the off-season, the Celtics signed forwardAmir Johnson and tradedGerald Wallace andChris Babb in exchange for Warriors forward David Lee. The Celtics finished the 2015–16 NBA season with a 48–34 record, earning the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. They played the fourth seed Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the playoffs. After leading by 3 points in the fourth quarter of Game 1, guard Avery Bradley went down with a hamstring injury, making him sit out for the rest of the series. The Celtics lost the series 4–2 to the Hawks, ending their season.
In the2016 NBA draft, the Celtics selectedJaylen Brown with the third pick. On July 8, 2016, the team signed four-time All-StarAl Horford.[135] The Celtics finished the2016–17 season with a 53–29 record and clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference.[136] After a hip injury ended Thomas' playoff run in game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals,[137] the Celtics eventually lost to the Cavaliers in five games. Isaiah Thomas was selected for his second straight All-Star game and first All-NBA selection, finishing third in the league in scoring and fifth in MVP voting. For the2017 NBA draft, the Celtics won the draft lottery, earning them the first pick.[b] They were projected to select freshman guardMarkelle Fultz, but the pick was subsequently traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for the third pick in the 2017 draft and future picks.[138] The 76ers would go on to draft Fultz, while the Celtics used the third pick to select freshman forwardJayson Tatum. During the off-season, the team signedGordon Hayward.[139] On August 22, 2017, the Celtics agreed to a deal that sentIsaiah Thomas,Jae Crowder, Ante Žižić, and the Brooklyn Nets' 2018 first-round draft pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange forKyrie Irving.[140]
2017-2019: Kyrie Irving saga
By the end of the off-season, only four Celtics' players remained from the2016–17 team,[141] withMarcus Smart being the longest-tenured Celtic from the2014 NBA draft. On the team's opening night game in the first quarter against the Cavaliers, Hayward suffered a fractured tibia and dislocated ankle in his left leg,[142] causing him to be ruled out for the rest of the regular season.[143] Despite the loss, the Celtics went on a16-game winning streak, which also went down as the fourth-longest winning streak in the teams' history.[144] The Celtics finished the year with a 55–27 record, good enough for second place in the Eastern Conference. In the playoffs, they defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round in seven games, and continued the feat in the Conference Semifinals by defeating the Philadelphia 76ers in five games before losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games in the Conference Finals.
Kyrie Irving played for Boston for two seasons making two all star appearances.
The Celtics finished the2018–19 season with a 49–33 record. Analysts started questioning the team's performance and chances for the championship when the Celtics had a 10–10 record after the first 20 games on November 24, 2018.[145] The Celtics then won the next eight games improving their record to 18–10.[146] During the eight-game win streak, the Celtics defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 128–95, the New York Knicks 128–100, and also defeated the Chicago Bulls by 56 points (133–77), setting a record for the largest margin in a victory in franchise history, while also tying the record for largest victory margin by an away team.[147] The Celtics finished the regular season in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. During an April 7 game,Marcus Smart injured his hip and was ruled out for the rest of the regular season and the first round of the playoffs.[148] In the2019 playoffs, the Celtics swept the Indiana Pacers in the first round, and then lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in five games.[149][150]
The Celtics held four picks in the2019 NBA draft. Following a series of transactions, the team landedRomeo Langford with the 14th pick and also addedGrant Williams,Carsen Edwards, andTremont Waters (2020 G-league Rookie of the year).[151] During the 2019 off-season, Irving and Horford signed with the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers, respectively. Irving left, despite promising to stay in Boston.[152] On June 30, 2019, the Celtics and point guardKemba Walker agreed to a four-year maximum contract worth $141 million. On July 6, 2019, the Celtics officially acquired Walker in a sign and trade with the Charlotte Hornets; the Celtics sent guard Terry Rozier and a protected 2020 second-round draft pick to Charlotte in exchange for Walker and a 2020 second-round draft pick.[153] On July 1, 2019, the Celtics agreed to a two-year contract with centerEnes Kanter.[154]
2019-2021: Rise of "the Jays"
