The Philadelphia 76ers are an American basketball team currently playing in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The 76ers are third in NBA history in wins and playoff appearances.
184-689: In 1946, Italian immigrant Danny Biasone sent a $ 5,000 check to the National Basketball League offices in Chicago , and the Syracuse Nationals became the largely Midwest-based league's easternmost team, based in the upstate New York city of Syracuse . The Syracuse Nationals began to play in the NBL in the same year professional basketball was finally gaining some legitimacy with the rival Basketball Association of America that
368-531: 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
552-533: A 120–106 victory. In the game's closing moments, the Boston Garden fans began chanting "Beat L.A., Beat L.A." , an incredible moment in basketball history, wherein, for seemingly the first time the opposing team's fans (Boston), realizing their team would lose the playoff series to a hated opponent (Philadelphia), nonetheless during the very game their team (Boston) was losing to the opponent (Philadelphia), openly wished that opponent (Philadelphia) good luck in
736-571: A 23–4 run that gave Philadelphia the lead for good. Iverson scored 44 points and the 76ers pulled away in the second half, winning by a 108–91 score to put them in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1983. As had been the case in their three previous Finals appearances, their opponent would be the Los Angeles Lakers, who had run up an 11–0 record in the first three rounds of the playoffs and were expected by many to make quick work of
920-481: A 33-point lead in the third quarter of Game Six, but the 76ers would make a furious fourth-quarter rally before falling 110–100. Struggling in the series up to that point, Iverson scored 26 points in the final quarter to finish with 46 on the night and appeared to have gotten a second wind. In Game Seven, the Bucks jumped out to a 34–25 second quarter advantage before seldom-used reserve Raja Bell scored 10 points to spark
1104-608: A 41–31 record. However, in the playoffs the Nationals would fall in the first round as they lost a 3-game series to the Philadelphia Warriors. Despite a mediocre 35–37 record for the 1958–1959 season the Nationals would make the playoffs again by finishing in 3rd place. In the playoffs the Nationals would once again rise to the occasion sweeping the New York Knickerbockers in 2 straight to reach
1288-611: A United States basketball player, coach, or other figure born in the 1900s is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . 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 a member of the Atlantic Division of
1472-421: A balance between stalling contests and wild shootouts. He envisioned a well-paced match-up in which each team took around 60 shots per game. Given that professional basketball games lasted 48 minutes, Ferris divided 2880 (the number of seconds in 48 minutes) by 120 (the total number of shots taken per game when each team attempted 60 shots) and arrived at a figure he considered optimal: one shot every 24 seconds. He
1656-698: A clutch three-pointer in that final minute, and the Lakers prevailed, 96–91. Los Angeles wrapped up the second of what would be three consecutive NBA titles with a 100–86 win in Game Four and a 108–96 victory in Game Five. In addition to their Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference titles, the 2000–01 76ers featured the NBA's MVP (Iverson), Coach of the Year (Brown), Defensive Player of the Year (Mutombo), and Sixth Man of
1840-454: 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
2024-528: A consistent second scoring option to compliment Iverson. Andre Iguodala , Philadelphia's first-round pick in the 2004 NBA draft , was named to the All-Rookie First Team, and the 76ers returned to the postseason with a 43–39 record. In the first round, they were defeated in five games by the defending NBA Champion Pistons, coached by Larry Brown. Danny Biasone Daniel Biasone (born Dante Biasone ; February 22, 1909 – May 25, 1992)
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#17327730517342208-708: 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
2392-574: 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
2576-487: A four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers, who had defeated them the season before. Malone was named the playoffs' MVP. The 76ers didn't quite fulfill Malone's prediction, as their run was actually "fo', fi', fo" ("four, five, four") – a loss to the Bucks in game four of the Eastern finals being the only blemish on their playoff run. Nonetheless, their 12–1 playoff record is tied for the fewest losses in league history with
2760-472: A freefall, which Ramsay accelerated by subsequent divestiture of All Star forward Chet Walker to the Chicago Bulls . While the rapidly declining 76ers continued to contend for the next three seasons, they never got past the second round. In 1971–72—only five years after winning the title—the 76ers finished 30–52 and missed postseason play for the first time in franchise history. The bottom fell out in
2944-655: A hard-fought 3-way battle for first place in the Eastern Division for the 1952–1953 season, with a record of 47–24. In the playoffs the Nationals would face the Boston Celtics dropping Game 1 at home 87–81. Needing a win in Boston to keep their hopes alive, the Nationals would take the Celtics deep into overtime before losing in quadruple OT 111–105, in what remains the longest playoff game in NBA history. The Nationals acquired Alex Groza , and Ralph Beard as
3128-755: 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
3312-563: A head coach for the San Antonio Spurs , and Philadelphia hoped he could breathe new life into the 76ers. It proved disastrous, as the team went 42–122 in its two seasons under Lucas. The acquisition of unproductive free agents such as Scott Williams and Charles Shackleford , players at the end of their careers such as LaSalle Thompson , Orlando Woolridge , and Scott Skiles along with stunningly unwise high draft picks such as Shawn Bradley and Sharone Wright were also factors in
