Boston Celtics facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Boston Celtics
Conference	Eastern
Division	Atlantic
Founded	1946
History	Boston Celtics 1946–present
Arena	TD Garden
Location	Boston, Massachusetts
Team colors	Green, white, black, gold, brown
Main sponsor	Amica Mutual Insurance
CEO	Wyc Grousbeck
President	Rich Gotham
General manager	Brad Stevens
Head coach	Joe Mazzulla
Ownership	William Chisholm Aditya Mittal
Affiliation(s)	Maine Celtics
Championships	18 (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976, 1981, 1984, 1986, 2008, 2024)
Conference titles	11 (1974, 1976, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 2008, 2010, 2022, 2024)
Division titles	35 (1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2017, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
Retired numbers	23 (00, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, LOSCY)
Association Icon Statement

The Boston Celtics are a professional basketball team from Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Celtics are part of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference.

The team started in 1946 and was one of the NBA's first eight teams. The Celtics play their home games at TD Garden. They share this arena with the NHL's Boston Bruins. Many people think the Celtics are the most successful team in NBA history. They have won more NBA championships than any other team, with 18 titles. They also have the most wins of any NBA team.

The Celtics became a top team in the late 1950s. Coach Red Auerbach helped them get Bill Russell in 1956. Russell became the most important player for the Celtics' amazing winning streak. With Russell, Bob Cousy, and Tom Heinsohn, the Celtics won their first NBA championship in 1957.

Russell and other future Hall of Fame players like Heinsohn, Don Nelson, K. C. Jones, John Havlicek, Sam Jones, Satch Sanders, and Bill Sharman led the Celtics to their greatest period. They won eight NBA championships in a row from 1959 to 1966. After Russell became the team's player-coach, they won two more titles in 1968 and 1969. Russell was the first African American head coach in any major U.S. sport. The Celtics then went through a rebuilding period after Russell retired in 1969.

In the mid-1970s, the Celtics became champions again. They won titles in 1974 and 1976. This was under coach Tom Heinsohn, with players like Dave Cowens, Havlicek, and Jo Jo White. The 1980s saw the Celtics dominate once more. With their "Big Three" of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish, they had a big rivalry with the "Showtime" Lakers. They won championships in 1981, 1984, and 1986. K. C. Jones coached the last two of these wins. After Bird and McHale retired and Parish left, the Celtics had a tough time in the 1990s and early 2000s.

After another rebuilding phase, the Celtics formed a new "Big Three." Team captain Paul Pierce was joined by Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett in 2007. Coach Doc Rivers led them to their 17th championship in 2008, beating the Lakers. They also played the Lakers in the 2010 Finals but lost. Allen, Garnett, and Pierce left the team by the 2013–14 season. Garnett and Pierce were traded to the Brooklyn Nets. The Celtics used draft picks from that trade to get Jaylen Brown in 2016 and Jayson Tatum in 2017. These two players, known as "The Jays", led the team back to the NBA Finals in 2022. They lost to the Golden State Warriors. In 2024, they defeated the Dallas Mavericks to win their 18th championship.

The Celtics' nickname and mascot, "Lucky the Leprechaun," honor Boston's large Irish population. They also pay tribute to the Original Celtics, an early basketball team. The Celtics have a famous rivalry with the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers are second in NBA history with 17 championships. These two teams have played in the NBA Finals a record 12 times, with the Celtics winning nine of those matchups. Many Basketball Hall of Fame members have played for the Celtics. Four Celtics players (Bob Cousy, Bill Russell, Dave Cowens, and Larry Bird) have won the NBA Most Valuable Player award. Celtics players have won an NBA-record 10 MVP awards in total.

In May 2025, the team was sold to private investor William Chisholm for $6.1 billion. This was the highest price ever paid for a sports team in North America.

Team History

Early Years (1946–1950)

The Boston Celtics were created on June 6, 1946. Walter A. Brown, president of the Boston Garden-Arena Corporation, formed the team for the Basketball Association of America. In 1948, the Celtics made their first playoffs but lost to the Chicago Stags. In 1949, the team missed the playoffs. On August 3, 1949, the Celtics joined the National Basketball Association when the BAA merged with the National Basketball League. In 1950, the Celtics signed Chuck Cooper. He was the first black player to be drafted by an NBA team.

Cousy and Auerbach Arrive (1950–1958)

The Celtics struggled at first. Things changed when Red Auerbach became coach. In the early days, Auerbach did everything: coaching, practices, scouting, and scheduling. One of the first great players to join was Bob Cousy. Auerbach initially did not want to draft Cousy because he thought he was "too flashy." Cousy's contract ended up with the Chicago Stags. When that team went out of business, Cousy joined the Celtics.

After the 1955–56 season, Auerbach made a big trade. He sent All-Star Ed Macauley and draft rights to Cliff Hagan to the St. Louis Hawks. In return, the Celtics got the second pick in the draft. Auerbach used this pick to choose Bill Russell, a star center from the University of San Francisco. He also got Tom Heinsohn, who was the 1957 NBA Rookie of the Year. Russell and Heinsohn worked very well with Cousy. Auerbach built his championship team around them. With Russell, the Celtics reached the 1957 NBA Finals and beat the St. Louis Hawks in seven games. This was their first NBA title. In 1958, the Celtics made it to the NBA Finals again but lost to the Hawks in six games.

A Decade of Dominance (1958–1969)

After getting K.C. Jones in 1958, the Celtics started a winning streak that lasted over ten years. In 1959, they won the NBA championship by sweeping the Minneapolis Lakers. This was the first of their record eight championships in a row. During this time, the Celtics played the Lakers in the Finals five times. This started a strong rivalry between the two teams. In 1964, the Celtics became the first NBA team to have an all African-American starting lineup. On December 26, 1964, Willie Naulls joined Tom 'Satch' Sanders, K.C. Jones, Sam Jones, and Bill Russell in the starting lineup. The Celtics of this era are seen as one of the greatest teams ever.

