75th Anniversary

Taylor Snow

In conjunction with their 75th anniversary, the Boston Celtics are unveiling their 75th Anniversary All-Celtics Team from Jan. 23 through Feb. 3.

The team is comprised of 15 players who were selected to the team based upon thousands of votes cast by fans and an official voting panel that included both media members and Celtics historians.

The members of the All-Celtics Team will be unveiled in three groups of five, and in no particular order. The first five were announced 23, the second five were announced Jan. 31, and the final five today.

Below, we’ve provided brief capsules of the first five players who were announced as members of the team: Ray Allen, Dave Cowens, Robert Parish, and JoJo White.

Ray Allen made his mark as one of the deadliest long-range scorers in NBA history and was the best 3-point shooter to ever put on a Celtics uniform. Boston acquired Allen in the summer of 2007 just before trading for Kevin Garnett to complete their transformation back into a championship contender. Allen would suit up as Boston’s starting shooting guard the following fall and helped to lead it to its 17th banner in the spring of 2008. He went on to play six seasons with the Celtics, three of which were All-Star campaigns. Allen logged the third-most 3-point makes (798) in Celtics history, the fourth-best 3-point percentage (40.9 percent), and is the only player in team history to post a career free-throw percentage above 90 percent (minimum 200 attempts), having owned a 91.4 percent clip. He retired as the league’s all-time leader in 3-point makes before being surpassed by Stephen Curry earlier this season.

Dave Cowens, at 6-foot-9, was considered to be an undersized center when the Celtics selected him with the fourth overall pick in the 1970 NBA Draft. However, he turned into one of the league’s biggest stars of that decade. Cowens was an eight-time All-Star, a three-time selection for both the All-NBA and All-Defensive teams, and a two-time NBA champion with the Celtics. He was also named the league’s MVP for the 1972-73 campaign when he averaged 20.5 points, 16.2 rebounds, and 4.1 rebounds per game. During 10 seasons in Boston, the Hall-of-Fame center averaged 18.2 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game and is one of three players to rank among the team’s top 10 in career points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks along with Larry Bird and Paul Pierce. He and Bird are also the only Celtics to have won both Rookie of the Year and an MVP. Cowens’ No. 18 was retired to the TD Garden rafters on Feb. 8, 1981.

Robert Parish is a Hall-of-Fame center who played 14 of his 21 NBA seasons with the Celtics from 1980-94. He was a part of the legendary trade that Red Auerbach pulled off on June 9, 1980, which brought Parish the No. 3 pick (eventually used to select fellow Hall-of-Famer Kevin McHale) over from Golden State Warriors in exchange for two first-rounders. The 7-foot-1 “Chief” won three championships in Boston, where he tallied averages of 16.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game in 1,106 appearances (second all-time). Parish is the team’s official all-time leading shot-blocker with 1,703 swats and ranks second behind Bill Russell in rebounds with 11,051. Parish also ranks fourth on the franchise’s scoring list with 18,245 points and is fifth in field-goal percentage with a 55.2 percent clip. His No. 00 was retired by the Celtics on Jan. 18, 1998.

Bill Sharman was a Hall-of-Fame shooting guard who was a member of the first four Celtics championships. During his 10 seasons with the C’s, Sharman established himself as one of the best shooters of his era; he became one of the first guards to regularly shoot above 40 percent from the field and he led the league in free-throw percentage a record seven times, including five consecutive seasons. Sharman averaged 18.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game for Boston and ranks fifth on the franchise’s free-throw percentage list with a career mark of 88.3 percent. He is one of five people in NBA history to enter the Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach. Sharman’s No. 21 was retired by the Celtics on Oct. 15, 1966 – the same day that Tommy Heinsohn had his No. 15 retired.

JoJo White was a seven-time All-Star, a two-time NBA champion, and the 1976 Finals MVP for the Celtics. The Hall-of-Fame guard spent his first 10 NBA seasons in Boston, where he averaged 18.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game. White ranks 10th all-time on the Celtics scoring list with 13,188 points and is seventh all-time in assists with 3,686 dimes. At one point in his career, he played in 488 consecutive games, which remains a franchise record. White’s No. 10 was retired by the Celtics on April 9, 1982.

