Revisiting NBA Finals MVPs, 1957-1969

The first NBA Finals MVP award went to Jerry West of the Los Angeles Lakers in 1969. West was a great player, one of the best of his generation and probably a top ten all time guard. He had a great series against the Celtics, putting up an absurd 37.9 points and 7.4 assists while shooting 49% from the field and 83.9% at the line. The thing is, his team lost the series in seven games. Since then, a player from the losing team has never won a Finals MVP. That made me wonder, if the award went to someone from the winning team, who would that be? I then wondered who might’ve won it all the years before there was a Finals MVP. After all, the Celtics had won ten titles before the first one was awarded. To determine who the winners should’ve been(in my opinion), I looked at every player who played for a championship team who averaged at least thirty minutes per game in the series and compared their stats. For that reason, I only looked at the Finals starting in 1957, because most earlier series didn’t have surviving statistics on minutes per game.

1957: Tom Heinsohn, age 22, power forward, Boston Celtics

1957 Finals	PTS	TRB	AST	FG%	FT%
Bob Cousy	20.7	6.7	9.1	31.8	83.1
Tom Heinsohn	24	12.6	2.1	40.4	70.8
Bill Russell	13.3	22.9	3.3	35.6	48.8
Bill Sharman	21.9	3.7	3	37.3	95.9

Tommy Heinsohn had a great year in 1956-57, winning Rookie of the Year, making the All Star game, and winning an NBA championship. Had he won Finals MVP, he probably would’ve been the only player in NBA history to do all four in one season. Magic Johnson won a title and Finals MVP as a rookie in 1980, but Rookie of the Year went to Larry Bird. I went with Tommy for ‘57 because he led the team in scoring on relatively good efficiency and put up impressive rebounding numbers. Russell was as usual way ahead of everybody in rebounding, but wasn’t lighting it up in other areas. Cousy’s points and assists are impressive, but his field goal percentage was downright bad.

1958: Bob Pettit, age 25, power forward, St. Louis Hawks

1958 Finals	PTS	TRB	AST	FG%	FT%
Cliff Hagan	25.2	9.7	3.5	44.2	86.8
Slater Martin	12.2	4.5	3.3	31.9	65.9
Jack McMahon	8.3	3.3	4.2	42	53.3
Bob Pettit	29.3	17	2.2	42.3	75.9

Big Bob Pettit was dominant in the only Finals victory in the history of the Hawks franchise, be it in St. Louis or elsewhere. His scoring and rebounding led the team, and his shooting wasn’t bad either by the standards of the day. Cliff Hagan was impressive as well, but only had Pettit decisively beat in free throw shooting, which I consider the least important category.

1959: Tom Heinsohn, age 24, power forward, Boston Celtics

1959 Finals	PTS	TRB	AST	FG%	FT%
Bob Cousy	16.8	8	12.8	30.8	61.3
Tom Heinsohn	24.3	8.8	3	47.5	80.8
Frank Ramsey	22.5	5.8	2.5	47.1	86.7
Bill Russell	9.3	29.5	5.3	31.6	44.8

I have Heinsohn again for 1959, as he led the Celtics in points and field goal percentage and averaged nearly nine rebounds. Frank Ramsey’s stats were close though, but he only has Tommy beat in free throw percentage.

1960: Bill Russell, age 26, center, Boston Celtics

1960 Finals	PTS	TRB	AST	FG%	FT%
Bob Cousy	14.4	3.7	10	31.1	82.6
Tom Heinsohn	22.4	9.7	2.1	42.3	61
Frank Ramsey	18.4	7.3	1	48	81.6
Bill Russell	16.7	24.9	3	47.1	68.5

1960 was a tough one, but I decided to go with Bill Russell for the first of six times. He was way ahead of everyone in rebounding, but also put up nearly 17 points on pretty good shooting and averaged more assists than Heinsohn or Ramsey. Russell’s free throw shooting still wasn’t great, but it was much improved compared to 1957 and ‘59. Heinsohn would probably just edge out Ramsey as my second choice, and both had a strong series.

1961: Bill Russell, age 27, center, Boston Celtics

1961 Finals	PTS	TRB	AST	FG%	FT%
Bob Cousy	19.8	5	10.6	36	81.4
Frank Ramsey	15.2	5	2	39.7	81.5
Bill Russell	17.6	28.8	4.4	42.9	44.9

I had to break my own rule a little to make this one more interesting. The Celtics only played two guys for an average of thirty or more minutes this series, those being Russell and Cousy, and Ramsey only played 29.6 minutes. I went with Russell again for this year due to his rebounding, having the best shooting of the three, and the fact that he only averaged 2.2 points less than Cousy, who would’ve been my second choice.

1962: Bill Russell, age 28, center, Boston Celtics

1962 Finals	PTS	TRB	AST	FG%	FT%
Bob Cousy	16.6	3.7	9.3	38.5	61.1
Tom Heinsohn	19.3	6.1	2.4	38.6	77.1
Sam Jones	22.1	6	3	50.7	73.1
Bill Russell	22.9	27	5.7	54.3	74.2
Tom Sanders	12.7	6.6	1.6	50.7	93.8

1962 was a real no-doubter for Russell, as he led the team in points, rebounds and shooting and was pretty good from the line as well. His nearly six assists were also impressive for a big man, especially in that era. Sam Jones was their second best player, but it wasn’t that close.

1963: Bill Russell, age 29, center, Boston Celtics

1963 Finals	PTS	TRB	AST	FG%	FT%
Bob Cousy	12.2	2.7	8.5	33.3	78.6
Tom Heinsohn	23.3	9.2	1.3	41.2	74.4
Sam Jones	24.7	7.3	3.2	45.2	87.2
Bill Russell	20	26	5.3	46.7	69.2
Tom Sanders	13.5	9.7	1.3	48.6	68.4

I gave Russell his fourth straight for ‘63, although you could make a case for Sam Jones, as well. Jones averaged 4.7 more points and was the much better free throw shooter, but Russell’s higher rebounding, assist, and field goal percentage numbers outweigh that for me.

1964: Sam Jones, age 30, shooting guard, Boston Celtics

1964 Finals	PTS	TRB	AST	FG%	FT%
Tom Heinsohn	15	8.8	2.2	35.4	77.3
K.C. Jones	6.4	2.6	6.6	34.3	57.1
Sam Jones	21.2	4.4	2.8	55.6	70.3
Bill Russell	11.2	25.2	5	38.6	48
Tom Sanders	10.2	6.2	0.2	38.8	72.2

This year I handed it over to the sometimes overlooked and underrated Sam Jones, who not only outscored Russell by ten points a game, but shot the ball extremely well from the field and was much better at the line. Russell is certainly my second choice, but Jones’ high and efficient scoring outweighs Russell’s rebounding and passing for me this time.

1965: Bill Russell, age 31, center, Boston Celtics

1965 Finals	PTS	TRB	AST	FG%	FT%
John Havlicek	18.2	5.6	2.2	39.1	86.4
K.C. Jones	11.4	2.6	6.6	46	78.6
Sam Jones	27.8	4.8	2.6	47	87.9
Bill Russell	17.8	25	5.8	70.2	57.5
Tom Sanders	13.8	8.8	2	39.1	68.2

This was another of Russell’s best finals, and his 70.2% from the field is an absolute outlier. His rebounding was superb as always, his scoring was up from the year before, and he averaged 0.8 assists less than the leader, K.C. Jones. Sam Jones would’ve been my second choice, and his 27.8 points is very impressive, as is his free throw shooting.

1966: Bill Russell, 32, center, Boston Celtics

1966 Finals	PTS	TRB	AST	FG%	FT%
John Havlicek	23	10	4	42.7	89.2
K.C. Jones	7.3	3.1	4.4	37.7	72.2
Sam Jones	22.9	6.4	3.3	40.6	88.9
Bill Russell	23.6	24.3	3.7	53.8	74
Tom Sanders	14.7	6.4	1.9	48.8	84

1966 might’ve been the best of all of Russell’s twelve Finals appearances. He put up basically 24, 24 and 4 on good shooting, both from the field and at the line. It was a strong showing for John Havlicek as well, but nobody was even close to eclipsing Russell’s impact in this one.

1967: Wilt Chamberlain, 30, center, Philadelphia 76ers

1967 Finals	PTS	TRB	AST	FG%	FT%
Wilt Chamberlain	17.7	28.5	6.8	56	30.6
Billy Cunningham	19.7	5.7	3	44.9	53.7
Hal Greer	26	8	6.2	39.9	82.6
Luke Jackson	9.2	12.5	1.8	36.8	61.9
Wali Jones	20.2	3.5	5.3	45.5	75
Chet Walker	23.3	8.8	3.3	45.1	77.4

This year was a change of pace, as finally a team besides the Celtics won it all. This is an easy choice, as Wilt led the team in rebounding, assists and field goal percentage, even if four of his teammates had more points. Wilt still scored plenty and very efficiently, and his teams always did better when he didn’t try to do everything. For my second choice, I’d probably go with Chet Walker.

