Celtics of Boston

The Celtics of Boston ( Boston Celtics in English) are a frankness from Basket-ball of NBA based with Boston in the state of the Massachusetts. In spite of the absence of title NBA since 1986, Celtics remain the most titrated frankness league with 16 trophies.

History of the frankness

Birth of a dynasty (1946-1969)

The frankness from Boston was created in 1946 to take part in the championship of “Basketball Association off America” (BAA). In 1950, it becomes member of the NBA during the birth of the league, following the fusion of the BAA and the “National Basketball League”. The first years were rather delicate until the arrival of Red Auerbach at the station of coach changes gives it in a spectacular way. One of the first major players to join Celtics is Bob Cousy in spite of the refusal of Auerbach of the drafter. Cousy begins in NBA under the shirt from Chicago Stags but, with the liquidation of the frankness, it is recovered by Boston at the time of the draft of dispersion. It will become one of the angular stones of the first successes of Celtics and will maintain finally an excellent relation with Auerbach. In 1956, Celtics obtain the rights on a promising rookie in the person of Bill Russell. This player will mark the frankness for the 10 years to come. Indeed, Russell has an immediate impact on the team and leads Celtics to the “NBA Finals” 1956, during which they gain the first of their 16 championships vis-a-vis the St-Louis Hawks. Revenge takes place as of the following year but this time it is Hawks which carry it in 6 handles. In spite of this reverse, acquisition the same year of K.C. Jones promises a radiating future on the side of Boston. In 1959, with Russell and Jones, Celtics gain to them 2nd title by dominating the Mineapolis Lakers over the score of 4 victories to 0. This victory marks the beginning of the hegemony of Celtics which will bring back in the Massachusetts all the trophies concerned until 1966, that is to say 8 championships of at a stretch. During this period, Boston meets Lakers of Elgin Baylor and Jerry West with 6 recoveries at the ultimate stage of the championship, giving birth to what remains still today like the emblématique competition of the history of the NBA. On the whole, Lakers and Celtics will dispute 10 times the final title. At the summer 1966, Red Auerbach gives up the station of coach to become to manage frankness, a position which it will occupy of many years. Bill Russell takes the reins of the team on and apart from the ground while becoming trainer-player. In 1967, Celtics are eliminated finally from conference by the Philadelphia 76ers. The growing old team gains nevertheless the title in 1968 and 1969, again vis-a-vis Lakers. In the tread, Russell decides to put a term at its career. This date marks the end of a green and white dynasty which will have brought 11 titles NBA to Boston. Among the other important players having taken part in this adventure, it is especially necessary to retain Sam Jones, John Havlicek and Tommy Heinsohn. The conquest of 8 titles of at a stretch is a performance which was never yet equalized in any American sport.

The rebuilding and the return to the top (1970-1978)

From 1970, Celtics enter a phase of rebuilding around John Havlicek after having dominated the league during more than one decade. For its first season post-Russell, the frankness obtains a negative assessment for the first time since 1950 with 34 victories for 48 defeats. It will take exactly 5 seasons to find Boston at the top of the hierarchy under the crook of Dave Cowens, Paul Silas and OJ OJ White. In 1974 and 1976, Celtics gain respectively 2 new titles face with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Phoenix Suns. The finale 1976 gave place to one of largest the matches of the history of the NBA. Then with 2 handles everywhere, Suns move in Boston Garden, the cave of Celtics. The latter, coachés by Tommy Heinsohn, will have recourse to 3 prolongations to carry it, marking a first in the history of the league. After the victory of 1976, Celtics enter again a phase of rebuilding and will not take part in the play-offs during the 2 following seasons.

The years Bird (1979-1992)

After thus 2 years of food shortage, Auerbach benefits from the 6th choice of the draft 1978 to select Larry Bird. This last chooses to honor its ultimate academic year before making the great jump towards the NBA. Bird built-in the manpower of Celtics with is orée of the season 1979-80 during which it will carry out the team in the categories of points, rebounds and interceptions. Its performances are worth the honor to him to be elected better beginning from the year in NBA. The following season, it is Kevin McHale and Robert Parish which arrives at Boston, the first via the draft and following it included in an exchange. With these 3 future members of the Basketball Hall off Famed, Celtics become again one of the headlights teams of the NBA. Only 2 years after the arrival of Bird, Boston finds the top of the classifications and gains a new title under the orders of Bill Fitch.

K.C. Jones takes the orders of the team following Fitch. During the 2 following seasons, the results are excellent but Boston does not manage to conquer a new trophy of champion. During this period, new faces integrate the frankness like Danny Ainge, Dennis Johnson and M.L. Carr. In 1984, Celtics will go up a score of 2 victories with to finally beat the Lakers of Los Angeles. It is the 15th title of the frankness from Massachusetts. Bird, as for him, redécouvre a competition born much earlier in university vis-a-vis old from Michigan, Magic Johnson. In 1985, the 2 franknesses are found finally but this time Lakers brings back the trophy to California. During the intersaison, Bill Walton arrives coming from the Los Angeles Clippers. Walton is at the time a star of the league for his old performances with the Portland Trailblazers although wounds with repetition prevented it from shining with its right value. Its incorporation in manpower does of Celtics one of the strongest teams of the history of the NBA and it is logically that this one is crowned into 1986 vis-a-vis the Houston Rockets of Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson.

