262-979: The Los Angeles Clippers are an American professional basketball team based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The Clippers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference . The team plays its home games at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California , as of the 2024–25 NBA season . Previously, the Clippers played their home games at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles from 1999 to 2024, which they had shared with NBA's Los Angeles Lakers ,
524-531: A Gar Heard turn-around jumper at the top of the key sent the game to a third overtime, at which point the Celtics prevailed. After the 1976 championship and a playoff appearance in 1977 , Boston went into another rebuilding phase. In the 1977 NBA draft , the Celtics drafted a young forward from UNC Charlotte named Cedric Maxwell . "Cornbread" Maxwell did not contribute much in his rookie season, but he showed promise. Auerbach's job became even tougher following
786-401: A backboard at each end of the court), while preventing the opposing team from shooting through their own hoop. A field goal is worth two points, unless made from behind the three-point line , when it is worth three. After a foul, timed play stops and the player fouled or designated to shoot a technical foul is given one, two or three one-point free throws . The team with the most points at
1048-545: A 31–51 record. The team also lead the NBA in bench-scoring, with 37 points per game. To improve upon the previous season, the Clippers acquired high-scoring and rebounding power forward Elton Brand from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for the draft rights to Tyson Chandler . Brand earned a spot on the 2002 NBA Western Conference All-Star team as an injury replacement for Shaquille O'Neal . The Clippers contended for most of
1310-468: A Clipper was effectively finished, as he left as a free agent after that season, and signed with the Detroit Pistons ; at the time of his departure, he was the franchise's all-time rebounds leader with 4,471 (a number that was later surpassed by Elton Brand , with 4,710). The Clippers won the first overall pick in the 1998 Draft Lottery and selected center Michael Olowokandi from University of
1572-404: A backboard that measures 6 by 3.5 feet (1.8 by 1.1 meters) and one basket is at each end of the court. The white outlined box on the backboard is 18 inches (46 cm) high and 2 feet (61 cm) wide. At almost all levels of competition, the top of the rim is exactly 10 feet (3.05 meters) above the court and 4 feet (1.22 meters) inside the baseline. While variation is possible in the dimensions of
1834-495: A basket mounted on a wall. Naismith wrote the basic rules and nailed a peach basket onto an elevated track. Naismith initially set up the peach basket with its bottom intact, which meant that the ball had to be retrieved manually after each "basket" or point scored. This quickly proved tedious, so Naismith removed the bottom of the basket to allow the balls to be poked out with a long dowel after each scored basket. Shortly after, Senda Berenson , instructor of physical culture at
2096-501: A children's game called duck on a rock , as many had failed before it. Frank Mahan, one of the players from the original first game, approached Naismith after the Christmas break, in early 1892, asking him what he intended to call his new game. Naismith replied that he had not thought of it because he had been focused on just getting the game started. Mahan suggested that it be called "Naismith ball", at which he laughed, saying that
2358-469: A collection of young players (including Lamond Murray , Eric Piatkowski , and Lorenzen Wright ), and journeyman veterans (among them Pooh Richardson , Tony Massenburg , Rodney Rogers , Darrick Martin , and Brian Williams ), the Fitch-coached teams during this particular era struggled mightily, although they did make the playoffs once during this time. The 1996–97 team made the playoffs with
2620-454: A comeback. Before he could make it he died of a heart attack while shooting baskets at Brandeis University during the off-season. The Celtics honored his memory by retiring his number 35. With McHale having retired after the Celtics' playoff loss to the Hornets, Boston's original Big 3 era came to an end in 1994 upon Robert Parish's signing with Charlotte. The team collapsed, finishing out of
2882-618: A dominating home win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 16, 2012. It was their third win in four regular-season games against the Thunder. Chris Paul's push for the NBA Most Valuable Player Award was at its peak, and the 2011–12 season was the first time the Clippers were in the playoffs since 2005–06 season . In their first playoff game, the Clippers rallied from a 27-point deficit against
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#17327717587473144-405: A dribble, the player cannot carry the ball by placing their hand on the bottom of the ball; doing so is known as carrying the ball . A team, once having established ball control in the front half of their court, may not return the ball to the backcourt and be the first to touch it. A violation of these rules results in loss of possession. The ball may not be kicked, nor be struck with the fist. For
3406-761: A dynasty that would last for more than a decade. In 1959, the Celtics won the NBA championship after sweeping the Minneapolis Lakers , the first of their record eight consecutive championships. During that time, the Celtics met the Lakers in the Finals five times, starting an intense and often bitter rivalry that has spanned generations. In 1964, the Celtics became the first NBA team to have an all African-American starting lineup. On December 26, 1964, Willie Naulls replaced an injured Tom Heinsohn, joining Tom 'Satch' Sanders , K.C. Jones, Sam Jones , and Bill Russell in
3668-574: A first-round draft pick to the Timberwolves in exchange for superstar power forward Kevin Garnett . These moves created a new "Big Three" of Pierce, Allen, and Garnett. In the 2007–08 season, Celtics completed the largest single-season turnaround in NBA history. The team went 66–16 in the regular season, a 42-game improvement over its 2006–07 record. However, the team struggled in the early rounds of
3930-400: A four-year, $ 24 million deal. That was to counter the defection of Vladimir Radmanović to the Lakers in a similar deal. Radmanovic's contract lasted another year, but both players would make the same amount of money annually, which would be $ 6 million. Cassell (widely credited as the biggest reason for the Clippers' recent success) re-signed on a two-year, $ 13 million deal, while
4192-466: A half-time break under FIBA, NBA, and NCAA rules and 10 minutes in United States high schools. Overtime periods are five minutes in length except for high school, which is four minutes in length. Teams exchange baskets for the second half. The time allowed is actual playing time; the clock is stopped while the play is not active. Therefore, games generally take much longer to complete than
4454-755: A hard-fought 5-game series with the 76ers in the first round, 3–2. Pierce scored 46 points in the series-clinching game at the Fleet Center . In the Conference Semifinals, the Celtics defeated the favored Detroit Pistons 4–1. 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
4716-520: A high enough draft pick to select Ralph Sampson . On another, he was fined for flying his players to away games in coach seats on commercial airliners, a violation of the league's collective bargaining agreement . Hotels refused to house the Clippers because of alleged non-payment for previous accommodations on multiple occasions. A bus company in Newark once stranded the team at the airport after Sterling failed to pay for previous trips, which nearly caused
4978-545: A losing record (36–46) and were swept in the first round by the eventual Western Conference champions, the Utah Jazz , three games to none. Four members of the 1996–97 squad are now deceased. Malik Sealy died in a car accident in 2000, Kevin Duckworth died of heart disease in 2008, Lorenzen Wright went missing and was murdered in 2010, and Dwayne Schintzius died from cancer complications in 2012. Two other players from
5240-639: A member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference . Founded in 1946 as one of the league's original eight teams, the Celtics play their home games at TD Garden , a shared arena with the NHL 's Boston Bruins . The Celtics are commonly regarded as the most successful team in NBA history and hold the records for most NBA championships won , with 18, and most recorded wins of any NBA franchise. The Celtics' rise to dominance began in
5502-569: A modernized version of the "three sails" logo. In 1984, despite the pending lawsuits between franchise ownership and the NBA following the move, the Clippers began play at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena . The Clippers finished their first season in Los Angeles 31–51 under head coach Jim Lynam . The Clippers' early days in Los Angeles were marred with many seasons of hapless performances. Despite fielding
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#17327717587475764-416: A month, but on March 10 he was fired as General Manager, being replaced by Neil Olshey . Dunleavy received the news of his dismissal from the internet, as well as friends and reporters calling his cell phone. The Los Angeles Times reported that Dunleavy had filed for arbitration and that the Clippers had cut off his salary, even though his guaranteed contract did not end until after the 2010–11 season. Although
6026-512: A name like that would kill any game. Mahan then said, "Why not call it basketball?" Naismith replied, "We have a basket and a ball, and it seems to me that would be a good name for it." The first official game was played in the YMCA gymnasium in Albany , New York, on January 20, 1892, with nine players. The game ended at 1–0; the shot was made from 25 feet (7.6 m), on a court just half the size of
6288-471: A needless dunk attempt after the whistle. The Celtics compiled a record of 24–58, second-worst in the NBA, including a franchise-record 18-game losing streak . At the end of the season, the Celtics, with the second-worst record in the NBA, were at least hopeful that they could secure a high draft pick and select either Greg Oden or Kevin Durant to help rebuild the franchise, but the Celtics fell to fifth in
6550-522: A new 18,700-seat arena in the parking lot next to the Sports Arena that would have cost up to $ 94 million, that would have included 1,100 club seats, 84 luxury suites, and an on-site practice facility for the Clippers. However, those plans were scuttled once planning for Staples Center (two miles directly up the street from the Sports Arena) were taking place, and the Clippers decided to become
6812-494: A no-trade clause), Jason Terry , and D. J. White , were traded to the Brooklyn Nets for Keith Bogans , MarShon Brooks , Kris Humphries , Kris Joseph , Gerald Wallace , and three future first-round draft picks (2014, 2016, 2018), together with the right to swap 2017 first-round picks with Brooklyn. The deal marked the start of a youth movement for the team. On July 3, 2013, the Celtics announced that Brad Stevens ,
7074-588: A notable rivalry with the Los Angeles Lakers , who are second in NBA history with 17 championships. The teams' rivalry was especially pronounced in the 1960s and 1980s. The Celtics have played the Lakers a record 12 times in the NBA Finals and have defeated them nine times. 41 members of Basketball Hall of Fame have played for the Celtics at least once in their careers. Four Celtics players (Bob Cousy, Bill Russell, Dave Cowens and Larry Bird) have won
7336-423: A one-year deal early in the season. Basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court , compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately 9.4 inches (24 cm) in diameter) through the defender's hoop (a basket 18 inches (46 cm) in diameter mounted 10 feet (3.048 m) high to
7598-536: A planned ESPN regional network for Southern California. However, as the planned ESPN West network never came to reality, all three teams had continued to maintain broadcast partnerships with Fox Sports West and Prime Ticket . This remained a sticking point in any deal to relocate to Anaheim, eventually leaving the team to remain in Los Angeles. On the court, the Clippers continued to make frequent roster changes throughout this particular period, which only resulted in one playoff appearance under Fitch. Along with Loy Vaught,
7860-569: A practice facility. In another related Times article, Odgen and Sterling were in talks to have the management company take care of the Clippers' day-to-day operations for a $ 4 million a year fee. Also at the time, the Walt Disney Company , owners of the Ducks and Anaheim Angels baseball team during that period, were pursuing at least a partial ownership of the Clippers, with the key element being that its game telecasts would be part of
8122-441: A present-day Streetball or National Basketball Association (NBA) court. At the time, soccer was being played with 10 to a team (which was increased to 11). When winter weather got too icy to play soccer, teams were taken indoors, and it was convenient to have them split in half and play basketball with five on each side. By 1897–98, teams of five became standard. Basketball's early adherents were dispatched to YMCAs throughout
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8384-538: A procedure to remove bone spurs in his feet early in the season, and the Celtics won just 42 games before a first-round playoff defeat to the Pistons. Bird returned in 1989–90 and led the Celtics to a 52–30 record. In the playoffs , the Celtics collapsed after winning the first two games in a best-of-five series against the New York Knicks, losing three straight games and the series. After the playoffs, Rodgers
8646-508: A promise that the Celtics owner would send the highly sought-after Ice Capades to Rochester if the Royals would let Russell slide to No. 2—Auerbach used the pick to select University of San Francisco center Bill Russell . Auerbach also acquired Holy Cross standout, and 1957 NBA Rookie of the Year, Tom Heinsohn . Both Russell and Heinsohn worked extraordinarily well with Cousy, and they were