1968: John Havlicek, 28, shooting guard, Boston Celtics

1968 Finals	PTS	TRB	AST	FG%	FT%
John Havlicek	27.3	8.7	6.7	42.1	88.5
Bailey Howell	21	7.5	1.2	56.7	72.7
Sam Jones	17.5	3.2	2.8	43.6	85
Bill Russell	17.3	21.8	5.7	43	60
Larry Siegfried	15.5	3	4	41.3	84.4

This was a tough choice, but I went with Havlicek. There’s a case to be made for Russell with his insane rebounding and strong passing and scoring, but I think Havlicek edges him out. He averaged ten more points, one more assist, shot much better at the line, had a nearly equal field goal percentage and rebounded better than anyone but Russell. Bailey Howell had a nice series as well.

1969: John Havlicek, 29, shooting guard, Boston Celtics

1969 Finals	PTS	TRB	AST	FG%	FT%
Em Bryant	11	5	2.7	40.3	88.2
John Havlicek	28.3	11	4.4	45.7	84.7
Sam Jones	18.7	3.6	2.3	47.1	82.6
Bill Russell	9.1	21.1	5.1	39.7	58.3

This was an easier decision in Havlicek’s favor. He was way ahead in points, not to mention the double digit rebounding, and he shot the ball pretty well, too. Russell’s rebounding was great as always, but his shooting and scoring were too low to consider giving him the award. Either Russell or Jones would be my second choice among the Celtics. So what about the real winner, Jerry West? Personally, I don’t have a huge problem with him getting it. It was the first ever Finals MVP, and the precedent hadn’t been set that it would always go to a player from the winning team, and statistically, West was the best player in that series. Still, it is slightly irritating to me that in any other year, one of the Celtics (probably John Havlicek) would’ve gotten the award and had it to add to their legacy.

Boston Celtics Championship teams ranked

This is a simple list ordered by each team’s total winning percentage. I made it to give myself some context about how great these teams were relative to each other, who the best players were on those teams, who coached them, who they had to beat to get that banner, and how good their opposition was.

#17: 1968-69
Regular Season: 48-34 (.585)
Playoffs: 12-6 (.667)
Total: 60-40 (.600)
Longest streak: 7 games
Coach: Bill Russell

Award Winners;
John Havlicek: 2^nd Team All-NBA, 2^nd Team All-Defense, All Star
Bill Russell: 1^st Team All-Defense, All Star
Tom Sanders: 2^nd Team All-Defense

Leaders;
Points: John Havlicek (21.6), Bailey Howell (19.7), Sam Jones (16.3)
Rebounds: Bill Russell (19.3), Bailey Howell (8.8), John Havlicek (7)
Assists: John Havlicek (5.4), Bill Russell (4.9), Larry Siegfried (4.7)
Win shares: Bailey Howell (11.3), Bill Russell (10.9), Don Nelson (7.5)

Playoff opponents;
Philadelphia 76ers: 55-27 (4-1)
New York Knicks: 54-28 (4-2)
Los Angeles Lakers: 55-27 (4-3)

#16: 1956-57
Regular season: 44-28 (.611)
Playoffs: 7-3 (.700)
Total: 51-31 (.622)
Longest streak: 10 games
Coach: Red Auerbach

Award winners;
Bob Cousy: League MVP, 1^st Team All-NBA, All Star, All Star MVP
Tom Heinsohn: Rookie of the Year, All Star
Bill Sharman: 1^st Team All-NBA, All Star
Red Auerbach: All Star head coach

Leaders;
Points: Bill Sharman (21.1), Bob Cousy (20.6), Tom Heinsohn (16.2)
Rebounds: Bill Russell (19.6), Jim Loscutoff (10.4), Tom Heinsohn (9.8)
Assists: Bob Cousy (7.5), Bill Sharman (3.5), Andy Phillip (2.5)
Win shares: Bill Sharman (10.4), Bob Cousy (8.8), Tom Heinsohn (7.1)

Playoff opponents;
Syracuse Nationals: 38-34 (3-0)
St. Louis Hawks: 34-38 (4-3)

#15: 1967-68
Regular season: 54-28 (.675)
Playoffs: 12-7 (.632)
Total: 66-35 (.653)
Longest streak: 7 games
Coach: Bill Russell

Award winners;
John Havlicek: 2^nd Team All-NBA, All Star
Sam Jones: All Star
Bill Russell: 2^nd Team All-NBA, All Star

Leaders:
Points: Sam Jones (21.3), John Havlicek (20.7), Bailey Howell (19.8)
Rebounds: Bill Russell (18.6), Bailey Howell (9.8), John Havlicek (6.7)
Assists: John Havlicek (4.7), Larry Siegfried (4.7), Bill Russell (4.6)
Win Shares: Bailey Howell (10.1), Bill Russell (8.2), Sam Jones (7.7)

Playoff opponents;
Detroit Pistons: 40-42 (4-2)
Philadelphia 76ers: 62-20 (4-3)
Los Angeles Lakers: 52-30 (4-2)

#14: 1975-76
Regular Season: 54-28 (.659)
Playoffs: 12-6 (.667)
Total: 66-34 (.660)
Longest streak: 9 games
Coach: Tom Heinsohn

Award winners;
Dave Cowens: 2^nd Team All-NBA, 1^st Team All-Defense, All Star
John Havlicek: 2^nd Team All-NBA, 1^st Team All-Defense, All Star
Paul Silas: 1^st Team All-Defense
Jo Jo White: Finals MVP, All Star

Leaders;
Points: Dave Cowens (19), Jo Jo White (18.9), Charlie Scott (17.6)
Rebounds: Dave Cowens (16), Paul Silas (12.7), Charlie Scott (4.4)
Assists: Jo Jo White (5.4), Dave Cowens (4.2), Charlie Scott (4.2)
Steals: Jo Jo White (1.3), Charlie Scott (1.3), John Havlicek (1.3)
Blocks: Dave Cowens (0.9), John Havlicek (0.4), Paul Silas (0.4)
Win Shares: Dave Cowens (10.7), Jo Jo White (7.4), John Havlicek (7.4)

Playoff opponents;
Buffalo Braves: 46-36 (4-2)
Cleveland Cavaliers: 49-33 (4-2)
Phoenix Suns: 42-40 (4-2)

#13: 1965-66
Regular season: 54-26 (.675)
Playoffs: 11-6 (.647)
Total: 65-32 (.670)
Longest streak: 6 games
Coach: Red Auerbach

Award winners;
John Havlicek: 2^nd Team All-NBA, All Star
Sam Jones: 2^nd Team All-NBA, All Star
Bill Russell: 2^nd Team All-NBA, All Star
Red Auerbach: All Star head coach

Leaders;
Points: Sam Jones (23.5), John Havlicek (18.8), Larry Siegfried (13.7)
Rebounds: Bill Russell (22.8), Tom Sanders (7.1), Mel Counts (6.4)
Assists: K.C. Jones (6.3), Bill Russell (4.8), Sam Jones (3.2)
Win Shares: Bill Russell (11.7), Sam Jones (10), K.C. Jones (6.6)

Playoff opponents:
Cincinnati Royals: 45-35 (3-2)
Philadelphia 76ers: 55-25 (4-1)
Los Angeles Lakers: 45-35 (4-3)

#12: 1973-74
Regular season: 56-26 (.683)
Playoffs: 12-6 (.667)
Total: 68-32 (.680)
Longest streak: 12 games
Coach: Tom Heinsohn

Award winners;
Don Chaney: 1^st Team All-Defense
Dave Cowens: All Star
John Havlicek: Finals MVP, 1^st Team All-NBA, 1st Team All-Defense, All Star
Jo Jo White: All Star
Tom Heinsohn: All Star head coach

Leaders;
Points: John Havlicek (22.6), Dave Cowens (19), Jo Jo White (18.1)
Rebounds: Dave Cowens (15.7), Paul Silas (11.2), John Havlicek (6.4)
Assists: John Havlicek (5.9), Jo Jo White (5.5), Dave Cowens (4.4)
Steals: John Havlicek (1.3), Jo Jo White (1.3), Dave Cowens (1.2)
Blocks: Dave Cowens (1.3), Don Chaney (0.8), John Havlicek (0.4)
Win Shares: John Havlicek (9.7), Dave Cowens (9.3), Paul Silas (7.3)

Playoff opponents;
Buffalo Braves: 42-40 (4-2)
New York Knicks: 49-33 (4-1)
Milwaukee Bucks: 59-23 (4-3)

#11: 1962-63
Regular season: 58-22 (.725)
Playoffs: 8-5 (.615)
Total: 66-27 (.710)
Longest streak: 6 games
Coach: Red Auerbach

Award winners;
Bob Cousy: 2^nd Team All-NBA, All Star
John Havlicek: 1^st Team All-Rookie
Tom Heinsohn: 2^nd Team All-NBA, All Star
Bill Russell: League MVP, 1^st Team All-NBA, All Star, All Star MVP
Red Auerbach: All Star head coach