Following thesuspension of the 2019–20 NBA season, the Celtics were one of the 22 teams invited to theNBA Bubble to participate in the final 8 games of the regular season.[155] In the2020 playoffs, the Celtics swept the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round, beat the Toronto Raptors in a seven-game series, and fell to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals in six games.[156] Boston struggled with injuries in the 2020–21 season, with Walker, Tatum and Brown all missing games at different points in the season due to injury and COVID-19. Boston could not automatically qualify for the playoffs and were sent to the play-in tournament, where they defeated theWashington Wizards 119–100. In the playoffs, they lost to the Brooklyn Nets in five games.[157]
2021-22: First Finals appearance for the Jays
On June 2, 2021, the Celtics named head coach Brad Stevens as president of basketball operations replacingDanny Ainge after he announced his retirement.[158] On June 18, Stevens made his first transaction in his new position trading awayKemba Walker, the 16th pick in the2021 NBA draft, and a 2025 second-round pick in exchange for former Celtic Horford,Moses Brown, and a 2023 second-round pick.[159] On June 23, 2021, it was reported that Stevens had made the decision to hireIme Udoka as his own replacement as head coach of the Celtics.[160][161] Tatum made his third All-Star appearance off the bench at the2022 NBA All-Star Game in Cleveland.
In April 2022, the Celtics qualified for the2022 NBA playoffs as the second seed in the Eastern Conference, having a 51–31 record; they swept the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the postseason.[162] They next faced the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals and the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, defeating both teams in seven-game series, earning the Celtics their first Finals appearance since 2010. The Celtics took a 2–1 series lead, but lost the next three games to lose to the Golden State Warriors 4–2.[163]
2022-23: Conference finals loss
In September, the Celtics suspended Udoka for the whole2022–23 season for engaging in an improper intimate relationship with a female staffer.[164] Assistant coachJoe Mazzulla replaced Udoka as the interim head coach.[165] On February 16, 2023, Mazzulla was named the team's permanent head coach after leading the Celtics to a league-best 42–17 record at theNBA All-Star break.[166] After overcoming a 3–2 deficit against the Philadelphia 76ers to advance to theEastern Conference Finals, the Celtics fell behind 3–0 in a rematch against the Heat. They battled their way back to Game 7 thanks to aDerrick White buzzer-beater in Game 6, but the Heat ultimately prevented the first3–0 comeback in NBA history with a decisive win in Boston.
2023-24: 18th championship for Boston
Al Horford made an All-Star Appearance for Boston in 2018 and won his first championship in 2024.
The Celtics finished the 2023–24 regular season with the best record in the NBA, securing a 64–18 record.[171] After the regular season's close, the Celtics entered the 2024 NBA playoffs, defeating theMiami Heat in the first round, moving on to defeat theCleveland Cavaliers in the East Semifinals, and moving on again to defeat the Indiana Pacers in the EasternConference Finals.[172][173][174] The Celtics' victory in the Eastern Conference Finals on May 27, 2024, was accompanied by the announcement thatJaylen Brown had been selected as the NBA Eastern Conference FinalsMVP, and Brown was presented with theLarry Bird trophy, the first of his career.[175][176] The Celtics would go on to defeat the Dallas Mavericks in five games to win the NBA Finals, their record-setting 18th championship and breaking the tie with the Lakers (who have 17).[177]
The rivalry between the Boston Celtics andLos Angeles Lakers involves the two most storied franchises in NBA history. It has been called the NBA's best rivalry.[178] The two teams have met a record twelve times in theNBA Finals, starting with their first Finals meeting in1959. They would go on to dominate the league in the 1960s and the 1980s, facing each other six times in the 1960s, three times in the 1980s, in 2008, and in 2010.
The Celtics have won the first eight finals meetings, while the Lakers won three of last four.
The rivalry had been less intense since the retirements ofMagic Johnson and Larry Bird in the early 1990s, but in 2008 it was renewed as the Celtics and Lakers met in the Finals for the first time since 1987, with the Celtics winning the series in six games. They faced off once again in the2010 NBA Finals which the Lakers won in seven games. The two teams are first and second for the highest number of championships, with the Celtics leading the Lakers, 18 titles to 17; together, their 35 championships account for almost half of the78 championships in NBA history.
