Franchise History
A Celtics were formed around 1946 as a team in the Basketball Association of America. Fallowing a merger of the BAA and the National Basketball League to form the National Basketball Association, the Celtics acquired greenhorn Bill Russell in 1956. Russell experienced an quick impact; that month, a Celtics advanced to the NBA Finals and defeated the so St. Louis Hawks in seven games, generating the Celtics a number 1 of a record Xvi NBA Championships. Around 1957, the Celtics once more advanced to the NBA Finals, this time losing to the Hawks inside Hexad games. But, using a acquisition of K.C. Jones, the Celtics began a dynasty that would last 8 seasons.

Within 1959, with Russell & Jones, a Celtics won a NBA Championship with the sweep of the Minneapolis Lakers. Under coach Red Auerbach, the Celtics won an additional seven championships for eight championships inside the row. In a period of that timespan, a Celtics met the Lakers in the Finals six days, starting an acute- & occasionally bitter- rivalry. the Celtics would sooner or later meet a Lakers a sum of Ten days in the NBA Finals. Fallowing a 1966 championship, though, Auerbach retired. Russell took all over as a streaming video player & coach. Yet, that season a Celtics' string of NBA titles was broken. A ageing team managed ii further championships, though, inside 1968 and 1969, each against a Lakers in the NBA Finals. Russell retired fallowing the 1969 year, profits ending a dominant Celtics dynasty that experienced garnered Eleven NBA titles. A streak of Eight sequentially NBA championships is the hanker streak of sequentially championships within U.S. sports history.

A next year wwhen one of rebuilding as a Celtics experienced their foremost losing record inside an extended instance. But, by using Dave Cowens, Paul Silas, and Jo Jo White, the Celtics became dominant once more. Inside 1974 the team bested the Milwaukee Bucks within the NBA Finals, and in 1976 a team won yet a second championship fallowing defeating the Phoenix Suns. Fallowing a 1976 victory, though, Boston went into another phase of rebuilding.

A rebuilding phase exclusively lasted 2 years. Using a acquisition of NBA legend Larry Bird, Robert Parish, and Kevin McHale, the Celtics however once agaaround became the dominant team in the NBA, swimming in Fivesome NBA Finals in the Eighties. the team won a title inside 1981, and a ensuing year K.C. Jones was named head coach. Jones led a Celtics to foursome sequentially NBA Finals appearances against a Lakers & a Houston Rockets between 1984 and 1987, winning championships in 1984 and 1986. A 3 Finals in which a Celtics played a Lakers featured a match-up of Bird versus NBA dandy Magic Johnson.

When a retirement of Bird, a Celtics eventually once more went into rebuilding. Inside 1994 a Celtics moved from the Boston Garden into the Fleet Center. Under todays general manager Danny Ainge and coach Doc Rivers, a Celtics won the section championship in the 2004-2005 season, but misused to the Indiana Pacers in game 7 in the postseason. As of 2005 the Celtics are the single team within NBA history to own never misused a Game 7 in the NBA Finals. It is the hone 7-0 withwithin these games, winning in 1957, 1960, 1962, 1966, 1969, 1974, and 1984.

Historical Rivalries
a Boston Celtics will have a longstanding competition, especially throughout a 80s, by owning the Los Angeles Lakers. At a height of a contention, A Lakers & Celtics would win Ogdoad NBA Championships in a decade (The Lakers won Five piece the Celtics won Three), & would play every more in the NBA Finals 3 different times. A contention wwhen cooled slay as a Celtics slipped into mediocrity in a 90s, however Lakers-Celtics is considered by several NBA fans to exist as the league's greatest contention. A Celtics too keep close at hand historical ties using a Philadelphia 76ers, who played sustaining a Celtics around tense playoff series in the 60s & 80s.

Players of note
Basketball Hall of Famers:
Nate Archibald Larry Bird Walter A. Brown Bob Cousy Dave Cowens Wayne Embry (inducted as a contributor, not as a streaming video player; was a number 1 African-Western to serve two as a general manager & team president in the NBA) John Havlicek Tom Heinsohn Bailey Howell K. C. Jones Sam Jones Clyde Lovellette Ed Macauley Pete Maravich Kevin McHale Robert Parish Andy Phillip Frank Ramsey Arnie Risen Bill Russell Bill Sharman (inducted both as a Celtics streaming video player & as a coach, virtually all notably by owning a Los Angeles Lakers) John Thompson (only played in the NBA for two years; inducted for his coaching job career at Georgetown University) Bill Walton

Not to be forgotten:
Danny Ainge Don Chaney Paul Silas Tiny Archibald

Retired numbers:
00 Robert Parish 1 Walter Brown (founding owner) 2 Red Auerbach (legendary coach and executive) 3 Dennis Johnson 6 Bill Russell 10 Jo Jo White 14 Bob Cousy 15 Tom Heinsohn 16 Satch Sanders 17 John Havlicek 18* Jim Loscutoff 18 Dave Cowens 19 Don Nelson 21 Bill Sharman 22 Ed Macauley 23 Frank Ramsey 24 Sam Jones 25 K.C. Jones 31 Cedric Maxwell 32 Kevin McHale 33 Larry Bird 35 Reggie Lewis

* Note: Loscutoff's Xviii jersey was retired, however saved active for Dave Cowens

Other notable figures
Broadcaster Johnny Most Len Bias Chuck Cooper (first black player drafted by an NBA team)

Current Roster (updated October 6, 2005)

2004/2005 Season Coaching Staff
HEAD COACH: Doc Rivers
Adjunct COACHES: Dave Wohl, Tony Red, Jim Brewer, Kevin Eastman, Armond Hill & Paul Pressey

2005 Draft picks
18th overall: Gerald Green, Gulf Shores Academy 50th overall: Ryan Gomes, Providence College 53rd overall: Orien Greene, University of Louisiana at Lafayette

See Also
Lakers-Celtics Rivalry Sixers-Celtics Rivalry Pistons-Celtics Rivalry