Auerbach stopped coaching after the 1965–66 season. Russell took over as player-coach. This was Auerbach's idea to keep Russell involved. Russell became the first African-American coach in any U.S. professional sport. Auerbach stayed on as general manager for many years. The Celtics' championship streak ended when they lost to the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1967 Eastern Conference Finals. However, the team won two more championships in 1968 and 1969, beating the Los Angeles Lakers both times. Russell retired after the 1969 season. This ended a Celtics dynasty that won an amazing 11 NBA titles in 13 seasons. Their run of 8 straight championships is the longest in U.S. professional sports history. Russell's 11 titles are the most won by an NBA player.

Rebuilding and More Success (1969–1978)

The 1969–70 season was a rebuilding year. The Celtics had their first losing record since the 1949–50 season. But with new players like Paul Silas and future Hall of Famers Dave Cowens and Jo Jo White, the Celtics soon became strong again. After losing in the Eastern Conference Finals in 1972, the Celtics had a great 1973 season with a 68–14 record. But they lost to the New York Knicks in the Conference Finals.

The Celtics returned to the playoffs the next year. They beat the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1974 NBA Finals for their 12th NBA championship. Boston led the series 3–2. The Bucks won Game Six in Boston in double overtime. Cowens was the hero in Game 7, scoring 28 points. The Celtics brought the title back to Boston.

In 1976, the team won another championship. They defeated the Phoenix Suns in six games. The Finals included one of the greatest games in NBA history. The Suns came back to force overtime in Game 5. The Celtics won in triple overtime. After the 1976 championship, Boston started another rebuilding phase. In the 1977 NBA draft, the Celtics drafted Cedric Maxwell. John Havlicek, the Celtics' all-time leading scorer, retired after 16 seasons in 1978.

The Celtics had two high draft picks in the 1978 NBA draft. Auerbach took a chance by picking Larry Bird from Indiana State with the sixth pick. Bird stayed in college for his senior year. The team signed him after he led Indiana State to the NCAA championship game. In 1978, Celtics owner Irv Levin traded teams with Buffalo Braves owner John Y. Brown Jr.. This trade made Boston fans upset because key players were sent away.

The Larry Bird Era (1979–1992)

The relationship between Brown and Auerbach got worse. Brown traded for Bob McAdoo in 1979 without asking Auerbach. Auerbach almost left Boston. With public support for Auerbach, Brown sold the team to Harry Mangurian in 1979. The Celtics struggled that season, winning only 29 games.

Larry Bird joined the Celtics for the 1979–80 season. With a new owner, Auerbach made moves to make the team strong again. He traded McAdoo for M. L. Carr and two first-round draft picks. He also got Gerald Henderson. With Bird winning NBA Rookie of the Year, the team won 61 games. They lost to the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference Finals.

After the season, Auerbach made a great trade. He sent two first-round picks to the Golden State Warriors for Robert Parish and the Warriors' first-round pick. He used that pick to select Kevin McHale. The "Big Three" of Bird, McHale, and Parish played together until 1992. They won three NBA championships and are seen as the best frontcourt ever.

Even without Dave Cowens, the Celtics won 62 games in 1980–81 under coach Bill Fitch. They faced the 76ers again in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics came back from a 3–1 deficit to win Game Seven. They then won the 1981 NBA championship against the Houston Rockets. Maxwell was named NBA Finals MVP.

In 1982, the Celtics lost to the 76ers in seven games. In 1983, the Milwaukee Bucks swept the Celtics in the playoffs. Fitch resigned, and new owners took over.

In 1983–84, the Celtics, led by new coach K. C. Jones, won 62 games. They returned to the NBA Finals and beat the Lakers for their 15th championship. Bird's rivalry with Lakers star Magic Johnson grew during this series. Auerbach retired as general manager but stayed as team president.

In 1985, the Lakers beat the Celtics in the Finals. This was the first time the Lakers won a championship at Boston Garden. The Celtics then got Bill Walton from the Los Angeles Clippers. Walton, a former MVP, stayed healthy and helped the Celtics in 1986.

The Celtics drafted Len Bias in the 1986 NBA draft. He was a highly praised player. Sadly, Bias died shortly after the draft. Despite this, the Celtics were strong in 1986–87, winning 59 games and the Eastern Conference Championship. They lost to the Lakers in the Finals.

In 1988, the Celtics lost to the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals. Coach K.C. Jones retired. Larry Bird had foot surgery in 1988–89, and the Celtics struggled. Bird returned in 1989–90, leading the team to 52 wins. But they lost in the playoffs to the New York Knicks. Coach Jimmy Rodgers was fired and replaced by Chris Ford.

Under Ford, the Celtics improved in 1990–91. They won the Atlantic Division title. Bird missed many games due to injuries. The Celtics lost to the Pistons in the playoffs. In 1992, the Celtics won 51 games and another division title. They lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs. Back injuries limited Bird's playing time. After 13 NBA seasons and a gold medal at the Barcelona Olympics, Bird retired in 1992 due to his back problems.

Challenges and Decline (1993–1998)

With Bird gone and other stars getting older, coach Chris Ford had to rebuild. Hopes were on 26-year-old Reggie Lewis. In the 1993 NBA playoffs, Lewis fainted during a series against the Charlotte Hornets. Doctors found heart problems. Lewis died of a heart attack during the off-season. The Celtics retired his number 35. With McHale retired and Parish leaving in 1994, the "Big 3" era ended. The team struggled, missing the playoffs.