8908-596: A public icon. He finished second overall in NBA scoring average, with 28.9 per game ( George Gervin of the San Antonio Spurs had a 29.6 average). Shue, meanwhile, tried to create a team spirit by creating a common social life. By the All-Star game the Clippers had improved, winning half of their 54 games, good enough for sixth in the Western Conference. Aiming for one of the six play-off spots for
9170-483: A re-energized Baron Davis, and the debut of Griffin, the Clippers had high hopes for the season. However, they started slowly, losing ten of the first 11 games, with Davis and Kaman out with injuries. However, the Clippers showed strength when three of their first four wins came from the top teams in the Western Conference . Griffin got off to a strong start, drawing increased media attention in Clippers games and boosting ratings of local broadcasts of Clippers games. Griffin
9432-724: A season, and an annual preseason game) at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim , sharing the venue with the NHL's Ducks and the Splash indoor soccer team. Clippers games regularly drew a much-higher average attendance per game at the Pond than when the team played its home games at their regular venue, the Los Angeles Sports Arena. For instance, between 1994 and 1997, the Clippers drew an average of nearly 16,000 fans per game at
9694-499: A second-half knee injury. They won Game Two 108–102 despite nearly blowing a 24-point lead in the fourth quarter. As the series shifted to Los Angeles, the Lakers stifled Pierce and Garnett in Game Three and won 87–81. However, the Celtics would overcome a 24-point deficit in Game 4 to win 97–91, making the largest in-game comeback in NBA Finals history. After again blowing a large lead, the Lakers hung on to win Game 5 103–98, sending
9956-506: A series of venues, including Catholic University , Georgetown and George Mason . The National Interscholastic Basketball Tournament for Black High Schools was held from 1929 to 1942 at Hampton Institute . The National Invitational Interscholastic Basketball Tournament was held from 1941 to 1967 starting out at Tuskegee Institute . Following a pause during World War II it resumed at Tennessee State College in Nashville. The basis for
10218-622: A sign and trade transaction) and Lionel Chalmers to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Sam Cassell and a lottery-protected first round pick in the 2006 NBA draft . The 2005–06 season was a turning point for the team's image; marked by several wins over top teams, Brand's performances were greatly praised, and he was chosen for the All-Star Game . Many sports writers noted the team's improvement, especially after acquiring sharpshooter Vladimir Radmanović from
10480-480: A squad of talented veterans, the organization suffered systematic injuries to many of its star players. The phenomenon was dubbed the "Clipper Triangle" by some sportswriters, a reference to the Bermuda Triangle urban legend. Derek Smith suffered a knee injury during the 1985–86 season , followed by Norm Nixon (knee) and Marques Johnson (spinal cord) the following season . The team's 12–70 finish in
10742-423: A standard uniform consists of a pair of shorts and a jersey with a clearly visible number, unique within the team, printed on both the front and back. Players wear high-top sneakers that provide extra ankle support. Typically, team names, players' names and, outside of North America, sponsors are printed on the uniforms. A limited number of time-outs, clock stoppages requested by a coach (or sometimes mandated in
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11004-490: A teammate's field goal attempt. Goaltending is a defender's touching of a ball that is on a downward flight toward the basket, while the related violation of basket interference is the touching of a ball that is on the rim or above the basket, or by a player reaching through the basket from below. Goaltending and basket interference committed by a defender result in awarding the basket to the offense, while basket interference committed by an offensive player results in cancelling
11266-548: A tenant at Staples. In 1999, the Clippers joined the Lakers and Los Angeles Kings in the new Staples Center in Downtown Los Angeles . Also, because of the terms of its leasing agreement with Staples Center, the Kings and Lakers had scheduling priority over the Clippers, with the Clippers taking whatever dates that were available, including scheduling same-day Clipper-Laker and Clipper-King doubleheaders. However, in
11528-591: A total of three referees on the court. The table officials are responsible for keeping track of each team's scoring, timekeeping, individual and team fouls , player substitutions, team possession arrow , and the shot clock . The only essential equipment in a basketball game is the ball and the court: a flat, rectangular surface with baskets at opposite ends. Competitive levels require the use of more equipment such as clocks, score sheets, scoreboards, alternating possession arrows, and whistle-operated stop-clock systems. A regulation basketball court in international games
11790-562: A touring Canadian women's team based in Edmonton , Alberta, operated between 1915 and 1940. The Grads toured all over North America, and were exceptionally successful. They posted a record of 522 wins and only 20 losses over that span, as they met any team that wanted to challenge them, funding their tours from gate receipts. The Grads also shone on several exhibition trips to Europe, and won four consecutive exhibition Olympics tournaments, in 1924, 1928, 1932, and 1936; however, women's basketball
12052-627: A winter season (April–September) and did so until the completion of the 20th season in 1998 . The 1998–99 season, which commenced only months later, was the first season after the shift to the current summer season format (October–April). This shift was an attempt to avoid competing directly against Australia's various football codes . It features 8 teams from around Australia and one in New Zealand. A few players including Luc Longley , Andrew Gaze , Shane Heal , Chris Anstey and Andrew Bogut made it big internationally, becoming poster figures for
12314-482: A young team under new coach Doc Rivers during the 2004–05 season, having drafted youngsters Al Jefferson , Delonte West and Tony Allen in the 2004 Draft. Yet they seemed to have a core of good young players, led by Pierce and rookie Al Jefferson , to go along with a group of able veterans. The Celtics went 45–37 and won their first Atlantic Division title since 1991–92 , receiving a boost from returning star Antoine Walker in mid-season. The Pacers defeated them in
12576-444: Is 28 meters (92 feet) long and 15 meters (49 feet) wide. In the NBA and NCAA the court is 94 by 50 feet (29 by 15 meters). Most courts have wood flooring , usually constructed from maple planks running in the same direction as the longer court dimension. The name and logo of the home team is usually painted on or around the center circle. The basket is a steel rim 18 inches (46 cm) diameter with an attached net affixed to
12838-404: Is called a shot. A successful shot is worth two points, or three points if it is taken from beyond the three-point arc 6.75 meters (22 ft 2 in) from the basket in international games and 23 feet 9 inches (7.24 m) in NBA games. A one-point shot can be earned when shooting from the foul line after a foul is made. After a team has scored from a field goal or free throw, play
13100-585: Is currently no tournament to determine a national high school champion. The most serious effort was the National Interscholastic Basketball Tournament at the University of Chicago from 1917 to 1930. The event was organized by Amos Alonzo Stagg and sent invitations to state champion teams. The tournament started out as a mostly Midwest affair but grew. In 1929 it had 29 state champions. Faced with opposition from
13362-430: Is out of bounds if it touches a boundary line, or touches any player or object that is out of bounds. There are limits placed on the steps a player may take without dribbling, which commonly results in an infraction known as traveling . Nor may a player stop their dribble and then resume dribbling. A dribble that touches both hands is considered stopping the dribble, giving this infraction the name double dribble . Within
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#173277175874713624-453: Is resumed with a throw-in awarded to the non-scoring team taken from a point beyond the endline of the court where the points were scored. Games are played in four quarters of 10 ( FIBA ) or 12 minutes (NBA). College men's games use two 20-minute halves, college women's games use 10-minute quarters, and most United States high school varsity games use 8-minute quarters; however, this varies from state to state. 15 minutes are allowed for
13886-593: Is the WNBA ( NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship is also popular), whereas the strongest European clubs participate in the EuroLeague Women . A game similar to basketball is mentioned in a 1591 book published in Frankfurt am Main that reports on the lifestyles and customs of coastal North American residents, Wahrhafftige Abconterfaytung der Wilden (German; translates as Truthful Depictions of
14148-599: Is usually the center , the second-tallest and strongest is the power forward , a slightly shorter but more agile player is the small forward , and the shortest players or the best ball handlers are the shooting guard and the point guard , who implement the coach's game plan by managing the execution of offensive and defensive plays (player positioning). Informally, players may play three-on-three, two-on-two, and one-on-one. Invented in 1891 by Canadian-American gym teacher James Naismith in Springfield, Massachusetts , in
14410-412: The 1977–78 season in which they went 32–50 as Havlicek, the Celtics' all-time leading scorer, retired after 16 seasons. The Celtics owned two of the top eight picks in the 1978 NBA draft . 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
14672-401: The 1988 selections of Danny Manning and Charles Smith (Smith was acquired from Philadelphia in exchange for the draft rights to Hersey Hawkins ), and the 1990 draft of Loy Vaught , formed a nucleus that would make the franchise a playoff contender. Midway through the 1991–92 season , the Clippers made yet another coaching change. Larry Brown , recently fired by the San Antonio Spurs ,
14934-401: The 1988–89 campaign . The Clippers traded the rights to the recently drafted Danny Ferry and Reggie Williams for high-scoring shooting guard Ron Harper at the start of the 1989–90 season . Los Angeles had a 19–19 record nearly halfway into the season, prompting some to seriously consider the team as a possible playoff contender. That move, along with the 1987 NBA draft of Ken Norman ,
15196-473: The 2004 Athens Olympics , the United States suffered its first Olympic loss while using professional players, falling to Puerto Rico (in a 19-point loss) and Lithuania in group games, and being eliminated in the semifinals by Argentina . It eventually won the bronze medal defeating Lithuania, finishing behind Argentina and Italy . The Redeem Team , won gold at the 2008 Olympics , and the B-Team, won gold at
15458-513: The 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey despite featuring no players from the 2008 squad. The United States continued its dominance as they won gold at the 2012 Olympics , 2014 FIBA World Cup and the 2016 Olympics . Worldwide, basketball tournaments are held for boys and girls of all age levels. The global popularity of the sport is reflected in the nationalities represented in the NBA. Players from all six inhabited continents currently play in
15720-630: The 2016 NBA draft , the Celtics selected Jaylen Brown with the third pick. On July 8, 2016, the team signed four-time All-Star Al Horford . The Celtics finished the 2016–17 season with a 53–29 record and clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference. After a hip injury ended Thomas' playoff run in game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics eventually lost to the Cavaliers in five games. Isaiah Thomas
15982-406: The 2016–17 team , with Marcus Smart being the longest-tenured Celtic from the 2014 NBA draft . On the team's opening night game in the first quarter against the Cavaliers, Hayward suffered a fractured tibia and dislocated ankle in his left leg, causing him to be ruled out for the rest of the regular season. Despite the loss, the Celtics went on a 16-game winning streak , which also went down as
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#173277175874716244-517: The All American Red Heads Team , which competed against men's teams, using men's rules. By 1938, the women's national championship changed from a three-court game to two-court game with six players per team . The NBA-backed Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) began in 1997. Though it had shaky attendance figures, several marquee players ( Lisa Leslie , Diana Taurasi , and Candace Parker among others) have helped
16506-618: The Buffalo Memorial Auditorium , along with another Buffalo team that would begin play that year, the National Hockey League 's Buffalo Sabres . After two bad seasons, the Braves' fortunes started to change under coach Jack Ramsay and star center Bob McAdoo . McAdoo led the NBA in scoring for three consecutive seasons and was named the league's MVP in the 1974–75 season . The Braves qualified for
16768-543: The CBA . Carr, Archibald, Henderson and Ford formed a highly competent backcourt, blending in well with the talented frontcourt of Cowens, Maxwell and Bird. With Bird winning NBA Rookie of the Year honors the team went 61–21, a 32-game improvement from the previous season. Playing strong in the playoffs, the Celtics fell to the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference Finals. After the season, Auerbach completed one of
17030-619: The Cleveland Cavaliers for Mo Williams and Jamario Moon . The pick eventually became the number one overall pick, which the Cavaliers used to select Kyrie Irving . In December 2011, the Clippers signed Caron Butler to a $ 24 million deal and claimed veteran point guard Chauncey Billups three days later. On December 14, they traded Eric Gordon , Chris Kaman , Al-Farouq Aminu and Minnesota's 2012 first-round pick acquired in 2005 for New Orleans Hornets ' four-time all-star Chris Paul . Paul had previously almost been traded to