Atlanta Hawks
The Celtics–Hawks rivalry is arivalry in theEastern Conference of theNational Basketball Association that has lasted for over five decades, although the two teams have played each other since the 1949–50 season, when the then-Tri-Cities Blackhawks joined the NBA as part of theNational Basketball League and theBasketball Association of America merger. However, the Blackhawks could not field a truly competitive team until they moved toSt. Louis as the St. Louis Hawks after a four-year stopover atMilwaukee. The two teams have faced each other eleven times in the NBA Playoffs, four times in theNBA Finals, with the Celtics winning ten of twelve series against the Hawks, including three out of four NBA Finals.[179] While the Hawks have only defeated the Celtics twice out of eleven series in the NBA Playoffs, they still often managed to make their series with the Celtics memorable. The rivalry intensified in 2016 with Hawks All-Star CenterAl Horford spurning the team and joining the Celtics.
Brooklyn Nets
The Boston Celtics were once rivals of theNew Jersey Nets during the early 2000s due to their respective locations and their burgeoning stars. The Nets were led byJason Kidd andKenyon Martin, while the Celtics were experiencing newfound success behind Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker. The rivalry began to heat up in the 2002 Eastern Conference Finals, which was preceded by trash-talking from the Celtics[180] who claimed Martin was a "fake" tough guy. Things progressed as the series started, and on-court tensions seemed to spill into the stands. Celtics' fans berated Kidd and his family with chants of "Wife Beater!"[181] in response to Kidd's 2001 domestic abuse charge. When asked about the fan barbs being traded,Kenyon Martin stated, "Our fans hate them, their fans hate us."Bill Walton said at the time that Nets-Celtics was the "beginning of the next great NBA rivalry" during the Eastern Conference Finals in 2002 with the Nets advancing to the NBA Finals, though New Jersey would go on to sweep Boston in the 2003 playoffs. In 2012, the year the Nets returned to New York in the borough of Brooklyn, there were indications that the rivalry might be rekindled when an altercation occurred on the court on November 28, resulting in the ejection ofRajon Rondo, Gerald Wallace, and Kris Humphries. Rondo was suspended for two games in the aftermath, while Wallace andKevin Garnett were fined.[182] The story was revisited on December 25, when Wallace grabbed Garnett's shorts and the two had to be broken up by referees and players alike. However, the rivalry between the Nets and the Celtics appeared significantly cooled off by the June 2013 blockbuster trade that dealt Celtics stars Garnett andPaul Pierce to the Nets in exchange for Wallace, Humphries, and others. This move was billed as a merger of the twoAtlantic Division teams.[183]
The rivalry between the Celtics and theDetroit Pistons peaked in the 1980s, featuring players such as Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish,Isiah Thomas,Bill Laimbeer,Dennis Rodman, andJoe Dumars. These teams met in theNBA playoffs five times in 7 seasons from 1985 to 1991, with the Celtics winning in 1985 and 1987, and the Pistons coming out on top en route to back-to-back Finals appearances in1988 and their championship seasons of1989 and1990. Led byPaul Pierce,Kevin Garnett andRay Allen in the 2008Eastern Conference Finals the Celtics defeated the Pistons in 6 games to advance to the NBA Finals where they went on to beat the Lakers also in 6 games.[184]
The rivalry between the Celtics and theNew York Knicks stems from the location of the teams, both of which are in the NBA's Atlantic division. It is one of many rivalries between Boston and New York teams, most notably theNew York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox inMajor League Baseball. Boston and New York are also the only two original NBA franchises that have remained in the same city for the duration of their existence. The teams have played 512 games against each other during the regular season, with the Celtics winning 276 times. The two teams have also faced each other 61 times during the playoffs, with the Celtics winning 34 times.[185]
The Celtics and thePhiladelphia 76ers are the two teams who have the most meetings in theNBA playoffs, playing each other in 22 series, of which the Celtics have won 15.[186] The 76ers are considered the Celtics' biggest rival in the Eastern Conference. The rivalry reached its peak when players Bill Russell andWilt 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 76ers won in 1967.[187]