3496-489: A heart attack and died courtside. The 76ers finished the 1965–66 season with the best record in the NBA, behind Chamberlain's league leading 33.5 points per game and 24.6 rebounds per game. They were quickly dispatched, however, by the Celtics in five games during the Eastern Division Finals. Led by head coach Alex Hannum , the 76ers had a dream season as they started 46–4, en route to a record of 68–13,
3680-590: A last-second shot in regulation. It would be nine years before the Sixers won another playoff series. On Memorial Day, 2003, Brown abruptly resigned as head coach, taking over the reins in Detroit a few days later. Brown's Pistons would win the 2004 NBA Championship over the Los Angeles Lakers , in some ways avenging his loss to them in 2001. After being turned down by Jeff Van Gundy and Eddie Jordan ,
3864-471: 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
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#17327730517344048-494: 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 ,
4232-461: 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
4416-636: A patient offense and a scrappy defense, which led the league in the 1951–1952 season by yielding a stingy 79.5 points per game as the Nationals won the Eastern Division with a solid 40–26 record. In the playoffs the Nats knocked off the Philadelphia Warriors again in a 3-game series. However, in the Eastern Finals the Nats fell to the New York Knickerbockers again, dropping the series in 4 games. The Nationals would finish in 2nd place in
4600-538: 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
4784-457: 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
4968-487: A record of 32–34. However, in the playoffs the Nats played their best basketball of the season as they stunned the 1st place Philadelphia Warriors in 2 straight, taking Game 1 on the road in overtime 91–89. In the Eastern Finals the Nationals were beaten by the New York Knickerbockers in a hard-fought 5-game series, losing the finale by just 2 points. Al Cervi, playing less and coaching more, emphasized
5152-408: A rematch of the previous year's semifinals, the 76ers held a 3–1 series lead over the Celtics, before the Celtics staged a dramatic comeback to beat the Sixers in seven games. At the end of the season, the 76ers dealt Chamberlain to the Los Angeles Lakers for Archie Clark, Darrall Imhoff and Jerry Chambers. At the time, the trade appeared to make some sense from the Sixers' perspective. Chamberlain
5336-624: A row at one point, and 23 of their last 33 to finish at 48–34, earning the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Iverson scored 55 points in the playoff opener against the New Orleans Hornets and the Sixers went on to win the series in six games. In the second round, the Detroit Pistons ended Philadelphia's playoff run in a frustrating six-game series that saw the 76ers lose twice in overtime, and once on
5520-499: 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
5704-402: A tiebreaker over the New York Knickerbockers to avoid finishing in last place and make the playoffs with a 35–37 record. However, in the playoffs the Nats would stun the Boston Celtics winning the first round series in 3 games by taking the final 2 games. In the Eastern Finals the Nationals played solid basketball again as they pushed the Philadelphia Warriors to a decisive 5th game. However,
History of the Philadelphia 76ers - Misplaced Pages Continue
5888-531: A trade with the Seattle SuperSonics in January 1998. Before the 1998–99 season, the 76ers signed George Lynch and Matt Geiger , but a lengthy lockout delayed the start of the season, which was shortened to 50 games. During the season, Philadelphia acquired Tyrone Hill in a trade with Milwaukee. The team began its resurgence during this strike-shortened season, finishing with a 28–22 record and
6072-426: A worn-down 76ers squad. Because of a seemingly meaningless loss to the lowly Chicago Bulls in the regular season finale (both the Sixers and the Lakers finished with identical 56–26 records, but Los Angeles was awarded a higher seed based on tiebreakers), the NBA Finals marked the first time in the 2001 playoffs in which the 76ers had to start a series on the road. In Game One, the Lakers jumped out to an 18–5 lead, but
6256-482: 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
6440-499: The 1972–73 season . Ramsay left for the expansion Buffalo Braves , but the Sixers had trouble finding a replacement; Al McGuire and Adolph Rupp turned them down. Kosloff was so desperate for a replacement that he took out an ad in The Philadelphia Inquirer . It was answered by Roy Rubin , longtime head coach at Long Island University . For all intents and purposes, the season ended when Cunningham bolted to
6624-412: 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
6808-566: The 1988 NBA draft , then traded his rights to the Los Angeles Clippers for their first pick (sixth overall), Hersey Hawkins . In five seasons with the 76ers, Hawkins would average 19 points per game, and was the team's all-time leader in three-point field goals attempted and made when he was traded to the Charlotte Hornets for Dana Barros , Sidney Green and draft picks in 1993. In 1988–89, Philadelphia returned to
6992-561: 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
7176-406: 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
7360-543: 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
7544-533: 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
History of the Philadelphia 76ers - Misplaced Pages Continue
