Young stars began to show up big for the “new” Boston Celtics as the team posted a winning record in 1970-71, though Boston finished just out of the playoffs. Led by rookie Dave Cowens and second-year man Jo Jo White, the Celtics increased their win total from the previous season by 10 games. “The Green […]

The Celtics returned to the NBA Playoffs in 1983, facing a powerful Milwaukee Bucks team in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Coached by former Celtics standout Don Nelson, Milwaukee swept Boston in four games – the first time the Celtics had been swept in a best-of-seven-games playoff series. “This is a very special feeling,” Nelson said. […]

The Boston Celtics and New York Knicks added a chapter to their inter-city rivalry in the early 1970s. The 1973 Eastern Conference Finals went all the way to Game 7, where Boston lost to New York at home, 94-78, and the Knicks went on to win the NBA World Championship title. The Celtics got revenge […]

Don Nelson prepared to take a free throw at Boston Garden while viewers around the nation watched on ABC. The NBA signed a deal with ABC in 1964 to broadcast the league’s games and later extended the deal in 1969. When airing disputes led some NBA owners to think of leaving ABC, Red Auerbach cautioned […]

Some of the greatest names in Celtics history signed this basketball, including Hall-of-Famers Larry Bird, Frank Ramsey, Jo Jo White and Sam Jones. Forty-nine Celtics players, coaches and executives have been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the most of any NBA franchise.

The Celtics faced a transitional period during the 1970s, but they didn’t suffer from lack of success. As Boston’s first dynasty came to an end with Bill Russell’s retirement in 1969, newcomers Dave Cowens and Jo Jo White along with veteran leaders like John Havlicek, Don Nelson and Head Coach Tommy Heinsohn worked to get […]

The Celtics have had a lot of superstars, but perhaps none as unusual as Dave Cowens. The two-time NBA World Champion and 1973 NBA MVP certainly marched to the beat of his own drum. Among some of his reported exploits: Cowens spent a night on a bench in Boston Common, pelted a young Larry Bird […]

While never quite matching the height of their dominance during the 1960s, the Celtics of the seventies still won two NBA World Championship titles in 1974 and 1976. One of the keys to their success was the mixture of experienced players like John Havlicek and Don Nelson with younger players like Jo Jo White and […]

Not many opponents wanted to defend this unit during the early 1970s. Jo Jo White, Don Chaney, John Havlicek and Don Nelson prepared to receive an inbound pass and set up a play. The foursome first took the court together during the 1969-70 season, led by veteran shooters Havlicek and Nelson. By the time of […]

Don Nelson emerged as a veteran presence during the early 1970s. “Nellie” contributed consistent points and reliable defense during Boston’s run to the NBA Finals in 1974 and 1976. After winning the NBA World Championship title in 1976 – Nelson’s fifth ring as a member of the Celtics – the longtime small forward hung up […]