Boston Celtics: The Complete History of an NBA Dynasty
The Boston Celtics are one of the foundational franchises of the National Basketball Association. Founded in 1946, Boston became the defining team of the NBA’s early years, built the greatest dynasty of the 1950s and 1960s, produced generations of Hall of Fame players, and continued its championship tradition into the modern era.
Boston entered the 2024 season with 17 championships and finished it by defeating the Dallas Mavericks four games to one, giving the franchise its 18th NBA championship—the most in NBA history.
The Beginning of the Boston Celtics
The Celtics were founded in 1946 as one of the original franchises of the Basketball Association of America, the league that merged with the National Basketball League to form today’s NBA.
The original owner was Walter A. Brown, whose name became permanently associated with Boston basketball. Brown also played a major role in hiring Red Auerbach, the coach and basketball architect who transformed the Celtics into a dynasty.
Boston struggled during its first few seasons. That changed dramatically when Auerbach took over as head coach in 1950.
Auerbach’s Celtics developed a fast-paced style built around defense, passing and team basketball. In 1950, Boston also selected Chuck Cooper, the first Black player ever drafted by an NBA team.
Celtics Ownership Through the Years
The Celtics have had one of the more complicated ownership histories in professional sports.
1946–1950 — Boston Garden-Arena Corporation
The franchise initially operated as part of the Boston Garden-Arena Corporation, with Walter Brown running the Celtics.
1950–1964 — Walter A. Brown and Lou Pieri
Brown acquired the team directly and brought Lou Pieri, previously associated with the Providence Steamrollers, into the ownership group.
This was the beginning of the Celtics’ first great dynasty.
1964–1965 — Lou Pieri and Marjorie Brown
After Walter Brown died in 1964, ownership passed to Lou Pieri and Marjorie Brown, Brown’s widow.
1965–1968 — Marvin Kratter
Marvin Kratter, through the Knickerbocker Brewing Company/National Equities interests, acquired the franchise.
1968–1969 — Ballantine Brewery
The Ballantine Brewery, through Investors Funding Corporation, owned the Celtics.
1969–1971 — Trans-National Communications
Trans-National Communications, headed by Woody Erdman, took control.
1971–1972 — Ballantine Brewery
Ballantine returned as an owner.
1972–1975 — Robert Schmertz
Robert Schmertz and Leisure Technology became the controlling ownership group.
There was also a complicated period involving Irv Levin and Harold Lipton, whose ownership arrangements changed several times during the early-to-mid 1970s.
1975–1978 — Irv Levin and Harold Lipton
Levin and Lipton ultimately became the controlling owners again.
1978–1979 — John Y. Brown Jr. and Harry T. Mangurian Jr.
The franchise was acquired by John Y. Brown Jr. and Harry T. Mangurian Jr.
1979–1983 — Harry T. Mangurian Jr.
Mangurian subsequently became the controlling owner.
1983–1993 — Don Gaston, Alan Cohen and Paul Dupee
A group headed by Don Gaston, with Alan Cohen and Paul Dupee, purchased the Celtics. This ownership was in place during Boston’s great 1980s era, when the Celtics won championships in 1984 and 1986.
1993–2002 — Paul Gaston
Paul Gaston, Don Gaston’s son, became the principal owner.
2002–2025 — Boston Basketball Partners
On December 31, 2002, Boston Basketball Partners LLC purchased the Celtics for approximately $360 million. The group included Wyc Grousbeck, H. Irving Grousbeck, Steve Pagliuca and other partners. This group presided over the 2008 championship and the 2024 championship.
2025–Present — William Chisholm-led ownership group
In 2025, an investor group led by William “Bill” Chisholm completed the purchase of majority control of the Celtics after approval by the NBA Board of Governors.
Chisholm became governor, while Wyc Grousbeck remained a co-owner and CEO. Aditya Mittal became an alternate governor. Other members of the ownership group include Bruce Beal, Andrew Bialecki, Dom Ferrante, Rob Hale, Mario Ho, Ian Loring, with Sixth Street also participating as a major investor.