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Allen, Cowens, Parish, Sharman, White Chosen to All-Celtics Team

Marc D'Amico

In conjunction with their 75th anniversary, the Boston Celtics are unveiling their 75th Anniversary All-Celtics Team from Jan. 23 through Feb. 3.
The team is comprised of 15 players who were selected to the team based upon thousands of votes cast by fans and an official voting panel that included both media members and Celtics historians.

The members of the All-Celtics Team will be unveiled in three groups of five, and in no particular order. The first five were announced Jan. 23, the second five were announced today, and the final five will be announced on a special live broadcast Thursday evening from the Encore Boston Harbor.

Below, we’ve provided brief capsules of the five players who were announced as members of the team today: Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, Tommy Heinsohn, John Havlicek and Paul Pierce.

There is no list of all-time Celtics greats if it doesn’t start with Bill Russell. Russell, who has in recent times been referred to as Lord of the Rings, won an astounding 11 championships with the Celtics as a player, including two for which he also served as the team’s coach. Russell played all 13 of his NBA seasons with Boston, during which he averaged 15.1 points and an incredible 22.5 rebounds per game. He totaled 21,620 rebounds during his career – nearly double the amount of the next-best player total in Celtics history. The NBA did not track steals and blocked shots during his playing days, otherwise he’d certainly have racked up impressive numbers in those two categories as well, as Russell is regarded as one of the great defensive centers of all time. Russell was chosen as the league’s Most Valuable Player five times. He was also selected to 12 All-Star appearances and 11 All-NBA teams during his 13 seasons. Russell was also known for his public push for racial equality and justice, and his constant support of mentor-mentee relationships. All of these facts are reasons why his No. 6 hangs in Boston’s rafters, and why the city of Boston erected a statue in his honor that now sits at Government Center.

Bob Cousy was a man before his time when it came to handling and passing the basketball. He was a magician with the ball, which is why Boston fans loved him dating back to his days as a collegiate star at the local College of the Holy Cross, and why he was rightfully nicknamed “Houdini of the Hardwood.” Cousy won six championships with Boston and was chosen as an All-Star during each of his 13 seasons with the team, including an appearance in the NBA’s very first All-Star game which was held at Boston Garden in 1951. He led the NBA in assists in eight consecutive seasons from 1953-1960. Cousy was the NBA’s 1957 MVP and was chosen to 12 All-NBA teams. The NBA also selected him to the league’s 25th, 35th, 50th, and 75th anniversary teams. It’s no wonder why his No. 14 is retired by the Celtics.

There is one person who has, in one way, shape or form, been involved in each of Boston’s 17 World Championships. That man is Tommy Heinsohn. Heinsohn is a two-time Hall of Famer as a player and a coach and is likely to become a three-time Hall of Famer following a lengthy and entertaining broadcast career as the Celtics’ color commentator. He won eight championships with Boston as a player and two as a coach, and he was a member of the organization in some capacity for the other seven titles. Heinsohn was a six-time All-Star with the Celtics and earned the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award in 1957. He remains as the only player who has ever won the Rookie of the Year award, been named to an All-Star team, and won a championship all in the same season (1957). Heinsohn averaged 18.6 points and 8.8 rebounds per game during his career and his No. 15 is retired by the franchise.

Of all of the great names who have donned a Celtics uniform, no player has ever scored more points in the green and white than John “Hondo” Havlicek. Havlicek totaled 26,395 points during his career, which leads Boston’s record books and also ranks 17th in league history. He was a 13-time All-Star who won eight championships with the team from the early 1960s through the late 1970s. He played all 16 of his seasons with Boston and took home the 1974 Finals MVP award. The numbers Havlicek tallied across the board are remarkable: 26,395 points, 8,007 rebounds, 6,114 assists, 46,471 minutes played and 1,270 games played. Havlicek’s No. 17 is retired by the team and he was chosen to the NBA’s 35th, 50th and 75th anniversary teams.

