The Boston Celtics are a professional basketball team based in Boston, founded in 1946 as one of the NBA's original teams. Playing at TD Garden, they are the most successful team in NBA history, holding records for most championships (18) and most wins. They compete in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division and maintain a winning record against every team in the NBA.
On June 6, 1946, the Boston Celtics were formed by Walter A. Brown as a team in the Basketball Association of America.
In 1946, the Boston Celtics were founded as one of the original eight teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Red Auerbach was one of the few remaining people who had been a part of the NBA since its inception in 1946. Auerbach passed away in 2006.
On August 3, 1949, the Boston Celtics became part of the National Basketball Association (NBA) following the merger of the BAA and rival National Basketball League.
In 1949, the Tri-Cities Blackhawks joined the NBA as part of the merger between the National Basketball League and the Basketball Association of America.
In 1950, the Celtics signed Chuck Cooper, becoming the first NBA franchise to draft a black player.
In 1953, Johnny Most became the team's radio announcer, a position he held until 1990.
In 1956, the Celtics, led by coach Red Auerbach, acquired Bill Russell, who later became the cornerstone of the Celtics dynasty.
In 1957, With Bill Russell, the Celtics advanced to the 1957 NBA Finals and defeated the St. Louis Hawks in seven games, earning their first NBA title.
In 1957, the Celtics, led by Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, and Tom Heinsohn, won their first NBA championship.
Following the acquisition of K.C. Jones in 1958, the Celtics began a dynasty that would last for more than a decade.
In 1958, the Celtics again advanced to the NBA Finals, this time losing to the Hawks in 6 games.
In 1959, the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers began their rivalry, meeting for the first time in the NBA Finals.
In 1959, the Celtics began a period of dominance, winning eight consecutive NBA championships.
In 1959, the Celtics won the NBA championship after sweeping the Minneapolis Lakers, the first of their record eight consecutive championships.
On December 26, 1964, The Celtics became the first NBA team to have an all African-American starting lineup. Willie Naulls replaced an injured Tom Heinsohn, joining Tom 'Satch' Sanders, K.C. Jones, Sam Jones, and Bill Russell in the starting lineup to defeat St. Louis 97–84.
From 1965 to 1968, the rivalry between Bill Russell of the Boston Celtics and Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia 76ers reached its peak.
In 1966, the Celtics concluded their run of eight consecutive NBA championships.
In 1967, the Philadelphia 76ers won the NBA Finals, disrupting the Boston Celtics' dominance in the 1960s.
From 1965 to 1968, the rivalry between Bill Russell of the Boston Celtics and Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia 76ers reached its peak.
In 1968, after Bill Russell became the team's player-coach, the Celtics won another NBA Championship.
In 1969, the Celtics won back-to-back titles, marking the end of the Celtics dynasty as Bill Russell retired.
In 1969, the Celtics won the NBA championship again, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers for the second time, after which Bill Russell retired.
In 1974, the Celtics returned to the playoffs, defeating the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1974 NBA Finals for their 12th NBA championship, bringing the title back to Boston for the first time in five years.
In 1976, the Celtics won another NBA championship, led by head coach Tom Heinsohn with Dave Cowens, Havlicek, and Jo Jo White.
In 1977, Bill Walton led the Portland Trail Blazers to the NBA championship. He was later acquired by the Celtics during the following off-season in 1985.
In 1977, after a playoff appearance, the Celtics drafted Cedric Maxwell from UNC Charlotte.
In 1978, Auerbach took a risk by selecting junior Larry Bird of Indiana 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.
During the 1979–80 season, with a new owner in place, Auerbach made a number of moves that would bring the team back to prominence, including trading Bob McAdoo and picking up Gerald Henderson.
In 1980, Larry Bird debuted for the Celtics, winning NBA Rookie of the Year honors as the team went 61-21 and reached the Eastern Conference Finals.
In 1981, Mike Gorman became the television announcer for the Celtics, a role he served in until 2024.
In 1981, PRISM New England, which later became NBC Sports Boston, started airing Boston Celtics games.