In 1994, former player M. L. Carr became the team's vice president. He drafted Eric Montross, but Montross did not develop as hoped. The 1994–95 was the Celtics' last season in the Boston Garden. They signed Dominique Wilkins, who led the team in scoring. The Celtics made the playoffs but lost to the Orlando Magic. In 1995, the Celtics moved to the Fleet Center (now TD Garden). Carr became coach. The team had a tough 1996–97, losing a record 67 games. Carr resigned. Rick Pitino was hired as president, director of basketball operations, and head coach. Pitino's hiring was controversial because Red Auerbach was still president. The team did not improve under Pitino.

The Celtics got two high draft picks in the 1997 NBA draft. They picked Chauncey Billups and Ron Mercer. The team improved from 15 wins to 36 wins. Billups was traded during his first year, and Mercer was traded later.

The Paul Pierce Era (1998–2013)

In the 1998 NBA draft, the Celtics drafted Paul Pierce. Pierce was expected to be picked earlier. He made an immediate impact in the 1998–99 season, averaging 19.5 points. But the Celtics still struggled under Pitino. Pitino resigned in January 2001.

The Celtics improved under coach Jim O'Brien. Paul Pierce became an NBA star, helped by Antoine Walker. The team was 12–21 when Pitino left, but O'Brien led them to a 24–24 record for the rest of the season. O'Brien became the permanent head coach. The Celtics had three picks in the 2001 NBA draft. They picked Joe Johnson, Joe Forte, and Kedrick Brown. Only Johnson became a successful NBA player.

The Celtics had low expectations for the 2001–02 season. But they surprised everyone by leading the Atlantic Division. The Celtics won a tough 5-game series against the 76ers in the first round. Pierce scored 46 points in the final game. In the next round, they beat the Detroit Pistons. In their first trip to the Eastern Conference Finals since 1988, the Celtics led the New Jersey Nets 2–1. But they lost the next three games and the series.

New Owners and Doc Rivers (2003–2007)

In 2003, Paul Gaston sold the Celtics to Boston Basketball Partners L.L.C. The team made the playoffs but were swept by the Nets in the second round. Before this, the team hired former Celtics guard Danny Ainge as general manager. Ainge felt the team had reached its limit. He traded Antoine Walker to the Dallas Mavericks. The Celtics made the playoffs but were swept by the Indiana Pacers.

The Celtics were a young team under new coach Doc Rivers in the 2004–05 season. They drafted Al Jefferson, Delonte West, and Tony Allen. The Celtics won 45 games and their first Atlantic Division title since 1991–92. Antoine Walker returned mid-season and helped. But the Pacers beat them again in the first round. After the season, Walker was traded again. Despite Pierce's best season, the Celtics missed the playoffs in 2006.

The Celtics continued to rebuild in the 2006 NBA draft. They picked point guard Rajon Rondo, who became a key player. The 2006–07 season was sad for the team. Red Auerbach died at 89. He was one of the few people who had been with the NBA since 1946. The Celtics had a tough season, winning only 24 games. They had an 18-game losing streak. The Celtics hoped for a high draft pick, but they fell to fifth in the Draft Lottery.

The New Big Three (2007–2012)

In the summer of 2007, general manager Danny Ainge made big trades. He traded Jeff Green, Wally Szczerbiak, and Delonte West to Seattle for All-Star Ray Allen. He also traded Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green, Al Jefferson, Theo Ratliff, Sebastian Telfair, and a draft pick to the Timberwolves for superstar Kevin Garnett. These moves created a new "Big Three" of Pierce, Allen, and Garnett.

In the 2007–08 season, the Celtics had the biggest improvement in NBA history. They won 66 games, 42 more than the previous season. But they struggled in the early playoff rounds. They needed seven games to beat the Atlanta Hawks and seven more to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Celtics then beat the Detroit Pistons in six games to win the Eastern Conference Finals.

For the 11th time, the Celtics and Lakers met in the NBA Finals. The Celtics won Game One at home. They won Game Two despite almost losing a big lead. In Game 4, the Celtics came back from 24 points down to win. This was the largest comeback in NBA Finals history. The Lakers won Game 5. In Game 6, the Celtics beat the Lakers 131–92 to win their 17th NBA title. Paul Pierce was named Finals MVP.

The 2008–09 Celtics started with a 27–2 record. They had a franchise-record 19-game winning streak. Kevin Garnett was injured and missed the rest of the season and playoffs. The Celtics still won 62 games but lost to the Magic in the second round.

In 2009, with Garnett back, the Celtics started 23–5. Coach Doc Rivers reduced his older stars' playing time to keep them fresh. The Celtics finished the 2009–10 regular season with 50 wins. Despite being the fourth seed, they made the NBA Finals. Rajon Rondo became a star in the playoffs. The Celtics faced the Lakers in the Finals for the 12th time. They led 3–2. But starting center Kendrick Perkins got injured in Game Six. The Celtics lost the series in seven games.

In 2010, the Celtics signed two former All-Star centers, Shaquille O'Neal and Jermaine O'Neal. Perkins was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in February 2011. The Celtics finished with 56 wins. Paul Pierce became the third Celtic to score 20,000 points. Ray Allen broke the NBA record for most career three-pointers. The 2011 NBA playoffs started with the Celtics sweeping the New York Knicks. But they lost to the Miami Heat in five games in the second round. Shaquille O'Neal retired after the season.

The Celtics started the shortened 2011–12 season with three losses. At the All-Star break, they had a losing record. But they played very well after the break, winning their fifth division title in a row. The Celtics made the playoffs as the fourth seed. They beat the Atlanta Hawks and the 76ers. The Celtics faced the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. They lost in seven games to the eventual NBA champions.