Every Arena and Home Venue Used by the Celtics
The Celtics have spent most of their history in Boston, but the franchise has played home games at several different buildings.
Boston Arena — Boston, Massachusetts
1946–1947, partial schedule
Boston Arena, now known as Matthews Arena, hosted some of the Celtics’ earliest games.
Boston Garden — Boston, Massachusetts
1946–1995
The legendary Boston Garden became the true home of Celtics basketball. This was the building where the Russell-era dynasty won championship after championship. It was also home to the great Celtics teams of the 1980s. The Garden closed after the 1994-95 season.
Hartford Civic Center — Hartford, Connecticut
Occasional home games, 1975–1995
During the later Boston Garden years, the Celtics played occasional home games at the Hartford Civic Center. The arrangement ended when Boston moved permanently into its new arena in 1995.
Providence Civic Center — Providence, Rhode Island
The Celtics also played selected home games in Providence. The 1973-74 Celtics media guide, for example, listed both Boston Garden and Providence Civic Center as home courts.
FleetCenter — Boston, Massachusetts
1995–2005
The Celtics moved into the new arena in 1995. It originally opened as the FleetCenter and replaced the Boston Garden.
TD Banknorth Garden — Boston, Massachusetts
2005–2009
The building received another naming-rights change in 2005. TD Garden — Boston, Massachusetts
2009–present
The same arena is now known as TD Garden, the current home of the Celtics. NBA.com lists TD Garden as Boston’s current arena.
The Celtics Dynasty of Bill Russell
The most extraordinary period in NBA history began with the arrival of Bill Russell in 1956.
Russell became the centerpiece of a team featuring players such as Bob Cousy, Bill Sharman, Tommy Heinsohn, Sam Jones, John Havlicek, K.C. Jones and Frank Ramsey, while Auerbach directed the organization.
Boston won its first championship in 1957.
Then came one of the greatest championship runs in sports history.
The Celtics won eight consecutive championships from 1959 through 1966.
Boston won another championship in 1968 and then again in 1969.
Russell retired following the 1969 championship, ending the greatest dynasty the NBA had seen.
Boston Celtics NBA Championships
Boston has won 18 NBA championships:
Year
Championship
1957
Celtics defeat St. Louis Hawks
1959
Celtics defeat Minneapolis Lakers
1960
Celtics defeat St. Louis Hawks
1961
Celtics defeat St. Louis Hawks
1962
Celtics defeat Los Angeles Lakers
1963
Celtics defeat Los Angeles Lakers
1964
Celtics defeat San Francisco Warriors
1965
Celtics defeat Los Angeles Lakers
1966
Celtics defeat Los Angeles Lakers
1968
Celtics defeat Los Angeles Lakers
1969
Celtics defeat Los Angeles Lakers
1974
Celtics defeat Milwaukee Bucks
1976
Celtics defeat Phoenix Suns
1981
Celtics defeat Houston Rockets
1984
Celtics defeat Los Angeles Lakers
1986
Celtics defeat Houston Rockets
2008
Celtics defeat Los Angeles Lakers
2024
Celtics defeat Houston Rockets
Celtics Players Who Won NBA Most Valuable Player
The Celtics have produced some of the greatest regular-season MVPs in NBA history.
Bob Cousy
1957
Cousy became Boston’s first NBA MVP and helped lead the Celtics to their first championship.
Bill Russell
1958, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1965
Russell won five regular-season MVP awards during his Celtics career.
Dave Cowens
1973
Cowens became the next Celtic to win the league’s regular-season MVP.
Larry Bird
1984, 1985, 1986
Bird became the last Celtics player to win the regular-season MVP and remains one of only a few players ever to win the award three consecutive times.
Total Celtics MVP awards
Bob Cousy — 1
Bill Russell — 5
Dave Cowens — 1
Larry Bird — 3
Total: 10 regular-season MVP awards
Celtics NBA Rookie of the Year Winners
Boston has had three NBA Rookie of the Year winners while wearing the Celtics uniform.