Paul Pierce is the Celtics legend with whom 80s and 90s babies in New England grew up. He was drafted by the team 10th overall in 1998 and played his first 15 seasons with the franchise while making it a point to show the nine teams that passed on him on draft night that they made a mistake. Pierce went on to play in 10 All-Star games as a member of the Celtics and led the franchise to its 17th championship in 2008 while earning Finals MVP honors. He was a four-time All-NBA selection and is one of three players in franchise history to rank in the top 10 in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks, along with Larry Bird and Dave Cowens. His 24,021 points in a Celtics uniform ranks second behind only John Havlicek. Pierce is the most recent player to have his number retired by the franchise, as his No. 34 was raised to the rafters Feb. 11, 2018. Pierce was chosen by the NBA as a member of the 75th anniversary team.

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Russell, Cousy, Heinsohn, Havlicek, Pierce Chosen to All-Celtics Team

The members of the All-Celtics Team will be unveiled in three groups of five, and in no particular order. The first five were announced today, the second five will be announced Jan. 31, and the final five will be announced on a special live broadcast the evening of Feb. 3.

Below, we’ve provided brief capsules of the first five players who were announced as members of the team: Larry Bird, Kevin Garnett, Dennis Johnson, Sam Jones and Kevin McHale.

Poll Celtics Nation to find out who the top Celtic of all-time is and you’ll find many votes cast for Larry Bird. Bird, whose No. 33 is retired by the Celtics, earned the nickname “Larry Legend” through his magical play that led to 12 All-Star selections, three league MVPs, three NBA championships and two Finals MVP awards. Bird finished his career with averages of 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game and often mystified opponents with his no-look passes and impossible shots. He is regarded as one of the greatest shooters of all time, having finished with career shooting percentages of 49.6 percent from the field, 37.6 percent from 3-point range and 88.6 percent from the free-throw line. Bird spent his entire career with Boston, and despite a back injury cutting his career short, he still ranks in the top five of every major statistical category in Celtics history.

Kevin Garnett didn’t spend a long time in Boston, but his presence in the city will be remembered forever. Hence his selection to this team despite playing only six seasons for the Celtics. Garnett served as a culture-changer and a defensive ace for the 2007-08 championship Celtics, who logged 66 regular-season wins. He was chosen as that season’s NBA Defensive Player of the Year and made the All-Star team five times during his six seasons with the team. He was a numbers machine for the franchise, as he ranks seventh in team history in defensive rebounds (2,786), eighth in blocks (394), 10th in field-goal percentage (52.0 percent) and second in defensive rebounding percentage (26.2 percent) despite playing in a total of only 396 regular-season games. His energy and passion were infectious, not only fueling his teammates, but also the TD Garden, which he often referred to as “The Jungle.” Decades from now, young Celtics fans should understand that Garnett’s impact was not only from a statistical standpoint. He changed Boston’s culture with his passion, accountability and leadership, and that culture continued on for years after his departure from the franchise. Garnett’s No. 5 is set to be retired by the Celtics on March 13, 2022.

Similar to Kevin Garnett, Johnson’s time with the Celtics was not all too lengthy, but his impact was significant. Johnson played seven seasons for Boston and, like Garnett, also earned the right to have his No. 3 retired by the franchise. Johnson is also a Hall of Famer. The defensive-minded point guard averaged 12.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game during his seven seasons with the C’s and was one of the key reasons why Boston was able to win the NBA championship in 1984 and 1986. Johnson was so impactful that Larry Bird once called him the best player he ever played with. That’s saying a lot, considering that Bird also teamed up with other Hall of Famers in Robert Parish and Kevin McHale. Johnson was known for his staunch defense, his floor-general abilities, and for draining clutch shots when games were on the line.

Sam Jones is known as one of most clutch players in the history of the game. Need evidence to support that claim? Just Google the endless comments his former teammates have made about his prowess of coming through in the clutch. Jones was a prolific scorer throughout his 12-year career, all of which was spent in a Celtics uniform. He averaged 17.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per game during his career, including a stretch of four consecutive seasons of averaging at least 21.3 PPG. Jones maxed out with an average of 25.9 PPG during the 1964-65 season, which was one of 10 Celtics championship seasons which Jones participated in, and also, one of his five All-Star seasons. Jones and teammate Bill Russell are the only players in NBA history who have won 10 or more championships. Jones had his No. 24 jersey raised to the rafters on March 9, 1969, two months before capturing his final title with the C’s.