17292-732: The EuroLeague and the Basketball Champions League Americas . The FIBA Basketball World Cup and Men's Olympic Basketball Tournament are the major international events of the sport and attract top national teams from around the world. Each continent hosts regional competitions for national teams, like EuroBasket and FIBA AmeriCup . The FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup and Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament feature top national teams from continental championships. The main North American league
17554-562: The Grizzlies to win 99–98 in one of the biggest rallies in playoff history. They led the series 3–1, then lost two straight, before coming back to win Game 7 in Memphis 82–72, becoming the sixth NBA road team to win Game 7 after leading series 3–1, and prevail to the second round. The Clippers relied on their bench during that game, and they came through, scoring all but two of their points in
17816-408: The Los Angeles Lakers , but NBA commissioner David Stern had vetoed the trade (the NBA was owner of the Hornets at the time). Paul and Griffin were selected as starters for the Western Conference team in the 2012 NBA All-Star Game , the first time in franchise history the team had two All-Star starters in the same year. The team gained the nickname "Lob City" due to a comment made by Griffin during
18078-825: The Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), and the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). The franchise was founded as the Buffalo Braves in 1970 as an expansion team . Led by Hall of Famer Bob McAdoo , the Braves reached the NBA playoffs three times during their eight seasons in Buffalo . Conflicts with the Canisius Golden Griffins over Buffalo Memorial Auditorium and
18340-527: The NBA Finals . Rajon Rondo emerged as a star during postseason play. For the 12th time, the Celtics faced the Lakers in the Finals. After taking a 3–2 lead heading into Los Angeles for Game Six, the Celtics appeared poised to win their 18th title. However, starting center Kendrick Perkins suffered a severe knee injury early in Game Six, and the Celtics went on to lose the series in seven games. During
18602-414: The NBA Most Valuable Player award ; overall, Celtics players have won an NBA-record 10 MVP awards. The Boston Celtics were formed on June 6, 1946, by Boston Garden-Arena Corporation president Walter A. Brown as a team in the Basketball Association of America . In 1948, the team earned its first playoff appearance, only to lose to the Chicago Stags 4–1. In 1949, the team missed the playoffs, fifth in
18864-682: The National Federation of State High School Associations and North Central Association of Colleges and Schools that bore a threat of the schools losing their accreditation the last tournament was in 1930. The organizations said they were concerned that the tournament was being used to recruit professional players from the prep ranks. The tournament did not invite minority schools or private/parochial schools. The National Catholic Interscholastic Basketball Tournament ran from 1924 to 1941 at Loyola University . The National Catholic Invitational Basketball Tournament from 1954 to 1978 played at
19126-822: The National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in New York, was organized in 1938; the NCAA national tournament began one year later. College basketball was rocked by gambling scandals from 1948 to 1951 , when dozens of players from top teams were implicated in game-fixing and point shaving . Partially spurred by an association with cheating, the NIT lost support to the NCAA tournament. Before widespread school district consolidation, most American high schools were far smaller than their present-day counterparts. During
19388-508: The New Orleans Hornets , following a dunk. Initially, the Clippers' stated that he only had a sore left knee, which would make him questionable for the season opener the following night, before they revealed the break. The injury sidelined Griffin for the entire season. On February 4, 2010, head coach Mike Dunleavy resigned, and Kim Hughes was named interim coach. Dunleavy retained his front-office title and duties for just over
19650-782: The Original Celtics and two all-African American teams, the New York Renaissance Five ("Rens") and the (still existing) Harlem Globetrotters played up to two hundred games a year on their national tours. In 1946, the Basketball Association of America (BAA) was formed. The first game was played in Toronto , Ontario, Canada between the Toronto Huskies and New York Knickerbockers on November 1, 1946. Three seasons later, in 1949,
19912-518: The Portland Trail Blazers to the 1977 NBA championship, but injuries had hobbled him since. Considered the best passing center in NBA history, he stayed healthy and was a big part of the Celtics' success in 1986. The Celtics won the second pick in the 1986 NBA draft and drafted University of Maryland star Len Bias , one of the most heralded prospects of his era. Bias died 36 hours later of an accidental cocaine overdose. Despite
20174-612: The San Diego Conquistadors , though that team folded partway through its fourth season after they had been renamed the Sails. San Diego team officials did not think "Braves" was a proper representative nickname for the club in San Diego, and a local naming contest ultimately decided on "Clippers", in reference to the city being known for the great sailing ships that passed through San Diego Bay . The first head coach of
20436-484: The Seattle SuperSonics in exchange for big-man Chris Wilcox . While the team had a few stretches of poor play, they were able to maintain a solid record, including posting several winning streaks. They achieved their first winning record in 14 seasons, and clinched their first playoff spot since 1997. They also finished with a better record than the Lakers for the second straight year. By finishing sixth in
20698-572: The Soviet Union , Brazil and Australia rivaling the American squads. In 1989, FIBA allowed professional NBA players to participate in the Olympics for the first time. Prior to the 1992 Summer Olympics , only European and South American teams were allowed to field professionals in the Olympics. The United States' dominance continued with the introduction of the original Dream Team . In
20960-400: The University of Chicago , Columbia University , Cornell University , Dartmouth College , the University of Minnesota , the U.S. Naval Academy , the University of Colorado and Yale University began sponsoring men's games. In 1905, frequent injuries on the football field prompted President Theodore Roosevelt to suggest that colleges form a governing body, resulting in the creation of
21222-478: The University of Chicago , while Adolph Rupp , a student of Naismith's at Kansas, enjoyed great success as coach at the University of Kentucky . On February 9, 1895, the first intercollegiate 5-on-5 game was played at Hamline University between Hamline and the School of Agriculture, which was affiliated with the University of Minnesota . The School of Agriculture won in a 9–3 game. In 1901, colleges, including
21484-497: The Utah Jazz and Houston Rockets , respectively. The team then sent Reggie Evans to the Brooklyn Nets for the right to swap second-round draft picks with the Nets in the 2016 NBA draft . On the same day, the Clippers signed free agent Jamal Crawford , formerly of the Portland Trail Blazers , and re-signed Billups to a one-year deal. The franchise then rounded out its roster for the upcoming season with Grant Hill , Ryan Hollins , and Ronny Turiaf , while signing Matt Barnes to
21746-517: The Western Conference , with a record of 47–35 (their highest finish since the team left Buffalo ), they benefited from the current NBA playoff format of regular-season records taking precedence over winning the division, and secured home court advantage over the Denver Nuggets . On April 22, 2006, the Clippers won their first NBA playoff game in 13 years. Two days later, they won their second playoff game, going 2–0 against an opponent for
22008-414: The 1969 season, effectively ending a Celtics dynasty that had garnered an unrivaled 11 NBA titles in 13 seasons. The team's run of 8 consecutive is the longest championship streak in U.S. professional sports history, with Russell's 11 titles being the most won by an NBA player . The 1969–70 season was a rebuilding year, as the Celtics had their first losing record since the 1949–50 season . However, with
22270-556: The 1981 NBA championship over the Houston Rockets , with Maxwell being named NBA Finals MVP . Following the 1981–82 season , the Celtics once again met the 76ers in the playoffs. This time, they lost in seven games. In 1983 the Celtics were swept in the playoffs (a first for the franchise) by the Milwaukee Bucks; afterwards, Fitch resigned and the team was sold to new owners led by Don Gaston . In 1983–84 ,
22532-570: The 1987 season was the second-worst single-season record in NBA history at the time (and is now the third-worst winning percentage in NBA history, behind the 1973 Philadelphia 76ers and the 2012 Charlotte Bobcats ). That same season also saw Hall of Famer Elgin Baylor join the team as the general manager and vice president of basketball operations. Nixon suffered an ailing Achilles tendon in 1987–88 season , while number one draft pick rookie Danny Manning injured his anterior cruciate ligament during
22794-544: The 1996–97 season, but according to a Los Angeles Times article published in June 1996, owner Donald Sterling turned down a deal that would have paid the team $ 95 million over 12 years. Odgen Corporation, who at the time managed the Pond, and the city of Anaheim offered the Clippers a multi-tiered deal that would have included upwards of $ 33 million paid to the team over the first six years of their Pond agreement, plus other monies allocated towards new locker rooms, team offices, and
23056-408: The 2010 off-season, with Perkins expected to be out until February 2011, the Celtics signed two former All-Star centers, Shaquille O'Neal and Jermaine O'Neal . Shaquille O'Neal's presence wound up leading to Perkins' departure: the Celtics were 33–10 in games Perkins had missed during the year due to injury and had a 19–3 record in games when O'Neal played over 20 minutes. Consequently, Perkins
23318-428: The 2010s, which saw them transform into consistent postseason contenders. Aided by the "Lob City" lineup of Blake Griffin , DeAndre Jordan , and Chris Paul , the team qualified for the playoffs in six consecutive seasons from 2012 to 2017 and won two consecutive division titles in 2013 and 2014, both firsts for the franchise. Despite this success, the Clippers struggled in the postseason and were frequently eliminated in
23580-456: The 2015–16 NBA season with a 48–34 record, earning the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. They played the fourth seed Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the playoffs. After leading by 3 points in the fourth quarter of Game 1, guard Avery Bradley went down with a hamstring injury, making him sit out for the rest of the series. The Celtics lost the series 4–2 to the Hawks, ending their season. In
23842-546: The 2016–17 season, 980,673 boys and girls represented their schools in interscholastic basketball competition, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations . The states of Illinois , Indiana and Kentucky are particularly well known for their residents' devotion to high school basketball, commonly called Hoosier Hysteria in Indiana; the critically acclaimed film Hoosiers shows high school basketball's depth of meaning to these communities. There
24104-525: The All-Star Break, Kevin Garnett was injured in a loss against the Utah Jazz and missed the last 25 games of the season. Garnett was eventually shelved for the playoffs. The 2009 Celtics still finished with 62 victories, but their playoff run would end against the Magic in the second round. In 2009, with the return of Garnett from injury and the additions of Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels ,
24366-592: The BAA merged with the National Basketball League (NBL) to form the National Basketball Association (NBA). By the 1950s, basketball had become a major college sport, thus paving the way for a growth of interest in professional basketball. In 1959, a basketball hall of fame was founded in Springfield , Massachusetts, site of the first game. Its rosters include the names of great players, coaches, referees and people who have contributed significantly to
24628-592: The Braves for "Tiny" Archibald, Billy Knight, and Marvin Barnes . The move turned Boston fans against Brown, both because Kunnert and Washington were seen as key pieces of the team's future and because Auerbach publicly stated that he was not consulted about the trade. The relationship between Brown and Auerbach worsened with Brown's decision to acquire Bob McAdoo in February 1979, in exchange for three first-round draft picks that Auerbach had planned to use to rebuild
24890-480: The Braves to San Diego , something the league would have never allowed him to do with the Celtics. Asked about the move, Levin nominated a shorter commute for himself as a key reason. In 1978, San Diego welcomed the Braves franchise to the city. The city's previous NBA franchise, the San Diego Rockets , had relocated to Houston seven years earlier in 1971. In between, the city hosted an ABA franchise,
25152-468: The Celtics having only six players under contract. While Kevin Garnett was signed to a new contract, Ray Allen signed with the Miami Heat for less money than the Celtics offered; this move brought the five-year "Big Three" era to a somewhat acrimonious end. The Celtics finished the season with 41 wins. The Celtics trailed the New York Knicks 3–0 in the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs before losing
25414-486: The Celtics into the greatest period in franchise history, winning eight consecutive NBA championships from 1959 to 1966 . After Russell became the team's player-coach , as well as the first African American head coach in any United States sport, they won back-to-back titles in 1968 and 1969 . The Celtics entered a period of rebuilding after Russell retired in 1969. In the mid-1970s, the Celtics became contenders once again, winning championships in 1974 and 1976 under