Leaders;
Points: Sam Jones (19.7), Tom Heinsohn (18.9), Bill Russell (16.8)
Rebounds: Bill Russell (23.6), Tom Heinsohn (7.5), Tom Sanders (7.2)
Assists: Bob Cousy (6.8), Bill Russell (4.5), K.C. Jones (4)
Win Shares: Bill Russell (13.5), Sam Jones (9.6), Tom Sanders (6.8)

Playoff opponents;
Cincinnati Royals: 42-38 (4-3)
Los Angeles Lakers: 53-27 (4-2)

#10: 1958-59
Regular season: 52-20 (.722)
Playoffs: 8-3 (.727)
Total: 60-23 (.723)
Longest streak: 11 games
Coach: Red Auerbach

Award winners;
Bob Cousy: 1^st Team All-NBA, All Star
Bill Russell: 1^st Team All-NBA, All Star
Bill Sharman: 1^st Team All-NBA, All Star
Red Auerbach: All Star head coach

Leaders;
Points: Bill Sharman (20.4), Bob Cousy (20), Tom Heinsohn (18.8)
Rebounds: Bill Russell (23), Tom Heinsohn (9.7), Jim Loscutoff (7)
Assists: Bob Cousy (8.6), Bill Russell (3.2), Tom Heinsohn (2.5)
Win Shares: Bill Russell (12.9), Bob Cousy (8.7), Bill Sharman (7.6)

Playoff opponents;
Syracuse Nationals: 35-37 (4-3)
Minneapolis Lakers: 33-39 (4-0)

#9: 1961-62
Regular season: 60-20 (.750)
Playoffs: 8-6 (.571)
Total: 68-26 (.723)
Longest streak: 9 games
Coach: Red Auerbach

Award winners;
Bob Cousy: 2^nd Team All-NBA, All Star
Tom Heinsohn: 2^nd Team All-NBA, All Star
Sam Jones: All Star
Bill Russell: League MVP, 2^nd Team All-NBA, All Star
Red Auerbach: All Star head coach

Leaders;
Points: Tom Heinsohn (22.1), Bill Russell (18.9), Sam Jones (18.4)
Rebounds: Bill Russell (23.6), Tom Heinsohn (9.5), Tom Sanders (9.5)
Assists: Bob Cousy (7.8), Bill Russell (4.5), K.C. Jones (4.3)
Win Shares: Bill Russell (15.5), Sam Jones (9.6), Tom Heinsohn (9.3)

Playoff opponents;
Philadelphia Warriors: 49-31 (4-3)
Los Angeles Lakers: 54-26 (4-3)

#8: 1960-61
Regular season: 57-22 (.722)
Playoffs: 8-2 (.800)
Total: 65-24 (.730)
Longest streak: 9 games
Coach: Red Auerbach

Award winners;
Bob Cousy: 1^st Team All-NBA, All Star
Tom Heinsohn: 2^nd Team All-NBA, All Star
Bill Russell: League MVP, 2^nd Team All-NBA, All Star
Red Auerbach: All Star

Leaders;
Points: Tom Heinsohn (21.3), Bob Cousy (18.1), Bill Russell (16.9)
Rebounds: Bill Russell (23.9), Tom Heinsohn (9.9), Gene Conley (7.3)
Assists: Bob Cousy (7.7), Bill Russell (3.4), K.C. Jones (3.2)
Win Shares: Bill Russell (13), Sam Jones (8.1), Bob Cousy (7.2)

Playoff opponents;
Syracuse Nationals: 34-41 (4-1)
St. Louis Hawks: 51-28 (4-1)

#7: 1983-84
Regular season: 62-20 (.756)
Playoffs: 15-8 (.652)
Total: 77-28 (.733)
Longest streak: 9 games
Coach: K.C. Jones

Award winners;
Larry Bird: League MVP, Finals MVP, 1^st Team All-NBA, 2^nd Team All-Defense, All Star
Dennis Johnson: 2^nd Team All-Defense
Kevin McHale: 6^th Man of the Year, All Star
Robert Parish: All Star
K.C. Jones: All Star head coach

Leaders;
Points: Larry Bird (24.2), Robert Parish (19), Kevin McHale (18.4)
Rebounds: Robert Parish (10.7), Larry Bird (10.1), Kevin McHale (7.4)
Assists: Larry Bird (6.6), Dennis Johnson (4.2), Gerald Henderson (3.8)
Steals: Larry Bird (1.8), Gerald Henderson (1.5), Dennis Johnson (1.2)
Blocks: Robert Parish (1.5), Kevin McHale (1.5), Larry Bird (0.9)
Win Shares: Larry Bird (13.6), Robert Parish (10.5), Kevin McHale (10.5)

Playoff opponents;
Washington Bullets: 35-47 (3-1)
New York Knicks: 47-35 (4-3)
Milwaukee Bucks: 50-32 (4-1)
Los Angeles Lakers: 54-28 (4-3)

#6: 1963-64
Regular season: 59-21 (.738)
Playoffs: 8-2 (.800)
Total: 67-23 (.744)
Longest streak: 8 games
Coach: Red Auerbach

Award winners;
John Havlicek: 2^nd Team All-NBA
Tom Heinsohn: 2^nd Team All-NBA, All Star
Sam Jones: All Star
Bill Russell: 2^nd Team All-NBA, All Star
Red Auerbach: All Star head coach

Leaders;
Points: John Havlicek (19.9), Sam Jones (19.4), Tom Heinsohn (16.5)
Rebounds: Bill Russell (24.7), Tom Sanders (8.3), Tom Heinsohn (6.1)
Assists: K.C. Jones (5.1), Bill Russell (4.7), John Havlicek (3)
Win Shares: Bill Russell (17.3), Sam Jones (8.9), John Havlicek (7.7)

Playoff opponents;
Cincinnati Royals: 55-25 (4-1)
San Francisco Warriors: 48-32 (4-1)

#5: 1980-81
Regular season: 62-20 (.756)
Playoffs: 12-5 (.706)
Total: 74-25 (.747)
Longest streak: 13 games
Coach: Bill Fitch

Award winners;
Tiny Archibald: 2^nd Team All-NBA, All Star, All Star MVP
Larry Bird: 1^st Team All-NBA, All Star
Cedric Maxwell: Finals MVP
Kevin McHale: 1^st Team All-Rookie
Robert Parish: All Star

Leaders;
Points: Larry Bird (21.2), Robert Parish (18.9), Cedric Maxwell (15.2)
Rebounds: Larry Bird (10.9), Robert Parish (9.5), Cedric Maxwell (6.5)
Assists: Tiny Archibald (7.7), Larry Bird (5.5), Chris Ford (3.6)
Steals: Larry Bird (2), Chris Ford (1.2), Cedric Maxwell (1)
Blocks: Robert Parish (2.6), Kevin McHale (1.8), Larry Bird (0.8)
Win Shares: Cedric Maxwell (11), Robert Parish (10.9), Larry Bird (10.8)

Playoff opponents;
Chicago Bulls: 45-37 (4-0)
Philadelphia 76ers: 62-20 (4-3)
Houston Rockets: 40-42 (4-2)

#4: 2007-08
Regular season: 66-16 (.805)
Playoffs: 16-10 (.615)
Total: 82-26 (.759)
Longest streak: 10 games
Coach: Doc Rivers

Award winners;
Ray Allen: All Star
Kevin Garnett: Defensive Player of the Year, 1^st Team All-NBA, 1^st Team All-Defense
Paul Pierce: Finals MVP, 3^rd Team All-NBA, All Star

Leaders;
Points: Paul Pierce (19.6), Kevin Garnett (18.8), Ray Allen (17.4)
Rebounds: Kevin Garnett (9.2), Kendrick Perkins (6.1), Paul Pierce (5.1)
Assists: Rajon Rondo (5.1), Paul Pierce (4.5), Kevin Garnett (3.4)
Steals: Rajon Rondo (1.7), Kevin Garnett (1.4), Paul Pierce (1.3)
Blocks: Kendrick Perkins (1.5), Kevin Garnett (1.3), Paul Pierce (1.5)
Win Shares: Kevin Garnett (12.9), Paul Pierce (12.4), Ray Allen (9.7)

Playoff opponents;
Atlanta Hawks: 37-45 (4-3)
Cleveland Cavaliers: 45-37 (4-3)
Detroit Pistons: 59-23 (4-2)
Los Angeles Lakers: 57-25 (4-2)

#3: 1964-65
Regular season: 62-18 (.775)
Playoffs: 8-4 (.667)
Total: 70-22 (.761)
Longest streak: 16 games
Coach: Red Auerbach

Award winners;
Sam Jones: 2^nd Team All-NBA, All Star
Bill Russell: League MVP, 1^st Team All-NBA, All Star
Red Auerbach: Coach of the Year, All Star head coach

Leaders;
Points: Sam Jones (25.9), John Havlicek (18.3), Bill Russell (14.1)
Rebounds: Bill Russell (24.1), Tom Sanders (8.3), Tom Heinsohn (6)
Assists: K.C. Jones (5.6), Bill Russell (5.3), Sam Jones (2.8)
Win Shares: Bill Russell (16.9), Sam Jones (12.8), Tom Sanders (7.5)