There are few players of Kevin McHale’s stature who spent their entire career in one uniform. McHale, who played all 13 of his NBA seasons in a Celtics uniform, was a seven-time All-Star, including a stretch of six straight selections from 1986 to 1991. He also won back-to-back Sixth Man of the Year awards in 1984 and 1985. His combination of elite post scoring and impressive defense helped to fuel the Celtics to three championships during the 1980s. His average of 1.7 blocks per game for his career still stands as the top mark among Celtics players who qualify for franchise-leader statistics. He logged five straight seasons with a scoring average of at least 20.9 PPG, maxing out with an average of 26.1 PPG during the championship 1987 season. His No. 32 is retired by the Celtics and hangs in the rafters at TD Garden.

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Bird, Garnett, McHale, Jones, Johnson Chosen to All-Celtics Team

Monday marks the first of seven Decade Nights that the Boston Celtics will be hosting at TD Garden this season in celebration of theirs and the NBA's 75th anniversary.

Up first is 80s night, which is only fitting since the Celtics will be hosting the same Houston Rockets team that they defeated in both the 1981 and 1986 Finals.

Throughout the game, fans will be taken back in time to relive some of the Celtics’ most memorable moments from the 1980s, many of which we have included in our decade recap below.

The Celtics started off the 1980s with a trade that would help shape their next decade of success.

On June 9 – the day before the 1980 Draft – Boston traded the No. 1 and No. 13 overall picks to Golden State in exchange for Robert Parish and the No. 3 overall pick. The following day, the Celtics used their pick to select a young power forward by the name of Kevin McHale, while the Warriors used their picks to select Joe Barry Carroll and Rickey Brown, respectively. McHale and Parish went on to have Hall-of-Fame careers while combining for 16 All-Star appearances. Meanwhile, Carroll and Brown combined for one All-Star appearance.

It’s safe to say that Boston won that trade, as it helped to form arguably the greatest frontcourt trio in NBA history with McHale and Parish joining forces with Larry Bird, who each played a helping hand in leading the Celtics to three championships over the following six years.

An Epic Eastern Conference Finals Comeback

There have been 13 instances of an NBA team coming back from a 3-1 deficit in a playoff series; although, none of them could compare to the heart-palpitating nature of Boston’s rally against the Philadelphia 76ers in 1981.

Boston faced three straight elimination games and each went down to the final possession, winning Games 5 and 6 by two points, and Game 7 by one point.

In the decisive Game 7, Philadelphia found itself in the driver’s seat, up seven points with 4:34 remaining. However, Boston stormed back to tie the game, 89-89, before Larry Bird hit a go-ahead mid-range bank shot to put the C’s ahead by two points with 1:03 left.

The 76ers had plenty of chances to tie the game in the final minute, but only mustered a single free-throw make, allowing Boston to escape with a 91-90 win. It was an unpleasant form of déjà vu for Philly, which had suffered the exact same fate 13 years prior when it coughed up a 3-1 lead to the Celtics during the 1968 Eastern Division Finals.

After knocking off Philadelphia, the Celtics got matched up against a Cinderella Rockets team, which had somehow made it all the way to the Finals despite posting just a 40-42 record in the regular season. Boston, meanwhile, was a goliath of a team that had logged a 62-20 mark.

Houston made the series interesting by splitting the first four games. At that point, star center Moses Malone was so confident in his team that he declared, “Boston ain’t that good,” and that he could pull four random people off the streets of his hometown and still beat the C’s.

In hindsight, he probably shouldn’t have said that.

Boston went on to win Game 5 at TD Garden by a score of 109-80, while riding a 28-point, 15-rebound effort from Cedric Maxwell. The C’s then returned to Houston for Game 6 where it finished off the Rockets, 102-91, for their 14th NBA title. Despite all of the hype surrounding Boston’s Big 3, it was Maxwell who deservedly took home the Finals MVP after averaging 17.7 points and 9.5 rebounds per game, while shooting 56.8 percent from the field.