7728-499: The Houston Rockets . Led by Hall of Famer Julius Erving and All-Stars Maurice Cheeks , Andrew Toney , and Bobby Jones they dominated the regular season, winning 65 games in what is still the second most winning year in franchise history. Malone was named League MVP, and when reporters asked how the playoffs would run, he answered, "four, four, four"—in other words, saying that the 76ers needed to win four games in each of
7912-608: The Indianapolis Olympians folded leaving the NBA with just 9 teams for the 1953–1954 season. Once again the Nationals would battle for the Division title falling 2 games short with a 42–30 record. In the playoffs the Nats would win all 4 games of a round robin tournament involving the 3 playoff teams from the East. In the Eastern Finals the Nats would stay hot beating the Boston Celtics in 2 straight games. However, in
8096-696: The Milwaukee Bucks in seven games. On June 16, 1986, Katz made two of the most controversial and highly criticized personnel moves in franchise history, trading Moses Malone to Washington and the first overall pick in the 1986 NBA draft (which had been obtained from the San Diego Clippers in a 1979 trade for Joe Bryant ) to the Cleveland Cavaliers . In return, the 76ers received Roy Hinson , Jeff Ruland , and Cliff Robinson , none of whom played more than three seasons with
8280-556: The Minneapolis Lakers . In Game 1 of the Finals the Nats lost just their second home game of the season 68–66. The Nats did not recover, as they fell behind 3 games to 1 before falling in 6 games. Despite several teams leaving the NBA for the National Professional Basketball League before the 1950–1951 season, the Nationals decided to stay put. In their second NBA season the Nationals played mediocre basketball all season, finishing in 4th place with
8464-527: 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
8648-626: 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
8832-518: 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
9016-478: The 1959–1960 regular season. However, in the playoffs the Nats would sweep a 5-game division semifinals series against Chamberlain and the Warriors. Eventually losing to Russell and the Celtics 3–1 in the eastern division finals. With the Lakers relocating from Minneapolis to Los Angeles before the 1960–1961 season, the Syracuse Nationals became the last old NBL team to still be playing in their original city in
9200-477: The 1967–68 season, with a new home court in the form of The Spectrum to defend their championship, the 76ers had the NBA's best record for the third consecutive season. Chamberlain won his third consecutive MVP award after leading the NBA in rebounds, assists, and field goal percentage. Greer and Chamberlain both averaged over 24 points per game, and once again the 76ers made it back to the NBA Playoffs. In
9384-414: 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
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#17327730517349568-492: 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 ,
9752-507: The 1991–92 season, and hired Doug Moe to fill the vacancy. Moe's tenure lasted just 56 games, with the Sixers posting a 19–37 record. Popular former player and longtime assistant coach Fred Carter succeeded Moe as head coach in March 1993, but could only manage a 32–76 record at the helm. Following the 1993–94 season, the 76ers hired John Lucas in the dual role of the head coach and general manager. The enthusiastic Lucas had been successful as
9936-531: The 2000–2001 Lakers, who went 15–1 en route to the NBA Title, coincidentally beating the 76ers in the Finals (after suffering their only defeat that postseason in Game 1), and the 2016-17 Golden State Warriors, who finished the 2017 NBA postseason 16–1. The Philadelphia-based group Pieces Of A Dream had a minor hit in 1983 with the R&;B song "Fo-Fi-Fo", which title was prompted by Malone's quip. This also marked
10120-469: The 2004–05 season, Philadelphia native Jim O'Brien was named head coach. Iverson was moved back to point guard and flourished, having arguably his finest season. He also impressed many with his willingness to get other players involved in the offense. During this season, Philadelphia acquired Chris Webber in a trade with the Sacramento Kings , with the hopes that the team had at long last found
10304-408: 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
10488-456: 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
10672-631: The 3 rounds. The media misinterpreted this and assumed Moses was predicting that the 76ers would sweep all three rounds to win the title, with a minimum 12 games. Malone's accent made his boast sound like "fo', fo', fo'." However, the 76ers backed up Malone's boast. They made a mockery of the Eastern Conference playoffs, first sweeping the New York Knicks and then beating the Milwaukee Bucks in five games. The 76ers went on to win their third NBA championship (and second in Philadelphia) with
10856-694: The 76ers acquired George McGinnis from the Indiana Pacers of the ABA (after the Knicks tried to sign him, not knowing that the 76ers owned his rights). With him, the 76ers were back in the playoffs after a five-year absence, and even though they lost to the Buffalo Braves in three games, a "Doctor" would come along and get the team healthy enough to stay in perennial contention. During this period, however, one last personnel misjudgment had effects when
11040-424: The 76ers hired Randy Ayers , an assistant under Brown, as their new head coach. Ayers lasted only 52 games and was fired with the team's record at 21–31. Chris Ford took over, but the 76ers finished the 2003–2004 season at 33–49, missing the playoffs for the first time in six years. Iverson, who was at odds with Ford throughout the interim coach's tenure, played only 48 games in a stormy, injury-plagued season. For
11224-464: The 76ers improved to 31 wins in 1997–98. Early in the 1997–98 season, the Sixers traded Jerry Stackhouse , who had been the third overall pick in the 1995 NBA draft , to the Detroit Pistons . In exchange, Philadelphia received Aaron McKie and Theo Ratliff , defensive standouts who would have an impact on the team's resurgence. Another key figure in the team's rise, Eric Snow , was added in