Tom Heinsohn — 1957
Heinsohn won Rookie of the Year during Boston’s first championship season.
He averaged 16.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game and became the first—and, according to the Celtics, only—rookie to make the All-Star team, win Rookie of the Year and win an NBA championship in the same season.
Dave Cowens — 1971
Cowens shared the 1971 Rookie of the Year award with Portland’s Geoff Petrie.
Larry Bird — 1980
Bird won Rookie of the Year after transforming Boston from a 29-win team into a 61-win team. He averaged 21.3 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game.
Celtics Rookie of the Year winners: 3
Naismith Basketball Hall of Famers as Celtics
For this section, the focus is on players whose Hall of Fame legacy is strongly associated with their Celtics careers—not simply every Hall of Famer who happened to spend part of his career in Boston.
The NBA’s Celtics historical listing includes many additional Hall of Famers who had relatively short Boston stops, but that does not mean they were inducted because of what they accomplished as Celtics.
Bob Cousy
Celtics: 1951–1963
Cousy was the brilliant point guard who helped establish the Celtics’ passing-oriented attack. He won an MVP and six championships with Boston.
Ed Macauley
Celtics: 1950s
Macauley was one of the first stars in Celtics history and a member of Boston’s original great teams.
Bill Sharman
Celtics: 1951–1961
One of the great shooters of the early NBA, Sharman won multiple championships with Boston.
Frank Ramsey
Celtics: 1954–1964
Ramsey became one of the NBA’s first great sixth men and was an important member of the Celtics dynasty.
Bill Russell
Celtics: 1956–1969
Russell is the central figure in Boston’s championship dynasty. He won 11 NBA championships, five MVP awards and became one of the greatest defensive players in basketball history.
Tom Heinsohn
Celtics: 1956–1965
Heinsohn was a two-time NBA champion in his first two seasons and a key member of Boston’s dynasty.
Sam Jones
Celtics: 1958–1969
Known as “Mr. Clutch,” Jones became one of the greatest postseason scorers of the Russell era.
K.C. Jones
Celtics: 1958–1967
Jones was a defensive-minded guard and an important part of the championship machine.
John Havlicek
Celtics: 1962–1978
Havlicek became one of the longest-tenured and most important players in Celtics history.
He won eight championships.
Dave Cowens
Celtics: 1970–1980
Cowens won Rookie of the Year, MVP and an NBA championship in Boston.
Jo Jo White
Celtics: 1969–1979
White was the starting point guard on Boston’s 1974 and 1976 championship teams and won the 1976 Finals MVP award.
Larry Bird
Celtics: 1979–1992
Bird became the defining Celtics player of the 1980s. He won three MVP awards, three championships and two Finals MVP awards with Boston.
Kevin McHale
Celtics: 1980–1993
McHale was one of the greatest low-post scorers and sixth men in NBA history before becoming a key starter alongside Bird.
Robert Parish
Celtics: 1980–1994
Parish anchored Boston’s frontcourt throughout the 1980s and won three championships with the Celtics.
Dennis Johnson
Celtics: 1983–1990
Johnson became the Celtics’ starting point guard during the great 1980s championship years and won two titles in Boston.
Paul Pierce
Celtics: 1998–2013
Pierce became the centerpiece of the franchise during the difficult years following the Bird era and eventually led Boston to the 2008 championship.
He spent virtually his entire prime with Boston and is one of the most important Celtics of the modern era. The NBA lists Pierce among the franchise’s Hall of Fame players, inducted in 2021.
Important distinction
Players such as Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Bill Walton, Shaquille O’Neal, Dominique Wilkins, Gary Payton, Tiny Archibald, Bob McAdoo, Artis Gilmore and Pete Maravich are also listed by the NBA among players who spent time with Boston and are Hall of Famers.