25676-600: The Celtics moved from the Boston Garden to the Fleet Center (later TD BankNorth, then TD Garden ). Carr fired Chris Ford and took the coaching reins himself. After drafting Providence College star Eric Williams, the Celtics struggled to a 33–49 record. Things got worse in 1996–97 as the Celtics lost a franchise-record 67 games, setting an unwanted NBA record winning only once against other Atlantic Division teams and just fifteen victories overall. In spite of
25938-410: The Celtics started the season 23–5 and at one point had the best record in the NBA. However, Doc Rivers decided to lessen his aging stars' minutes to keep them fresh for the playoffs. As a result, the Celtics sputtered to an even 27–27 record the rest of the way and finished the 2009–10 regular season with a 50–32 record. Despite being the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, the Celtics managed to make
26200-405: The Celtics under new coach K. C. Jones would go 62–20 and return to the NBA Finals after a three-year hiatus. Boston came back from a 2–1 deficit to defeat the Lakers for their 15th championship. Bird renewed his college rivalry with Lakers star Magic Johnson during this series. After the season, Auerbach officially retired as general manager, but maintained the position of team president. He
26462-495: The Celtics until 1992, won three NBA championships together, and were later described as the best NBA frontcourt of all time. Despite losing center Dave Cowens to retirement late in training camp, the Celtics went 62–20 under coach Bill Fitch in 1980–81 . Once again, the Celtics faced the 76ers in the Eastern Conference Finals, falling behind 3–1 before coming back to win Game Seven, 91–90. The Celtics went on to win
26724-553: The Celtics used the third pick to select freshman forward Jayson Tatum . During the off-season, the team signed Gordon Hayward . 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 . By the end of the off-season, only four Celtics' players remained from
26986-485: The Celtics' 10th overall pick. Pierce had an immediate impact during the lockout-shortened 1998–99 season , averaging 19.5 points and being named Rookie of The Month in February as he led the league in steals. However, the Celtics continued to struggle as Pitino failed to achieve meaningful success. After Boston lost to the Toronto Raptors on March 1, 2000, on a buzzer-beater by Vince Carter , Pitino delivered
27248-586: The Celtics' first missed playoffs since the "Big Three". The next off-season, the Celtics drafted Marcus Smart with the 6th overall pick and James Young with the 17th overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft , and signed Evan Turner . The 2014–15 season had several roster moves, the most prominent being Rondo and rookie Dwight Powell traded to the Dallas Mavericks for center Brandan Wright , forward Jae Crowder , veteran point guard Jameer Nelson , and future picks. A total of 22 players spent time with
27510-537: The Celtics, leading scorer and rebounder Sullinger suffered a season-ending left metatarsal stress fracture, and the team was only tenth in the East with 28 games remaining. However, midseason acquisition Isaiah Thomas helped the team win 22 of their last 34 games, finishing the season with a 40–42 record, enough for the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs . The Celtics were swept by
27772-648: The Clippers Media Day when the announcement of Chris Paul's trade reached the team. Griffin, after being told the news by Jordan, declared, "Yeah! It's going to be lob city!" In February 2012, the Clippers signed Kenyon Martin . An 11-year NBA veteran and former NBA All-Star (2004), Martin joined the Clippers after signing with the Xinjiang Guanghui Flying Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association
28034-627: The Clippers begin to struggle, despite adding center Bill Walton , a San Diego native who was two years removed from winning an NBA Championship and the NBA Most Valuable Player Award with the Portland Trail Blazers . Walton missed 68 games in his first season in San Diego due to foot injuries (which he also suffered in his final years in Portland). San Diego finished 35–47, as Walton and other key players missed significant time due to injuries. Free again finished second in league scoring, with 30.2 points per game. Paul Silas replaced Shue as head coach
28296-562: The Clippers evened the series. In Game 5, Raja Bell made a key 3-pointer for the Suns with 1.1 seconds left in the first overtime to send the game into a second overtime. However, Phoenix won in double-overtime, 125–118. They bounced back with a series-saving 118–106 Game 6 win. Second-year defensive specialist Quinton Ross had a timely offensive game, scoring a then career-high 18 points. Brand had 30 points (his scoring average in this series), 12 rebounds, and five blocks. Corey Maggette came off
28558-620: The Clippers over the team's relocation to Los Angeles in exchange for Sterling dropping his case against the league, allowing him to keep the team in Los Angeles and decreasing his fine to $ 6 million. Forty years after the NBA Clippers left San Diego, the Ontario Clippers of the NBA G League would relocate from Ontario, California , starting with the 2024–25 season, adopting the San Diego Clippers name as well as
28820-654: The Clippers possibly coming to an abrupt end, Los Angeles went on a tear. The Clippers won 12 of their next 14 games, including road wins over the defending champions Dallas Mavericks and the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder , clinching their fifth playoff berth since their 1976 conference semifinals loss to the Boston Celtics (the last time they made the playoffs as the Buffalo Braves) before
29082-406: The Clippers saw minor improvement, finishing with ten more wins at 29–53, Hughes was fired as head coach at the end of the season. In July, former Chicago Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro was hired as the next head coach. In August, the team introduced new uniform designs at a photoshoot, at the team's practice facility. Griffin and DeAndre Jordan , who saw significant improvement in his two years with
29344-523: The Clippers was chosen to be Gene Shue , a respected tactician. He preferred a fast playing style with many scoring opportunities. Only three players from the Braves started in the team: Randy Smith , Swen Nater , and Scott Lloyd . Other starting players included Kermit Washington , and Sidney Wicks . World B. Free was also brought in from, the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for a future first round pick. The 1978–79 season started poorly, with
29606-471: The Clippers' first win coming in their fourth game, against the Chicago Bulls . The team lost 12 of its 18 first games and dropped to the bottom of the Pacific Division . Player Kevin Kunnert argued they had the "killer instinct of a field mouse". The worst loss came against the San Antonio Spurs , with a loss of 163 to 125. Nevertheless, within weeks, Free had become the leading scorer, as well as becoming
29868-487: The Conference Finals. The Celtics finished the 2018–19 season with a 49–33 record. Analysts started questioning the team's performance and chances for the championship when the Celtics had a 10–10 record after the first 20 games on November 24, 2018. The Celtics then won the next eight games improving their record to 18–10. During the eight-game win streak, the Celtics defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 128–95,
30130-660: The Conference Semifinals; the team reached the Conference Finals for the first time in 2021. To date, they are the oldest franchise in North American professional sports to have never played in a championship game. The franchise began in Western New York as the Buffalo Braves , one of three NBA expansion franchises that began play in the 1970–71 season , along with the Portland Trail Blazers and Cleveland Cavaliers . They played their home games at
30392-533: The Conference of Physical Training in Springfield to draw up general rules for women's basketball. Thus, the sport quickly spread throughout America's schools, colleges and universities with uniform rules for both sexes. Basketball was originally played with a soccer ball . These round balls from " association football " were made, at the time, with a set of laces to close off the hole needed for inserting
30654-639: The Conference, they managed to win eight games in a row, and then another five games consecutively. Playing at the San Diego Sports Arena , the Clippers posted a record of 43–39 in their first season in California, leaving them two wins shy of the final playoff spot. It was also the first season in Southern California for long-time announcer Ralph Lawler , who began his association with the franchise. The 1979–80 season saw
30916-539: The Draft Lottery. In the summer of 2007, general manager Danny Ainge made a series of moves that returned the Celtics to prominence. On draft night, he traded No. 5 pick Jeff Green , Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West to Seattle for perennial All-Star Ray Allen and Seattle's second-round pick, which the team used to select LSU's Glen "Big Baby" Davis . The Celtics then traded Ryan Gomes , Gerald Green , Al Jefferson, Theo Ratliff , Sebastian Telfair , and
31178-499: The Eastern Division. Then, on August 3, 1949, the team became part of the National Basketball Association following the merger of the BAA and rival National Basketball League . In 1950, the Celtics signed Chuck Cooper , becoming the first NBA franchise to draft a black player. Chuck Connors of The Rifleman fame was an original member of the Celtics in 1946. The Celtics struggled during their early years, until
31440-522: The Fitch era suffered tragic circumstances of their own; Brian Williams (who played for the Clippers during the 1995–96 season , and later became known as Bison Dele) was believed to have been murdered by his brother while the two were vacationing in 2002 while in the South Pacific, and Rodney Rogers became paralyzed after a dirt bike crash in 2008 in his native North Carolina. In December, Vaught,
31702-492: The G League has 31 teams. FIBA (International Basketball Federation) was formed in 1932 by eight founding nations: Argentina , Czechoslovakia , Greece , Italy , Latvia , Portugal , Romania and Switzerland . At this time, the organization only oversaw amateur players. Its acronym, derived from the French Fédération Internationale de Basket-ball Amateur , was thus "FIBA". Men's basketball
31964-592: The Indiana Pacers in the first round, the Celtics lost a seven-game Eastern Conference Semifinals series to the Cleveland Cavaliers . Back injuries limited Bird to only 45 regular season games, and just four of ten in the playoffs. After thirteen NBA seasons and a gold medal at the Barcelona Olympics with the Dream Team , continued back trouble led Bird to retire in 1992. The loss of Bird and
32226-665: The Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (IAAUS). In 1910, that body changed its name to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The first Canadian interuniversity basketball game was played at YMCA in Kingston , Ontario on February 6, 1904, when McGill University – Naismith's alma mater – visited Queen's University . McGill won 9–7 in overtime;
32488-510: The Miss Head's School. In 1899, a committee was established at the Conference of Physical Training in Springfield to draw up general rules for women's basketball. These rules, designed by Berenson, were published in 1899. In 1902 Berenson became the editor of A. G. Spalding 's first Women's Basketball Guide. The same year women of Mount Holyoke and Sophie Newcomb College (coached by Clara Gregory Baer ), began playing basketball. By 1895,
32750-423: The NBA lottery in the 2007 NBA Draft, selecting Al Thornton . The 2007–08 season started off negatively, with Brand rupturing his left Achilles tendon. Brand missed most of the season, and the team struggled to stay competitive. Chris Kaman took advantage of a depleted roster by averaging 15.7 points and 12.7 rebounds per game, but was limited to playing 56 games, also due to various injuries. The Clippers ended
33012-484: The NBA) for a short meeting with the players, are allowed. They generally last no longer than one minute (100 seconds in the NBA) unless, for televised games, a commercial break is needed. The game is controlled by the officials consisting of the referee (referred to as crew chief in the NBA), one or two umpires (referred to as referees in the NBA) and the table officials. For college, the NBA, and many high schools, there are
33274-404: The NBA, and U Sports (Canadian universities) play for both sexes, and 30 seconds in NCAA play for both sexes), holding the ball while closely guarded (5 seconds), and remaining in the restricted area known as the free-throw lane, (or the " key ") (3 seconds). These rules are designed to promote more offense. There are also limits on how players may block an opponent's field goal attempt or help
33536-486: The NBA, becoming a perennial All-Star after leaving the Celtics. The Celtics entered the 2001–02 season with low expectations. The team's success in the latter stages of 2000–01 was largely forgotten, and critics were surprised when the team, along with the New Jersey Nets , surged to the top of the Atlantic Division ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers, who were fresh off a trip to the NBA Finals . The Celtics won
33798-704: The NBA. Top international players began coming into the NBA in the mid-1990s, including Croatians Dražen Petrović and Toni Kukoč , Serbian Vlade Divac , Lithuanians Arvydas Sabonis and Šarūnas Marčiulionis , Dutchman Rik Smits and German Detlef Schrempf . In the Philippines, the Philippine Basketball Association 's first game was played on April 9, 1975, at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao , Quezon City , Philippines. It
34060-454: The NFL's Los Angeles Rams (who relocated to St. Louis in 1995 for 21 seasons, before moving back to Los Angeles in 2016), was looking for a new professional team and began courting the Clippers, who struggled to carve out an identity competing against the popular Lakers for audience share. From 1994 to 1999 , the Clippers played several games annually (usually five to eight regular-season games
34322-470: The New York Knicks 128–100, and also defeated the Chicago Bulls by 56 points (133–77), setting a record for the largest margin in a victory in franchise history, while also tying the record for largest victory margin by an away team. The Celtics finished the regular season in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. During an April 7 game, Marcus Smart injured his hip and was ruled out for the rest of