In 1981, after going 62–20 in the regular season, the Celtics won the NBA championship over the Houston Rockets, with Cedric Maxwell being named NBA Finals MVP.
In 1983, K.C. Jones became the new coach for the Celtics.
In 1983, PRISM New England rebranded as SportsChannel New England.
In 1983, the Celtics were swept in the playoffs by the Milwaukee Bucks, after which coach Bill Fitch resigned and the team was sold to new owners led by Don Gaston.
In 1984, the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards engaged in a fight.
In 1984, the Celtics won the NBA championship, experiencing a renewed rivalry with the "Showtime" Lakers and led by head coach K. C. Jones.
In 1985, the Celtics returned to wearing their customary black sneakers due to the difficulty of producing the right shade of Celtic green for green sneakers.
In 1985, the Celtics won against Pistons in playoffs.
In 1985, the Lakers defeated the Celtics in the NBA Finals, marking the first time the Lakers won a championship at Boston Garden and the first time they defeated the Celtics in the Finals.
In 1986, Bill Walton, previously with the Los Angeles Clippers, joined the Celtics after being traded for Cedric Maxwell.
In 1986, the Celtics drafted Len Bias, but he tragically died 36 hours later due to a cocaine overdose. Despite this, the Celtics remained competitive and won the Eastern Conference Championship, later losing to the Lakers in the Finals.
In 1986, the Celtics won the NBA championship again under head coach K. C. Jones.
In 1987, the Celtics and Lakers met in the Finals.
In 1987, the Celtics won against Pistons in playoffs.
In 1988, the Celtics lost to the Detroit Pistons in six games in the Eastern Conference Finals. Following the season, head coach K.C. Jones retired.
In 1988, the Pistons reached the Finals.
In their first trip to the Eastern Conference Finals since 1988, 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.
In 1989, Larry Bird underwent a procedure to remove bone spurs in his feet, leading to the Celtics winning only 42 games and suffering a first-round playoff defeat to the Pistons.
In 1989, the Pistons win championship.
In 1990, the Pistons win championship.
In 1990, under Chris Ford's leadership, the Celtics improved to 56–26 and won the Atlantic Division title, although Bird missed games due to injuries. The Celtics lost to the Pistons in the playoffs.
Johnny Most departs from being the team's radio announcer after serving since 1953.
In 1991, the Celtics and Pistons meet in the NBA playoffs.
In 1992, the Celtics repeated as Atlantic Division champions, but Bird's back injuries limited his playing time. After the season, Larry Bird retired from the NBA.
In 1993, during the playoffs, Reggie Lewis fainted during a game. Although cleared by doctors for a comeback, he died of a heart attack during the off-season.
In 1994, M.L. Carr became the vice president of basketball operations, and the Celtics drafted Eric Montross. Dominique Wilkins was signed as a free agent and led the team in scoring.
In 1994, Robert Parish signed with Charlotte, marking the end of the Celtics' original Big 3 era. The team collapsed and finished out of the playoffs.
In 1995, the Celtics moved from Boston Garden to the Fleet Center. M.L. Carr fired Chris Ford and became the coach himself.
In 1996, the Celtics had a franchise-record 67 losses. Carr resigned after the season, and Rick Pitino was hired as president, director of basketball operations, and head coach.
On May 7, 1997, Jan Volk resigned from the Boston Celtics organization.
In the 1997 NBA draft, the Celtics selected Chauncey Billups and Ron Mercer, and dismantled the young team that lost 67 games the year before.
In 1998, SportsChannel New England rebranded as Fox Sports New England when Cablevision partnered with Liberty Media and News Corporation.
In 1998, the Celtics drafted Paul Pierce, who had an immediate impact and was named Rookie of The Month in February during the lockout-shortened 1998-99 season.
In 1999, Eric Williams returned to the Celtics after being traded in 1997.
On March 1, 2000, after a loss to the Toronto Raptors, Rick Pitino delivered the "walking through that door" speech, reflecting on the team's bygone glory.
In 2000, following Rick Pitino's resignation, the Celtics saw modest improvement under coach Jim O'Brien, who finished the season with a 24-24 record.