The 1984 Finals was an epic, seven-game ride, which marked the first championship meeting between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson since the 1979 NCAA title game, which was won by Johnson’s Michigan State Spartans. There were quite a few moments that stood out during that series, starting with Gerald Henderson’s famous steal in Game 2 that helped prevent the Celtics from falling into a 2-0 hole.

The Lakers seemingly had the game in their hands, ahead 113-111 with 18 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and possession of the ball. However, Henderson literally stole the game away from L.A. when he picked off a James Worthy pass and took it straight to the hole for a game-tying layup. Johnson then inexplicably dribbled out the game clock, sending the match into overtime where the Celtics would prevail 124-121, largely thanks to Scott Wedman’s game-winning jumper with 14 seconds remaining.

That one steal changed the entire course of the series, as the Celtics went from potentially losing the first two games of the series at home, to instead heading to L.A. tied 1-1 with momentum in their favor.

McHale Clotheslines Rambis, Lakers Choke Away Series

Game 5 of the 1984 Finals was famously declared the “Heat Game,” as the temperature inside TD Garden reached as high as 97 degrees in a 121-103 Celtics win. Some may argue, however, that the true “Heat Game” of the series took place two nights prior in what was the most physical match of the storied rivalry.

Following a 137-104 blowout loss in Game 3, Larry Bird called out his teammates out for playing too soft. Those words lit a fire under their bellies for Game 4, as they came out three nights later swinging – literally.
        The Celtics were trailing 76-70 with seven minutes remaining in the third quarter when Kevin McHale dealt the game-changing blow in the form of a clothesline takedown of Kurt Rambis while the latter was driving to the basket.

The incident cleared both benches and set off a domino effect for what would be a blood-boiling second half. Several altercations occurred in the aftermath, including two separate instances when Larry Bird later went after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Michael Cooper.

Eventually, Boston wore L.A. down. The Lakers had a five-point lead with less than a minute remaining in regulation, but Magic Johnson committed a few key mistakes, including a bad pass that fell into the hands of Robert Parish and turned into points on the other end of the floor. The Lakers also missed several key free-throws down the stretch. After one such miss by James Worthy, Cedric Maxwell walked across the lane with his hands raised to his throat in a choking motion, providing further antagonization.

The Celtics would prevail, 129-124, tying the series at two games apiece, before eventually winning the title in seven.

Five years after his NCAA championship defeat, Bird got his revenge on Johnson, outdueling the Lakers point guard and earning his first of two Finals MVPs while averaging 27.4 points, 14.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.1 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game.

Bird Logs Franchise-Record 60 Points vs. Hawks

The 1980s Celtics weren’t just competitive with their opponents; they were competitive with each other. A prime example of such took place in early March of 1985 when Kevin McHale logged a franchise-record 56 points, only to be one-upped by Larry Bird nine days later.

Toward the end of McHale’s 56-point effort against the Pistons on March 3, Bird urged his frontcourt partner to stay on the court until the end of the game because his record might not last long. Sure enough, it took Bird less than two weeks to break it in a March 12 matchup against the Atlanta Hawks.

Bird’s 60 came by way of a 22-of-36 shooting performance from the field, along with a 15-of-16 effort from the free-throw line. The shots he was making were so unbelievable that even Atlanta’s players couldn’t hide their bewilderment, laughing and clapping along from the bench.

Bird’s record would stand alone for 36 years until a 23-year-old Jayson Tatum came along on April 30, 2021 and put up 60 on the San Antonio Spurs.

Celtics Repeat vs. Rockets, Go 50-1 at Home

The 1986 season was one of redemption for the Boston Celtics after losing to the archrival Los Angeles Lakers in the 1985 NBA Finals. And they redeemed themselves by putting forth one of the greatest seasons of all time.

In the peak year of the Bird-McHale-Parish era, Boston posted a 67-15 regular-season record, including an NBA-record 40-1 mark at home.

The Celtics breezed through the first three rounds of the playoffs, sweeping Michael Jordan and the Bulls, beating Dominique Wilkins and the Hawks in five, and then sweeping the Milwaukee Bucks with a 15-point average margin of victory.