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#173277305173411408-434: The 76ers stormed back to take a 15-point lead in the second half. Los Angeles rallied to force a 94–94 tie at the end of regulation before scoring the first five points of the overtime period, but the 76ers closed the game on a 13–2 run for a 107–101 triumph. Iverson hit a go-ahead three-pointer with 1:19 to go in the extra period, and followed that with a jump shot after which he infamously stepped over Tyronn Lue after making
11592-475: The 76ers trailing 110–109 in Game 7. After Hal Greer 's pass was stolen by John Havlicek —an infamous blow to 76ers fans, rubbed in by fabled Celtics announcer Johnny Most when he yelled into the microphone "Havlicek stole the ball!"—the Celtics went on to beat the Los Angeles Lakers and win the NBA Championship. On December 3, 1965, amid a game at the Boston Garden, co-owner Ike Richman suffered
11776-458: The 76ers went to victory and the NBA Finals, Philadelphia fans chanted "Boston is dead!"—a symbol that the Celts' eight-year reign as NBA champion had ended. The Finals were almost anticlimactic, with the Sixers ousting the Warriors in six games to give them their second NBA Championship. The 1966–67 Sixers were voted the best team in league history during the NBA's 35th anniversary celebration. In
11960-581: 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 ,
12144-405: The Atlantic Division champion Boston Celtics. The nine wins by the 1972–73 squad are the fourth fewest in NBA history, and remains the fewest for a full 82-game season. The 73 losses, although threatened several times, remain the all-time low-water mark for any NBA franchise. The 76ers' 0.110 winning percentage was a record worst at the time, and is still the second lowest in NBA history. This record
12328-483: 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
12512-409: 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
12696-486: 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
12880-476: 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
13064-424: The Celtics only to see Boston come back and win the series in seven games. The following season, the 76ers again faced the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, and again jumped to a 3–1 series lead only to see Boston forge a 3–3 series tie. The 76ers were given little chance of winning as they faced the Celtics in Game Seven at Boston Garden . This time, they played angrily but inspired basketball, pulling away to
13248-410: 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
13432-405: 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
13616-495: 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
13800-553: 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
13984-541: 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
14168-586: 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
14352-486: 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
14536-487: 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,
14720-539: 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
14904-459: The Eastern Conference Finals in Barkley's rookie season, but lost to the Boston Celtics in five games. As it turned out, they would never again advance as far during Barkley's tenure in Philadelphia. Following the '84-85 season, Matt Guokas replaced Billy Cunningham as head coach. Guokas led the 76ers to a 54–28 record and the second round of the playoffs in 1985–86 , where they were defeated by
15088-481: 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
15272-400: The Eastern Finals with 2 straight wins. However, the Nats would be swept in 3 straight games by the eventual champions, the Boston Celtics . Fort Wayne and Rochester had moved on to Detroit and Cincinnati for the 1957–1958 season, leaving the Syracuse Nationals as the last small town team in the big city NBA. That would not matter on the court as the Nats held their finishing in 2nd place with
15456-477: The Eastern Finals, where they gave the eventual champion Boston Celtics all they could handle, alternating wins before falling by 5 points in Game 7. Playing in a league now dominated by superstars like Bill Russell of the Boston Celtics , Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia Warriors and Bob Pettit of the St. Louis Hawks , the Nationals held their posting a solid 45–30 record, while finishing in 3rd place after
15640-592: 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
15824-504: The Knicks for "invading" the New York area on top of the $ 3.2 million expansion fee for joining the NBA. When the Sixers offered to buy the contract of the Nets' franchise player, Julius Erving , for $ 3 million—roughly the cost of NBA membership—the Nets had little choice but to accept. A few months before that trade, Kosloff had sold the Sixers to local philanthropist Fitz Eugene Dixon Jr. , grandson of George Dunton Widener and heir to
16008-412: The NBA Finals the Nationals would lose to the Minneapolis Lakers in a hard-fought 7-game series where the 2 teams alternated wins throughout. With the NBA struggling financially and down to just 8 teams, Nationals owner during the 1954–1955 season Danny Biasone suggested the league limit the amount of time taken for a shot thus speeding up a game that often ended with long periods of teams just holding
16192-405: The NBA on the same day Rubin was introduced as head coach. This left the Sixers with a roster of Greer–the last former Syracuse National still on the team, and the only holdover from the 1967 champions–and little else. The 76ers lost their first 15 games of the season, and a few months later set a then-record 20-game losing streak in a single season. Their record following the 20-game losing streak
16376-486: 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