Washington Wizards
One of the most recent and unexpected rivalries that has been created between the Celtics is with theWashington Wizards. Although both teams had engaged in a fight in1984,[188] the rivalry intensified during the 2015–16 season in a January regular season game afterJae Crowder was given a technical foul. Crowder then began to exchange words with then Wizards coachRandy Wittman. It began to escalate that off-season when the Celtics were trying to signAl Horford. It was publicly reported that Jae Crowder emphasized that the Celtics beat the Wizards in all of their meetings that season and should sign with them rather than Washington. In their first meeting of the 2016–17 season, Wall hitMarcus Smart in the back-court when they were up by 20 late in the 4th quarter. Wall was hit with a Flagrant 2 foul and was promptly ejected. Smart immediately got back up and began to scuffle with Wall. Their words continued even after being separated with Wall telling Smart to meet him out back after the game. No incident was reported between the two following the game. In their next meeting, the Celtics won 117–108. However, after the game Wall and Crowder exchanged words in front of the Wizards bench. Crowder ended up trying to jab his finger at Wall's nose and Wall tried to fight back with a slap. Teammates and coaches from both sides had to step in and separate the two teams but the players continued to yell while entering their respective locker rooms. Police officers had to be on guard between the two locker rooms to ensure no further confrontation.Otto Porter is quoted as calling the Celtics as dirty.Isaiah Thomas replied "If playing hard is dirty, then I guess we are a dirty team."[189]
In their next game in January, the Wizards wore all black to enter the game. The notion was that it is similar to the attire of a funeral. Their decision worked as they defeated the Celtics 123–108. The two teams would go on to meet in the Conference Semifinals in the 2017 Playoffs. In Game 1,Markieff Morris landed on Horford's ankle after shooting a jumpshot. Morris sprained his ankle and had to miss the rest of the game which was a 123–111 loss. Morris believed that Horford did this intentionally. In Game 2, Morris retaliated by grabbing Horford by the waist and pushed him into the seats.[190] In Game 3,Kelly Olynyk set a hard screen onKelly Oubre. Olynyk's shoulder hit Oubre in the chin causing him to drop to the floor. Oubre angrily rose and pushed Olynyk down onto the floor. Oubre was then assessed a flagrant 2 foul and was ejected while also being suspended for Game 4.[191] No significant altercations erupted in the rest of the seven-game series in which the Celtics would go on to win. The rivalry has since dissipated as the Celtics have retooled their roster but their match-ups are still seen as significant as they played on Christmas in 2017.
The Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat developed an intense rivalry during the 2010s. The two teams were highlighted by their star trios in Boston's Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce whereas Miami had LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. They first met in the2010 NBA Playoffs where Boston won the series in 5 games. They would then meet thefollowing year where Miami would end up winning in 5 games. The teams would meet for the third straight year in the2012 Eastern Conference Finals. Despite Boston holding a 3–2 lead, Miami would win the next 2 games to advance to the NBA Finals where they defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder. In the2020 NBA Bubble, the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics met in the2020 Eastern Conference Finals where Miami won in 6 games and advanced to the NBA Finals where they were prevented Boston from meeting their longtime rival Los Angeles Lakers. Unfortunately, Miami lost in 6 games to the Los Angeles Lakers. They would meet in the2022 Eastern Conference Finals where Boston finally beat the Miami Heat in 7 games. It was their first win against Miami since 2010. In the following year, the two met in the2023 Eastern Conference Finals. Despite Miami taking a commanding a 3–0 lead, Boston won the next three games to send the series to 7 games. However, Miami won to avoid earning the distinction of blowing a 3–0 lead. They then met in the2024 first round where Boston beat Miami in 5 games.
Season-by-season record
List of the last five seasons completed by the Celtics. For the full season-by-season history, seeList of Boston Celtics seasons.