The C’s went on to face Houston in a rematch of the 1981 Finals, and the Rockets put up somewhat of a fight – most notably when 7-foot-4 forward Ralph Sampson ignited a brawl with 6-foot-1 guard Jerry Sichting, sparking a 111-96 Rockets win in Game 5. However, the C’s got their revenge in Game 6 with a 114-97 win back on their home court, giving them a 10-0 postseason mark at TD Garden to add onto the 40-1 mark they had compiled during the regular season.

Bird, who logged a triple-double in the title-clinching game, claimed his second Finals MVP after posting averages of 23.9 points, 9.7 rebounds, 9.5 assists, and 2.7 steals per game.

celtics-decade-night-recapping-the-1980s

Celtics Decade Night: Recapping the 1980s

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As the NBA celebrates its 75th anniversary this season, the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers are celebrating three-quarters of a century of the greatest rivalry in sports.

Dating back to 1948, the Celtics own a 205-163 record against their archrival in the regular season and playoffs combined, including a 9-3 mark in their 12 NBA Finals matchups.

Before they face off in their 369th meeting Friday night, let’s take a look back at some of the greatest moments from their storied feud.

1962 Finals, Game 7 – Boston Edges L.A. in OT

The Celtics and Lakers faced off in the Finals a remarkable seven times in the 1960s with Boston emerging victorious each year. The closest L.A. came to beating the Celtics was in Game 7 of the 1962 Finals, but it just barely missed its chance at the end of regulation.

With less than five seconds remaining in a tie game, Laker guard Frank Selvy got a wide-open look along the baseline from 12-feet away. However, he missed the shot that could have prevented a Celtics four-peat. The game would then go into overtime, where the Celtics prevailed 110-107 behind a monster 30-point, 40-rebound effort from Bill Russell, giving them their fifth championship banner and fourth in a row.

1969 Finals, Game 4 – Sam Jones Game-Winner

The seventh and final championship bout between the Celtics and Lakers in their 1960s glory days featured a couple of the most epic moments in NBA history, including Sam Jones’ game-winning shot in Game 4 of the 1969 Finals.

With an 88-87 lead at TD Garden, L.A. was just seven seconds away from taking a 3-1 series advantage, until Boston swung the momentum back in its favor with one quick play. John Havlicek, Bailey Howell, and Larry Siegfried set a triple pick for Sam Jones, who then took an off-balance jumper that sailed over the outstretched fingertips of Wilt Chamberlain before caroming off the front-rim and through the net at the buzzer for an 89-88 win. That single shot prevented the C’s from facing early elimination, and completely changed the tide of the series.

1969 Finals, Game 7 – Don Nelson Pops L.A.’s Balloon

The Lakers were so confident that they were going to win Game 7 of the 1969 Finals that owner Jack Kent Cooke had thousands of balloons suspended in the rafters of the Forum in anticipation of a celebration. According to the Washington Times, he had flyers printed and placed on every seat that read: “When, not if, the Lakers win the title, balloons will be released from the rafters, the USC marching band will play "Happy Days Are Here Again" and broadcaster Chick Hearn will interview Elgin Baylor, Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain in that order.”

Well, those flyers made their way into the visitors’ locker room before tip-off, and the Celtics weren’t impressed. In fact, Bill Russell let Jerry West know during warmups that those balloons would not be descending to the court on his watch.

Boston wound up leading for the majority of the game, but a late 8-0 run by the Lakers cut the C’s advantage down to one point with just under two minutes remaining.  At the 93-second mark, John Havlicek nearly committed a costly turnover after being swiped by Keith Erickson; however, Don Nelson was in just the right position to pick up the loose ball and managed to get off a wild 18-footer just before the shot-clock buzzer, which miraculously bounced off the rim and through the net to give Boston a 105-102 lead.

That single shot sucked the air out of L.A.’s comeback attempt. The Lakers committed a couple of costly turnovers during the final minute and a half, allowing Boston to escape with a 108-106 win.

And up in the rafters, the balloons remained.