Playoff opponents;
Philadelphia 76ers: 40-40 (4-3)
Los Angeles Lakers: 49-31 (4-1)

#2: 1959-60
Regular season: 59-16 (.787)
Playoffs: 8-5 (.613)
Total: 67-21 (.761)
Longest streak: 17 games
Coach: Red Auerbach

Award winners;
Bob Cousy: 1^st Team All-NBA, All Star
Bill Russell: 2^nd Team All-NBA, All Star
Bill Sharman: 2^nd Team All-NBA, All Star
Red Auerbach: All Star head coach

Leaders;
Points: Tom Heinsohn (21.7), Bob Cousy (19.4), Bill Sharman (19.3)
Rebounds: Bill Russell (24), Tom Heinsohn (10.6), Gene Conley (8.3)
Assists: Bob Cousy (9.5), Bill Russell (3.7), K.C. Jones (2.6)
Win Shares: Bill Russell (13.8), Bill Sharman (7.9), Bob Cousy (7.8)

Playoff opponents;
Philadelphia Warriors: 49-26 (4-2)
St. Louis Hawks: 46-29 (4-3)

#1: 1985-86
Regular season: 67-15 (.817)
Playoffs: 15-3 (.833)
Total: 82-18 (.820)
Longest streak: 14 games
Coach: K.C. Jones

Award winners;
Larry Bird: League MVP, Finals MVP, 1^st Team All-NBA, All Star
Dennis Johnson: 2^nd Team All-Defense
Kevin McHale: 1^st Team All-Defense, All Star
Robert Parish: All Star
Bill Walton: 6^th Man of the Year
K.C. Jones: All Star head coach

Leaders;
Points: Larry Bird (25.8), Kevin McHale (21.3), Robert Parish (16.1)
Rebounds: Larry Bird (9.8), Robert Parish (9.5), Kevin McHale (8.1)
Assists: Larry Bird (6.8), Dennis Johnson (5.8), Danny Ainge (5.1)
Steals: Larry Bird (2), Dennis Johnson (1.4), Danny Ainge (1.2)
Blocks: Kevin McHale (2), Robert Parish (1.4), Bill Walton (1.3)
Win Shares: Larry Bird (15.8), Kevin McHale (11), Robert Parish (9.2)

Playoff opponents
Chicago Bulls: 30-52 (3-0)
Atlanta Hawks: 50-32 (4-1)
Milwaukee Bucks: 57-25 (4-0)
Houston Rockets: 51-31 (4-2)

Bill Russell vs. Wilt Chamberlain: What Really Happened?

There’s two narratives I always hear about the eight times Bill Russell’s Celtics faced one of Wilt Chamberlain’s teams in the playoffs in the 1960s. Many people say that Russell, one of the greatest defensive players of all time, absolutely shut Wilt down and basically wiped the floor with him. Others claim that the first notion is all wrong, that Russell barely slowed Wilt down at all, and the only reason Chamberlain usually lost to the Celtics was that they were the better team. As you’ll see though, there were three occasions when the Celtics had a worse record that Wilt’s team but won anyway (1966, ’68 and ’69).

Bill Russell joined the Celtics in 1956 at age 22 and Wilt Chamberlain joined the Warriors in 1959 at age 23. Wilt reached the NBA at a relatively late age because he missed a year of school as a child due to health problems, and thus didn’t start college until age 19. Russell attended the University of San Francisco and won two NCAA Championships there in 1955 and ’56 and won a gold medal with Team USA at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. Wilt went to the University of Kansas and led the Jayhawks to the National Championship game in 1957, but lost to the University of North Carolina. He decided not to return to school in ’58-59 for his senior year, instead playing for the Harlem Globetrotters before he was drafted by Philadelphia.

Both players had immediate success; Russell won his first of eleven NBA titles as a rookie in 1957 and won the first of five League MVPs in ’58. Wilt was MVP, Rookie of the Year and All Star MVP in 1960. He would win three more MVPs, but didn’t win his first championship until 1967. The two all time greats became good friends once Wilt joined the league, and Russ was very supportive of the younger star. They sometimes spent holidays together, and some thought the ultra-competitive Russell was actually buttering Wilt up so he’d take it easier on his Celtics. When asked if he saw Wilt as his greatest rival, Russell stated that he saw him as his greatest competitor, as he saw Wilt as his friend and not his rival.

The two had a falling out after the 1969 NBA Finals and Russell’s subsequent retirement. Chamberlain, now on the Lakers, sat on the bench during the closing minutes of game seven, and Russell publicly questioned why Wilt hadn’t been in the game, which the Celtics won by just two points. Bill may not have known it at the time, but Wilt went off the floor after hurting his foot, and later requested to be put back in. Lakers’ coach Butch van Breda Kolff refused, saying the team was playing better without him. Luckily the two reconciled years before Wilt’s death in 1999 at age 63.

1960

Boston Celtics: 59-16
Philadelphia Warriors: 49-26
The Celtics beat The Warriors 4-2 in the Eastern Division Finals

Russell’s regular season vs. Divsion Finals

G	MP	FG	FG%	FT	FT%	TRB	AST	PF	PTS
74	42.5	7.5	46.7	3.2	61.2	24	3.7	2.8	18.2
6	42.8	9	44.6	2.7	76.2	27	2.8	4.3	20.7

Wilt’s regular season vs. Division Finals

G	MP	FG	FG%	FT	FT%	TRB	AST	PF	PTS
72	46.4	14.8	46.1	8	58.2	27	2.3	2.1	37.6
6	45.5	12.3	50	5.8	49.3	27.5	2	2.2	30.5

As you can see, Wilt put up big numbers in the series against the Celtics, but his points were down by 7.1 a game, which represents an 18.9% decrease. Meanwhile, Russell’s scoring went up a bit.

1962

Boston Celtics: 60-20
Philadelphia Warriors: 49-31
The Celtics beat the Warriors 4-3 in the Eastern Division Finals

Russell’s regular season vs. Division Finals

G	MP	FG	FG%	FT	FT%	TRB	AST	PF	PTS
76	45.2	7.6	45.7	3.8	59.5	23.6	4.5	2.7	18.9
7	47.7	8.4	39.9	5.1	70.6	25.9	4.3	4	22

Wilt’s regular season vs. Division Finals

G	MP	FG	FG%	FT	FT%	TRB	AST	PF	PTS
80	48.5	20	50.6	10.4	61.3	25.7	2.4	1.5	50.4
7	48	12.6	46.8	8.4	64.8	26.9	2.9	2.3	33.6

Wilt’s 50.4 points a game in ’61-62 is a single season record that still stands, and there’s no shame in only averaging 33 points a game in a playoff series, but the drop of almost seventeen points a game represented a full third of his production.

1964

Boston Celtics: 59-21
San Francisco Warriors: 48-23
The Celtics beat the Warriors 4-1 in the NBA Finals

Russell’s regular season vs. NBA Finals

G	MP	FG	FG%	FT	FT%	TRB	AST	PF	PTS
78	44.6	6	43.3	3	55	24.7	4.7	2.4	15
5	42.8	4.4	38.6	2.4	48	25.2	5	4	11.2

Wilt’s regular season vs. NBA Finals

G	MP	FG	FG%	FT	FT%	TRB	AST	PF	PTS
80	46.1	15.1	52.4	6.8	53.1	22.3	5	2.3	36.9
5	46	12.4	51.7	4.4	41.5	27.5	2.4	2.4	29.2

Although this series was pretty one-sided in favor of the Celtics, neither player really excelled. Russell averaged just over 11 points on low efficiency and Wilt saw about a 20% drop in scoring and only improved in terms of rebounding.

1965

Boston Celtics: 62-18
Philadelphia 76ers: 40-40
The Celtics beat the 76ers 4-3 in the Eastern Division Finals
Note: Wilt was traded to the 76ers from the Warriors mid-season and only played 35 games for Philadelphia that year.

Russell’s regular season vs. Division Finals

G	MP	FG	FG%	FT	FT%	TRB	AST	PF	PTS
78	44.4	5.5	43.8	3.1	57.3	24.1	5.3	2.6	14.1
7	48.6	6.6	44.7	2.4	47.2	25.3	6.7	4.1	15.6

Wilt’s regular season vs. Division Finals

G	MP	FG	FG%	FT	FT%	TRB	AST	PF	PTS
73	45.2	14.6	51	5.6	46.4	22.9	3.4	2	34.7
7	48.7	11.6	55.5	7	57.6	31.4	3.3	2.9	30.1

A very good series for Wilt, but once again we see his points dropping while Russell’s increase slightly. His rebounding took a big jump, however.