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, W–L% = Winning percentage
The Celtics have won an NBA-record 18 championships.[192] Forty-eight members of theNaismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame are connected to the Celtics,[193] and the franchise hasretired 23jersey numbers, more than any other American sports team.[194] As of December 2023, the Celtics have won more NBA regular season games than any other team.[195]
Additionally,Johnny Most andMike Gorman were honored with the Hall of Fame'sCurt Gowdy Media Award. Most was awarded in 1993 for his 37-year career as the Celtics radio announcer, while Gorman was awarded in 2021 for his 40-year career as the Celtics television announcer.
Notes:
1 In total, Heinsohn was inducted into the Hall of Fame twice – as player and as coach.
2 In total, Bird was inducted into the Hall of Fame twice – as player and as a member of the1992 Olympic team.
3 In total, Russell was inducted into the Hall of Fame twice – as player and as coach.
4 Sanders also coached the team in 1978.
FIBA Hall of Fame
FIBA, the body which governs international basketball, has selected two players associated with the Celtics to theFIBA Hall of Fame for contributions to international basketball.
The Celtics hold the draft rights to the following unsigned draft picks who have been playing outside the NBA. A drafted player is ostensibly either an international draftee or a college draftee who is not signed by the team that drafted him, is allowed to sign with any non-NBA teams. In this case, the team retains the player's draft rights in the NBA until one year after the player's contract with the non-NBA team ends.[197] This list includes draft rights that were acquired from trades with other teams.
Red Auerbach coached the Boston Celtics to 9 NBA titles, with eight straight between 1959 and 1966.
There have been 18 head coaches in Celtics' history.Red Auerbach is the most successful franchise's head coach having won 9 NBA championships with the team. Celtics' legendBill Russell took coaching duties from Auerbach and led them to 2 NBA championships while playing and coaching at the same time. The other two coaches that won 2 NBA titles with the team areTom Heinsohn andK. C. Jones.Bill Fitch andDoc Rivers led the Celtics to 1 NBA championship apiece, as has current head coachJoe Mazzulla.[219]
The Boston Celtics logo features aleprechaun 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 coachRed Auerbach.[220][221] Through the1995–96 season, the logo's only colors were green, white and black.[222] Then for the1996–97 season, celebrating the club's 50th anniversary, the logo got a full-color treatment. Lucky's face and hands were both painted tan, while gold was included on the vest, bow tie and hat, as well as brown on the ball andshillelagh, and black on its pants and shoes.[223]
The Celtics also have various alternative logos, with the most popular being a whiteshamrock with the letters "Celtics" above it, wrapped in a green circle, which has been used since the1998–99 season. The alternate logo is based on logos used by the Celtics before they used the Zang Auerbach leprechaun. For much of its history, the shamrock was trimmed in gold, as seen in the old team warmup jackets. A new secondary logo, unveiled in 2014, featured a variation of the leprechaun logo, in silhouette form.[5][224]
For much of their history, the Celtics wore green uniforms on the road and white uniforms at home. The basic template of the current Celtics' uniforms was formalized in the team's early years, and along the way they made a few adjustments in the lettering and stripes.[225]
Among the more notable changes in the uniforms were the switch from serifed to sans-serif block lettering in 1968, the addition of names in 1972, and the incorporation of the three-leaf shamrock logo in 1998. While the white uniforms remained largely intact, the green uniforms have featured either the city name (1950s–1965; 2014–present) or the team name (1965–2014).[226]
WhenNike became the NBA's uniform provider in 2017, they decided to eliminate the "home" and "away" uniform designations. Thus the white Celtics uniforms became known as the "Association" uniforms while the green uniforms became the "Icon" uniforms. Both sets are now used regardless of home and road games.[4]
In January 2017, the Celtics signed a multi-year deal withGeneral Electric where they became the "exclusive Data and Analytics partner" for the team. As part of the deal, GE agreed to pay the Celtics more than $7 million per year[227] to have the uniforms with a GE logo prominently placed on the left shoulder of jerseys in green and white. This was the first time a corporate logo were placed on the game uniforms.[228][229] Along with the GE logo, the Nike logo now emblazons the right shoulder of the Celtics' uniforms.