16560-409: The NBA, winning the Eastern Division in the 1949–1950 season, with a league best record of 51–13 . In the playoffs the Nationals continued to play solid basketball, beating the Philadelphia Warriors in 2 straight. Moving on to the Eastern Finals, the Nationals battled the New York Knickerbockers , beating their big city rivals in a 3-game series. In the NBA Finals, the Nationals faced fellow NBL alums
16744-437: The NBA. The Nationals would go on to make the playoffs again by finishing in 3rd place with a 38–41 record. The Nationals would prove to be dangerous in the playoffs as they stunned the Philadelphia Warriors in 3 straight games. However, in the Eastern Finals the Nats would be knocked off once again by the eventual champion Boston Celtics in 5 games. Dolph Schayes missed 24 games during the 1961–1962 season and fails to lead
16928-434: The Nationals would lose 2 straight dropping the decisive 5th game at home in overtime 131–127. The playoff overtime loss on March 26, 1963, would prove to be the last game for the Syracuse Nationals, as investors Irv Kosloff and Ike Richman purchased the team from Danny Biasone moving the team to Philadelphia, filling the void left by the Warriors. While many early NBA teams had been based in medium-sized cities, Syracuse
17112-473: The Nationals' reign as champions would end with a 109–104 loss in Philadelphia . The Nationals would get off to a slow start as coach Al Cervi was fired and replaced by Paul Seymour . Under Seymour the Nats would rebound and finish the 1956–1957 season in 2nd place with a record of 38–34. In the playoffs the Nats would have trouble knocking off the defending champion Philadelphia Warriors advancing to
17296-409: The Nats kept Championship hopes alive by beating the Pistons 109–104 to force a 7th game at home. Game 7 would be as tight as the series as George King sank a free throw to give the Nats a 92–91 lead in the final seconds. King would then steal an inbound pass to clinch the NBA Championship for the Nationals. Coming off their NBA Championship the Nationals struggled during the 1955–1956 season, needing
17480-488: The Nats season with a 121–104 victory. With an aging team the Nationals were expected to fade, however with the scrappy play of Johnny Kerr the Nationals remained a strong contender finishing in 2nd place for the 1962–1963 season, with a record of 48–32. In the playoffs the Nationals would face the Cincinnati Royals , getting off to a 2–1 series lead. However, needing a win to advance to the Eastern Finals again
17664-540: The Nats would beat the Boston Celtics in 4 games to reach the NBA Finals for the 2nd straight season. In the finals the Nats would get off to a fast start (led by forward Dolph Schayes ) and took the first 2 games at home against the Fort Wayne Pistons . However, as the series moved to Fort Wayne the Pistons would spark back to life taking all 3 games to take a 3–2 series lead. Back in Syracuse for Game 6 on
17848-487: The Nats would make the playoffs, getting swept by the Anderson Duffey Packers in 3 straight games. Prior to the 1948–49 season, four teams left the NBL for the BAA as the foundation for a merger was laid. Staying in the NBL, the Nationals signed Al Cervi to be a player coach as Dolph Schayes made his professional debut, leading the Nats to a winning record for the first time with a record of 40–23. In
18032-470: 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
18216-556: The Widener fortune. Led by Erving, the 76ers began an exciting ride for the fans of Philadelphia, beating their long-time rival from Boston in a seven-game playoff to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. There, they defeated the Houston Rockets , led by future 76er Moses Malone , in six games to advance to the NBA Finals. In the Finals, they sprinted to a 2–0 series lead over the Bill Walton -led Portland Trail Blazers —who
18400-555: The Year ( Aaron McKie ). The 76ers went into the 2001–02 season with high expectations, but were able to produce only a 43–39 record, sixth in the Eastern Conference. In the first round of the playoffs, Philadelphia was defeated by the Boston Celtics, three games to two. In 2002–03, the 76ers sprinted to a 15–4 start, but a 10–20 swoon left them 25–24 at the All-Star break. After the break, the 76ers caught fire, winning nine in
18584-478: 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
18768-412: 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
18952-415: The ball and playing keep away. Biasone and Nats general manager Leo Ferris calculated a 24-second shot clock would allow at least 30 shots per quarter speeding up the game and increasing scoring. The shot clock was an instant success as scoring was up 14 points per game league wide. In the first season of the shot clock the Nats would take first place in the East with a 43–29 record. After a first round bye
19136-438: The basket. Eric Snow hit a running jump shot in the waning seconds with the shot clock expiring to clinch the stunning victory. The series would come back to Philadelphia even as Los Angeles took Game Two, 98–89. In Game Three, Shaquille O'Neal fouled out late in the fourth quarter, and the Sixers pulled to within a point with less than a minute to play after trailing by 12 earlier in the second half. Robert Horry , however, hit
19320-434: The best record in league history at the time. Chamberlain set a then-NBA-record with his league-leading 0.683 field goal percentage, and again led the NBA in rebounding with 24.2 boards per game. Chamberlain, Billy Cunningham , and Hal Greer , along with all-stars Chet Walker , Lucious Jackson and Wali Jones led the team to the semifinals. This time the 76ers beat the Celtics in five games. In Game Five of that series, as
19504-422: 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