The 2012 off-season began with few players under contract. Kevin Garnett signed a new deal. But Ray Allen signed with the Miami Heat for less money than the Celtics offered. This ended the "Big Three" era. The Celtics won 41 games in 2012–13. They trailed the New York Knicks 3–0 in the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs. They lost the series in six games.

Rebuilding Years (2013–2016)

During the off-season, coach Doc Rivers left to coach the Los Angeles Clippers. The Celtics received a draft pick as payment. A few days later, Pierce, Garnett, Jason Terry, and D. J. White were traded to the Brooklyn Nets. In return, the Celtics got several players and three future first-round draft picks. This trade started a new focus on young players for the team.

On July 3, 2013, the Celtics announced that Brad Stevens, the coach of Butler University, would replace Doc Rivers. In January, Rajon Rondo returned and was named team captain. The team continued to get young players and draft picks. The 2013–14 season was the first time the Celtics missed the playoffs since the "Big Three" era.

The next off-season, the Celtics drafted Marcus Smart and James Young. They also signed Evan Turner. The 2014–15 season had many player changes. Rondo was traded to the Dallas Mavericks. A total of 22 players played for the Celtics that season. Despite injuries, the team finished with 40 wins. This was enough for the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs. The Celtics were swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round.

In the 2015 NBA draft, Boston selected Terry Rozier and other players. The Celtics finished the 2015–16 NBA season with 48 wins. They earned the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. They played the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the playoffs. Guard Avery Bradley got injured in Game 1. The Celtics lost the series 4–2 to the Hawks.

The Brown–Tatum Era ("The Jays") (2016–Present)

In 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 53 wins and were the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Isaiah Thomas had a hip injury in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics lost to the Cavaliers in five games. Thomas was an All-Star and finished third in scoring. The Celtics won the draft lottery for the 2017 NBA draft, getting the first pick. They traded this pick to the Philadelphia 76ers for the third pick and future picks. The Celtics used the third pick to select Jayson Tatum. During the off-season, the team signed Gordon Hayward. On August 22, 2017, the Celtics traded Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, and a draft pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Kyrie Irving.

Kyrie Irving's Time (2017–2019)

By the end of the off-season, only four Celtics players remained from the 2016–17 team. Marcus Smart was the longest-tenured Celtic. In the first game of the season, Hayward suffered a serious leg injury. He was out for the rest of the season. Despite this, the Celtics went on a 16-game winning streak. This was the fourth-longest in team history. The Celtics finished the year with 55 wins, second in the Eastern Conference. In the playoffs, they beat the Milwaukee Bucks and the Philadelphia 76ers. They then lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games in the Conference Finals.

The Celtics finished the 2018–19 season with 49 wins. Analysts questioned the team's performance early on. But the Celtics won eight games in a row, improving their record. They beat the Chicago Bulls by 56 points, setting a record for the largest win margin in franchise history. The Celtics finished fourth in the Eastern Conference. In the 2019 NBA playoffs, the Celtics swept the Indiana Pacers. They then lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in five games.

The Celtics had four picks in the 2019 NBA draft. They drafted Romeo Langford, Grant Williams, Carsen Edwards, and Tremont Waters. During the 2019 off-season, Irving and Horford left the team. On June 30, 2019, the Celtics signed point guard Kemba Walker. On July 6, 2019, the Celtics officially got Walker in a trade with the Charlotte Hornets. The Celtics also signed center Enes Kanter.

The Rise of "The Jays" (2019–2021)

After the suspension of the 2019–20 NBA season, the Celtics were invited to the NBA Bubble. In the 2020 NBA playoffs, the Celtics swept the Philadelphia 76ers. They beat the Toronto Raptors in seven games. But they lost to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals in six games. Boston had many injuries in the 2020–21 season. Walker, Tatum, and Brown all missed games. Boston had to play in the play-in tournament, where they beat the Washington Wizards. In the playoffs, they lost to the Brooklyn Nets in five games.

First Finals Appearance for "The Jays" (2021–22)

On June 2, 2021, the Celtics named head coach Brad Stevens as president of basketball operations. He replaced Danny Ainge, who retired. On June 18, Stevens traded Kemba Walker and draft picks for former Celtic Horford and Moses Brown. On June 23, 2021, Stevens hired Ime Udoka as the new head coach. Tatum made his third All-Star appearance at the 2022 NBA All-Star Game.

In April 2022, the Celtics made the 2022 NBA playoffs as the second seed. They swept the Brooklyn Nets in the first round. They then faced the Milwaukee Bucks and the Miami Heat, beating both in seven-game series. This earned the Celtics their first Finals appearance since 2010. The Celtics led the series 2–1 but lost the next three games to the Golden State Warriors, 4–2.

Conference Finals Loss (2022–23)

In September 2022, the Celtics suspended Udoka for the entire 2022–23 season. Assistant coach Joe Mazzulla became the interim head coach. On February 16, 2023, Mazzulla was named the permanent head coach. He led the Celtics to a 42–17 record at the All-Star break. The Celtics overcame a 3–2 deficit against the Philadelphia 76ers. They advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for a rematch against the Heat. Miami took a 3–0 lead. The Celtics fought back to Game 7 thanks to a Derrick White buzzer-beater in Game 6. But the Heat won Game 7, preventing the first 3–0 comeback in NBA history.

18th Championship (2023–24)

During the 2023 off-season, the Celtics got Kristaps Porziņģis from the Wizards. They traded Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies. They also traded Grant Williams to the Dallas Mavericks. On October 1, 2023, the Celtics acquired Jrue Holiday. On February 7, 2024, the Celtics got Xavier Tillman from the Grizzlies.