1966

Boston Celtics: 54-26
Philadelphia 76ers: 55-25
The Celtics beat the 76ers 4-1 in the Eastern Division Finals

Russell’s regular season vs. Division Finals

G	MP	FG	FG%	FT	FT%	TRB	AST	PF	PTS
78	43.4	5	41.5	2.9	55.1	22.8	4.8	2.8	12.9
5	N/A	5	42.4	4	57.1	26.2	5.6	3.2	14

Wilt’s regular season vs. Division Finals

G	MP	FG	FG%	FT	FT%	TRB	AST	PF	PTS
79	47.3	13.6	54	6.3	51.3	24.6	5.2	2.2	33.5
5	N/A	11.2	50.9	5.6	41.2	30.2	3	2	28

This was another series where Wilt declined in most categories besides rebounding, while Russell increased his impact in most areas.

1967

Boston Celtics: 60-21
Philadelphia 76ers: 68-13
The 76ers beat the Celtics 4-1 in the Eastern Division Finals

Russell’s regular season vs. Division Finals

G	MP	FG	FG%	FT	FT%	TRB	AST	PF	PTS
81	40.7	4.9	45.4	3.5	61	21	5.8	3.2	13.3
5	45.6	3.8	35.8	3.8	67.9	23.4	6	3.6	11.4

Wilt’s regular season vs. Division Finals

G	MP	FG	FG%	FT	FT%	TRB	AST	PF	PTS
81	45.5	9.7	68.3	4.8	44.1	24.2	7.8	1.8	24.1
5	47.8	8	55.6	5.6	51.9	32	10	2.8	21.6

This was the year Wilt and the Sixers finally got the best of Russell and the Celtics, who were trying for their ninth straight championship. Wilt had a great series, averaging a triple double, but his points were down and his field goal percentage took a big hit. Russell had good rebounding and assist numbers, but he only scored 11.4 points on poor efficiency.

1968

Boston Celtics: 54-28
Philadelphia 76ers: 62-20
The Celtics beat the 76ers 4-3 in the Eastern Division Finals

Russell’s regular season vs. Division Finals

G	MP	FG	FG%	FT	FT%	TRB	AST	PF	PTS
78	37.9	4.7	42.5	3.2	53.7	18.6	4.6	3.1	12.5
7	46	5.3	44	3.1	59.5	23.9	4.1	3.9	13.7

Wilt’s regular season vs. Division Finals

G	MP	FG	FG%	FT	FT%	TRB	AST	PF	PTS
82	46.8	10	59.5	4.3	38	23.8	8.6	2	24.3
7	47.9	8.3	48.7	5.6	42.4	25.1	6.7	2	22.1

Not a big drop in points for Wilt in this one, but his field goal percentage took a big hit and his assists were down as well. As for Russell, his numbers were all up other than assists.

1969

Boston Celtics: 48-34
Los Angeles Lakers: 55-27
The Celtics beat the Lakers 4-3 in the NBA Finals

Russell’s regular season vs. NBA Finals

G	MP	FG	FG%	FT	FT%	TRB	AST	PF	PTS
77	42.7	3.6	43.3	2.6	52.6	19.3	4.9	3	9.9
7	48	3.6	39.7	2	58.3	21.1	5.1	4.1	9.1

Wilt’s regular season vs. NBA Finals

G	MP	FG	FG%	FT	FT%	TRB	AST	PF	PTS
81	45.3	7.9	58.3	4.7	44.6	21.1	4.5	1.8	20.5
7	47.3	4.1	50	3.4	37.5	25	3	3	11.7

Wilt had such a drop off in points in the Finals that I suspect that it had more to do with a change in strategy for LA or an injury than Boston’s defense, but I’m really not sure.

Stats don’t always tell the whole story, but my conclusion from these numbers is that by normal human standards, Wilt played amazing basketball in most of these series. By Wilt’s standards though, it’s clear that the Celtics’ defense, anchored by Russell, made a real impact on his ability to score, which with the exception of ’67, always gave the Celts a chance to win.

The Top 10 NBA Teams of All Time: #5, The 1967 Philadelphia 76ers

#5
The 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers
Regular Season: 68-13 (84)
Playoffs: 11-4 (73.3)
Total: 79-17 (82.3)

Award winners;
Wilt Chamberlain: League MVP, 1^st Team All-NBA, All Star
Hal Greer: 2^nd Team All-NBA, All Star
Chet Walker: All Star

Wilt Chamberlain is one of the more interesting figures in NBA history. He’s held up as maybe the greatest ever by some old timers and gets dismissed as “trash” by some young fans who write off his competition as “plumbers” and “5’6 white guys.” On the court he could do seemingly anything he wanted. He was 7’1 and between 250 and 300 pounds when the average NBA player was an inch or two shorter than they are now. He was maybe the strongest guy ever to play in the league. He was obsessed with statistical accomplishments, but always met his goals. He was determined to maintain his streak of never fouling out of a game, to the point that he’d kind of stop playing defense once he had four or five fouls on him. It worked though, and he never fouled out once in high school, college, or the NBA. In 1962 he wanted to average 50 points a game, so he did. In 1968 he wanted to lead the league in assists, so he did (technically it was total assists, not assists per game, but still). In 1973, he wanted to set a new record for field goal percentage, so he did. And in 1967 he wanted to win a championship. So he did.

Off the court, he appeared in a few movies and TV shows, was an excellent volleyball player and even founded a professional volleyball league, owned a nightclub, released an actually pretty good R&B single, wrote several non-fiction books, was an elite track and field athlete in college, was apparently a heck of a dancer, and claimed he had sex with 20,000 women (off the record he admitted it was more like 2,000, but still). One of these days I should write a full article on the life and times of Wilt Chamberlain, it’d probably be a good read.

Wilt started his career in 1959 with his hometown Philadelphia Warriors and moved with them to San Francisco in 1962. In 1964 he made the first of his six finals appearances but lost to the Boston Celtics, who put both Wilt and the 76ers franchise through all kinds of hell in the ‘60s. Midway through the ‘64-65 season, he was traded back home to the 76ers, who until recently had been the Syracuse Nationals. Wilt liked it in California and wasn’t thrilled to head back east, as evidenced by his move to the Lakers in 1968. He helped them reach the Division Finals against the Celtics, but had a possible victory snatched away from them by John Havlicek’s famous steal in the dying moments of game seven.

In 1965-66, Wilt’s first full season back in Philly, the Sixers improved from 40-40 to 55-25. In the division finals though, they lost in five games to who else but the Celtics, who were on their way to their eighth straight championship. It was already the ninth playoff meeting between the two franchises (seven of them took place when the Sixers were still the Nationals) and the fifth straight the Celtics had won. Boston was also 5-0 when facing Wilt’s teams in the playoffs at that point in his career.

Now that Wilt’s been covered, what about the 76ers themselves before ‘67? The team was still the Syracuse Nationals until 1963, and they made three finals while in upstate New York, winning a championship in 1955 against the Pistons. They had one of the best players of the era in big man Dolph Schayes, who retired in 1964. In 1958, the Nats drafted Hal Greer 6^th overall and picked up Chet Walker at 5^th in 1962. Not too long after the move to Philadelphia, Billy Cunningham was drafted 5^thoverall in 1965.

So what changed in the ‘67 season? For one thing, Wilt took a big step back. The 30 year old center went from taking 25.2 shots a game in ‘66 to 14.2 and his points per game dropped from 33.5 to 24.1. For the first time in his career he didn’t lead the league in scoring. He was scoring much more efficiently though and his field goal percentage rose greatly, from 54% up to 68.3, by far the highest of his career so far. His assists increased from 5.2 to 7.8 and his rebounds stayed about the same at 24.2. In other words, he was more of a team player than he ever had been before.

Chet Walker and Billy Cunningham on the other hand saw significant increases in points per game. Wilt led the way of course with his 24, 24 and 8 on 68% shooting, but he had an excellent supporting cast. 30 year old two guard Hal Greer averaged 22.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists. 26 year old small forward Chet Walker had 19.3 points and 8.3 rebounds on nearly 49% shooting. 23 year old small forward Billy Cunningham put up 18.5 points and 7.3 rebounds despite playing less than 27 minutes a game. The first 50 games of the season were an absolute cakewalk for these guys, who put up an insane record of 46-4. 46 wins out of a possible 50, that’s gotta be some kinda record. From late November to early January, they put up two separate eleven game winning streaks, for a total stretch of 22-1, and the team finished at 68-13.

In the first round of the playoffs, the Sixers faced Oscar Robertson and the 39-42 Cincinnati Royals (now Sacramento Kings). In game one the Royals surprised the 76ers in Philly, 120-116, despite Wilt having a monster game with 41 points, 22 rebounds and 5 assists on 19 of 30 shooting. Oscar had a great game too with 30 points and 16 assists, shooting 11 for 20 from the field and a perfect 11 of 11 from the line. It was over for Cincinnati after that though, and the Sixers won the next three games by 15 to 21 points to win the series. Game two was the biggest blowout, with Philly winning 123-102. Wilt had another absurd stat line, putting up a 37 point triple double with 27 rebounds and 11 assists while shooting 16 for 24.

