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Big Three (Boston Celtics, 1980–1992)
The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946 as one of the league's original eight teams, the Celtics play their home games at TD Garden, a shared arena with the NHL's Boston Bruins. The Celtics are commonly regarded as the most successful team in NBA history and hold the records for most NBA championships won, with 18, and most recorded wins of any NBA franchise. The Celtics' rise to dominance began in the late 1950s, after the team, led by coach Red Auerbach, acquired Bill Russell in 1956, later becoming the cornerstone of the Celtics dynasty. Led by Russell, Bob Cousy, and Tom Heinsohn, the Celtics won their first NBA championship in 1957. Russell, along with a talented supporting cast of future Hall of Famers including Heinsohn, Don Nelson, K. C. Jones, John Havlicek, Sam Jones, Satch Sa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eastern Conference (NBA)
The Eastern Conference is one of two conferences that make up the National Basketball Association (NBA), the other being the Western Conference. Both conferences consist of 15 teams organized into three divisions. The Eastern Conference comprises the Atlantic, Central, and Southeast Divisions. The current divisional alignment was adopted at the start of the 2004–05 season, when the now Charlotte Hornets began play as the NBA's 30th franchise. This necessitated the move of the New Orleans Pelicans from the Eastern Conference's Central Division to the newly created Southwest Division of the Western Conference. The NBA first started awarding an Eastern Conference championship trophy during the 2000–01 season, renaming it after Hall of Famer Bob Cousy in the 2021–22 season. Also in 2021–22, the league began awarding the Larry Bird Trophy to the Eastern Conference Finals Most Valuable Player, named after Hall of Famer Larry Bird. 2024–25 standings Notes ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1963 NBA Finals
The 1963 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1963 NBA playoffs, which concluded the National Basketball Association 1962–63 season. The best-of-seven series was played between the Western Division champion Los Angeles Lakers and the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics. This was the Celtics' seventh straight trip to the championship series, and they won the series over the Lakers, 4–2 to win their sixth title overall. Series summary ''Celtics win series 4–2'' Team rosters Boston Celtics Los Angeles Lakers See also * 1963 NBA playoffs * 1962–63 NBA season References 1962-63 NBA Season Summary ''basketball-reference.com''. Retrieved March 28, 2014. External links at NBA.com at Basketball-Reference.com {{DEFAULTSORT:1963 Nba Finals NBA Finals NBA Finals NBA Finals Finals Basketball competitions in Boston Basketball competitions in Los Angeles NBA Finals 1960s in Boston NBA Finals NBA Finals NBA F ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1974 NBA Playoffs
The 1974 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1973-74 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Milwaukee Bucks 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals. John Havlicek was named NBA Finals MVP. It was the Celtics' twelfth NBA title, and first accomplished in the post-Bill Russell era. It was the last Finals appearance for Milwaukee until 2021. This is the last postseason with only 3 rounds and using only 8 teams. The 1975 NBA Playoffs added a First Round and the number of teams was expanded to 10. Using the revised playoff format adopted in 1973, two third-place teams ( Buffalo in the Atlantic Division, Detroit in the Midwest Division) qualified for the playoffs, while the second-place finishers in the Central (Atlanta) and Pacific ( Golden State) divisions did not. Also, since the top three Western qualifiers were in the Midwest Division, the two divisio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
2024 NBA Finals
The 2024 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 2023–24 NBA season, 2023–24 season and conclusion to 2024 NBA playoffs, the season's playoffs. In the best-of-seven playoffs series, the Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference champion 2023–24 Boston Celtics season, Boston Celtics defeated the Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference champion 2023–24 Dallas Mavericks season, Dallas Mavericks four games to one, winning their first championship since 2008 NBA Finals, 2008 and 18th overall, giving the Celtics the most NBA championships of any franchise. The Celtics' Jaylen Brown was voted the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player award, NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (FMVP), after averaging 20.8 points, 5.4 rebound (basketball), rebounds, and 5.0 assist (basketball), assists per game. The series started on June 6 and concluded on June 17. For only the second time in NBA history (the first being 1975–1980) six different team ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
2008 NBA Finals
The 2008 NBA Finals was the NBA Finals, championship series of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 2007–08 NBA season, 2007–08 season and conclusion of 2008 NBA playoffs, the season's playoffs. A best-of-seven playoff series that was played from June 5–17, 2008, the series was contested between the Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference champion 2007–08 Boston Celtics season, Boston Celtics and the Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference champion 2007–08 Los Angeles Lakers season, Los Angeles Lakers. It was the eleventh Finals meeting in the history of the Celtics–Lakers rivalry. Led by the "Big 3" of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen, and holding home court advantage, the Celtics defeated the Lakers in six games. It was their first title in twenty-two years and their 17th title overall. Pierce was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award, Finals MVP. The Celtics would not win another championship until 2024 NBA Finals, 2024. Backgr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1986 NBA Finals
The 1986 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 1985–86 season, and the culmination of the season's playoffs. It pitted the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics against the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets, in a rematch of the 1981 NBA Finals (though only Allen Leavell and Robert Reid remained from the Rockets' 1981 team). It was the second and last NBA Championship Series of the 1980s not to feature the Los Angeles Lakers, who were eliminated by the Rockets on both occasions. The heavily favored Celtics defeated the Rockets four games to two to win their then-record 16th NBA championship. The championship would be the Celtics' last until 2008. Larry Bird was named the Finals MVP. On another note, this series marked the first time the "NBA Finals" branding was officially used, as they dropped the "NBA World Championship Series" branding which had been in use since the beginning of the league, though it h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1984 NBA Finals