The Celtics finished the 2023–24 regular season with the best record in the NBA, 64 wins and 18 losses. They entered the 2024 NBA playoffs. They defeated the Miami Heat in the first round. They then beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in the East Semifinals. Next, they defeated the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. After winning the Eastern Conference Finals on May 27, 2024, Jaylen Brown was named the NBA Eastern Conference Finals MVP. He received the Larry Bird trophy. The Celtics then defeated the Dallas Mavericks in five games to win the NBA Finals. This was their record-setting 18th championship, breaking the tie with the Lakers.

Rivalries

Los Angeles Lakers

The rivalry between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers is one of the best in NBA history. These two teams have met a record twelve times in the NBA Finals. Their first Finals meeting was in 1959. They were the top teams in the 1960s and 1980s. They played each other six times in the 1960s and three times in the the 1980s. They also met in 2008 and 2010.

The Celtics won the first eight Finals meetings. The Lakers won three of the last four. The rivalry became less intense after Magic Johnson and Larry Bird retired in the early 1990s. But it was renewed in 2008 when they met in the Finals again. The Celtics won that series in six games. They faced off again in the 2010 NBA Finals, which the Lakers won in seven games. The Celtics have 18 championships and the Lakers have 17. Together, their 35 championships make up almost half of the 78 championships in NBA history.

Atlanta Hawks

The Celtics–Hawks rivalry has lasted over five decades. The teams have played since the 1949–50 season. The Hawks have faced the Celtics eleven times in the NBA Playoffs, including four times in the NBA Finals. The Celtics have won ten of twelve series against the Hawks, including three out of four NBA Finals. The rivalry became stronger in 2016 when Hawks All-Star Center Al Horford left to join the Celtics.

Brooklyn Nets

The Boston Celtics and the New Jersey Nets had a rivalry in the early 2000s. The Nets had Jason Kidd and Kenyon Martin. The Celtics had Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker. The rivalry grew in the 2002 Eastern Conference Finals. Celtics fans chanted at Kidd. Bill Walton called it "the beginning of the next great NBA rivalry." The Nets won that series and swept Boston in the 2003 playoffs. In 2012, when the Nets moved to Brooklyn, the rivalry seemed to restart. An on-court fight happened in November 2012. Rajon Rondo, Gerald Wallace, and Kris Humphries were ejected. Rondo was suspended. However, the rivalry cooled off after the June 2013 trade that sent Celtics stars Garnett and Paul Pierce to the Nets.

Detroit Pistons

The rivalry between the Celtics and the Detroit Pistons was strongest in the 1980s. It featured players like Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Isiah Thomas, Bill Laimbeer, Dennis Rodman, and Joe Dumars. These teams met in the NBA playoffs five times between 1985 and 1991. The Celtics won in 1985 and 1987. The Pistons won in 1988, 1989, and 1990. In the 2008 Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics, led by Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen, defeated the Pistons in 6 games. They then beat the Lakers in the NBA Finals.

New York Knicks

The rivalry between the Celtics and the New York Knicks comes from both teams being in the NBA's Atlantic division. It is one of many rivalries between Boston and New York sports teams. Boston and New York are the only two original NBA teams that have always stayed in the same city. The Celtics have won 276 of their 512 regular season games against the Knicks. They have also won 34 of their 61 playoff games against each other.

Philadelphia 76ers

The Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers have played each other in the NBA playoffs more than any other two teams. They have met in 22 series, with the Celtics winning 15. The 76ers are seen as the Celtics' biggest rival in the Eastern Conference. The rivalry was at its peak when Bill Russell of the Celtics and Wilt Chamberlain of the 76ers played against each other from 1965 to 1968. The 76ers won the NBA Finals in 1967, stopping the Celtics from winning every championship in the 1960s.

Washington Wizards

A more recent rivalry developed between the Celtics and the Washington Wizards. It became intense during the 2015–16 season. In one game, Jae Crowder and Wizards coach Randy Wittman exchanged words. The rivalry grew when the Celtics tried to sign Al Horford. Crowder reportedly told Horford that the Celtics beat the Wizards in all their games that season. In their first meeting of the 2016–17 season, John Wall hit Marcus Smart. Wall was ejected. Smart and Wall continued to argue. In their next game, Wall and Crowder argued again. Teammates had to separate them. Otto Porter called the Celtics "dirty." Isaiah Thomas replied, "If playing hard is dirty, then I guess we are a dirty team."

In a January game, the Wizards wore all black. They won that game. The two teams met in the Conference Semifinals in the 2017 Playoffs. In Game 1, Markieff Morris injured his ankle. Morris thought Al Horford did it on purpose. In Game 2, Morris pushed Horford into the seats. In Game 3, Kelly Olynyk set a hard screen on Kelly Oubre. Oubre pushed Olynyk and was ejected and suspended. No major fights happened in the rest of the series, which the Celtics won. The rivalry has since faded as the Celtics changed their team.

Miami Heat

The Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat developed a strong rivalry in the 2010s. Both teams had star trios. Boston had Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce. Miami had LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. They first met in the 2010 NBA Playoffs, which Boston won. They met again the next year, and Miami won. The teams met for a third straight year in the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals. Boston led 3–2, but Miami won the last two games. In the 2020 NBA Bubble, the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics met in the 2020 Eastern Conference Finals. Miami won in 6 games. They met again in the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals, where Boston finally beat Miami in 7 games. In the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals, Miami took a 3–0 lead. Boston won the next three games to force a Game 7. However, Miami won Game 7. They met in the 2024 first round, which Boston won in 5 games.

Season-by-Season Records

Here are the results for the last five seasons the Celtics have completed. For the full history, see List of Boston Celtics seasons.