In November 2020, the Celtics signed a multi-year deal withVistaprint who became the main jersey sponsor of the team.[230] In July 2024,Amica Mutual Insurance signed on as the team's jersey sponsor.[7]
Alternate uniforms
Ray Allen (left) wearing the alternate green uniform in 2008;Isaiah Thomas (right) wearing the alternate gray "Parquet Pride" uniform in 2017.
From 2005 to 2017, the Celtics wore alternate green uniforms with black lettering and trim featuring the word "Boston" on the front side. One noticeable difference in the alternate uniforms was the black panels with a green shamrock, reminiscent of the original Celtics uniforms worn in the late 1940s.[231]
A gray uniform set was also used from 2014 to 2017. Dubbed "Parquet Pride", the uniforms featured sleeves (a prominent figure inAdidas' NBA uniforms), white letters with green trim, the silhouetted leprechaun logo on the shorts, the shamrock logo on the left leg, and a parquet-like pattern on the sides.[232]
For 2017 and beyond, the Celtics will wear black "Statement" uniforms (labeled by Nike in reference to the league's third jerseys). The uniform features a black base with "Celtics" in green lettering and white trim, and other than a few changes in the striping scheme, the uniform remained essentially the same. Starting in 2020, the "Statement" uniform would feature theAir Jordan brand logo, a feature previously exclusive to theCharlotte Hornets uniforms.[233]
Special uniforms
Between 2006 and 2017, the Celtics wore specialSt. Patrick's Day uniforms. The initial uniforms were worn from 2006 to 2013 and it strongly resembled their regular green uniforms save for gold and white trim and the city name in front.[234] For 2014 and 2015, the uniforms were sleeved, replaced the city name in front in favor of the team name, and now resembled their green/black alternates.[235] In 2016 and 2017, the uniforms were again sleeveless and featured the city name in front, but kept the previous striping.
During theNBA Europe Live Tour prior to the2007–08 season, the Celtics used the alternate road jerseys in their game against theToronto Raptors in Rome, except that the words "Boston" on the front side of the jersey and the shamrock on the shorts and on the reverse side of the jersey contained the green, white and redtricolors of theItalian flag. In the second game in London, the regular road jerseys featured a patch containing theUnion Jack.
At the2008–09 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 editionChristmas Day uniforms since the 2008–09 season. For the first four games, they wore their regular green uniforms modified with the NBA logo inside asnowflake. Then in the2012–13 season, they wore monochrome uniforms with green lettering trimmed in white. For the2016–17 season, the Celtics wore a special green uniform with a more ornate script lettering, but without the additional striping.
Starting with the 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.[236]
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.[237][238] In addition, the Celtics wore an "Earned" edition uniform exclusive only to the 16 teams that made the2018 NBA playoffs. Their rendition is a palette swap of the "City" uniforms with a green base and gold letters and shamrocks with white trim. Both uniforms were inspired by the team's warmup jackets they wore from the 1950s until 1998, which contained a brighter gold trim.[239]
The Celtics' "City" uniform for the 2019–20 season featured a green base and a stylized "Boston" wordmark and numbers in gold with black trim. ACeltic knot in the shape of a shamrock adorn the beltline.[240]
The 2020–21 Celtics' "City" uniform was patterned after the 17 championship banners that adorn the TD Garden rafters. The uniform, which is white with thick green stripes, features the full name inFutura Condensed stacked in front, and Red Auerbach's signature and quote "The Boston Celtics are not a basketball team. They're a way of life." appears above the manufacturer's tag.[241] The Celtics also released a second "Earned" uniform after qualifying in the2020 NBA playoffs; this design features a dark green base with Celtic and lime green striping, and the letters were rendered in Celtic green with white trim.[242]
The Celtics' green "City" uniform for the 2021–22 season was a mix of previous uniform designs. The neck and arm striping was taken from their current uniforms. The green lettering with white drop shadows was a nod to the 1949 uniform design. The gray triangles on the shorts represented the franchise's initial uniforms; the left side contained the team's 75th anniversary emblem, while the right side contained a green-and-white version of the Red Auerbach memorial shamrock used in the 2006–07 season. Contrasting nameplates on the back were inspired by the warmup jackets the team used for much of its history, and the original "jumping leprechaun" logo from the 1960s was added to the waist. Retired numbers, the Auerbach signature and quotation (see 2021 "City" uniform), and 17 shamrocks representing each championship season, surrounded the jock tag.[243]