1984 Finals, Game 2 – Henderson Steals the Ball

The 1984 Finals was an epic, seven-game ride, which marked the first championship meeting between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson since the 1979 NCAA title game. There were quite a few moments that stood out during that series, starting with Gerald Henderson’s famous steal in Game 2 that helped prevent the Celtics from falling into a 2-0 hole.

1984 Finals, Game 4 – McHale Clotheslines Rambis, Lakers Choke

Following a 137-104 blowout loss in Game 3, Larry Bird called out his teammates out for playing too soft. Those words lit a fire under their bellies for Game 4, as they came out three nights later swinging – literally.

The Celtics were trailing 76-70 with seven minutes remaining in the third quarter when Kevin McHale dealt the game-changing blow in the form of a clothesline takedown of Kurt Rambis while the latter was driving to the basket.

2008 Finals, Game 4 – The 24-Point Comeback

Thirty-four years after Boston’s Game 4 win in the 1984 Finals came another pivotal Game 4 win over the Lakers. After building a 2-1 series lead, the Celtics fell into an early 35-14 hole in Game 4 at STAPLES Center, marking the largest first-quarter deficit in Finals history. The Lakers went up by as many as 24 points and were well on their way to tying up the series until Boston pulled off the improbable.

The Celtics went on a 21-3 run in the third quarter and eventually took their first lead of the game with just over four minutes remaining in the final frame. Boston’s Big 3 of Paul Pierce (20 points), Kevin Garnett (16 points, 11 rebounds), and Ray Allen (19 points) led the charge, while Eddie House and James Posey combined for 29 points off the bench to help lead the C’s to a 97-91 win.

That game broke the back of L.A., as it went from potentially tying up the series to facing elimination with two of the final three scheduled games to be played on the road.

2008 Finals, Game 6 – ‘Anything is Possible!’

However, it only took two more games for Boston to shut the door on L.A. After losing Game 5, 103-98, at STAPLES Center, the Celtics returned home for what would be the most dominant championship-clincher in NBA history.

After a wobbly first quarter, Boston broke open the game, outscoring the Lakers 34-15 in the second frame. From there, L.A. never stood a chance, as the Celtics cruised to a 131-92 victory.

It was a near-perfect game across the board for Boston, which had massive advantages in total rebounds (48-29), offensive rebounds (14-2), assists (33-16), steals (18-4), blocks (4-0), and turnovers (7-19).

Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett led the way with 26 points apiece, while the former set a then-Finals single-game record with seven 3-point makes. Rajon Rondo stuffed the stat sheet with 21 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and six steals, while eventual Finals MVP Paul Pierce chipped in with 17 points and 10 assists.

After Doc Rivers got his red Gatorade bath (courtesy of Pierce) and the final buzzer sounded, the Celtics stormed the TD Garden court to celebrate their first championship win in 21 years. It was then that Garnett, who had joined the team 11 months prior and had soaked his Celtics uniform with blood, sweat and tears in an effort to achieve his lifelong dream, shouted to the rafters, “ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!”

That statement rang true for the entire Celtics organization after winning just 24 games the previous season. And to end their championship drought against their archrival in such convincing fashion was the cherry on top.

Each of the moments that we’ve highlighted so far have been team-oriented feats. But on Feb. 10, 2011, there was an individual milestone of note, which just happened to fall during a regular-season meeting between the Celtics and Lakers.

It was the night when Ray Allen broke Reggie Miller’s record for career 3-pointers.

Allen tied Miller’s mark of 2,560 at the 4:14 mark of the first quarter with a triple from the right wing, and then broke the record less than three minutes later with a wide-open make from the exact same spot. The fans at TD Garden stood up the moment the ball left Allen’s fingertips and gave him a standing ovation that lasted around four minutes.

"It's one shot of many," Allen later said of the record-breaker. "But it ends up being one shot that stands alone."

At the next stoppage of play, Allen made his way over to the TNT announcers booth from where Miller was calling the game, and the pair shared a handshake and an embrace. Allen then got a fist bump of approval from Kobe Bryant, who had been defending Allen on the shot, before making his way over to his family for a brief celebration.