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, W–L% = Winning percentage

Season	GP	W	L	W–L%	Finish	Playoffs
2020–21	72	36	36	.500	4th, Atlantic	Lost in first round, 1–4 (Nets)
2021–22	82	51	31	.622	1st, Atlantic	Lost in NBA Finals, 2–4 (Warriors)
2022–23	82	57	25	.695	1st, Atlantic	Lost in conference finals, 3–4 (Heat)
2023–24	82	64	18	.780	1st, Atlantic	NBA champions, 4–1 (Mavericks)
2024–25	82	61	21	.744	1st, Atlantic	Lost in conference semifinals, 2–4 (Knicks)

Team Records and Awards

The Celtics have won an NBA-record 18 championships. Forty-eight people connected to the Celtics are in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The team has retired 23 jersey numbers, more than any other American sports team. As of December 2023, the Celtics have won more NBA regular season games than any other team.

Hall of Fame Members

37 players, 6 coaches, and 6 contributors from the Celtics have been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Boston Celtics Hall of Famers
Players
No.	Name	Position	Tenure	Inducted	No.	Name	Position	Tenure	Inducted
22	Ed Macauley	F/C	1950–1956	1960	17	Andy Phillip	G	1956–1958	1961
14	Bob Cousy	G	1950–1963	1971	6	Bill Russell 3	C	1956–1969	1975
21	Bill Sharman	G	1951–1961	1976	23	Frank Ramsey	G/F	1954–1964	1982
24	Sam Jones	G/F	1957–1969	1984	17	John Havlicek	G/F	1962–1978	1984
15 20	Tom Heinsohn 1	F	1956–1965	1986	20	Bob Houbregs	C/F	1954	1987
44	Pete Maravich	G	1980	1987	4 34	Clyde Lovellette	C	1962–1964	1988
25 27	K. C. Jones	G	1958–1967	1989	44	Dave Bing	G	1977–1978	1990
18	Dave Cowens	F/C	1970–1980	1991	7	Nate Archibald	G	1978–1983	1991
5	Bill Walton	C	1985–1988	1993	18	Bailey Howell	F	1966–1970	1997
19	Arnie Risen	C	1955–1958	1998	33	Larry Bird 2	F	1979–1992	1998
32	Kevin McHale	F	1980–1993	1999	11	Bob McAdoo	C/F	1979	2000
00	Robert Parish	C	1980–1994	2003	12	Dominique Wilkins	F	1994–1995	2006
3	Dennis Johnson	G	1983–1990	2010	53	Artis Gilmore	C	1988	2011
20	Gary Payton	G	2004–2005	2013	10	Jo Jo White	G	1969–1979	2015
36	Shaquille O'Neal	C	2010–2011	2016	11	Charlie Scott	G	1975–1977	2018
40	Dino Rađa	F/C	1994–1997	2018	20	Ray Allen	G	2007–2012	2018
11	Chuck Cooper	F	1950–1954	2019	4	Carl Braun	G	1961–1962	2019
44	Paul Westphal	G	1972–1975	2019	5	Kevin Garnett	F	2007–2013	2020
34	Paul Pierce	F	1998–2013	2021	4	Chauncey Billups	G	1997–1998	2024
Coaches
Name		Position	Tenure	Inducted	Name		Position	Tenure	Inducted
Doggie Julian		Head coach	1948–1950	1968	2	Red Auerbach	Head coach	1950–1966	1969
Rick Pitino		Head coach	1997–2001	2013	Tom Heinsohn 1		Head coach	1969–1978	2015
Bill Fitch		Head coach	1979–1983	2019	Bill Russell 3		Head coach	1966–1969	2021
Contributors
Name		Position	Tenure	Inducted	Name		Position	Tenure	Inducted
1	Walter A. Brown	Owner	1945–1964	1965	Bill Mokray		Executive	1946–1969	1965
28	Wayne Embry	C	1966–1968	1999	Dave Gavitt		Executive	1990–1994	2006
16	Satch Sanders 4	F	1960–1973	2011	17	Don Barksdale	F	1953–1955	2012

Additionally, Johnny Most and Mike Gorman won the Hall of Fame's Curt Gowdy Media Award. Most won in 1993 for his 37 years as the Celtics radio announcer. Gorman won in 2021 for his 40 years as the Celtics television announcer.

Notes:

• ¹ Heinsohn was inducted into the Hall of Fame twice: as a player and as a coach.
• ² Bird was inducted into the Hall of Fame twice: as a player and as a member of the 1992 Olympic team.
• ³ Russell was inducted into the Hall of Fame twice: as a player and as a coach.
• ⁴ Sanders also coached the team in 1978.

FIBA Hall of Fame Members

FIBA, which manages international basketball, has chosen two players linked to the Celtics for the FIBA Hall of Fame. They were honored for their contributions to international basketball.

Boston Celtics FIBA Hall of Famers
Players
No.	Name	Position	Tenure	Inducted
6	Bill Russell	C	1956–1969	2007
36	Shaquille O'Neal	C	2010–2011	2017

Home Arenas

Arena	Location	Duration
Boston Arena	Boston, Massachusetts	1946–1955
Boston Garden		1946–1995
TD Garden		1995–present

Team Personnel

Current Roster

Retained Draft Rights

The Celtics hold the rights to unsigned draft picks who play outside the NBA. A drafted player who is not signed by the team can play for any non-NBA team. The Celtics keep their draft rights until one year after their contract with the non-NBA team ends. This list includes rights gained from trades.