In the division finals, both Wilt and the 76ers had a chance for revenge over the bane of their existence, the Boston Celtics, who’d won their eighth straight championship in 1966, went 60-21 in the ‘67 season and were led by Bill Russell, Sam Jones, John Havlicek and Bailey Howell. It was a chance they would not let slip away. Philly won the first three games, including a 127-113 win in game one where Hal Greer scored scored 39 points plus 6 assists, and Wilt had another crazy triple double with 23 points, 32 rebounds and 13 assists. The Celtics prevented a sweep by winning game four in Boston 121-117. Sam Jones was the high scorer with 32 points plus 7 rebounds, Havlicek had 31 points and 13 rebounds, and Russell grabbed 28 rebounds to go with 9 points and 5 assists. The Sixers really ran up the score in game five though, 140-116. Wilt was in God mode yet again, with 29 points, 36 rebounds and 13 assists for another triple double. Four other 76ers had at least 20 points, including Hal Greer, who led the team with 32, the others being Chet Walker, Wali Jones and Billy Cunningham. As the clock wound down, the jubilant Philadelphia crowd started chanting “BOSTON’S DEAD! BOSTON’S DEAD!” The fans had reason to hate the Celtics since the Philadelphia Warriors days and were finally getting their time in the sun as their boys crushed the team that’d won nine of the last ten titles.

In the NBA Finals, the Sixers faced Chamberlain’s (and Philadelphia’s) old team, the 44-37 San Francisco Warriors. They were led by 22 year old small forward Rick Barry, who’d led the league in scoring that year with 35.6 points a game. They also featured 25 year old center Nate Thurmond, who averaged 18.7 points and 21.3 rebounds. It was a high scoring series, as exemplified by the first game, which the Sixers won 141-135 in overtime. The 76ers biggest win was game two, at a score of 126-95. Hal Greer nearly had a triple double with 30 points, 12 rebounds and 9 assists, and Wilt had another real triple double with 38 rebounds, 10 points and 10 assists. The Warriors kept things interesting by winning game three back home in Daly City, 130-124. Rick Barry put up a ridiculous 55 points, 12 rebounds and 5 assists, with Nate Thurmond getting 17 points and 25 rebounds. Philly took a commanding 3-1 by taking game 4 122-108. The Warriors hung on to win game five 117-109, but Philly closed them out in game six on the road, 125-102. It’s honestly pretty damn impressive how close this 44 win Warriors team got to taking these 76ers to seven games. Rick Barry is a well-known asshole but the dude could play basketball. I really think he’d be ranked pretty highly on the all time list if not for the five years he missed so he could play in the ABA. But anyway, back to game six. Wilt had a big game as always with 24 points and 23 rebounds. Wali Jones led the scoring with 27 points plus 6 assists, Luke Jackson had 21 rebounds and 13 points and Chet Walker had 20 points and 7 rebounds. Wilt won Finals MVP, with averages of 17.7 points, 25.8 rebounds and 6.8 assists on 56% shooting.

So what happened to these guys? They had another strong season the next year, going 62-20, but Boston just wouldn’t stay dead. The Sixers lost to them in seven games in the division finals and the Celtics went on to win their tenth title. That Summer, Wilt requested a trade to the Los Angeles Lakers. Two of the players they got in return (Jerry Chambers and Archie Clark) played in an All Star game or two, but Wilt wasn’t really replaceable. The team still had Greer, Cunningham and Walker in ‘68-69 and won 55 games, but after that they started to slide into mediocrity. To find out what happened to Philly after that, I recommend reading the entry on the 1983 76ers. There’ll be more about Wilt as well in a later entry.

The Celtics Retired Numbers Series pt 2: Bob Cousy

#14 Bob Cousy, “Cooz,” Point Guard, 1950-1963

Born in Manhattan in 1928 and raised in Queens, Bob Cousy attended the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts from 1946 to ‘50 where he was a star player, winning the NCAA Tournament in 1947. He made Third, Second and then First Team All American in 1948, ‘49 and ‘50, and his number “17” was retired by the school.

Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach had the chance to draft him in 1950, and faced much pressure to do so, but decided against it, as he was skeptical his skills would translate to the NBA. He was drafted instead by the Tri-Cities Blackhawks (now the Atlanta Hawks) third overall, but the native New Yorker didn’t want to relocate to the Davenport, Iowa area and refused to report. He was picked up by the Chicago Stags, who folded before the ‘50-51 season began, and was acquired by the Celtics via dispersal draft soon after, much to the chagrin of team owner Walter Brown.

He made an immediate impact on the Celtics, who went 39 and 30 his rookie season (which was also Auerbach’s first as head coach), after going 22 and 46 and finishing at the bottom of the division the year before. With his flashy style of passing and dribbling he earned the nickname “Houdini of the Hardwood,” and was quickly considered one of the most entertaining players in the league as well as one of its best. The NBA was only four years old when his career began, and he helped put the new league on the map. Cousy was an All-Star his first year, an achievement he would repeat every season he played, an incredible thirteen times in a row, and was MVP of the All Star Game in 1954 and ‘57. He also served as the Celtics’ captain his entire playing career.

Cousy added to his basketball legacy by forming the NBA Players Association along with his agent, Joe Sharry, in 1954. The NBA was the first major North American professional sports league to be unionized, and Cousy served as the NBAPA’s first president until 1958, when he was replaced by teammate Tom Heinsohn.

Although the Celtics had some of the best offense in the league during the early and mid ‘50s, the era was dominated by center George Mikan and the Minneapolis Lakers. That changed with the Celtics’ acquisition of defensive powerhouse center Bill Russell in 1956. Cousy, Russell, and the Celtics won their first championship in 1957 against the St. Louis Hawks. Cousy would win five more with Boston, every year from 1959 until his retirement in ‘63; against the Minneapolis Lakers in ‘59, the Hawks again in ‘60 and ‘61, and the now Los Angeles Lakers in ‘62 and ‘63. The Celtics also made the finals in 1958, but lost to the Hawks.

Over the course of his career, Cousy made All-NBA First Team an incredible ten straight years, from 1952 to ‘61, All-NBA Second Team in 1962 and ‘63, and was League MVP in 1957. He also led the league in assists an amazing eight straight years, from 1953 to ‘60. His Number “14” was retired by the Celtics shortly after he retired in 1963.

He currently sits at number one all time among Celtics players in assists with 6,945, over 800 ahead of the man in second place, John Havlicek. He’s also number six in points and minutes played. His career highs include 9.5 assists per game in 1959-60 and 21.7 points per game in ‘51-52, and he scored a career high of fifty points in a playoff win against the Syracuse Nationals in March of ‘53.

Following his playing career, Cousy became head coach of Boston College from 1963 to ‘69, going 21 and 3 in ‘66-67 and making the Elite Eight. In 1969, Cousy became head coach of the Cincinnati Royals (now Sacramento Kings), who became the Kansas City Royals in 1972. He coached the team until part way through the ‘73-74 season, and even made a brief comeback as a player, appearing in seven games for the Royals in 1970; although his play after years of retirement was less than stellar, he succeeded in increasing ticket sales.

Following his pro coaching gig, Cousy served as the commissioner of the American Soccer League from 1974 to ‘79 and has appeared as a color commentator on Celtics broadcasts. Bob Cousy was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1971, and was selected to the NBA’s 25^th, 35^th, and 50^th Anniversary All Time Teams, one of only four players be chosen for all three; among the others was Cousy’s old teammate, Bill Russell.

The Celtics Retired Numbers Series pt. 3: Bill Sharman

#21 Bill Sharman, “Bullseye Bill,” Shooting Guard, 1951-1961

Born in Abilene, Texas in 1926, Bill Sharman re-located to Porterville, California by the time he was in high school. Sharman joined the US Navy after graduating in 1944, with World War II still raging. After serving, he attended the University of Southern California from 1946 to ‘50. In 1950, Sharman was First Team All-Conference for the second straight year and First Team All-American, and his number “11” has been retired by USC.

Sharman was picked 17^th overall in the 1950 NBA draft by the Washington Capitols. That year also marked the beginning of Sharman’s minor league baseball career, which lasted until 1955. In the end, he only played one season in Washington as the Capitols folded after his rookie year. He was then signed by the Fort Wayne (now Detroit) Pistons, who traded him to the Boston Celtics prior to the 1951-52 season.

Sharman was one of the best shooters of his generation, both from the field and especially from the free throw line, earning him the nickname “Bullseye Bill.” He led the league a record seven times in free throw percentage, including a record five times in a row from 1953 to ‘57.

With players like Bill Russell and Jim Loscutoff shoring up the defense on a team that already had excellent offense, the Celtics and Sharman won their first title in 1957 against the St. Louis Hawks. Sharman would win three more with the Celtics before he was done, against the Minneapolis Lakers in 1959 and the Hawks again in ‘60 and ‘61. The Celtics made the finals in 1958 as well, but lost to the Hawks.

Along with four titles, Sharman was named First Team All-NBA four straight years from 1956 to ‘59, All-NBA Second Team in 1953, ‘55 and ‘60, and was an All-Star eight straight years, from 1953 to ‘60. He currently sits at 11^th all time among Celtics players in points. Among his career highs are an astronomical 93% free throw percentage (an NBA record until the 1970s) in 1958-59 and 22.3 points per game in ‘57-58. He scored a career high 44 points in a December 1957 win against the New York Knicks. His number “21” was retired by the Boston Celtics in 1966. Sharman was further honored by being named to 25^th and 50^thAnniversary NBA All-Time Teams, and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1976.