The 1984 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 1983–84 season, and the culmination of the season's playoffs. The Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeated the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers in seven games. Celtics forward Larry Bird averaged 27 points and 14 rebounds a game during the series, earning the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP). This series was a rematch of the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics after their rivalry was revived in 1979 with the Magic Johnson–Larry Bird pair entering the league. After alternating wins with the Lakers, the Celtics won Game 7 and the series with a score of 111–102. This was the last NBA Finals to use the 2–2–1–1–1 format until 2014. The following year, the NBA Finals format was changed to 2–3–2 after Red Auerbach complained about the constant travelling during the Finals. Although the 2–2–1–1–1 format remained ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1981 NBA Finals
The 1981 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 1980–81 season, and the culmination of the season's playoffs. It pitted the 62–20 Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics against the 40–42 Western Conference champion Houston Rockets. This series has the distinction of featuring for the third time in NBA history, and last to date, a team with a losing record in the Finals. They were the first team since the Minneapolis Lakers in 1959 to reach the championship round despite having more regular season losses than wins. This, along with 1986 (which was also played by the Celtics and the Rockets), was one of the only two NBA championships of the 1980s not to feature the Lakers. Background Houston Rockets Prior to the season, the NBA moved the Rockets and San Antonio Spurs from the Central Division of the Eastern Conference to the Midwest Division of the Western Conference. The Rockets and Spurs traded pl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1976 NBA Finals
The 1976 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round for the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 1975–76 season, and the culmination of the season's playoffs. The Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeated the Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns 4 games to 2 to win their 13th NBA Championship. Celtics point guard Jo Jo White was named as the series MVP. Background Phoenix Suns The Phoenix Suns entered the NBA as an expansion team in the 1968–69 season. Prior to 1976, they only made the playoffs once, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the 1970 NBA playoffs. Before that, the Suns lost a coin flip to the Milwaukee Bucks prior to the 1969 NBA draft, losing out on selecting Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Phoenix ultimately selected Neal Walk, who became a bust. The Suns redeemed themselves in the 1975 NBA draft by selecting Alvan Adams fourth overall. With Adams fortifying the center position, and with new addition Paul Westph ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1974 NBA Finals
The 1974 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1973–74 National Basketball Association (NBA) season. The Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeated the Western Conference champion Milwaukee Bucks 4 games to 3 to win the NBA championship. This would mark the last time the Celtics won a playoff game 7 on the road until 2022, when they defeated the Miami Heat in game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals in Miami. Background Milwaukee Bucks The Milwaukee Bucks returned to the NBA Finals after a three-year absence. Some of the cast from the 1971 championship team, such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (then Lew Alcindor), Jon McGlocklin, Bob Dandridge and the retiring Oscar Robertson returned for another title run; however, starting guard Lucius Allen, who averaged 17.6 points and 5.2 assists per game, was injured and did not play in the series. The Bucks eliminated the Los Angeles Lakers and the Chicago Bulls in five and four games, respectively, t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1969 NBA Finals
The 1969 NBA World Championship Series to determine the champion of the 1968–69 NBA season was played between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics. The Lakers were heavily favored due to the presence of three formidable stars: Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, and Jerry West. In addition, Boston was an aging team; they made the playoffs as the fourth place team in the Eastern Division, and were not favored to make it to the finals; no four seed had ever made the Finals before the Celtics did so here. Ultimately, the Celtics won the championship in seven games – the last championship of the Bill Russell dynasty – and is considered one of the great upsets in NBA history. The Celtics became the first team in NBA history to overcome a 2–0 series deficit to win the championship. They remain the only 4th seed team to win the Finals and the second-lowest seeded team overall to win the Finals after the Houston Rockets in 1995. This series is also notable in that West, with an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1968 NBA Finals
The 1968 NBA World Championship Series pitted the Boston Celtics from the East, against the Los Angeles Lakers from the West, for the sixth time in ten years. The Celtics won their tenth NBA Championship in twelve seasons, by defeating the Lakers in six games. Significantly, Game 6 marked the first time that any NBA competition had taken place during the month of May. This was the last NBA Finals without a Finals MVP named as the ''NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award'' was introduced the following year. Series summary ''Celtics win series 4–2'' Team rosters Boston Celtics Los Angeles Lakers Game summaries See also * 1968 NBA playoffs * 1967–68 NBA season External links Sports Illustrated (April 29, 1968) Celtics LA Showdown , Elgin Baylor and Jerry WestSports Illustrated (May 13, 1968) This Was One Worth Shouting About {{DEFAULTSORT:1968 NBA Finals NBA Finals Finals NBA Finals NBA Finals Basketball competitions in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