Draft	Round	Pick	Player	Pos.	Nationality	Current team	Note(s)	Ref
2021	2	45	Begarin, JuhannJuhann Begarin	G	France	AS Monaco (Monaco)
2020	2	47	Madar, YamYam Madar	G	Israel	Hapoel Tel Aviv (Israel)

Team Captains

All-time team captains
Captain	Tenure
Bob Cousy	1950–1963
Frank Ramsey & Bill Russell	1963–1964
Bill Russell	1964–1966
John Havlicek	January 16, 1967–1978
Jo Jo White & Dave Cowens	October 17, 1978–November 14, 1978
Jo Jo White	November 14, 1978 – January 30, 1979
Dave Cowens & Chris Ford	January 31, 1979–1979
Dave Cowens	1979 – October 1, 1980
Larry Bird	1983–1992
Reggie Lewis	1992–1993
Robert Parish	1993–1994
Dominique Wilkins & Dee Brown	1994–1995
Dee Brown	1995–1996
Rick Fox	1996–1997
Dee Brown & Antoine Walker	October 8, 1997–December 2, 1997
Dee Brown, Antoine Walker, & Pervis Ellison	December 2, 1997–February 18, 1998
Antoine Walker and Pervis Ellison	February 18, 1998 – 1998
Antoine Walker	1998–1999
Antoine Walker & Dana Barros	1999–2000
Antoine Walker & Paul Pierce	2000–2003
Paul Pierce	2003–2013
Rajon Rondo	January 17, 2014 – December 19, 2014
Jaylen Brown (unofficial)	2023–present

Franchise Leaders

Bold means the player is still active with the team.

Italic means the player is still active but not with the team.

Points Scored (Regular Season) (as of the end of the 2024–25 season)

Other Statistics (Regular Season) (as of the end of the 2024–25 season)

Coaches

Head Coaches

The Celtics have had 18 head coaches in their history. Red Auerbach is the most successful, winning 9 NBA championships. Celtics legend Bill Russell coached the team to 2 NBA championships while also playing. The other two coaches who won 2 NBA titles were Tom Heinsohn and K. C. Jones. Bill Fitch and Doc Rivers each led the Celtics to 1 NBA championship. The current head coach, Joe Mazzulla, has also won one.

Logos and Uniforms

Team Logos

The Boston Celtics logo shows a leprechaun named Lucky spinning a basketball. Red Auerbach's brother, Zang Auerbach, designed it. Until the 1995–96 season, the logo was only green, white, and black. For the 1996–97 season, to celebrate the team's 50th anniversary, the logo got full color. Lucky's face and hands were tan, and gold was added to his vest, bow tie, and hat.

The Celtics also have other logos. A popular one is a white shamrock with "Celtics" above it, inside a green circle. This has been used since the 1998–99 season. This alternate logo is based on older Celtics logos. A new secondary logo, shown in 2014, was a silhouette of the leprechaun logo.

Team Uniforms

Main Uniforms

For most of their history, the Celtics wore green uniforms for away games and white uniforms for home games. The basic design of their uniforms was set in the team's early years. They made small changes to the letters and stripes over time.

Some important changes included switching to simpler block letters in 1968. Player names were added in 1972. The three-leaf shamrock logo was added in 1998. The white uniforms stayed mostly the same. The green uniforms sometimes had the city name ("Boston") and sometimes the team name ("Celtics").

When Nike became the NBA's uniform maker in 2017, they removed "home" and "away" labels. The white uniforms became "Association" uniforms, and the green ones became "Icon" uniforms. Both can now be worn at home or away.

In January 2017, the Celtics signed a deal with General Electric. GE paid the Celtics to have their logo on the left shoulder of the jerseys. This was the first time a company logo was on the game uniforms. The Nike logo is on the right shoulder.

In November 2020, Vistaprint became the main jersey sponsor. In July 2024, Amica Mutual Insurance became the team's jersey sponsor.

Alternate Uniforms

From 2005 to 2017, the Celtics wore alternate green uniforms. These had black letters and trim with "Boston" on the front. They also had black panels with a green shamrock, like the original Celtics uniforms. These green-and-black uniforms were thought to be "unlucky" in the playoffs. The Celtics lost all eight games they wore them in.

A gray uniform was also used from 2014 to 2017. Called "Parquet Pride," these uniforms had sleeves. They featured white letters with green trim, the leprechaun logo on the shorts, and a parquet-like pattern on the sides.

Since 2017, the Celtics wear black "Statement" uniforms. These have a black base with "Celtics" in green letters and white trim. Starting in 2020, the Air Jordan brand logo appeared on the "Statement" uniform.

Special Uniforms

Between 2006 and 2017, the Celtics wore special St. Patrick's Day uniforms. The first ones looked like their regular green uniforms but had gold and white trim. Later versions had sleeves or different striping.

During the 2007 NBA Europe Live Tour, the Celtics wore special jerseys. In Rome, their jerseys had the green, white, and red colors of the Italian flag. In London, their regular jerseys had a Union Jack patch.

For the 2008–09 season opener, the Celtics wore gold-accented home uniforms to celebrate their championship.

The Celtics have also worn special Christmas Day uniforms since the 2008–09 season. These often had snowflake designs or special colors.

Starting in the 2017–18 season, the Celtics wore "City" uniforms designed by Nike. Their first "City" uniforms were gray. They had a parquet floor pattern, green letters, Red Auerbach's signature, and a piece of the 2008 championship banner.

For the 2018–19 season, the Celtics wore white "City" uniforms with green letters and gold trim. They also wore "Earned" uniforms, which were green with gold letters. Both were inspired by old Celtics warmup jackets.

The Celtics' "City" uniform for the 2019–20 season was green with gold and black letters. It had a Celtic knot shamrock design.

The 2020–21 "City" uniform was inspired by the 17 championship banners in TD Garden. It was white with green stripes. It also had Red Auerbach's signature and quote: "The Boston Celtics are not a basketball team. They're a way of life."

