Boston Celtics Timeline

(1946 - Present)

The Boston Celtics are one of the most storied franchises in NBA history. Founded in 1946 as a founding member of the Basketball Association of America, the Celtics rose to dominance in the late 1950s and 1960s under coach Red Auerbach and center Bill Russell, winning an unprecedented eight consecutive championships. The rivalry with the Los Angeles Lakers defined the league for decades, and stars like Larry Bird, Paul Pierce, and Jayson Tatum continued the team's legacy of excellence, culminating in an NBA-record 18 championships. More Less

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Founding and Early Years

Boston Celtics founded as an NBA charter franchise

Jun 6, 1946

The Boston Celtics were founded in June 1946 by Walter Brown, owner of the Boston Garden, as one of the eight original teams of the newly formed Basketball Association of America, which later became the NBA. The team would grow into the most storied franchise in league history.

Celtics play their first game

Nov 1, 1946

The Celtics played their first official game on November 1, 1946, defeating the Toronto Huskies. The inaugural season was a struggle on the court, but it marked the beginning of a professional basketball tradition in Boston that would span decades.

Red Auerbach hired as head coach

Apr 1, 1950

In 1950, the Celtics hired Arnold 'Red' Auerbach as head coach. His innovative style, emphasis on fast breaks and defense, and shrewd roster building would transform the Celtics into the NBA's dominant dynasty over the next two decades.

Image source: Red Auerbach

Celtics draft Chuck Cooper, first Black player drafted into NBA

Apr 25, 1950

The Celtics selected Chuck Cooper in the 1950 NBA draft, making him the first African American player ever drafted by an NBA team. Cooper's signing was a landmark moment for racial integration in professional basketball.

Image source: Chuck Cooper (basketball)

Dynasty Era

Bill Russell acquired from St. Louis Hawks

Apr 29, 1956

Red Auerbach orchestrated a draft-day trade to acquire center Bill Russell, who had led San Francisco to consecutive NCAA titles. Russell would become the cornerstone of the Celtics dynasty, revolutionizing defense and shot-blocking.

Image source: Bill Russell

First NBA championship won

Mar 31, 1957

The Celtics captured their first NBA championship in 1957, defeating the St. Louis Hawks in seven games. Rookie Bill Russell anchored the defense, while Bob Cousy orchestrated the offense, launching one of the greatest dynasties in sports history.

Sam Jones and K.C. Jones join the rotation

Oct 1, 1957

Draft picks Sam Jones and K.C. Jones joined the Celtics in the late 1950s, adding depth, athleticism, and clutch shooting. Both became Hall of Famers and key contributors during the franchise's record-setting championship runs.

Image source: Sam Jones (basketball, born 1933)

Record 1959 championship begins streak of eight straight titles

Apr 9, 1959

The Celtics swept the Minneapolis Lakers to win the 1959 NBA title, beginning an unprecedented run of eight consecutive championships from 1959 through 1966 — a feat unmatched in major North American professional sports.

Auerbach retires; Bill Russell becomes player-coach

May 1, 1966

After winning his ninth title as coach in 1966, Red Auerbach stepped aside and named Bill Russell as player-coach, making him the first African American head coach in a major American professional sport. Russell promptly led Boston to titles in 1968 and 1969.

Eleventh NBA title in Russell's final season

May 5, 1969

In Bill Russell's last season as player-coach, the underdog Celtics upset the Lakers in seven games to claim their eleventh championship in thirteen years. Russell retired with more championship rings than any player in NBA history.

Image source: 1969 NBA Finals

Notable Players and Moments

Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game comes against Warriors era rivals

Mar 2, 1962

Though not a Celtics achievement, Wilt Chamberlain's historic 100-point performance against the New York Knicks exemplified the era of dominance in which the Celtics thrived, with Russell and Chamberlain forging one of basketball's greatest rivalries.

Image source: Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game

Havlicek steals the ball to seal Eastern Division Finals

Apr 15, 1965

With seconds remaining in Game 7 against the Philadelphia 76ers, John Havlicek intercepted Hal Greer's inbound pass, preserving a Celtics victory and prompting Johnny Most's legendary call: 'Havlicek stole the ball!'

Image source: Havlicek stole the ball

John Havlicek leads new-era Celtics

Oct 1, 1969

Following Russell's retirement, John Havlicek emerged as the face of the franchise. 'Hondo' played sixteen seasons in Boston, won eight championships, and delivered countless clutch performances, including the famous steal in 1965.

Image source: John Havlicek

Bird wins three straight MVP awards

Oct 30, 1984

Larry Bird won three consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player awards from 1984 to 1986, becoming only the third player in history to accomplish the feat and cementing his place among the all-time greats.

Image source: Larry Bird

Len Bias drafted and tragically dies days later

Jun 17, 1986

Two days after selecting Maryland star Len Bias second overall, the Celtics learned he had died of a cocaine overdose. The tragedy devastated the organization and is often cited as the turning point that ended Boston's sustained dominance.

Image source: Len Bias

Len Bias drafted and tragically dies days later

Reggie Lewis dies during offseason workout

Jul 27, 1993

Captain Reggie Lewis, the young star expected to lead the post-Bird Celtics, collapsed and died during an offseason workout at age 27. His death plunged the franchise into a decade of decline.