19688-463: The coaching reins to former great Billy Cunningham. In the 1980 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers , they lost, four games to two. In Game Six, rookie Magic Johnson played center for the Lakers in place of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (who was out because of a sprained ankle sustained in Game Five) and scored 42 points. In the 1981 Eastern Conference Finals, the 76ers opened a 3–1 series lead over
19872-453: 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
20056-519: The end of the 1995–96 season. Snider had been the Sixers' landlord since gaining control of the Spectrum in 1971. Pat Croce , a former trainer for the Flyers and Sixers, took over as president. Many 76ers fans call these years "The Dark Ages". However, after many years of misfortune, there was a bright spot. The team won the lottery for the top pick in the 1996 NBA draft . Questions remained, but with
20240-406: 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
20424-417: The first four games, with Iverson scoring 54 points in Philadelphia's Game Two victory. A Game Five win (with Iverson scoring 52 in a 121–88 rout) and Game Six loss set up a decisive Game Seven, which the 76ers survived as Carter missed a long jump shot at the buzzer for an 88–87 victory that sent the Sixers to the Eastern Conference Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks. After the teams split the first two games of
20608-502: The first pick, the Sixers found their "Answer": Allen Iverson . With new ownership, Iverson in place, and the 76ers moving into the CoreStates Center , things seemed to finally be heading in a positive direction. Croce fired Lucas as both coach and general manager. Johnny Davis was named head coach, while Brad Greenberg took over as general manager. Iverson was named Rookie of the Year, but Philadelphia's overall improvement
20792-587: The first round of the playoffs, Philadelphia faced Indiana yet again. In Game One, the 76ers wasted an 18-point lead and lost, 79–78, when Reggie Miller hit a three-pointer in the closing seconds. Philadelphia fought back, however, and took the next three games to win the series. In the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Sixers squared off against the Toronto Raptors and their superstar, Vince Carter . The teams alternated wins in
20976-461: 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
21160-540: 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
21344-411: 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
21528-468: 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
21712-451: The hands of the Bucks again, this time in a best-of-five first round series that went the distance. In 1987–88 , with the team's record at 20–23, Guokas was fired and replaced by an assistant Jim Lynam . Lynam finished the season 16–23, to bring Philadelphia's overall mark to 36–46. For the first time since the 1974–75 season, the Sixers failed to reach the playoffs. Philadelphia selected Charles Smith with its first pick (third overall) in
21896-576: 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
22080-421: 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
22264-498: The idea of a shot clock, he strongly supported its adoption in professional basketball. Biasone successfully lobbied the NBA to institute the shot clock in 1954. With Syracuse Nationals general manager Leo Ferris , Biasone was responsible for establishing the NBA shot clock at 24 seconds, where it has remained to this day. He supported the 24-second rule on the basis of his observations, experience, and basic arithmetic. Biasone asserted that basketball proved most exciting when it achieved
22448-514: The last championship in Philadelphia until the Phillies won the 2008 World Series . After a disappointing 1983–84 season , which ended with a five-game loss to the upstart New Jersey Nets in the first round of the playoffs , Charles Barkley arrived in Philadelphia for the 1984–85 season . For the next eight seasons, Barkley brought delight to the Philadelphia fans thanks to his humorous and sometimes controversial ways. The Sixers returned to
22632-455: 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
22816-501: 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" ,
23000-464: 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
23184-422: 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
23368-420: 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
23552-582: 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
23736-440: The next round against a more hated opponent (Los Angeles). Although they lost in the NBA Finals, the 76ers began the 1982–83 season with great momentum. All they needed now was Moses to lead them to the promised land of the NBA championship. Harold Katz bought the 76ers from Dixon in 1981. On his watch, the final piece of the championship puzzle was completed before the 1982–83 season when they acquired center Moses Malone from
23920-474: 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
24104-481: 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
24288-411: 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
24472-457: 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
24656-505: The playoffs after a one-year absence, but was swept in the first round by the New York Knicks . In 1989–90, Barkley finished second in the league's MVP voting, as the Sixers won the Atlantic Division title with a 53–29 record. After defeating Cleveland in the first round of the playoffs, Philadelphia faced Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the second round. The 76ers fell to the Chicago Bulls in five games, and would do
24840-521: The playoffs the Nationals made quick work of the Hammond Calumet Buccaneers, winning the series in two straight games. However, in the semifinals the Nats fell to the Anderson Duffey Packers for the second straight season in four games. In 1949, when the NBL and the Basketball Association of America merged into the NBA, the Nationals were one of seven NBL teams that were brought into the NBA. The Nationals were an instant success in