In January 2001, Rick Pitino resigned from his position as head coach of the Celtics.
Following the 2000–01 season, Jim O'Brien was given the job of head coach on a permanent basis. In the 2001 NBA draft, the Celtics selected Joe Johnson, Joe Forte, and Kedrick Brown.
In 2001, Celtics fans berated Kidd and his family with chants of "Wife Beater!" in response to Kidd's 2001 domestic abuse charge.
In 2001, Comcast purchased Cablevision's original network stake in what was then FSN New England.
The Celtics entered the 2001-02 season with low expectations.
In 2002, the rivalry between the Boston Celtics and New Jersey Nets heated up during the Eastern Conference Finals, marked by trash-talking and fan altercations. Bill Walton remarked about the Nets-Celtics being the "beginning of the next great NBA rivalry".
In 2003, Celtics general manager Danny Ainge and captain Paul Pierce suggested wearing white sneakers, partly because many teams were wearing black sneakers.
In 2003, the Celtics were sold to Boston Basketball Partners L.L.C. The team hired Danny Ainge as general manager.
In 2003, the New Jersey Nets swept the Boston Celtics in the playoffs.
During the 2004–05 season, the Celtics drafted Al Jefferson, Delonte West, and Tony Allen.
In 2004, the Celtics brought back the black sneakers for all home games during the NBA playoffs.
In 2004, the Celtics made the playoffs but were swept in the first round by the Indiana Pacers.
In 2005, the Celtics wore black sneakers in one home game during the NBA playoffs.
Starting in late December 2006, the Celtics went 2-22 after losing Pierce to injury.
The Boston Celtics had a poor season in 2006, which set the stage for a major turnaround the following year.
The Celtics losing streak started December 2006 continued into early February 2007, after losing Pierce to injury.
In 2007, Comcast acquired the remaining stake in FSN New England and rebranded the network as Comcast SportsNet New England.
In 2007, the Celtics acquired Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, forming a new "Big Three" with Paul Pierce.
In 2007, the Celtics assembled a new "Big Three" around Paul Pierce by acquiring Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett in the offseason.
In 2007, the Celtics had the largest single-season turnaround in NBA history, improving their record by 42 games compared to the 2006 season, finishing with a 66-16 record.
In 2008, the Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in six games to win the NBA Finals.
In 2008, the Boston Celtics, led by Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen, defeated the Detroit Pistons in 6 games in the Eastern Conference Finals, advancing to the NBA Finals.
In 2008, the Celtics and Lakers renewed their rivalry by meeting in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1987.
In 2008, the Celtics started the season with a 27-2 record, which was the best starting record in NBA history at the time, and also set a franchise record with a 19-game winning streak.
In 2008, the Celtics wore white sneakers with green and gold accents while wearing their St. Patrick's Day jerseys on the road.
In 2008, under the leadership of head coach Doc Rivers, the Celtics defeated the Lakers to win their 17th NBA championship.
In 2009, Kevin Garnett was injured after the All-Star Break and missed the last 25 games of the season and the playoffs, leading to an early playoff exit for the Celtics in the second round against the Magic, despite finishing with 62 victories.
In 2009, the Celtics started strong with Garnett's return and new additions, but Doc Rivers reduced star players' minutes, leading to a 50-32 regular season record. They reached the NBA Finals but lost in seven games after a key injury to Kendrick Perkins.
Since 2009, the NBA relaxed its rules on specified sneaker colors, allowing Celtics players to wear custom-made and personalized sneakers at home and on the road.
During the 2010 off-season, with Perkins expected to be out until February 2011, the Celtics signed former All-Star centers Shaquille O'Neal and Jermaine O'Neal.
In 2010, the Celtics and Lakers meet once again in the NBA Finals.
In 2010, the Celtics lost to the Lakers in the NBA Finals.
In 2010, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Boston Celtics in seven games to win the NBA Finals.
In the 2010 NBA Playoffs, the Boston Celtics defeated the Miami Heat in 5 games.