The 2022–23 "City" uniform served as a memorial to Bill Russell, who died on July 31. The uniform is dark green with metallic gold and black accents, and has the "Celtics" wordmark inspired by the Slade's Bar & Grill restaurant once owned by Russell. The black stripes contained 11 gold diamonds on each side, commemorating each of Russell's championships, and also featured a grayscale pattern of the parquet floor. The waistband contained Russell's jersey no. 6 surrounded by the 11 gold diamonds.[244]
The "City" uniform in the 2023–24 season featured a nod to the origins of the game of basketball. The white-based design featured dark green letters and brown trim in reference to traditional maker's marks from Boston's history of furniture makers, along with wood grain accents to reference the peach baskets first used in the game.[245] In another first, the Celtics unveiled an alternate court specific to the2023 NBA in-season tournament. The design, which is based on the "City" uniform, featured a mostly green-painted maple court with a brown strip along the free throw lanes. The silhouette of the NBA Cup is situated along the free throw lanes, and the actual trophy is painted at center court along with the "BOSTON" wordmark.[246]
For the 2024–25 "City" uniform, the Celtics built upon last season's "City" uniform and focused on continuous evolution of the game of basketball. The black-based uniform featured "Action green" (neon green) letters and striping, along with futuristic-style numbers.[247]
Memorial patches
During the2006–07 season, the Celtics wore a commemorative patch of a blackshamrock with the nickname "Red" in green letters on the right top of the jersey in remembrance ofRed Auerbach, who died shortly prior to the beginning of the season.[248]
In the2022–23 season, the Celtics joined the rest of the NBA in wearing the black no. 6 patch in memory ofBill Russell.[250]
Uniform traditions
The team also had the tradition of wearing black sneakers through most of their history. According to legend, Celtics patriarchRed Auerbach had a problem with the white sneakers, claiming that the white sneakers can easily get dirty; hence starting a long tradition with the black sneakers. In the early 1970s, the Celtics changed their sneaker color to green, but by 1985, returned to the customary black due to the difficulty of producing the right shade of Celtic green.[251]
Prior to the2003–04 season, then-Celtics general managerDanny Ainge and captainPaul Pierce suggested wearing white sneakers, in part due to a growing number of teams wearing black sneakers. Ainge gladly accepted and the white sneakers have remained since on home games. They still wore the black sneakers on away games, and brought them back for all home games during the2004 NBA playoffs, and in one home game during the2005 NBA playoffs. In the2008–09 season, they wore white sneakers with green and gold accents while wearing their St. Patrick's Day jerseys on the road. Most recently, when the Celtics play onChristmas Day, they wore white or green sneakers with red and gold accents.[252] Since the 2009–10 season, the NBA relaxed its rules on specified sneaker colors, and Celtics players are now seen wearing custom-made and personalized sneakers at home and on the road, although for the most part they wear either green, white or black sneakers.
The Celtics were the only team to wear warmup jackets with the player names on the back. During the 1980s, this style was dominant in most NBA warmup jackets, but by the late 1990s, this style gradually declined. The Celtics, however, kept the design in keeping with tradition, before discontinuing the practice after the 2011–12 season in favor of a templated jacket design common to all 30 teams.
NBC Sports Boston is the Boston Celtics' main television outlet, having aired its games since 1981 when the station was known as PRISM New England. In 1983, it rebranded as SportsChannel New England. Like all the other SportsChannel networks, the New England channel was rebranded asFox Sports New England when former ownerCablevision entered into a partnership withLiberty Media andNews Corporation in 1998. Comcast purchased Cablevision's original network stake in 2001, then acquired the remaining stake in what was nowFSN New England in 2007 and rebranded the network as Comcast SportsNet New England. In 2017, all CSN networks (including CSN New England) were renamed asNBC Sports Regional Networks in reference to Comcast's current ownership ofNBCUniversal.