Allen wound up making 2,973 3-pointers in his career – a record that still stands to this day with Stephen Curry just 56 makes behind.

Despite the heated nature of the Celtics-Lakers rivalry, there is still immense respect between the two most successful franchises in NBA history. Such respect was on full display on Dec. 30, 2015, when Kobe Bryant played his 23rd and final game at TD Garden.

Bryant was the ultimate villain in the eyes of Celtics fans, especially when he snagged that 2010 title from their grasp. But, as much as they may have hated to admit, they appreciated the villainous impact that he made in enhancing their fan-hood.

So, when Bryant was introduced one last time before tip-off, Celtics Nation showed such appreciation in the form of a thunderous standing ovation. But then, as soon as the ball was tipped and found Bryant’s hands, they serenade him with a proper downpour of boos.

“It was unbelievable,” Bryant said of the reception after a 15-point, 11-rebound effort in a 112-104 Lakers win. “The recognition at the top of the game, and then as soon as I touched the ball and they booed, I was like, ‘Ah, I'm home.’ It felt great.”

For late Hall-of-Famer, it was always special playing inside TD Garden, as was surely the case for several Lakers legends. And the fans always made sure to make them feel right at home, in their own unique way.

The Celtics-Lakers rivalry has been full of highlight moments, and Jaylen Brown owns one of the most impressive of them all. On Jan. 20, 2020, the Celtics were in the midst of one of a 139-107 victory when Brown checked one of the items off of his basketball bucket list: dunking on LeBron James.

The Celtics were up 16 points early in the third quarter when Brown drove through the Lakers defense straight at James. The King rose up to meet Brown at the rim, but he didn’t stand a chance as JB threw the rock down with both hands before screaming and staring down the man who dared to challenge him.

Though, it wasn’t just that moment that made the 365th meeting between these two teams so special. The Celtics also limited James and star teammates Anthony Davis to just 24 points combined, while Jayson Tatum scored 27 on his own. Brown, Tatum, and Kemba Walker all reached the 20-point mark, while no Laker made it out of the teens. And, it was the largest blowout in the rivalry since Boston’s 2008 championship-clinching game.

75-years-of-memories-top-moments-from-celtics-lakers-rivalry

75 Years of Memories: Top Moments from Celtics-Lakers Rivalry

Boston Celtics

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BOSTON, MA - A new home for the team’s championship banners, the announcement of the team’s all-time greatest players, and a series of decade theme nights are among the many highlights as the 17-time World Champion Boston Celtics announce their plans to celebrate their 75th Anniversary with a season-long series of events, promotions, and celebrations to thank the best fans in professional sports.

Beginning October 18, fans will be able to see the team’s original championship banners, along with the team’s three retired number banners on display at the Boston Public Library. The banners, which formerly hung in the legendary Boston Garden through 1995, have been in storage for several years and will be seen during regular library hours inside the BPL’s Central Library in Copley Square through January 30, 2022.

Additionally, the Celtics will announce its 75th Anniversary Team presented by Arbella, comprised of the fifteen best players in team history. Fans will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite players in joining a panel of Celtics experts and historians in determining the all-time squads. Details of the voting will be announced in the coming weeks.

The team will also be hosting themed “Decade Nights” throughout the season, featuring fan promotions and special appearances by Celtics Legends. The Celtics have won championships in five separate decades.

Throughout the season, the team will don new Classic and City Edition uniforms inspired by iconic elements from Celtics history. Fans will also have the opportunity to commemorate the 75th Anniversary season with licensed apparel and merchandise available on Celtics.com/Shop and in the TD Garden ProShop. Additionally, the Celtics, in partnership with Skybox Press, are producing a commemorative book entitled, “The Boston Celtics 75th Anniversary Official Illustrated History,” currently available on Celtics75.com.

“To bring seventy-five years of Celtics history to life along with our fans is a really special opportunity,” said Boston Celtics Team President Rich Gotham. “We’re looking forward to celebrating the many great moments, teams and players in franchise history while creating great new memories for our fans as we enter the 21-22 season.”

Other events, promotions, and celebrations will be announced throughout the season. Check back on Celtics.com for more information as the season progresses.