Unquestionably one of the most recognizable and successful dynasties in all of sports, particularly the NBA, is the Boston Celtics. Over 76 years of competition, they have won the most NBA championships (17, tied with the LA Lakers).
According to the NBA’s summer power rankings, the squad is placed first, and die-hard sports fans are swarming to Ladbrokes to place their bets on the group that appears to be destined to rule the upcoming season.
Formation
In 1950, Red Auerbach became the Boston Celtics’ head coach, starting their dynasty.
Auerbach strengthened the Celtics by acquiring Bob Cousey and Bill Russell.
After winning 1957 and losing to the Atlanta Hawks in 1958, the Celtics had an unmatched championship run from 1959 through 1966. Before Bill Russell retired, the team won two more NBA titles in 1968 and 1969.
1970s Success
The Celtics rebuilt in 1970, the year after Russell’s retirement. The Celtics returned to title contention after adding Paul Silas, Dave Crowns, JoJo White, and John Havlicek to their roster.
It would take some time for this happen, as the Celtics would lose in the Eastern conference finals 1972 and 1973 before bouncing back to win championships in 1974 and 1976. When Havlicek resigned in 1977, there was another period of reconstruction.
The Larry Bird Era
The club had a difficult 1978–1979 season, going 29–53 overall. The squad returned to winning ways after adding Larry Bird and a number of other excellent players, like Kevin Mchale, M.L. Carr, and Gerald Henderson, enjoying a 32-game improvement.
They were able to win titles in 1981, 1984, and 1986 with the aid of Bird, who is undoubtedly the most famous player in the lengthy history of the Celtics. During the period, the rivalry between the Magic Johnson-led LA Lakers and the Larry Bird-led Boston Celtics reached its pinnacle, resulting in some of the best basketball ever played.
Larry Leaving and Rebuilding
Larry Bird missed the Games in the late 1980s and early 1990s due to injuries. The Celtics were remained strong and advanced to two more playoffs despite his ailments.
The Celtics struggled and had a losing record for a while when Larry Bird retired in 1992, Kevin McHale retired, and Robert Parish joined the Hornets.
Paul Pierce and Resurgence
The Celtics selected Paul Pierce in the 1998 selection, then they selected Joe Forte, Kendrick Brown, and Joe Johnson in the 2001 draft. In 2001–2002, the team unexpectedly reached the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Celtics needed a boost, and they got it with this. Under new coach Doc Rivers, they reached the first round of the playoffs in 2004–2005, although Pierce averaged over 27 points per game and they still struggled to win games. The club went through yet another rebuilding phase because something needed to change.
Allen, Garnett, and Pierce became the new big three. The number of games won increased by the most in a single season ever thanks to the addition of Allen and Garnett. The Celtics improved their record from the previous season by 42 games, winning 66 games overall. They entered the NBA finals thanks to this momentum.
The Celtics vs Lakers ended up playing in an NBA championship for the first time since 1987.
MVP. The 2008-2009 Celtics fell in the second round. Celtics 2009-10
Made it is to the finals for the 12th time, losing to the Lakers.
7 games.
Ray Allen’s 2012 off-season move to Miami terminated the new big three.
season. The 2014, 2016, and 2017 Celtics made the playoffs.
2017 Eastern Conference Finals featuring Kyrie Irving.
After losing Irving in 2019, the Celtics built a formidable 2020 team. The 2020 Celtics reached the Eastern Conference Finals after being accepted to the NBA bubble for the final eight games of the regular season. Celtics reached the second round in 2020-2021. They fell to the Golden State Warriors in six games in the 2021–2022 championships.