As of the 2024–25 season, Drew Carter serves as the television play-by-play announcer withBrian Scalabrine as an analyst.
Long-time announcersJohnny Most andMike Gorman have won theCurt Gowdy Media Award for their outstanding work as broadcasters. Most was the team's radio announcer from 1953 to 1990, and Gorman served as the television announcer from 1981 to 2024.
^The pronunciation ofCelts with an initial/s/ (imported from French) was common at the time of the team's founding, but outside of organization names, is now pronounced with a/k/, as in Ancient Latin and Greek.[11]
^This pick originally belonged to theBrooklyn Nets, but was sent to the Celtics in the 2013 trade involving Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. The Nets had the worst record in the previous season, which gave the Celtics the highest chance of winning the lottery.
^"Celtics History Highlights".BostonCelticsHistory.com. NBA Media Ventures, LLC.Archived from the original on December 26, 2022. RetrievedDecember 26, 2022.
^abGolden, Daniel (May 10, 1987). "Brown Yearns for Old Kentucky Home; He'd Love to Return to the Governor's Mansion – And So Far, He's the Frontrunner". The Boston Globe.
^May, Peter (May 24, 2000). "Vindicated McAdoo Happily Heading for the Hall". The Boston Globe.
^Pluto, Terry (1990). Loose Balls: The Short, Wild Life of the American Basketball Association. Simon and Schuster.ISBN0-671-67390-4 at 347.
^abEditors of Publication International, Ltd.Robert ParishArchived June 7, 2013, at theWayback Machine, entertainment.howstuffworks.com. Retrieved November 22, 2010.
^"Larry Bird Bio".NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc.Archived from the original on January 13, 2012. RetrievedAugust 17, 2007.
^Columnist, JEFF JACOBS; Courant Sports (January 19, 1998)."FANS JUST SEE THAT NUMBER".courant.com.Archived from the original on March 1, 2020. RetrievedOctober 4, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^"Season-by-Season Record".BostonCelticsHistory.com. NBA Media Ventures, LLC.Archived from the original on December 26, 2022. RetrievedDecember 26, 2022.
^Coon, Larry."NBA Salary Cap FAQ – 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement".Archived from the original on May 27, 2015. RetrievedApril 13, 2014.If the player is already under contract to, or signs a contract with a non-NBA team, the team retains the player's draft rights for one year after the player's obligation to the non-NBA team ends. Essentially, the clock stops as long as the player plays pro ball outside the NBA.
^"Rocking the Shamrock: Uniforms".BostonCelticsHistory.com. HeritageWerks.Archived from the original on March 30, 2023. RetrievedSeptember 4, 2023.Not many uniforms in NBA history are as classic as Boston's. The team's iconic green and white threads have remained largely unchanged since the Celtics first took the court in 1946
^"NBA LockerVision – Boston Celtics – Icon Edition – Story Guide".LockerVision.NBA.com. NBA Properties, Inc.Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. RetrievedJanuary 29, 2023.The Boston Celtics Icon Edition uniform mirrors the build of the Association Edition. A green base with white trim features a "Boston" jersey wordmark and a shamrock on the belt buckle. While the base of this uniform has remained unchanged over time, the wordmark on the front of the jersey has switched from "Boston" to "Celtics" and back again various times, with the current look of the uniform being settled on before the 2014–15 season.
^NBA.com Staff (November 9, 2018)."City Edition uniforms: Eastern Conference teams in 2018–19".NBA.com. NBA Media Ventures, LLC.Archived from the original on November 9, 2018. RetrievedNovember 10, 2018.The Celtics kept up with their storied tradition in their City Edition uniforms. The new look features a signature from Red Auerbach stitched into the jersey. The jerseys also feature Nike+ Connect, the traditional "BOSTON" wordmark that debuted on road uniforms in the 1940s and colors of green, white and gold that are part of the franchise's roots.
^"Celtics to wear black".Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. October 19, 1985. p. 4B.Archived from the original on December 14, 2021. RetrievedOctober 15, 2020.
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