In February 2011, Kendrick Perkins was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder after the Celtics were 41-14 and led the Eastern Conference, fueled by Shaquille O'Neal's presence.
In 2011, the Celtics discontinued the practice of wearing warmup jackets with player names on the back, switching to a templated jacket design common to all 30 teams.
In 2012, Kevin Garnett was signed to a new contract and Ray Allen signed with the Miami Heat, bringing the "Big Three" era to an end.
In 2012, an on-court altercation between the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets resulted in the ejection of Rajon Rondo, Gerald Wallace, and Kris Humphries, signaling a potential rekindling of the rivalry.
In the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals, the Miami Heat defeated the Boston Celtics in 7 games.
In June 2013, a blockbuster trade sent Boston Celtics stars Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries, and others, effectively cooling off the rivalry.
On July 3, 2013, the Celtics announced that Brad Stevens would replace Doc Rivers as head coach.
By the start of the 2013-14 season, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce were no longer with the Celtics, with Garnett and Pierce being traded to the Brooklyn Nets.
In 2013, The Celtics trailed the New York Knicks 3-0 in the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs before losing the series in six games.
Since the 2013-14 season, all Celtics games have been broadcast on radio through Beasley Broadcast Group's WBZ-FM (98.5, "The Sports Hub"), with Sean Grande and Cedric Maxwell as play-by-play announcers.
In 2014, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett were traded to the Brooklyn Nets for multiple players and future first-round draft picks.
In the 2014 NBA draft, the Celtics selected Marcus Smart with the 6th overall pick and James Young with the 17th overall pick.
Marcus Smart, drafted in 2014, was the longest-tenured Celtic from the 2014 NBA draft.
In 2015, the Celtics received an unprotected first-round pick as compensation after Doc Rivers departed to coach the Los Angeles Clippers.
In 2015, the rivalry between the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards intensified during a regular season game after Jae Crowder received a technical foul and exchanged words with Wizards coach Randy Wittman.
On July 8, 2016, the Celtics signed four-time All-Star Al Horford.
By the end of the 2016 off-season, only four Celtics' players remained from the 2016–17 team.
In 2016, Jae Crowder emphasized the Boston Celtics' victories over the Washington Wizards to Al Horford, encouraging him to sign with the Celtics.
In 2016, the Celtics acquired future first-round draft picks as part of the trade that sent Pierce and Garnett to the Brooklyn Nets.
In 2016, the Celtics drafted Jaylen Brown using one of the first-round picks acquired in the trade of Garnett and Pierce.
On August 22, 2017, the Celtics agreed to a deal that sent Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Žižić, and the Brooklyn Nets' 2018 first-round draft pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Kyrie Irving.
In 2017, Comcast SportsNet New England was renamed NBC Sports Regional Networks, referencing Comcast's ownership of NBCUniversal.
In 2017, the Celtics drafted Jayson Tatum using one of the first-round picks acquired in the trade of Garnett and Pierce.
In 2017, the Celtics had the right to swap first-round picks with Brooklyn as part of the trade that sent Pierce and Garnett to the Brooklyn Nets.
In the 2017 Playoffs, the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards rivalry continued with multiple altercations and heated moments, including flagrant fouls and ejections. The Celtics won the series.
On November 24, 2018, analysts started questioning the team's performance when the Celtics had a 10–10 record after the first 20 games.
In 2018, the Celtics acquired future first-round draft picks as part of the trade that sent Pierce and Garnett to the Brooklyn Nets.
In 2018, the Celtics traded the Brooklyn Nets' first-round draft pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Kyrie Irving.
On June 30, 2019, the Celtics and point guard Kemba Walker agreed to a four-year maximum contract worth $141 million.
On July 1, 2019, the Celtics agreed to a two-year contract with center Enes Kanter.
On July 6, 2019, the Celtics officially acquired Kemba Walker in a sign and trade with the Charlotte Hornets, sending Terry Rozier and a protected 2020 second-round draft pick to Charlotte in exchange.
Following the suspension of the 2019-20 NBA season, the Celtics were one of the 22 teams invited to the NBA Bubble to participate in the final 8 games of the regular season.