34584-723: The Pacific . The team had a 0–17 start and finished with a 9–41 record in the lockout-shortened 1998–99 season. They were led by second-year forward Maurice Taylor , who averaged 16.8 points per game, and won the fourth overall pick in the following draft, which coincided with their move to the Staples Center. The Clippers would draft Lamar Odom , and then hired former All-Star (and Los Angeles native) Dennis Johnson as an assistant coach, as well as Hall of Fame former Laker great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to help tutor Olowokandi during his second-year. Johnson remained an assistant coach until
34846-456: The Pond, while in Los Angeles, they drew in the neighborhood of 9,200 per home game. Anaheim officials and the Clippers had had on-going talks about moving to Anaheim full-time years before the Pond was eventually built, as Donald Sterling was pursuing options to play elsewhere in the Los Angeles metropolitan region if there was not a replacement for the Sports Arena being built. The Clippers, however, nearly moved to Anaheim permanently in time for
35108-593: The Savages : "Among other things, a game of skill is described in which balls must be thrown against a target woven from twigs, mounted high on a pole. There's a small reward for the player if the target is being hit." In December 1891, James Naismith , a Canadian-American professor of physical education and instructor at the International Young Men's Christian Association Training School (now Springfield College ) in Springfield, Massachusetts ,
35370-428: The United States, and it quickly spread through the United States and Canada. By 1895, it was well established at several women's high schools. While YMCA was responsible for initially developing and spreading the game, within a decade it discouraged the new sport, as rough play and rowdy crowds began to detract from YMCA's primary mission. However, other amateur sports clubs, colleges, and professional clubs quickly filled
35632-459: The United States, basketball has evolved to become one of the world's most popular and widely viewed sports. The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the most significant professional basketball league in the world in terms of popularity, salaries, talent, and level of competition (drawing most of its talent from U.S. college basketball ). Outside North America, the top clubs from national leagues qualify to continental championships such as
35894-454: The WNBA to break even this year." Measurements and time limits discussed in this section often vary among tournaments and organizations; international and NBA rules are used in this section. The object of the game is to outscore one's opponents by throwing the ball through the opponents' basket from above while preventing the opponents from doing so on their own. An attempt to score in this way
36156-542: The acquisition of Paul Silas and future Hall of Famers Dave Cowens and Jo Jo White , the Celtics soon became dominant again. After losing in the Eastern Conference Finals in 1972, the Celtics regrouped and came out determined in 1973 and posted an excellent 68–14 regular season record. But the season ended in disappointment, as they were upset in seven games by the New York Knicks in the Conference Finals. John Havlicek injured his right shoulder in game six and
36418-468: The act of shooting, depending on whether the shot was successful. One point is awarded for making a free throw, which is attempted from a line 15 feet (4.6 m) from the basket. Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( / ˈ s ɛ l t ɪ k s / SEL -tiks ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston . The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as
36680-479: The aging of the team's other veteran stars forced coach Chris Ford into rebuilding mode. Hopes centered on 26-year-old Reggie Lewis , a small forward out of Boston's Northeastern University . In the first round of the 1993 playoffs Lewis fainted during Boston's four-game series loss by the Charlotte Hornets . An examination revealed heart problems, but Lewis was able to get doctors to clear him for
36942-407: The allotted game time, typically about two hours. Five players from each team may be on the court at one time. Substitutions are unlimited but can only be done when play is stopped. Teams also have a coach, who oversees the development and strategies of the team, and other team personnel such as assistant coaches, managers, statisticians, doctors and trainers. For both men's and women's teams,
37204-468: The arena and priority on game dates over the Braves, with the next best dates in turn taken by the more successful Sabres. At a time where the NBA was nearing a nadir and the league did not have its current prestige, the Griffins saw the Braves as a threat to their own success, and purposely scheduled better dates at the arena to prevent the Braves from succeeding. As a result, after a failed attempt to sell
37466-415: The ball from a dribbler, intercept passes, or block shots; either offense or defense may collect a rebound , that is, a missed shot that bounces from rim or backboard. It is a violation to lift or drag one's pivot foot without dribbling the ball , to carry it, or to hold the ball with both hands then resume dribbling . The five players on each side fall into five playing positions . The tallest player
37728-490: The basket if one is scored. The defense gains possession in all cases of goaltending or basket interference. An attempt to unfairly disadvantage an opponent through certain types of physical contact is illegal and is called a personal foul. These are most commonly committed by defensive players; however, they can be committed by offensive players as well. Players who are fouled either receive the ball to pass inbounds again, or receive one or more free throws if they are fouled in
37990-414: The basketball is also regulated. For men, the official ball is 29.5 inches (75 cm) in circumference (size 7, or a "295 ball") and weighs 22 oz (620 g). If women are playing, the official basketball size is 28.5 inches (72 cm) in circumference (size 6, or a "285 ball") with a weight of 20 oz (570 g). In 3x3 , a formalized version of the halfcourt 3-on-3 game, a dedicated ball with
38252-491: The bench to score 25 points, with 7–8 shooting from the field, and 9–9 from the free-throw line. Kaman and Cassell each scored 15 points. However, the Clippers lost the seventh game, 127–107. General Manager (and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame member) Elgin Baylor won the NBA Executive of the Year award for leading the Clippers' playoff run. The 2006 off-season started as the team drafted Paul Davis in
38514-527: The best supporting cast in the league, the Clippers threatened a potential playoff run. However, poor team chemistry and injuries (the Clippers lost 293 man-games to injury), they finished with a disappointing 27–55 record. Coach Alvin Gentry was also replaced, with Dennis Johnson entering midway through the 2002–03 season . After the dismal season prior, the team lost several of its core players, with Miller, Odom, Olowakandi, and forward Eric Piatkowski (who
38776-516: The champion dwindled after 1954 when Brown v. Board of Education began an integration of schools. The last tournaments were held at Alabama State College from 1964 to 1967. Teams abounded throughout the 1920s. There were hundreds of men's professional basketball teams in towns and cities all over the United States, and little organization of the professional game. Players jumped from team to team and teams played in armories and smoky dance halls. Leagues came and went. Barnstorming squads such as
39038-422: The change from local media. Unfortunately for the franchise, Pitino was not the savior everyone hoped he would be. Auerbach bore the insult of being elbowed out with dignity, even as the team failed to improve. The Celtics received the third and sixth draft picks in the 1997 NBA draft , and used the picks to select a brand new backcourt through Chauncey Billups and Ron Mercer . The young team that lost 67 games
39300-595: The choice to exchange second round picks with the Clippers in 2010. The Clippers also acquired guard Jason Hart from the Utah Jazz, in exchange for guard Brevin Knight , and signed Ricky Davis to a one-year deal. They continued an active off-season by re-signing former Clippers player Brian Skinner in July, while trading for Steve Novak . The team would also sign Jason Williams to a one-year deal. However, just prior to
39562-419: The circumference of a size 6 ball but the weight of a size 7 ball is used in all competitions (men's, women's, and mixed teams). The ball may be advanced toward the basket by being shot, passed between players, thrown, tapped, rolled or dribbled (bouncing the ball while running). The ball must stay within the court; the last team to touch the ball before it travels out of bounds forfeits possession. The ball
39824-460: The club, averaging 29.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 37.9 minutes per game. After one year on the job, Weiss was fired, Wilkins left in free agency, and veteran head coach Bill Fitch was brought in to guide a new roster of young and inexperienced players. Anaheim , a suburb approximately thirty miles (48 km) south of Downtown Los Angeles in Orange County , expressed interest in obtaining an NBA franchise. The city, expecting to lose
40086-439: The court and backboard, it is considered important for the basket to be of the correct height – a rim that is off by just a few inches can have an adverse effect on shooting. The net must "check the ball momentarily as it passes through the basket" to aid the visual confirmation that the ball went through. The act of checking the ball has the further advantage of slowing down the ball so the rebound does not go as far. The size of
40348-400: The court despite Walton finally returning to action, finishing 25–57 in 1982–83 and 30–52 in 1983–84 . In 1984, Sterling, after again being denied permission from the NBA to do so, moved the Clippers to Los Angeles. The NBA subsequently fined Sterling $ 25 million for violating league rules and filed a lawsuit demanding the franchise be returned to San Diego. The league threatened to dissolve
40610-486: The development of the game. The hall of fame has people who have accomplished many goals in their career in basketball. An upstart organization, the American Basketball Association , emerged in 1967 and briefly threatened the NBA's dominance until the ABA-NBA merger in 1976. Today the NBA is the top professional basketball league in the world in terms of popularity, salaries, talent, and level of competition. The NBA has featured many famous players, including George Mikan ,
40872-453: The emergence of 1st-round draft pick Antoine Walker , Carr resigned after the season ended, while Rick Pitino was hired to join the franchise as the team's president, director of basketball operations, and head coach , reportedly on a $ 70 million ten-year contract. Volk resigned on May 7, 1997. Pitino's appointment as team president was controversial as Auerbach, the incumbent who had filled that role for more than 25 years, first heard about
41134-420: The end of the game wins, but if regulation play expires with the score tied, an additional period of play ( overtime ) is mandated. Players advance the ball by bouncing it while walking or running (dribbling) or by passing it to a teammate, both of which require considerable skill. On offense, players may use a variety of shots – the layup , the jump shot , or a dunk ; on defense, they may steal
41396-472: The ending of the game was replayed three times until the Soviet Union finally came out on top. In 1950 the first FIBA World Championship for men, now known as the FIBA Basketball World Cup , was held in Argentina. Three years later, the first FIBA World Championship for women, now known as the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup , was held in Chile. Women's basketball was added to the Olympics in 1976, which were held in Montreal , Quebec, Canada with teams such as
41658-414: The entire season, and the team limped to a 17–65 record. Rumors of a move to Sterling's hometown of Los Angeles and franchise mismanagement plagued the team immediately from the onset of Sterling's acquisition. On one occasion, Sterling was fined $ 10,000 by the NBA, the largest sum ever levied by the NBA against an owner at the time, for publicly guaranteeing the Clippers would lose enough games to contend for
41920-406: The first African-American coach in any U.S. pro sport. Auerbach would remain the general manager, a position he would hold well into the 1980s. However, the Celtics' string of NBA titles ended when they lost to the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1967 Eastern Conference Finals. The aging team managed two more championships in 1968 and 1969, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers each time. Russell retired after
42182-418: The first decades of the 20th century, basketball quickly became the ideal interscholastic sport due to its modest equipment and personnel requirements. In the days before widespread television coverage of professional and college sports, the popularity of high school basketball was unrivaled in many parts of America. Perhaps the most legendary of high school teams was Indiana's Franklin Wonder Five , which took
42444-747: The first dominating "big man"; ball-handling wizard Bob Cousy and defensive genius Bill Russell of the Boston Celtics ; charismatic center Wilt Chamberlain , who originally played for the barnstorming Harlem Globetrotters ; all-around stars Oscar Robertson and Jerry West ; more recent big men Kareem Abdul-Jabbar , Shaquille O'Neal , Hakeem Olajuwon and Karl Malone ; playmakers John Stockton , Isiah Thomas and Steve Nash ; crowd-pleasing forwards Julius Erving and Charles Barkley ; European stars Dirk Nowitzki , Pau Gasol and Tony Parker ; Latin American stars Manu Ginobili , more recent superstars, Allen Iverson , Kobe Bryant , Tim Duncan , LeBron James , Stephen Curry , Giannis Antetokounmpo , etc.; and
42706-403: The first round yet again, with the series culminating in an embarrassing 27-point loss in Game 7 at the Fleet Center . After the season Walker was traded again, this time to the Miami Heat . Despite Pierce's career season, in which he averaged career-highs in points (26.8), the Celtics missed the playoffs with a 33–49 record, owing largely to a young roster and constant roster shuffling, which saw