The 2021–22 "City" uniform mixed old designs. It had elements from their current uniforms, 1949 uniforms, and early team uniforms. It also featured the original "jumping leprechaun" logo.

The 2022–23 "City" uniform honored Bill Russell, who passed away. It was dark green with gold and black. It had "Celtics" written in a style inspired by Russell's old restaurant. It also had 11 gold diamonds on the black stripes, for his 11 championships.

The "City" uniform in the 2023–24 season honored basketball's origins. It was white with dark green letters and brown trim. It referenced Boston's furniture makers and peach baskets. The Celtics also had a special court for the 2023 NBA in-season tournament. It was green with brown stripes and the NBA Cup logo.

For the 2024–25 "City" uniform, the Celtics used a black base with "Action green" (neon green) letters and futuristic numbers.

Memorial Patches

During the 2006–07 season, the Celtics wore a black shamrock patch with "Red" in green letters. This was to remember Red Auerbach, who died before the season.

The team has honored deceased members with a black band on the left shoulder of the jersey. This has been done thirteen times for people like Walter Brown, Johnny Most, Reggie Lewis, Dennis Johnson, Jim Loscutoff, Jo Jo White, John Havlicek, Tom Heinsohn, K. C. Jones, Sam Jones, and Bill Walton. In the 2019–20 season, the Celtics wore a black band for former NBA commissioner David Stern and former Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. They also wore a black band for the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013 and for Isaiah Thomas' sister in 2017.

In the 2022–23 season, the Celtics, like all NBA teams, wore a black number 6 patch to remember Bill Russell.

Uniform Traditions

The team used to wear black sneakers for most of their history. Legend says Red Auerbach preferred them because white sneakers got dirty easily. In the early 1970s, they tried green sneakers but went back to black in 1985.

Before the 2003–04 season, general manager Danny Ainge and captain Paul Pierce suggested wearing white sneakers. Ainge agreed, and white sneakers have been used for home games since. They still wore black sneakers for away games. Since the 2009–10 season, NBA rules on sneaker colors are more relaxed. Celtics players now wear custom sneakers in various colors.

The Celtics were the only team to wear warmup jackets with player names on the back for a long time. This style was common in the 1980s but faded out. The Celtics kept it for tradition until the 2011–12 season.

Television and Radio

NBC Sports Boston is the main TV channel for Boston Celtics games. It has shown their games since 1981.

As of the 2024–25 season, Drew Carter is the TV play-by-play announcer. Brian Scalabrine is the analyst.

All Celtics games are on radio through Beasley Broadcast Group's WBZ-FM (98.5 FM), known as "The Sports Hub." Sean Grande does the play-by-play, and Cedric Maxwell provides commentary. This deal started in the 2013–14 season. Games are broadcast on stations in 5 of the 6 New England States through the Boston Celtics Radio Network.

Long-time announcers Johnny Most and Mike Gorman have won the Curt Gowdy Media Award for their great broadcasting. Most was the radio announcer from 1953 to 1990. Gorman was the TV announcer from 1981 to 2024.

Team Management

Ownership History

Ownership history
Owner	Tenure
Boston Garden-Arena Corporation	June 6, 1946 – July 31, 1950
Walter A. Brown/Lou Pieri	July 31, 1950 – September 7, 1964
Lou Pieri and Marjorie Brown, wife of team founder	September 7, 1964 – June 24, 1965
Marvin Kratter/Knickerbocker Brewing Company, subsidiary of National Equities	June 24, 1965 – 1968
Ballantine Brewery, subsidiary of Investors Funding Corporation	1968–1969 1971–1972
Trans-National Communications	1969–1971
Irv Levin and Harold Lipton	April 1972 – May 1972* November 1975 – 1978
Robert Schmertz/Leisure Technology	May 1972 – January 1975
Robert Schmertz/Leisure Technology, Irv Levin, and Harold Lipton	January 1975 – November 1975
John Y. Brown, Jr. and Harry T. Mangurian, Jr.	1978–1979
Harry T. Mangurian, Jr.	1979–1983
Don Gaston, Alan N. Cohen, Paul Dupee	1983–1993
Paul Gaston	1993–2002
Boston Basketball Partners L.L.C.	December 2002 – 2025 (sale pending NBA approval)
William Chisholm, Aditya Mittal	2025

*Sale not approved by NBA

Team Presidents

All-time Team presidents
President	Tenure
Walter A. Brown	1946–1963
Louis Pieri	1963–1965
Jack Waldron	1965–1967 1968–1970
Clarence H. Adams	1967–1968
Red Auerbach	1970–1997 2001–2006
Rick Pitino	1997–2001
Rich Gotham	2007–present

General Managers

GM history
GM	Tenure
Walter A. Brown	1946–1950
Red Auerbach	1950–1984
Jan Volk	1984–1997
Chris Wallace	1997–2007
Danny Ainge	2007–2021
Brad Stevens	2021–present

Other Key Personnel

Name	Position	Tenure
Dave Gavitt	CEO	1990–1994
Larry Bird	Special assistant to front office	1992–1997
M. L. Carr	Director of basketball operations	1994–1997
Danny Ainge	President of basketball operations	2003–2021
Brad Stevens	President of basketball operations	2021–present

See also

In Spanish: Boston Celtics para niños

• The Auerbach Center, the Celtics' practice facility
• The Sports Museum (at TD Garden)
• List of Boston Celtics head coaches
• Boston Celtics draft history
• Celtics–Lakers rivalry
• Celtics–Knicks rivalry
• Celtics–Pistons rivalry
• 76ers–Celtics rivalry
• Boston Celtics all-time roster
• Boston Garden
• TD Garden
• Boston Celtics Radio Network
• Sports in Boston
• Sports in Massachusetts
• List of NBA champions