In 1966, Sharman came back to the NBA as the coach of the San Francisco (now Golden State) Warriors. In his first season with the team, he made it to the NBA Finals but lost to a great Philadelphia 76ers team. The following year, which was his last with the Warriors, Sharman coached the Western Conference All-Star Team. After Leaving San Francisco, He became head coach of the American Basketball Association (ABA)’s Los Angeles Stars, who became the Utah Stars in 1970. He won a championship with them in 1971, before returning to the NBA to coach the Los Angles Lakers, who then featured Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West and Gail Goodrich.

His first season with LA was among the greatest in NBA history, with the Lakers going 69 and 13, winning a record 33 games in a row and winning their first NBA Championship since leaving Minneapolis, against the New York Knicks. Sharman did it alongside assistant coach and former Celtics teammate, KC Jones. He won a well deserved Coach of the Year award for his efforts. Sharman left the Lakers following the 1975-76 season. Bill Sharman was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame yet again in 2004, this time as a coach. He died in October of 2013 one week after suffering a stroke at the age of 87.

The Celtics Retired Numbers Series pt. 4: Frank Ramsey

#23 Frank Ramsey, “The Kentucky Colonel,” Shooting Guard, 1954-1964

Born in Corydon, Kentucky in 1931, Frank Ramsey attended the University of Kentucky from 1950 to ‘54, where he won an NCAA Championship and made Third Team All-American in 1951, and was Second Team All-American in 1952 and ‘54. His number “30” was retired by the school. He was drafted fifth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1953, but decided to remain at school another year and debuted in the NBA in 1954.

Ramsey then missed the entire 1955-56 season due to military service, but returned for 1956-57, which was Boston’s first championship season, with the Celtics beating the St. Louis Hawks in the finals. They would make the finals every year for the rest of his career, beating the Minneapolis Lakers in 1959, the Hawks again in ‘60 and ‘61, the now Los Angeles Lakers in ‘62 and ‘63, and the San Francisco Warriors in ‘64. The Celtics made it to the finals in 1958 as well, but lost to the Hawks.

Ramsey currently sits at 16^th all time in points among Celtics players, despite generally coming into games off the bench, and is considered the NBA’s first “sixth man.” His career highs include 16.5 points per game in 1957-58. He scored a career high 38 points in a January 1962 loss to the New York Knicks. Ramsey also served as team co-captain in 1963-64, alongside Bill Russell. He retired in 1964, the winner of seven championships, and his number “23” was retired by the Celtics that year.

Ramsey had been Red Auerbach’s choice to replace him after his retirement as head coach in 1966, but he turned it down, wanting to return to Kentucky. This led to Bill Russell taking on the role of player-coach that year.

In 1970, Ramsey became the head coach of his home state Kentucky Colonels of the American Basketball Association (ABA). Despite a 32 and 35 record under coach Ramsey, the Colonels did well enough to reach the 1971 ABA Finals against the Utah Stars, who were coached by his old Celtics teammate, Bill Sharman. The Colonels lost the series in seven games. Ramsey never went back to pro coaching after that season. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1982. Frank Ramsey died in July of 2018 at the age of 86.

The Celtics Retired Numbers Series pt. 5: Jim Loscutoff

#18 Jim Loscutoff, “Loscy,” Forward, 1955-1964

Born in San Francisco in 1930, Jim Loscutoff attended Grant Technical College near Sacramento, California from 1948 to 1950 before attending the University of Oregon off and on from 1950 to ‘55, making First Team All-Conference in his last year. He was drafted third overall by the Boston Celtics relatively late at age of 25.

The Celtics wanted to bolster their weak defense as a compliment to their already strong offense. Loscutoff set a then-team record of 26 rebounds in a single game during his rookie season. Their defense was further strengthened when they drafted future Hall of Fame center Bill Russell the following year.

The team won their first NBA Championship in 1957 against the St. Louis Hawks. Although Loscutoff wasn’t known for putting a lot of points on the board, he scored the winning free throws in double overtime in the deciding game. Loscy would win six more rings in Boston, first in 1959 against the Minneapolis Lakers, in ‘60 and ‘61 against the Hawks, in ‘62 and ‘63 against the now Los Angeles Lakers, and in ‘64 against the San Francisco Warriors. The Celtics made the finals in 1958 as well, but lost to the Hawks.

The team wished to retire Loscutoff’s number “18” after his retirement in 1964, but he asked that it be kept in circulation so it could be worn by a future Celtic. Instead, the team raised a banner bearing his nickname of “Loscy” to the rafters, and in 1970, a rookie center named Dave Cowens began wearing number “18.”

Loscutoff currently sits at number 42 all time among Celtics players in points, and his career highs include 10.6 points and 10.4 rebounds in 1956-57, despite playing less than 32 minutes per game. He scored a career high 26 points in a November 1956 win against the Minneapolis Lakers. Jim Loscutoff died in December of 2015 from complications of Parkinson’s disease at the age of 85.

The Celtics Retired Numbers Series pt. 6: Tom Heinsohn

#15 Tom Heinsohn, “Tommy the Hawk,” Forward & Coach, 1956-1965, 1969-1978

Born in Jersey City, New Jersey in 1934, Tom Heinsohn was a star at Bob Cousy’s Alma Mater, the College of the Holy Cross, in Worcester, Massachusetts, from 1953 to ‘56. He set school records in total points with 1,789, and points in a single game with 51. He was also First Team All-American in 1956 and Second Team in ‘55, and his number “24” was retired by the school. As he played at a New England college, the Celtics were able to draft Heinsohn as a territorial pick, and he joined the Celtics the same year as Bill Russell and was also selected in the same draft as K. C. Jones, whose pro career began in 1958.

Heinsohn started off with a bang; he won Rookie of the Year, made the All Star team, and helped the Celtics win their first NBA Championship against the St. Louis Hawks. Heinsohn has the remarkable distinction of playing in the finals in all nine years of his career, with the Celtics beating the Minneapolis Lakers in 1959, the Hawks again in ‘60 and ‘61, the now Los Angeles Lakers in ‘62 and ‘63, the San Francisco Warriors in ‘64 and the Lakers once more in ‘65. They also made the 1958 Finals, but lost to the Hawks. Only his teammates, Bill Russell and Sam Jones, have won more rings.

Along with his team’s many accomplishments, Heinsohn made All-NBA Second Team every year from 1961 to ‘64 and was an All-Star six times; first in 1957, then five straight years from 1961 to ‘65. Heinsohn also served as president of the NBA Players Association from 1958 to ‘65, following his teammate and the Association’s founder, Bob Cousy, and helped bring free agency to the league by threatening to strike shortly before the 1964 All-Star Game. He retired after the 1964-65 season after a relatively brief but impactful career, an eight time champion in nine seasons. Despite only playing 654 games, Heinsohn currently sits at ninth all time among Celtics players in rebounds and twelfth in points. His career highs include 22.1 points per game in 1961-62 and 10.6 rebounds per game in ‘59-60. He scored a career high 45 points in a win against the Syracuse Nationals on Christmas Day, 1961. His number 15 was retired by the Celtics in 1965, but his time in Boston was far from over.

He became head coach of the Celtics in 1969 until part way through the ‘77-78 season. The team initially struggled during Heinsohn’s tenure, as many of the greats of the ‘50s and ‘60s had retired. By 1971-72 however, they were back on track thanks to young stars like Jo Jo White and Dave Cowens, and the continued excellent play of veteran John Havlicek. In ‘72-73, the Celtics had their best ever regular season, winning 68 games and losing just 14, although they lost to the eventual champion New York Knicks in the Conference Finals. Heinsohn was awarded Coach of the Year for his efforts. The following season, the Celtics won their first championship in five years against Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson, and the Milwaukee Bucks in seven games. Boston won yet another title in ‘76 against the Phoenix Suns. Heinsohn was released by the Celtics 34 games into the ‘77-78 season, Boston’s first losing year since ‘70-71.

In nine seasons as head coach, he was selected to coach the Eastern Conference All-Star Team four times (1972, ‘73, ‘74, and ‘76). Both before and after his coaching career, Tommy has been a Boston Celtics broadcaster who worked for CBS in the 1980s, and still does color commentary for NBC Sports Boston. He began calling games in 1966 at the behest of Red Auerbach, and since 1981, he and Mike Gorman have called Celtics television broadcasts. Tom Heinsohn is one of the few people who can say he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame twice; as a player in 1986 and as a coach in 2015. At the age of 84, after over sixty years, Tommy continues to be a Celtics institution.