With the summer 1987, K.C. Jones completes a 4 years cycle during which it led Celtics to 4 consecutive finales while Bill Walton, caught up with by the wounds, put a term at its career. Celtics will remain powerful until the end of the years 1980 without however finding the top of the hierarchy. In 1986, Boston drafte Len Bias, a young player on whom the frankness bases much hopes. Its enormous potential must indeed lead it to ensure the future of a growing old team. Unfortunately, Bias dies of an overdose the night following the draft after having taken cocaine during a festival. This tragic event marks the beginning of a series of hard blows for Boston.

Tragedy and decline (1993-2003)

Problems of back push Larry Bird to be more and more often sat down on the bench on the sides of Mc Hale and Parish. In 1992, the team gains the title of Atlantic division, a performance which she will reiterate only in 2004-05. After 13 years of good and faithful services, Bird is withdrawn. The young person Reggie Lewis, then regarded as his natural successor, becomes the leader of Celtics. In 1995, the team leaves Boston Garden to move in Fleet Center, thereafter famous TD Banknorth Garden.

During a match of play-offs vis-a-vis the Charlotte Hornets, Lewis is taken of a faintness. Complementary examinations reveal cardiac problems but the doctors give him green light to return on the parquet floors. He dies of one heart attack to the intersaison. The frankness will pay homage to him by withdrawing its number of shirt the following season.

Former player M.L. Carr becomes manager and benefits from the draft to integrate young players of talent like Eric Montross and Eric Williams. After having transfered the coach, it takes itself the reins of the team. During the following years, Celtics will be shown very disappointing, reaching the play-offs only once.

The flow chart of the frankness is given flat and Rick Pitino becomes at the same time president, manager and coach. Pitino is then known to have brought the university of Kentucky to the title NCAA and to have coaché the Knicks of New York a few years earlier. Unfortunately, it does not show with the height waitings. In spite of its efforts to recruit young talented players, Celtics realize in 1996-97 the worst season of the history of the frankness by gaining only 15 meetings. Although having finished with the last row of the league, Celtics do not obtain the first choice of the draft which makes it possible the San Antonio Spurs to recover Tim Duncan. Boston chooses nevertheless Chauncey Billups and Ron Mercer in 3rd and 6th position to associate them with Antoine Walker which leaves a good first season in NBA. Unfortunately, the 2 rookies will not bring the awaited nudge in the right direction and will take the broad one quickly contrary to Paul Pierce, drafté in 1998.

Pitino resigns in 2001, leaving the team in the hands of Jim O' Brien and Chris Wallace at the station of managing. Although Wallace benefits badly from the 3 first turns of draft which the frankness has, Paul Pierce converts himself into one of the best players of the league. He leads Celtics in play-offs for the first time since 1995. Only the New Jersey Nets will finally be right of Boston of conference. In 2003, the frankness changes owner.

Of return towards the tops? (Since 2003)

During the season 2002-2003, Danny Ainge is called to replace Chris Wallace. Arrived with the conviction that the team needs revival, it launches out in a policy of exchanges of which Antoine Walker is the first to make the expenses. Accompanied by Tony Delk, it takes the direction of Dallas during the summer 2003. Among the new faces, one can quote Ricky Davis, Mark Blount and Raef LaFrentz. In the course of season, John Carroll replaces Jim O' Brien and Celtics reaches the play-offs from which they are eliminated with the first turn. Ainge then is very criticized to have dismantled a promising team, which does not prevent it from continuing the rebuilding by draftant Marcus Banks, Al Jefferson, Kendrick Perkins and Delonte West. It also recruits the veterans Gary Payton and Rick Fox coming from Lakers. Fox takes its retirement before playing the least match under the green shirt Celtics introduce a team then mixing talents in becoming and solid veterans under the orders of Doc. Rivers. At the winter 2005, Antoine Walker finds the frankness from her beginnings while Payton takes the direction of Atlanta. The team finds a level worthy of her past, gains its first title of Atlantic division since 1992 but is eliminated precociously in play-offs by the Indiana Pacers. An exchange including of many franknesses sends Walker to Miami. Celtics benefit from it to reduce their wage bill. Again young players unload then in Boston among which Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes and Orien Greene.

During the season 2005-06, Ainge decides to exchange Davis, Blount and Banks against Wally Szczerbiak and Michael Olowokandi coming from Minnesota. Whereas Paul Pierce carries out the best season of its career, Celtics do not manage to take off. Their final assessment of 33 victories for 49 defeats the place in 11th position of the Conference Is with 7 victories of the last frankness qualified for the final stages. The following season, from many wounds come to disturb the performances of Celtics which finish with the second worse assessment of the NBA with 24 victories for 58 defeats. In January, they connect even a series of 18 consecutive defeats, the worst of the history of the frankness. In spite of these bad results, the contract of the trainer, Doc. Rivers, which was to be concluded at the conclusion of the season 2008, is prolonged one year, with financial conditions depending on advanced in playoffs in 2009.

At the time of the draft 2007, they select Jeff Green in position 5 to immediately exchange it in company of Delonte West and Wally Szczerbiak against Ray Allen and the rights of choice 35 of very the draft Glen Davis of the Seattle SuperSonics

July 31st, 2007, Celtics make sign the winger-extremely multiple alstar Kevin Garnett and of the blow, they do not send less than 5 their players, Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair and a turn of draft. They profit now from the most beautiful trio of NBA with Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett.

Prize list

Current manpower

withdrawn Shirts

Note: * number 18 of Loscutoff was withdrawn but kept active for Dave Cowens. Not to withdraw 2 shirts number 18, Celtics hung a banner taking again the letters " LOSCY" to honor Loscutoff.

External bonds

  • Official site
  • Statistical detailed on basketball-reference.com
  • successive Logos
  • http://www.bostonceltics.skyrock.com
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