42968-414: The first round, this time to the Rockets. Brown left to become the Indiana Pacers ' head coach after the season and Bob Weiss was brought in to replace him. That 1993–94 season proved to be one of the worst in Los Angeles history, with the Clippers and Lakers going a combined 60–104. In February 1994, the Clippers traded Manning to the Atlanta Hawks for Dominique Wilkins . Wilkins played 25 games for
43230-443: The first time in franchise history. They lost Game 3, won Game 4, and on May 1, they won Game 5 in Los Angeles. This would mark their first playoff series win since they moved from Buffalo. In the next round, the team faced the Phoenix Suns . After losing a close Game 1, they won Game 2, 122–97. The series shifted to Staples Center for Game 3, but the Suns won, 94–91. In Game 4, Brand posted 30 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists as
43492-406: The first-ever rights fees to be paid to a women's professional sports league. Over the eight years of the contract, "millions and millions of dollars" were "dispersed to the league's teams." In a March 12, 2009, article, NBA commissioner David Stern said that in the bad economy, "the NBA is far less profitable than the WNBA. We're losing a lot of money among a large number of teams. We're budgeting
43754-502: The following season, and the Clippers finished 36–46, again missing the postseason. Walton missed the entire season due to foot injuries, while Free was traded to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for guard Phil Smith . The 1981–82 season brought ultimately unwelcome changes to the franchise as Levin sold the team to Los Angeles –area real estate developer and attorney Donald Sterling for $ 12.5 million. The Clippers experienced poor play, as foot injuries again caused Walton to miss
44016-441: The fourth quarter. In the second round of the playoffs, the team was swept by the San Antonio Spurs . The following off-season, GM Neil Olshey reached an agreement to become General Manager of the Portland Trail Blazers . Olshey was replaced by Gary Sacks. On draft night , the team re-acquired Lamar Odom from the Dallas Mavericks as part of a four-team deal that also sent Mo Williams and Furkan Aldemir , their 2012 draftee, to
44278-419: The fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. In the playoffs, the Celtics faced the Atlanta Hawks in the first round, beating them in six games led by strong play from Pierce and Garnett. In the conference semifinals, the Celtics defeated the 76ers in seven games. The Celtics faced the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, losing in seven games to the eventual NBA champions. The 2012 off-season started with
44540-411: The fourth-longest winning streak in the teams' history. The Celtics finished the year with a 55–27 record, good enough for second place in the Eastern Conference. In the playoffs, they defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round in seven games, and continued the feat in the Conference Semifinals by defeating the Philadelphia 76ers in five games before losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games in
44802-427: The franchise if ownership did not comply and return the team to San Diego. Sterling then filed another antitrust lawsuit against the league (for $ 100 million). This time, thanks to the recent court decision that allowed Al Davis to move the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League (NFL) to Los Angeles, it appeared Sterling would win his case. In September 1987, the league agreed to drop their lawsuit against
45064-416: The franchise's new home. The attempted move, combined with the franchise mismanagement issues, prompted an investigation of the Clippers by an NBA committee of other owners. In September of that year, the committee recommended that Sterling's ownership be terminated, having found that he was late in paying creditors and players. Days before a league scheduled vote in October to remove Sterling, he agreed to sell
45326-468: The franchise. Again, Brown made the trade without consulting Auerbach. Auerbach almost left Boston to take a job with the New York Knicks as a result. With public support strongly behind Auerbach, Brown sold the team to Harry Mangurian in 1979 rather than run the risk of losing his famed general manager. The Celtics would struggle through the season, going 29–53. Newcomers Chris Ford , Rick Robey , Cedric Maxwell and Nate Archibald failed to reverse
45588-425: The game had spread to colleges across the country, including Wellesley , Vassar , and Bryn Mawr . The first intercollegiate women's game was on April 4, 1896. Stanford women played Berkeley , 9-on-9, ending in a 2–1 Stanford victory. Women's basketball development was more structured than that for men in the early years. In 1905, the executive committee on Basket Ball Rules (National Women's Basketball Committee)
45850-452: The head coach of Butler University , would replace Doc Rivers as head coach. Halfway through the season, in January, Rajon Rondo made his return and was named the 15th Team Captain in team history, and the team furthered the youth movement by acquiring two draft picks in a three-team trade that sent Jordan Crawford and MarShon Brooks to the Golden State Warriors while the Celtics received the Heat center Joel Anthony . The 2013–14 season marked
46112-421: The hiring of coach Red Auerbach . In the franchise's early days, Auerbach had no assistants, ran all the practices, did all the scouting—both of opposing teams and college draft prospects—and scheduled all road trips. One of the first great players to join the Celtics was Bob Cousy , whom Auerbach initially refused to draft out of nearby Holy Cross because he was "too flashy". Cousy's contract eventually became
46374-489: The inflatable bladder after the other sewn-together segments of the ball's cover had been flipped outside-in. These laces could cause bounce passes and dribbling to be unpredictable. Eventually a lace-free ball construction method was invented, and this change to the game was endorsed by Naismith (whereas in American football , the lace construction proved to be advantageous for gripping and remains to this day). The first balls made specifically for basketball were brown, and it
46636-455: The late 1950s, after the team, led by coach Red Auerbach , acquired Bill Russell in 1956, later becoming the cornerstone of the Celtics dynasty. Led by Russell, Bob Cousy , and Tom Heinsohn , the Celtics won their first NBA championship in 1957 . Russell, along with a talented supporting cast of future Hall of Famers including Heinsohn, Don Nelson , K. C. Jones , John Havlicek , Sam Jones , Satch Sanders , and Bill Sharman , would usher
46898-501: The leadership of head coach Doc Rivers , the team defeated the Lakers to win their 17th championship in 2008 , while also losing to the Lakers in the 2010 Finals . Allen, Garnett, and Pierce were no longer with the team by the start of the 2013–14 season, with Garnett and Pierce being traded to the Brooklyn Nets for four total future first round picks. With two of these first round picks, the team drafted Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Led by "The Jays" ,
47160-411: The leadership of head coach Tom Heinsohn with Dave Cowens , Havlicek, and Jo Jo White . In the 1980s, the Celtics returned to dominance. Anchored by the "Big Three" of Larry Bird , Kevin McHale , and Robert Parish , the team experienced a renewed rivalry with the "Showtime" Lakers and won championships in 1981 , 1984 , and 1986 , the latter two with head coach K. C. Jones against the Lakers. After
47422-477: The league's popularity and level of competition. Other professional women's basketball leagues in the United States, such as the American Basketball League (1996–98) , have folded in part because of the popularity of the WNBA. The WNBA has been looked at by many as a niche league. However, the league has recently taken steps forward. In June 2007, the WNBA signed a contract extension with ESPN . The new television deal ran from 2009 to 2016. Along with this deal, came
47684-422: The likes of Marcus Banks , Ricky Davis and Mark Blount traded for underachieving former first-overall pick Michael Olowokandi and former all-star Wally Szczerbiak . The Celtics continued to rebuild in the 2006 NBA draft . The Celtics selected Kentucky point guard Rajon Rondo , who was to become a key piece in the team's revival. In the second round the Celtics added center Leon Powe . The 2006–07 season
47946-460: The longest tenures in professional sports history. The Clippers indicated that Baylor had retired from his post, and as a result, head coach Mike Dunleavy, Sr. assumed the role of General Manager, while director of player personnel Neil Olshey was promoted to assistant general manager. However, several other reports indicated Baylor had been fired or resigned, and when questioned, Baylor responded he had been advised by his attorneys not to comment on
48208-416: The matter. This prompted speculation that the team and Baylor were in negotiations to work out a settlement agreement for his departure, with Baylor reportedly working without a formal contract since the early 1990s. The 2008–09 season ended with the team 14th in the Western Conference, with a record of 19–63. They were then awarded the first overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft . With the first overall pick,
48470-420: The memorable "walking through that door" speech, invoking Bird, McHale and Parish, which has been frequently cited over the years as a reality check for organizations wrestling with bygone glory. He resigned in January 2001. Following the resignation of Rick Pitino, the Celtics saw modest improvement under coach Jim O'Brien . Paul Pierce matured into an NBA star and was ably complemented by Antoine Walker and
48732-423: The mezzanine balcony of the playing court, but this proved impractical when spectators in the balcony began to interfere with shots. The backboard was introduced to prevent this interference; it had the additional effect of allowing rebound shots. Naismith's handwritten diaries, discovered by his granddaughter in early 2006, indicate that he was nervous about the new game he had invented, which incorporated rules from
48994-436: The middle of the 2002–03 season , when he took over as head coach. Abdul-Jabbar remained only one season, detailing a lack of improvement in Olowokandi, who is largely considered one of the biggest draft busts in league history. During the 1999 off-season, Rodney Rogers signed with the Phoenix Suns . The Clippers also sent Lamond Murray to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Derek Anderson and Johnny Newman . However, Newman
49256-510: The most lopsided trades in NBA history, garnering a pair of future Hall of Famers for a pair of first-round draft picks. Seeking to improve the team immediately, Auerbach sent the team's two first-round draft picks to the Golden State Warriors for both center Robert Parish and the Warriors' first-round pick. He then used the pick the Celtics obtained from Golden State to select University of Minnesota power forward Kevin McHale . The "Big Three" of Bird, McHale and Parish played together for
49518-489: The nation by storm during the 1920s, dominating Indiana basketball and earning national recognition. Today virtually every high school in the United States fields a basketball team in varsity competition. Basketball's popularity remains high, both in rural areas where they carry the identification of the entire community, as well as at some larger schools known for their basketball teams where many players go on to participate at higher levels of competition after graduation. In
49780-402: The nearby Smith College , went to Naismith to learn more about the game. Fascinated by the new sport and the values it could teach, she started to organize games with her pupils, following adjusted rules. The first official women's interinstitutional game was played barely 11 months later, between the University of California and the Miss Head's School. In 1899, a committee was established at
50042-400: The new sport and the values it could teach, she instantly introduced the game as a class exercise and soon after teams were organized. The first women's collegiate basketball game was played on March 21, 1893, when her Smith freshmen and sophomores played against one another. The first official women's interinstitutional game was played later that year between the University of California and
50304-474: The next three games to fall 4–2. In 2003, the Celtics were sold by owner Paul Gaston to Boston Basketball Partners L.L.C., led by H. Irving Grousbeck , Wycliffe Grousbeck and Steve Pagliuca . The team made it back to the playoffs but were swept by the Nets in the second round, despite bringing Game 4 to double overtime. Before their elimination, the team hired former Celtics' guard Danny Ainge as general manager, moving Chris Wallace to another position in
50566-407: The offense, a violation of these rules results in loss of possession; for the defense, most leagues reset the shot clock and the offensive team is given possession of the ball out of bounds. There are limits imposed on the time taken before progressing the ball past halfway (8 seconds in FIBA and the NBA; 10 seconds in NCAA and high school for both sexes), before attempting a shot (24 seconds in FIBA,
50828-415: The organization. Ainge believed the team had reached its peak and promptly sent Antoine Walker to the Dallas Mavericks (along with Tony Delk ). In return, the Celtics received the often-injured Raef LaFrentz , Chris Mills , Jiří Welsch , and a first-round pick in 2004 . The Celtics made the playoffs , only to be swept in the first round by the Indiana Pacers, losing all four games. The Celtics were
51090-411: The other players acquired over the years. While the team was 12–21 when Pitino left, O'Brien's record to finish the season was 24–24. Following the 2000–01 season O'Brien was given the job of head coach on a permanent basis. As a result of numerous trades, the Celtics had three picks in the 2001 NBA draft . They selected Joe Johnson , Joe Forte , and Kedrick Brown . Only Johnson managed to succeed in