25024-431: 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
25208-578: 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
25392-516: The playoffs. On that day, Philadelphia acquired Dikembe Mutombo from the Atlanta Hawks in a deal that sent the injured Ratliff along with Nazr Mohammed , Toni Kukoč , and Pepe Sánchez to Atlanta (Sánchez was reacquired later in the season after the Hawks waived him). The 76ers went on to finish 56–26, good enough for their first Atlantic Division title since 1989–90 and the top seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs. In
25576-480: 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
25760-432: 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
25944-460: 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
26128-493: The same in 1991 after sweeping the Bucks in the first round. In 1991–92 , the 76ers went 35-47 and missed the playoffs for just the second time during Barkley's eight seasons in Philadelphia. On June 17, 1992, Barkley was traded to the Phoenix Suns for Jeff Hornacek , Tim Perry , and Andrew Lang , a deal that was met with harsh criticism. Lynam relinquished his head coaching position to become general manager following
26312-410: 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
26496-405: 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
26680-550: The second straight year, they were defeated by Indiana in the second round, this time in six games. Though the team was moving in a positive direction, Iverson and Brown continued to clash, and their relationship deteriorated to the point where it seemed certain Iverson would be traded. A rumored trade to the Los Angeles Clippers fell through, but a complicated four-team deal that would've seen Iverson sent to Detroit
26864-521: The second-worst in franchise history. It was also the second-worst record in the league that year, ahead of only the expansion Vancouver Grizzlies but behind the Toronto Raptors , who were also in their inaugural season. That season would turn out to be their last in The Spectrum . Katz, unpopular among fans since the 1986 trades, sold the team to Comcast Spectacor , a consortium of Philadelphia Flyers owner Ed Snider and Comcast Corporation , at
27048-420: 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
27232-461: The series in Philadelphia, it was learned Iverson would miss Game Three due to various nagging injuries that had plagued him late in the season. Though most predicted a Milwaukee cakewalk, the 76ers kept the game close before falling, 80–74. Philadelphia seemed to gain momentum despite the loss, and they would win Games Four and Five. Milwaukee put any Sixer celebration plans on hold by building up
27416-403: 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
27600-511: 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,
27784-485: The sixth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, marking the first time since 1991 the team reached the postseason. In the first round, Philadelphia upset the Orlando Magic , three games to one, before being swept by the Indiana Pacers . The following season, the Sixers improved to 49–33, fifth in the East. Again, the Sixers won their first round series in four games, this time defeating the Charlotte Hornets . For
27968-417: 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
28152-431: The team in scoring for the first time in 14 years, as Hal Greer leads the way with 22.8 ppg. The Nats would go on to finish in 3rd place again with a 41–39 record. In the playoffs the Nats would drop their first 2 games to the Philadelphia Warriors on the road. Facing elimination the Nats would win the next 2 games to force a 5th game in Philadelphia. However, in Game 5 the Warriors would prove to be too strong as they ended
28336-549: 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
28520-562: The team used the fifth pick overall in the 1975 draft to select Darryl Dawkins directly from high school. The immensely talented and physically imposing Dawkins seldom, if ever, lived up to his great potential in part because of perpetual adolescence. The Sixers finally came back in 1976–77, in large part due to a byproduct of the ABA–NBA merger . The ABA's last champions, the New York Nets , were facing having to pay almost $ 5 million to
28704-441: The team's decline. In fact, Wright would only play four seasons in the NBA while Temple product Eddie Jones —drafted 4 slots below Wright in 1994 by the L.A. Lakers—had 16 productive seasons as an NBA player. Starting with the 1990–91 season, and ending with the 1995–96 season, the 76ers had the dubious distinction of seeing their win total decrease each year. The nadir was the 1995–96 season, when they finished with an 18–64 record,
28888-445: 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
29072-434: The team. Cleveland, meanwhile, turned their acquired pick into future All-Star Brad Daugherty . On the night of the 1986–87 season opener, Julius Erving announced he would retire after the season, which was subsequently filled with tributes in each arena the Sixers visited. On the court, the team suffered through an injury-plagued campaign, but still managed to make the playoffs with a 45–37 record. Their season would end at
29256-423: 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
29440-530: 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
29624-542: 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
29808-496: 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
29992-469: 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;
30176-536: 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
30360-476: Was 4–58, and the team at that point had just lost 34 of 35 games. The 76ers finished the season with a 9–73 record, leading the skeptical Philadelphia press to call them the "Nine and 73-ers". Rubin was fired after 51 games and a 4–47 record; it would be his only NBA coaching job. He was succeeded by player-coach Kevin Loughery , who went 5-26 the rest of the way. The 76ers finished an NBA-record 59 games behind