Image source: Reggie Lewis

Paul Pierce drafted tenth overall

Jun 24, 1998

Paul Pierce unexpectedly fell to the Celtics at pick number ten in the 1998 draft. 'The Truth' became a franchise icon over fifteen seasons in green, eventually earning induction into the Hall of Fame.

Image source: Paul Pierce

Rajon Rondo emerges as All-Star floor general

Feb 15, 2010

Rajon Rondo developed into one of the league's premier point guards, earning four straight All-Star selections and leading the NBA in assists multiple times while helping Boston reach two Finals appearances in 2008 and 2010.

Image source: Rajon Rondo

Isaiah Thomas scores 53 points in playoff game honoring late sister

May 9, 2017

Playing through grief after his sister's death, Isaiah Thomas scored 53 points in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against Washington, one point shy of John Havlicek's franchise playoff record, in an emotional Celtics win.

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown drafted as new core

Jun 22, 2017

Danny Ainge traded down to select Jayson Tatum third overall in 2017, joining Jaylen Brown drafted the year before. The duo grew into All-NBA cornerstones and leaders of the next generation of Celtics contention.

Image source: Jayson Tatum

Modern Championships

Thirteenth NBA championship under Tom Heinsohn

Jun 1, 1974

Coached by former star Tom Heinsohn, the Celtics defeated Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's Milwaukee Bucks in seven games to win their thirteenth title, marking a successful rebirth after the post-Russell transition years.

Fourteenth championship won in triple-overtime classic

Jun 16, 1976

The Celtics beat the Phoenix Suns in the 1976 NBA Finals, capped by Game 5's legendary triple-overtime thriller at Boston Garden — widely regarded as one of the greatest games in NBA history.

Larry Bird drafted out of Indiana State

Jun 8, 1978

Red Auerbach gambled by drafting Larry Bird in the 1978 draft even though Bird returned to college for a year. Bird signed with Boston in 1979 and immediately revitalized the franchise, winning Rookie of the Year.

Bird signs and Celtics return to prominence

Jun 8, 1979

With Larry Bird joining a rebuilt roster that included Dave Cowens and rookie Nate Archibald arriving soon after, Boston improved dramatically, returning to the Eastern Conference Finals and restoring the Celtics as contenders.

Robert Parish and Kevin McHale acquired in landmark trade

Sep 9, 1980

Auerbach traded the first overall pick to Golden State for Robert Parish and the third pick, used on Kevin McHale. Together with Bird, they formed the 'Big Three,' one of the greatest frontcourts in NBA history.

Image source: Kevin McHale (basketball)

Fifteenth NBA championship in Bird's second season

May 14, 1981

Led by Larry Bird, the Celtics defeated the Houston Rockets in six games to win the 1981 title. The championship validated Auerbach's rebuilding strategy and launched another golden age in Boston.

Sixteenth NBA championship over the Lakers

Jun 12, 1984

The Celtics defeated Magic Johnson's Los Angeles Lakers in a grueling seven-game series highlighted by Kevin McHale's clothesline foul on Kurt Rambis and Bird's clutch play, renewing the rivalry in the Finals for the first time since 1969.

Seventeenth-era peak: 1986 championship team considered among best ever

Jun 8, 1986

Boston won its sixteenth NBA title by beating Houston in six games. The 1986 Celtics, featuring Bird, Parish, McHale, Dennis Johnson, and Sixth Man Bill Walton, are frequently cited as one of the greatest teams ever assembled.

Image source: 1986 NBA Finals

Doc Rivers hired as head coach

Apr 24, 2004

Doc Rivers took over as head coach in 2004, guiding the Celtics for nine seasons. He stabilized the franchise and ultimately led Boston to the 2008 NBA championship behind the Big Three.

Image source: Doc Rivers

Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett trades form new Big Three

Jul 31, 2007

Danny Ainge executed blockbuster trades to acquire Ray Allen from Seattle and Kevin Garnett from Minnesota, pairing them with Paul Pierce to create a new Big Three that instantly transformed Boston into a title contender.

Image source: 2007–08 Boston Celtics season

Seventeenth NBA championship won over Lakers

Jun 17, 2008

The Celtics completed the biggest single-season turnaround in NBA history, defeating Kobe Bryant's Lakers in six games to capture their seventeenth championship. Garnett famously shouted 'Anything is possible!' after the clinching win.

Image source: 2008 NBA Finals

Ime Udoka guides Celtics to NBA Finals

May 29, 2022

After a midseason surge, the Celtics reached the 2022 NBA Finals behind Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart, though they fell to the Golden State Warriors in six games.

Image source: 2022 NBA Finals

Key Facts

The Boston Celtics were founded in 1946 as one of the original teams of the Basketball Association of America (BAA), which merged with the NBL to form the NBA in 1949.
Under coach Red Auerbach and star Bill Russell, the Celtics won eight consecutive NBA championships from 1959 to 1966, a record unmatched in major American professional sports.
The Celtics hold the record for most NBA championships with 18 titles, including their most recent victory in 2024.
Larry Bird led the Celtics to three championships in the 1980s (1981, 1984, 1986) and fueled one of the greatest rivalries in sports history against Magic Johnson's Lakers.
Legends like Bill Russell, Larry Bird, Bob Cousy, John Havlicek, and Paul Pierce have all had their jersey numbers retired by the franchise, reflecting its rich history.

Source

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