51352-420: The ouster of Sterling was no longer being pursued. Later in 1983, Larry Fleisher , then the general counsel of the National Basketball Players Association , stated ''in all my years of involvement with the NBA, no team ever provided as much difficulties for the players than the Clippers under Sterling." "He almost caused three strikes last season.'' The team's final two seasons in San Diego were not much better on
51614-409: The players around whom Auerbach would build the champion Celtics for more than a decade. 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 1958, the Celtics again advanced to the NBA Finals , this time losing to the Hawks in 6 games. Following the acquisition of K.C. Jones in 1958, the Celtics began
51876-417: The playoffs for the first time in 16 years (since the franchise's Buffalo heyday), but were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Utah Jazz , 3–2. Due to the late April 1992 Los Angeles riots , the Anaheim Convention Center was the site of Game 4 of the series, which the Clippers won. The team made the playoffs again in the 1992–93 season with a 41–41 record, but lost again in five games in
52138-419: The playoffs three times in a row, losing twice to the eventual Eastern Conference champions (the Boston Celtics in 1974 and 1976, and the Washington Bullets in 1975). Despite the team's modest success in Buffalo, Braves owner Paul Snyder and the league found it impossible to schedule home games at the auditorium because of the Canisius Golden Griffins men's basketball team, which had a pre-existing lease on
52400-431: The playoffs with a 32–50 mark. In 1994, the Celtics hired former player and legendary towel-waving cheerleader M. L. Carr as the team's new vice president of basketball operations. Working alongside general manager Jan Volk , Carr selected University of North Carolina star Eric Montross with Boston's first-round pick in the 1994 NBA draft . Montross became the new heir apparent in the paint, but failed to develop and
52662-515: The playoffs, needing seven games to defeat the Atlanta Hawks in the first round and another seven to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers in the conference semifinals. The Celtics then beat the Detroit Pistons in six games in the Eastern Conference Finals, winning two road games. For the 11th time in league history, and for the first time since 1987, the Celtics and the Lakers faced off in the NBA Finals. The Celtics won Game One at home 98–88, fueled by strong play by Garnett and Pierce's dramatic comeback from
52924-510: The previous summer. On February 6, 2012, during a game against the Orlando Magic , Billups tore his Achilles tendon and missed the remainder of the season. In March 2012, Nick Young joined the Clippers as part of a three-team trade with the Washington Wizards and the Denver Nuggets . He became the eighth player to debut in the 2011–12 season. After a stretch that saw the Clippers lose 12 of 19 games after Billups's season-ending injury, with rumors of Vinny Del Negro 's career as head coach of
53186-414: The property of the Chicago Stags , but when that franchise went bankrupt, Cousy went to the Celtics in a dispersal draft. After the 1955–56 season , Auerbach made a stunning trade, sending perennial All-Star Ed Macauley to the St. Louis Hawks along with the draft rights to Cliff Hagan for the second overall pick in the draft. After negotiating with the Rochester Royals —a negotiation that included
53448-432: The regular season and the first round of the playoffs. In the 2019 playoffs , the Celtics swept the Indiana Pacers in the first round, and then lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in five games. The Celtics held four picks in the 2019 NBA draft . Following a series of transactions, the team landed Romeo Langford with the 14th pick and also added Grant Williams , Carsen Edwards , and Tremont Waters (2020 G-league Rookie of
53710-401: The retirements of Bird and McHale, the departure of Parish, and the untimely deaths of 1986 draft pick Len Bias and star player Reggie Lewis , the Celtics struggled through the 1990s and much of the early 2000s. After another period of rebuilding, the Celtics assembled a new "Big Three" around team captain Paul Pierce by acquiring Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett in the 2007 offseason. Under
53972-443: The sale of the franchise led to their relocation from Buffalo to San Diego, California , in 1978 and subsequent rebranding as the San Diego Clippers , in reference to the sailing ships seen in San Diego Bay . The team saw little success on the court and missed the playoffs during all six of their years in San Diego. In 1984, owner Donald Sterling controversially relocated the franchise to Los Angeles without NBA approval, which
54234-439: The score was 7–7 at the end of regulation play, and a ten-minute overtime period settled the outcome. A good turnout of spectators watched the game. The first men's national championship tournament, the National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball tournament, which still exists as the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) tournament , was organized in 1937. The first national championship for NCAA teams,
54496-434: The season 23–59, and the team aimed to rebuild for the following season . Both Brand and Maggette were allowed to depart, while ten players were acquired. Brand stated his desire to stay, but the contract faltered, allowing him to move to the Philadelphia 76ers . Baron Davis , a Los Angeles native and formerly of the Golden State Warriors , signed a five-year contract with the Clippers, worth an estimated $ 65 million. In
54758-444: The season, but won only 3 of the last 12 games and finished 39–43, five games out of the playoffs. In order to seriously challenge for playoff contention in 2003, the franchise traded Miles to the Cavaliers for Andre Miller , who led the NBA in assists in 2001–02 with 11 per game. With a seasoned point guard in Miller, Lamar Odom at small forward, one of the league's best power forwards in Brand, and center Olowokandi, as well as having
55020-409: The second round of the 2006 NBA draft , as the 34th overall pick. The pick was acquired by the Clippers by way of a 2004 trade for Melvin Ely . The team also drafted Guillermo Diaz as the 52nd overall pick. While Davis signed with the team, Diaz decided to play overseas. However, the team still holds his draft rights. Meanwhile, in free agency, they signed Tim Thomas away from divisional Phoenix, in
55282-410: The second round, retired at the end of the season. The Celtics started the lockout-shortened season 0–3, as Pierce was out with a heel injury. At the All-Star break, the Celtics were below .500 with a 15–17 record. However, they were one of the hottest teams in the league after the break, going 24–10 the rest of the year and winning their fifth division title in a row. The Celtics made the playoffs as
55544-405: The second seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round. In the 2015 NBA draft Boston selected Terry Rozier , R.J. Hunter , Jordan Mickey , and Marcus Thornton with the 16th, 28th, 33rd, and 45th selections respectively. During the off-season, the Celtics signed forward Amir Johnson and traded Gerald Wallace and Chris Babb in exchange for Warriors forward David Lee. The Celtics finished
55806-420: The series back to Boston. In Game 6, the Celtics overpowered the Lakers, winning 131–92 and clinching their 17th NBA title. Paul Pierce was named Finals MVP. With the win the Celtics set a record for most games a team had ever played in a postseason with 26. The 2008–09 Celtics started off the season at 27–2, the then-best starting record in NBA history. They also had a franchise-record 19-game streak. After
56068-403: The series in six games. In Game Six, the Celtics nearly completed a comeback when they went on a 20–0 run to cut the lead to four. During the off-season, head coach Doc Rivers was allowed to terminate his contract. He departed the Celtics to coach the Los Angeles Clippers, and the Celtics received a 2015 unprotected first-round pick as compensation. A few days later, Pierce, Garnett (who waived
56330-460: The series returned to Milwaukee. Cowens was the hero in Game 7, scoring 28 points, as the Celtics brought the title back to Boston for the first time in five years. In 1976, the team won yet another championship, defeating the Phoenix Suns in six games. The Finals featured one of the greatest games in NBA history. With the series tied at two games apiece, the Suns trailed early in the Boston Garden, but came back to force overtime. In double overtime,
56592-411: The sport in Australia. The Women's National Basketball League began in 1981. Women began to play basketball in the fall of 1892 at Smith College through Senda Berenson , substitute director of the newly opened gymnasium and physical education teacher, after having modified the rules for women. Shortly after Berenson was hired at Smith, she visited Naismith to learn more about the game. Fascinated by
56854-476: The start of training camp in September, Williams announced his retirement. Other mid-season acquisitions came in the form of Zach Randolph and Mardy Collins , who arrived from the New York Knicks in exchange for Tim Thomas and Cuttino Mobley. This trade made Kaman the sole member still on the team from their playoff run two years prior. In October 2008, Baylor ended his 22-year reign as vice president and general manager of basketball operations. It remains one of
57116-417: The starting lineup. The Celtics defeated St. Louis 97–84. Boston won its next 11 games with Naulls starting in place of Heinsohn. The Celtics of the late 1950s–1960s are widely considered one of the most dominant teams of all time. Auerbach retired as coach after the 1965–66 season and Russell took over as player-coach, which was Auerbach's ploy to keep Russell interested. With his appointment Russell became
57378-473: The team also signed veteran Aaron Williams to an undisclosed deal. In September, the Clippers also announced a radio broadcast deal with KSPN-AM , the local ESPN Radio -operated outlet. Despite several additions, the team did not perform to expectations, with a lack of team chemistry and injuries to several key players, including Cassell, Thomas, and Kaman, forcing the team to sign journeymen Luke Jackson , Alvin Williams , and Doug Christie to help solidify
57640-466: The team missing the playoffs, although, they posted a better record than the Lakers for the first time since 1993. Bobby Simmons , a former second-round pick, won the 2004–05 NBA Most Improved Player award after averaging 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists per game. As a result, Simmons signed a 5-year, $ 47 million deal with the Milwaukee Bucks . To counter Simmons' defection, the Clippers announced they would sign Cuttino Mobley . Mobley's contract
57902-424: The team returned to the NBA Finals in 2022 , losing to the Golden State Warriors , and defeated the Dallas Mavericks in 2024 to secure their 18th championship. The "Celtics" nickname and the team's mascot "Lucky the Leprechaun" are nods to Boston's historically large Irish population , and also to the Original Celtics , a barnstorming basketball team that played in the early 20th century. The Celtics have
58164-403: The team selected Blake Griffin . To clear a spot in the lineup for him, they traded Zach Randolph to Memphis for Quentin Richardson. Richardson was then traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Sebastian Telfair , Craig Smith , and Mark Madsen . Griffin immediately impressed in training camp and preseason. On October 23, he broke his kneecap during the Clippers' final exhibition game against
58426-450: The team to an owner who intended to move it to South Florida, Snyder sold the team to Kentucky Colonels owner John Y. Brown, Jr. , who decimated the team's roster, traded away all of its stars, and drove attendance down to the point where they could break their own lease on the arena. Eventually, Brown met with Celtics owner Irv Levin in 1978 so they could trade franchise ownerships. Southern California resident Levin then decided to move
58688-428: The team to miss a scheduled regular-season game that day against the New Jersey Nets . Sterling attempted to relocate the franchise to Los Angeles in June 1982 but the NBA denied his request. Sterling then filed an unsuccessful antitrust lawsuit against the league, which subsequently filed a countersuit against the club and the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena , which Sterling had a tentative agreement with to become
58950-418: The team's bench. The season disappointment extended as Shaun Livingston suffered a dislocated left knee in which he tore every ligament in his knee. This was one of the most devastating injuries that season, and considered one of the worst in league history. The extent of the injury was so severe, local news outlets such as KCBS-TV / KCAL-TV and KNBC-TV elected not to air the clip of the injury. According to
59212-421: The team's lead physician, Dr. Tony Daly, Livingston's prognosis for him to return to basketball activity was eight months (which was around the first week of the upcoming season ) to a full calendar year. The Clippers finished the season 40–42, two games behind the eighth-seed, while the Lakers finished with a better record for the first time since the 2003–04 season . The Clippers received the 14th draft pick from
59474-399: The team's leading scorer for the past three seasons, had season-ending back surgery. Without Vaught, the Clippers finished 17–65, the third-worst record in the league. Fitch was fired after the 1997–98 season (and later sued the team to recover the remaining money on his contract), and was replaced by one of his proteges, former Celtics and Bucks coach Chris Ford . Meanwhile, Vaught's career as
59736-445: The team's momentum. Larry Bird debuted for the Celtics 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. He almost immediately traded McAdoo, a former NBA scoring champion, to the Detroit Pistons for guard M. L. Carr , a defensive specialist, and two first-round picks in the 1980 NBA draft . He also picked up point guard Gerald Henderson from
59998-427: The team, and the league sought buyers who would keep the franchise in San Diego. At the suggestion of David Stern , then the league's vice president, Sterling was able to make a deal to maintain his position as owner, by instead handing over operations duties of the franchise to Alan Rothenberg , who became the team's president. A few months later in February 1983, Stern called the Clippers a "first-class" franchise, and
