The Boston Celtics are the most-storied franchise in NBA history. Bill Russell, Paul Pierce, Larry Bird, and other legends have paved the way for a team searching for their 18th banner led by Jayson Tatum. The credit does not only go to the star-studded names that are already in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Rather, the coaches and executives like Red Auerbach, Danny Ainge, and Brad Stevens among others played a huge part in cultivating excellence in the front office.
Let's break down the best teams that Boston has formed which netted it 17 banners.
- The 1985-86 Boston Celtics (67-15 regular season record)
This was the peak of the Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish big three in Beantown. The team swept the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls, only lost a game to Dominique Wilkins' Atlanta Hawks, wiped the Milwaukee Bucks, and edged Hakeem Olajuwon's Houston Rockets in six games.
These were all thanks to the lethal offensive talent that Bird showcased. He was first in three-point field goal percentage at 35.1% and fourth in total points per game by knocking an average of 25.8 points on average. Kevin McHale also cracked the top 20 with 21.3 points a game.
Crashing the boards was also this team's specialty as Larry Legend had 9.8 rebounds on average which sits him at seventh for that season. Robert Parish ranked tenth with his 9.5 rebounds per game average. Bird topped ff everything while getting the highest Player Efficiency Rating that season as he notched a score of 25.6. This team was a force to be reckoned with and would steamroll any franchise's best team if given the chance.
2. The 2007-08 Boston Celtics (66-16 regular season record)
The most anticipated team in Celtics history was the team with Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett. The NBA was simply not ready for this super team after the Big Ticket was traded from the Minnesota Timberwolves. They steamrolled through the NBA in just their first season with a 66 to 16 record and won it all.
Their defense was the most impressive part of Doc Rivers' game plan. Constantly switching defensive schematics during live play allowed them to succeed as a team and as individuals. This team had four of its core lead the league in Top 20 defensive win shares. Kevin Garnett was second, The Truth was fifth, Rondo was seventh, and Perk sat at 16th. Overall, they had the second least allowed opponents points per game in that season.
Post-season success was not easy for them but they managed to close out tough opponents. They defeated the Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games. The team would have better postseason chemistry despite tougher opponents and win over the Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Lakers in six. It was just unfortunate that the team did not win again.
3. 1964-65 Boston Celtics (62-18 record)
This team was Red Auerbach's Magnum Opus. Arguably, this Celtics team was the most balanced NBA team in all of history. The core of Sam Jones, John Havlicek, and Bill Russell were on top of the world. It was often just their own mistakes that got in the way of more wins for the team.
The defense will always be the crown jewel of any winning Boston team. They led the league in least allowed opponents points per game. This was in large part due to everyone accepting their roles and submitting to Red's schematics. It saw seven players in the top 20 defensive win shares ranking. Everything was anchored around Bill Russell as he finished possessions well. Bill Russell ended up leading the league in total rebounds per game when he grabbed 24.1 of them.
The team was also not a slouch on offense. Havicek and Jones were placed fifth and 13th in the scoring championship race during this season. This team initially struggled to deal with a hard-nosed Philadelphia 76ers team but they were able to beat them in seven games. The Los Angeles Lakers were light work as they bounced them out through a gentleman's sweep.
4. 1984-85 Boston Celtics (63-19 record)
KC Jones had officially made his transition into giving back to the team he loves. He was now the head coach of a Celtics squad that was getting back into an old rivalry with the Lakers. Notably, this team fell short into the hands of Magic Johnson but their season was not to be underestimated.
It was this season where everyone seemed like a legitimate bucket getter and no one could stop them. Larry Bird could not clinch the scoring title but his 28.7 points per game coupled with a league-leading Player Efficiency Rating of 26.5 made all the difference. It saw three of their core in the top 20 of effective field goal percentages. They just needed an NBA Championship to cap it off.
5. 1986-87 Boston Celtics (59-20 record)
Expectedly, they would win the NBA Atlantic Division but still could not get another elusive title against the Lakers. But, this season saw one of the best duos in sports light a league on fire. Kevin McHale and Larry Bird were setting teams ablaze with their offensive prowess. Bird ended the season with 28.1 points per game while McHale notched 26.1 buckets on average. More than that, both of them got a boost from Robert Parish and Danny Ainge as they all ranked in the top 20 for effective field goal percentage.
As usual, this team was very good at ending the opposing team's possessions as it saw three of their men atop the league in defensive and general rebounding.
6. 1980-01 Boston Celtics (62-20 record)
Bill Fitch brought out the best in Larry Bird in this season. Before McHale developed into the star that he was known to be, Larry Legend had prime Robert Parish and Cedric Maxwell to utilize in the game. Their sets through the pick and roll and some early dribble hand-off actions redefined how some coaches constructed schematics.
Fitch ensured that despite their young core, they remained competitive. It netted them the fifth-best offensive rating and they were also fourth in defense. It was an amazing title run that led to a win over the Houston Rockets in six games.
7. 1972-73 Boston Celtics (68-14 record)
After over a decade of dominating the league, the Celtics would fail to reach the NBA Finals at the hands of the New York Knicks. Although, this team was still great. Havlicek, Dave Cowens, and JoJo White still showed out. Coach Tommy Heinsohn led them to a league-best defensive rating of 91. Everyone in this squad was on their last legs but it was still fun to see them dominate.
8. 1981-82 Boston Celtics (63-19 record)
Another team that fell short of an NBA Finals berth makes the Top 10. This team had a fairly good regular season run but Moses Malone and the Sixers were just dominant. The front court of Maxwell and Parish saw age catch up to them. McHale just could not bang bodies on the inside. But, the team went out swinging in seven games.
9. 2021-22 Boston Celtics (51-31 record)
Coach Ime Udoka knew his players and set very well. This was the team that resembled a winning team the most. They led the league in least points allowed per game and were second in defensive rating. The Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart core had hit their peak. Unfortunately, they conceded the title to Stephen Curry's Golden State Warriors.
10. 1966-67 Boston Celtics (60-21 record)
Bill Russell as a playing coach was something else. His team led the league in defensive rating. They were also a top-four offense in the NBA. However, fatigue caught up to them as they lost to the Sixers in five games.
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