The Celtics Retired Numbers Series pt. 7: Bill Russell

#6 Bill Russell, “Russ,” Center, 1956-1969

Born in Monroe, Louisiana in 1934, Bill Russell was raised in Oakland, California, and attended the University of San Francisco from 1953 to 1956. He was a star in college, winning back to back NCAA Championships alongside future Celtics teammate K. C. Jones in 1955 and ‘56 and receiving numerous accolades, including Tournament MVP in 1955 and being named First Team All-American in ‘55 and ‘56. Also in 1956, he was named Conference Player of the Year, and his number “6” was retired by the school.

He was selected second overall in the 1956 NBA draft by the St. Louis Hawks, but was traded to the Boston Celtics for center Ed Macauley. In that same draft, the Celtics acquired future Hall of Famers K. C. Jones and Tom Heinsohn. Before his pro career began, Russell and Team USA won Gold at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, again playing alongside K. C. Jones.

In his first NBA season, Russell and the Celtics won their first Championship against his would-be team, the St. Louis Hawks. With that first title, he became one of the only seven basketball players to date to win an NCAA Championship, an Olympic Gold Medal and an NBA Championship. K.C. Jones would join that club in 1959.

The Celtics went on to win a record eight straight titles from 1959 to 1966. Boston beat the Minneapolis Lakers in 1959, the Hawks again in ‘60 and ‘61, the now Los Angeles Lakers in ‘62 and ‘63, the San Francisco Warriors in ‘64 and the Lakers again in ‘65 and ‘66. The Celtics won two more against LA in 1968 and ‘69. Russell retired with an astronomical eleven championships under his belt, an NBA record to this day. The Celtics also made the finals in 1958, but lost to the Hawks. The only year Boston failed to make the finals during his career was 1967, when they were finally overpowered by Russell’s friend Wilt Chamberlain and the eventual champion Philadelphia 76ers in the division finals.

From 1966-67 to ’68-69, Bill Russell was both starting center and coach, becoming the first black head coach in league history. This followed the retirement of his friend Red Auerbach, who chose Russell as his successor. He also served as the team’s captain from 1963 to ‘66.

Russell was named MVP of the league five times (1958, ‘61, ‘62, ‘63, and ‘65), named All-NBA First Team in ‘59, ‘63 and ‘65, and Second Team eight times (‘58, ‘60, ‘61, ‘62, 64, ‘66, ‘67, ‘68). He was also named All-Defensive First Team in his final season in 1969 (the first year the award existed) and was an All-Star every season besides his rookie year, for a total of twelve straight appearances. Russell also led the league in rebounds per game five times (1957, ‘58, ‘59, ‘64 and ‘65) and once in minutes per game, and holds the playoff record for career rebounds per game with a staggering 24.9. The NBA didn’t begin counting blocked shots until the 1973-74 season; had they started earlier, Russell would likely be among the all time leaders in that category. However, he is the Celtics all time leader in rebounds with 21,620, second only to Wilt Chamberlain on the all time list. Second to Russell among Celtics players is Robert Parish, with over ten thousand less. Among Celtics, he’s second only to John Havlicek in minutes played. He’s also sixth in assists and eighth in points. His career highs include 24.7 rebounds per game in 1963-64 and 18.9 points per game in 1961-62. His single game high for points was 37, a mark he reached twice; first in a March 1961 win against the Philadelphia Warriors, and again in a December 1967 win against the Lakers. He also grabbed a ridiculous career high of 49 rebounds in a March 1965 win against the Detroit Pistons.

Russell’s number “6” was retired by the Celtics in 1972, although he declined to have a public ceremony. This may have been due to the persistent racism he faced as a black player in Boston in the ‘50s and ‘60s, a city with a reputation for hostility toward African-Americans. However, Russell attended a re-retirement ceremony in the new Fleet Center (Now the TD Garden) in 1999, during which he received a thunderous standing ovation that brought tears to his eyes.

Following his playing career, Russell became head coach of the Seattle SuperSonics from 1973 to 1977 as well as the Sacramento Kings during the 1987-88 season and has worked as an NBA broadcaster. Bill Russell was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975. Always one to make a stand, Russell declined to attend the ceremony in protest of the fact that no other black people had been inducted into the Hall of Fame up to that point. As a further honor, the NBA Finals MVP award was re-named the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award in 2009. Russell himself never received the award, as it wasn’t introduced until 1969. He was one of only four players to be named to the NBA’s 25^th, 35^th, and 50^th Anniversary Teams. In the vote for the 35^th Anniversary Team in 1980, he was voted greatest NBA player of all time. A statue of Russell was unveiled in City Hall Plaza in Boston in 2013. He was honored by the city where he’d struggled to gain the respect and recognition he deserved in his playing days. He’s since become a beloved figure among Celtics fans and the broader basketball community and is widely considered to be among the greatest ever to play the game.

1957: Tom Heinsohn, age 22, power forward, Boston Celtics

1958: Bob Pettit, age 25, power forward, St. Louis Hawks

1959: Tom Heinsohn, age 24, power forward, Boston Celtics

1960: Bill Russell, age 26, center, Boston Celtics

1961: Bill Russell, age 27, center, Boston Celtics

1962: Bill Russell, age 28, center, Boston Celtics

1963: Bill Russell, age 29, center, Boston Celtics

1964: Sam Jones, age 30, shooting guard, Boston Celtics

1965: Bill Russell, age 31, center, Boston Celtics

1966: Bill Russell, 32, center, Boston Celtics

1967: Wilt Chamberlain, 30, center, Philadelphia 76ers

1968: John Havlicek, 28, shooting guard, Boston Celtics

1969: John Havlicek, 29, shooting guard, Boston Celtics

1960

Boston Celtics: 59-16Philadelphia Warriors: 49-26The Celtics beat The Warriors 4-2 in the Eastern Division Finals

1962

Boston Celtics: 60-20Philadelphia Warriors: 49-31The Celtics beat the Warriors 4-3 in the Eastern Division Finals

1964

Boston Celtics: 59-21San Francisco Warriors: 48-23The Celtics beat the Warriors 4-1 in the NBA Finals

1965

Boston Celtics: 62-18Philadelphia 76ers: 40-40The Celtics beat the 76ers 4-3 in the Eastern Division FinalsNote: Wilt was traded to the 76ers from the Warriors mid-season and only played 35 games for Philadelphia that year.

1966

Boston Celtics: 54-26Philadelphia 76ers: 55-25The Celtics beat the 76ers 4-1 in the Eastern Division Finals

1967

Boston Celtics: 60-21Philadelphia 76ers: 68-13The 76ers beat the Celtics 4-1 in the Eastern Division Finals

1968

Boston Celtics: 54-28Philadelphia 76ers: 62-20The Celtics beat the 76ers 4-3 in the Eastern Division Finals

1969

Boston Celtics: 48-34Los Angeles Lakers: 55-27The Celtics beat the Lakers 4-3 in the NBA Finals

#5The 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ersRegular Season: 68-13 (84)Playoffs: 11-4 (73.3)Total: 79-17 (82.3)

Award winners;Wilt Chamberlain: League MVP, 1st Team All-NBA, All StarHal Greer: 2nd Team All-NBA, All StarChet Walker: All Star

#14 Bob Cousy, “Cooz,” Point Guard, 1950-1963

#21 Bill Sharman, “Bullseye Bill,” Shooting Guard, 1951-1961

#23 Frank Ramsey, “The Kentucky Colonel,” Shooting Guard, 1954-1964

#18 Jim Loscutoff, “Loscy,” Forward, 1955-1964

#15 Tom Heinsohn, “Tommy the Hawk,” Forward & Coach, 1956-1965, 1969-1978

#6 Bill Russell, “Russ,” Center, 1956-1969

Boston Celtics: 59-16
Philadelphia Warriors: 49-26
The Celtics beat The Warriors 4-2 in the Eastern Division Finals

Boston Celtics: 60-20
Philadelphia Warriors: 49-31
The Celtics beat the Warriors 4-3 in the Eastern Division Finals

Boston Celtics: 59-21
San Francisco Warriors: 48-23
The Celtics beat the Warriors 4-1 in the NBA Finals

Boston Celtics: 62-18
Philadelphia 76ers: 40-40
The Celtics beat the 76ers 4-3 in the Eastern Division Finals
Note: Wilt was traded to the 76ers from the Warriors mid-season and only played 35 games for Philadelphia that year.

Boston Celtics: 54-26
Philadelphia 76ers: 55-25
The Celtics beat the 76ers 4-1 in the Eastern Division Finals

Boston Celtics: 60-21
Philadelphia 76ers: 68-13
The 76ers beat the Celtics 4-1 in the Eastern Division Finals

Boston Celtics: 54-28
Philadelphia 76ers: 62-20
The Celtics beat the 76ers 4-3 in the Eastern Division Finals

Boston Celtics: 48-34
Los Angeles Lakers: 55-27
The Celtics beat the Lakers 4-3 in the NBA Finals

#5
The 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers
Regular Season: 68-13 (84)
Playoffs: 11-4 (73.3)
Total: 79-17 (82.3)

Award winners;
Wilt Chamberlain: League MVP, 1^st Team All-NBA, All Star
Hal Greer: 2^nd Team All-NBA, All Star
Chet Walker: All Star