30544-453: 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
30728-527: Was agreed upon, only to see it dissolve due to salary cap problems. When it became clear Iverson was staying in Philadelphia, he and Brown worked to patch things up, and the team would reap the benefits in 2000–01. During the 2000–01 season, the 76ers got off to a hot start by winning their first ten games and were never seriously challenged in the Atlantic Division. Larry Brown coached the Eastern Conference All-Stars, and Allen Iverson
30912-640: Was also a primary force in convincing the NBA to adopt the backcourt foul rule in 1953. Biasone was featured in the book Basketball History in Syracuse, Hoops Roots by author Mark Allen Baker published by The History Press in 2010. The book is an introduction to professional basketball in Syracuse and includes teams like (Vic Hanson's) All-Americans, the Syracuse Reds and the Syracuse Nationals (1946–1963). # denotes interim general manager This biographical article relating to
31096-436: Was based in large cities like New York and Philadelphia. While in the NBL with teams largely consisting of small Midwestern towns, the Nationals put together a 21–23 record, finishing in 4th place. In the playoffs, the Nats would be beaten by the fellow upstate neighbor Rochester Royals in 4 games. In their second season, 1947–48, the Nationals would struggle, finishing in 5th place with a 24–36 record. Despite their struggles,
31280-406: Was broken by the 2011–2012 Charlotte Bobcats , who finished 7-59 (.106) in a season shortened due to a lockout. Only six years after fielding one of the best teams in NBA history, the Sixers fielded what is widely considered to be the worst team ever to take the court in NBA history. The next year, the 76ers would hire Gene Shue as their head coach and they slowly came back. In the 1975–76 season,
31464-566: Was coached by former Sixers coach/general manager Jack Ramsay—only to drop the next four games in a row to give the Blazers the title. That led to the 1977–78 motto of "We owe you one", which would ultimately backfire when they lost in the conference finals that season to the Washington Bullets , who went on to win the NBA championship. In the next four seasons, the 76ers would fall short of the NBA Championship, even after Shue handed
31648-560: Was easily shortened to "Sixers" in headlines. The shorter name was quickly accepted by the team for marketing purposes, and for most of the last 60 years "76ers" and "Sixers" have been officially interchangeable. For their first four years in Philadelphia, the 76ers played mostly at the Philadelphia Arena and Civic Center-Convention Hall , with an occasional game at The Palestra at the University of Pennsylvania . Schayes
31832-485: 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,
32016-448: 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
32200-425: 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
32384-497: Was making noises about jumping to the American Basketball Association , and GM Jack Ramsay didn't want to risk letting Chamberlain walk away for nothing. Nonetheless, the Sixers didn't get nearly enough in return. The man who was in a position to take over as the center, Lucious Jackson, suffered a severe injury in 1969 and was never the same player after that. The Chamberlain trade sent the Sixers into
32568-470: Was minimal, as they finished with a 22–60 record. Changes had to be made, and after the 1996–97 season, Davis and Greenberg were both fired and the unveiling of a new 76ers team logo and jerseys marked a new era. To replace Davis, Larry Brown was hired as head coach. Known for a defense-first approach and transforming unsuccessful teams into winners by "playing the right way", Brown faced perhaps his toughest coaching challenge. He often clashed with Iverson, but
32752-499: Was named MVP of the All-Star Game. Shortly before the All-Star break, Theo Ratliff was lost for the season with a wrist injury, one that would later prove to be devastating to his future career. Despite holding a 41–14 record and a comfortable lead atop both the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference standings at the time of the February 22 trade deadline, management felt the team needed an established center to advance deep into
32936-411: Was named head coach, a post he held for four years (the first as player-coach). In the 1964–65 season, the 76ers acquired the legendary Wilt Chamberlain from the Warriors; Chamberlain had been a high school legend at Overbrook High School in Philadelphia and began his career with the Warriors while they still played in Philadelphia. The 76ers would push the Celtics to seven games in the semifinals, with
33120-523: 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
33304-448: 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
33488-568: Was the founding owner of the Syracuse Nationals , an NBA team now known as the Philadelphia 76ers . Biasone, who was a childhood immigrant to the United States from Italy, was most well known for advocating the use of the shot clock in basketball. Biasone was posthumously inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000 for his contributions to the sport. Although he did not originate
33672-470: Was the last such city left in the league by 1963. By then, however, it was apparent that central New York was no longer large enough to support the Nats. The NBA thus returned to Philadelphia one year after the Warriors had left for San Francisco . A contest was held to decide on a new name for the team. The winning name, chosen by Walter Stalberg, was the "76ers". Newspaper writers liked the name because it
33856-499: 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
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