60260-418: The team, modeled the new uniforms, which were re-designed for the first time since the 2000–01 season. The Clippers' primary and secondary logos, which are modifications of the previous ones, were introduced to the public weeks earlier, on the night of the 2010 NBA draft , where the Clippers selected Al-Farouq Aminu eighth overall. With an improved Gordon, stalwart Kaman, rookie Aminu, starting center Jordan,
60522-423: The third Celtic to score 20,000 points (the others are Larry Bird and John Havlicek), and Ray Allen broke the NBA record for most career three-pointers. The 2011 NBA playoffs started with the Celtics sweeping the New York Knicks 4–0 in the opening round. In the second round, they were ousted by eventual Eastern Conference champions Miami Heat in five games. Shaquille O'Neal, limited to 12 minutes in two games of
60784-416: The three players who many credit with ushering the professional game to its highest level of popularity during the 1980s and 1990s: Larry Bird , Earvin "Magic" Johnson , and Michael Jordan . In 2001, the NBA formed a developmental league, the National Basketball Development League (later known as the NBA D-League and then the NBA G League after a branding deal with Gatorade ). As of the 2023–24 season,
61046-443: The tragedy, the Celtics remained competitive in 1986–87 , going 59–23 and again winning the Eastern Conference Championship. They were defeated in the Finals by the Lakers in six games. In 1988, the Celtics lost in six games to the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals. Following the season, head coach K.C. Jones retired and was replaced by assistant Jimmy Rodgers . Boston's hopes for 1988–89 faded when Bird underwent
61308-406: The upcoming draft, the Clippers obtained the seventh pick, and selected Eric Gordon . They also selected DeAndre Jordan , who was picked 35th overall. Mike Taylor , the 55th overall pick, was acquired from the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for a future second-round pick. In July 2008, they acquired Marcus Camby from the Denver Nuggets in return for a $ 10 million trade exception and
61570-411: The void. In the years before World War I , the Amateur Athletic Union and the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (forerunner of the NCAA ) vied for control over the rules for the game. The first pro league, the National Basketball League, was formed in 1898 to protect players from exploitation and to promote a less rough game. This league only lasted five years. James Naismith
61832-436: The wait. The team retained Bird's rights for one year and signed him soon after he led Indiana State to the NCAA championship game. In 1978, Celtics owner Irv Levin traded franchises with Buffalo Braves owner John Y. Brown Jr. Two weeks before the swap of franchises was made official, details of a six-player trade between the two teams were reported. Boston sent Freeman Williams , Kevin Kunnert , and Kermit Washington to
62094-433: The year before was dismantled, with David Wesley , Dino Rađa and Rick Fox being let go, and Williams traded to the Denver Nuggets for a pair of second round draft picks (Williams would return to the Celtics in 1999 and played for four years). Walter McCarty was also acquired in a trade with the Knicks. With a promising start, upsetting the defending champions Chicago Bulls at home on opening night, and hard play from
62356-401: The year). During the 2019 off-season, Irving and Horford signed with the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers, respectively. Irving left, despite promising to stay in Boston. On June 30, 2019, the Celtics and point guard Kemba Walker agreed to a four-year maximum contract worth $ 141 million. On July 6, 2019, the Celtics officially acquired Walker in a sign and trade with the Charlotte Hornets;
62618-453: The years after, the Clippers' scheduling at Staples Center became gradually more favorable (especially given the popularity of the team in recent years) in their lease renewals in 2004 and 2013, with the team receiving increased profits, including more of a share of luxury suite and concession revenue. Since February 2011, the Clippers have sold out every regular season and postseason home game. The 2000–01 season brought changes. Derek Strong
62880-426: The youngsters that led to leaderships in turnovers and steals, the team improved its victories from 15 to 36 despite many losing streaks. Billups was subsequently traded to the Raptors during his rookie year, and Mercer was traded to the Nuggets during his third season. The following year in the 1998 NBA draft , the Celtics drafted Paul Pierce , a college star who had been expected to be drafted much earlier than
63142-453: Was a gloomy one for the franchise, starting with the death of Red Auerbach at 89. Auerbach was one of the few remaining people who had been a part of the NBA since its inception in 1946. The Celtics went 2–22 from late December 2006 through early February 2007 after losing Pierce to injury, the result of a stress reaction in his left foot. At first, the Celtics received a much-needed boost from guard Tony Allen but he tore his ACL and MCL on
63404-417: Was chosen as a Western Conference Reserve in the 2011 NBA All-Star Game , a rare honor for a rookie, the first chosen by the coaches for the game since Tim Duncan in 1997. He also won the NBA Sprite Slam Dunk Contest, and was named the Rookie of the Year as the team finished with a record of 32–50. As the trade deadline approached, the Clippers sent Baron Davis along with their 2011 first-round draft pick to
63666-403: Was common by 1896, with a rule against the double dribble by 1898. The peach baskets were used until 1906 when they were finally replaced by metal hoops with backboards. A further change was soon made, so the ball merely passed through. Whenever a person got the ball in the basket, his team would gain a point. Whichever team got the most points won the game. The baskets were originally nailed to
63928-461: Was created by the American Physical Education Association . These rules called for six to nine players per team and 11 officials. The International Women's Sports Federation (1924) included a women's basketball competition. 37 women's high school varsity basketball or state tournaments were held by 1925. And in 1926, the Amateur Athletic Union backed the first national women's basketball championship , complete with men's rules. The Edmonton Grads ,
64190-423: Was eventually traded. 1994–95 was the Celtics' final season in the Boston Garden . The Celtics signed aging Dominique Wilkins as a free agent, who led the team in scoring with 17.8 PPG. Second-year player Dino Rađa , a power forward from Croatia , added an interior presence the team had been lacking in 1993–94 . The Celtics made the playoffs, losing to the heavily favored Orlando Magic in four games. In 1995,
64452-448: Was fired and replaced by assistant coach and former Celtics player Chris Ford . Under Ford's leadership, the Celtics improved to 56–26 in 1990–91 , recapturing the Atlantic Division title even though Bird missed 22 games with several injuries. The Celtics again lost to the Pistons in the playoffs. In 1992, a late-season rally allowed a 51–31 Celtics team to catch the New York Knicks and repeat as Atlantic Division champions. After sweeping
64714-401: Was first included at the Berlin 1936 Summer Olympics , although a demonstration tournament was held in 1904. The United States defeated Canada in the first final, played outdoors. This competition has usually been dominated by the United States, whose team has won all but three titles. The first of these came in a controversial final game in Munich in 1972 against the Soviet Union, in which
64976-425: Was forced to play game seven shooting left-handed. The Celtics returned to the playoffs the next year, defeating the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1974 NBA Finals for their 12th NBA championship. Boston took a 3–2 series lead and had a chance to claim the title on their home court. The Bucks won Game Six in Boston when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar nestled in a hook shot with 3 seconds left in the game's second overtime, and
65238-474: Was founded as a "rebellion" of several teams from the now-defunct Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association, which was tightly controlled by the Basketball Association of the Philippines (now defunct), the then-FIBA recognized national association. Nine teams from the MICAA participated in the league's first season that opened on April 9, 1975. The NBL is Australia's pre-eminent men's professional basketball league. The league commenced in 1979 , playing
65500-406: Was hired as the team's head coach in late January 1992. He replaced Mike Schuler , who had led the team to a 22–25 record before his firing. Brown finished the season with a 23–12 mark, for a 45–37 overall—the franchise's first winning season in 13 years. For the first time since moving to Los Angeles, they finished with a better record than the crosstown Los Angeles Lakers . The Clippers advanced to
65762-429: Was identical in length, but for five million less than Simmons', and marked the first significant free-agent signing from outside the organization since Walton in the late 1970s. The Clippers also completed the building of a practice facility (the first NBA practice facility within the four corners of the City of Los Angeles) in the Playa Vista development. Midway through the season, the Clippers traded Marko Jarić (in
66024-418: Was instrumental in establishing college basketball . His colleague C. O. Beamis fielded the first college basketball team just a year after the Springfield YMCA game at the suburban Pittsburgh Geneva College . Naismith himself later coached at the University of Kansas for six years, before handing the reins to renowned coach Forrest "Phog" Allen . Naismith's disciple Amos Alonzo Stagg brought basketball to
66286-412: Was not an official Olympic sport until 1976. The Grads' players were unpaid, and had to remain single. The Grads' style focused on team play, without overly emphasizing skills of individual players. The first women's AAU All-America team was chosen in 1929. Women's industrial leagues sprang up throughout the United States, producing famous athletes, including Babe Didrikson of the Golden Cyclones , and
66548-430: Was one of the longest-tenured players in franchise history) departing via free agency prior to the 2003–04 season . The team opted to retain Brand and Maggette with long-term contracts. They, along with Richardson, made up one of the NBA's best high-scoring trios, with a combined 58 points per game. With new head coach Mike Dunleavy, Sr. , they finished 28–54, due to inexperience and injuries. The following season again saw
66810-424: Was only in the late 1950s that Tony Hinkle , searching for a ball that would be more visible to players and spectators alike, introduced the orange ball that is now in common use. Dribbling was not part of the original game except for the "bounce pass" to teammates. Passing the ball was the primary means of ball movement. Dribbling was eventually introduced but limited by the asymmetric shape of early balls. Dribbling
67072-414: Was permitted following legal action between the league and Sterling. Over the course of their first 27 seasons in Los Angeles, the Clippers qualified for the postseason only four times and won a single playoff round. They were frequently considered a perennial loser in American professional sports, drawing unfavorable comparisons to the historically successful Lakers. The Clippers' reputation improved during
67334-474: Was selected for his second straight All-Star game and first All-NBA selection, finishing third in the league in scoring and fifth in MVP voting. For the 2017 NBA draft , the Celtics won the draft lottery, earning them the first pick. They were projected to select freshman guard Markelle Fultz , but the pick was subsequently traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for the third pick in the 2017 draft and future picks. The 76ers would go on to draft Fultz, while
67596-404: Was sent to the Orlando Magic in exchange for Corey Maggette and the draft rights to Keyon Dooling . The Clippers' two draft picks that year were childhood friends from Illinois: high schooler Darius Miles (3rd overall pick) and Quentin Richardson (18th overall pick). The team became popular among fans with its high-flying style of basketball and the Clippers did improve slightly, registering
67858-448: Was succeeded by Jan Volk . In 1985, the Lakers and Celtics met again in the Finals, with the Lakers winning. This was the first time the Lakers had defeated the Celtics in the Finals and the only time the team had won a championship at Boston Garden. During the following off-season, the Celtics acquired Bill Walton from the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Cedric Maxwell . Walton had been an All-Star and league MVP while leading
68120-472: Was then traded to the New Jersey Nets for Eric Murdock a month later without ever playing a game for the Clippers. The team finished with the worst record in the league (15–67) in the 1999–2000 season, while the Lakers had the best record that year (67–15), and won the NBA championship. In what was supposed to be a counter-move, the Coliseum Commission, the management entity that managed the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena and Coliseum , had planned to build
68382-427: Was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in February, when the Celtics were 41–14 and led the Eastern Conference despite another rash of injuries. Following the trade, however, they proceeded to win only 15 of their final 27 games. They finished with a 56–26 record, sliding to the third seed. The 2010–11 season still provided three landmarks: The Celtics became the second team to reach 3,000 victories, Paul Pierce became
68644-402: Was trying to keep his gym class active on a rainy day. He sought a vigorous indoor game to keep his students occupied and at proper levels of fitness during the long New England winters. After rejecting other ideas as either too rough or poorly suited to walled-in gymnasiums , he invented a new game in which players would pass a ball to teammates and try to score points by tossing the ball into
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