In 2019, the Celtics finished the regular season in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, swept the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the playoffs, and then lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in five games.
In 2020, Tremont Waters, drafted by the Celtics in 2019, was named G-League Rookie of the Year.
In the 2020 NBA Bubble, the Miami Heat defeated the Boston Celtics in 6 games in the Eastern Conference Finals.
In the 2020 playoffs, the Celtics swept the Philadelphia 76ers, beat the Toronto Raptors in seven games, and lost to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals in six games.
On June 2, 2021, Brad Stevens was named the Boston Celtics' president of basketball operations, succeeding Danny Ainge after Ainge's retirement.
On June 23, 2021, it was reported that Ime Udoka was hired as the head coach of the Boston Celtics, replacing Brad Stevens, who had transitioned to president of basketball operations.
In April 2022, the Celtics secured their spot in the 2022 NBA playoffs as the second seed in the Eastern Conference with a 51–31 record. They advanced to the NBA Finals after defeating the Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat, but lost to the Golden State Warriors 4-2.
In 2022, led by Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, the Celtics returned to the NBA Finals, losing to the Golden State Warriors.
In 2022, the Boston Celtics, along with the rest of the NBA, began wearing a black no. 6 patch on their jerseys in memory of Bill Russell.
In September of 2022, Celtics suspended Udoka for the whole 2022–23 season for engaging in an improper intimate relationship with a female staffer.
In the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals, the Boston Celtics defeated the Miami Heat in 7 games.
On October 1, 2023, the Boston Celtics acquired Jrue Holiday in a trade, exchanging Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams III, and two draft picks.
During the 2023 off-season, the Celtics acquired Kristaps Porziņģis from the Wizards, trading Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies and Grant Williams to the Dallas Mavericks as part of the deal.
In the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals, the Miami Heat defeated the Boston Celtics in 7 games after leading 3-0.
On February 7, 2024, the Boston Celtics acquired Xavier Tillman from the Memphis Grizzlies before the trade deadline.
On May 27, 2024, the Boston Celtics won the Eastern Conference Finals, and Jaylen Brown was named the NBA Eastern Conference Finals MVP, receiving the Larry Bird trophy.
As of the 2024-25 season, Drew Carter serves as the television play-by-play announcer with Brian Scalabrine as an analyst.
In 2024, the Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks to secure their 18th NBA championship.
In the 2024 first round, the Boston Celtics defeated the Miami Heat in 5 games.
Mike Gorman departs from being the team's television announcer after serving since 1981.
In May 2025, the Boston Celtics were sold to private equity investor William Chisholm for $6.1 billion, making it the highest ever valued transaction for a sports franchise in North America.
Basketball is a team sport played on a rectangular court...
Bill Russell was a dominant American professional basketball player primarily...
Jayson Tatum is a prominent American professional basketball player currently...
The Los Angeles Lakers are a professional basketball team based...
Earvin Magic Johnson Jr is a celebrated American businessman and...
The Brooklyn Nets are a professional basketball team based in...
3 months ago Charlie Sheen's 'Two and a Half Men' ending explained, 'Top Gun' spoof returns to streaming.
16 minutes ago Borderlands 4: Amon's Axe-Chucking Vault Hunter Abilities and Forgeknight Details Revealed by Gearbox.
16 minutes ago NASCAR Cup Series Racing at Watkins Glen: Key Information and Fan Experiences
2 months ago Tornado warning issued for New Castle, Chester County, and Delaware until 5:30 p.m.
Lolita a controversial novel by Vladimir Nabokov follows Humbert Humbert a literature professor obsessed with -year-old Dolores Haze whom he...
3 hours ago Al Pacino missed Dylan collab, Shakespeare costumes on display with Streep's attire.
Jupiter is the fifth and largest planet from the Sun...
Elizabeth Warren is a prominent American politician and the senior...
Chuck Schumer is the senior United States Senator from New...
Candace Owens is an American political commentator and author known...
Adam Schiff is an American politician and lawyer currently serving...
Jeff Bezos is an American businessman renowned as the founder...