However, they are not included in the primary Celtics Hall of Fame list above because their overall Hall of Fame credentials were built substantially through their careers with other franchises.
That distinction to identify Hall of Fame careers as Celtics, rather than simply every Hall of Famer who ever played for Boston.
The Larry Bird Era
The Celtics entered the 1980s with Larry Bird, Robert Parish and Kevin McHale.
The trio became known as one of basketball’s greatest frontcourts.
Boston won championships in:
1981
1984
1986
The 1986 team is generally remembered as one of the greatest teams in NBA history.
Bird won the 1984, 1985 and 1986 regular-season MVP awards and was the Finals MVP in Boston’s 1984 and 1986 championships.
The 2008 Championship Celtics
After years of rebuilding, Boston suddenly assembled another championship-caliber team.
The Celtics acquired Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to join Paul Pierce, creating the modern “Big Three.”
Boston won 66 regular-season games and defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2008 NBA Finals.
It was Boston’s first championship since 1986.
The 2024 Celtics
The Celtics returned to the top of the NBA in 2024.
Led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, Boston defeated the Dallas Mavericks 4–1 in the NBA Finals.
Jaylen Brown won the Finals MVP award, while Boston captured its 18th championship.
The victory moved Boston ahead of the Lakers for the most championships in NBA history.
The Legacy of the Boston Celtics
The Celtics’ legacy is built around several defining principles:
Team basketball.
Boston became famous for passing, unselfish play and players understanding their roles.
Defense.
The Russell-era Celtics established defense as the foundation of championship basketball.
Championship culture. The franchise has won championships across six different decades.
Great centers.
Bill Russell, Dave Cowens and Robert Parish represent three different generations of dominant Celtics centers.
Great forwards.
Larry Bird, John Havlicek, Kevin McHale and Paul Pierce carried the franchise through different eras.
Great guards.
Bob Cousy, Bill Sharman, Sam Jones, K.C. Jones, Jo Jo White and Dennis Johnson provided the backcourt foundation for championship teams.
The franchise has won 18 NBA championships, including an unprecedented eight consecutive championships from 1959 through 1966.
Most Outstanding Celtics Coach: Red Auerbach
If the Celtics’ history is viewed as a whole, Red Auerbach stands at the center of the franchise’s development.
Auerbach became Boston’s head coach in 1950 and remained the architect of the organization for decades.
As coach, he compiled a 795–397 regular-season record and won nine championships in 16 seasons. But his influence went far beyond coaching. Auerbach later served as general manager and president and helped construct championship teams around Russell, Havlicek, Cowens and eventually the Bird-era Celtics. His greatest contribution was establishing the organizational philosophy that became known simply as Celtics basketball.
Most Outstanding Celtics Player: Bill Russell
The strongest choice for the franchise’s most outstanding player is Bill Russell, based on the documented accomplishments of his Celtics career.
Russell played for Boston from 1956 through 1969.
During that period he won:
11 NBA championships
5 NBA MVP awards
12 All-Star selections
Numerous All-NBA selections
Multiple All-Defensive honors
Most importantly, Boston won the championship in 11 of the 13 seasons Russell played for the Celtics.
His impact also went beyond statistics. Russell revolutionized defensive basketball, rebounding and team-oriented play.
The Celtics retired his No. 6 jersey, and the NBA later retired No. 6 throughout the league in his honor.
The Celtics’ Place in NBA History
The Boston Celtics are not defined by one era.
They have had:
The Russell dynasty of the 1950s and 1960s
The Cowens/Havlicek championship teams of the 1970s
The Bird-McHale-Parish era of the 1980s
The Pierce-Garnett-Allen championship team of 2008
The Tatum-Brown championship team of 2024
From Walter Brown and Red Auerbach to Bill Russell, Larry Bird, Paul Pierce and the modern Celtics, the franchise has repeatedly rebuilt itself around championship-level basketball.
With 18 NBA championships, 10 regular-season MVP awards earned by Celtics players, three Celtics Rookie of the Year winners and generations of Hall of Fame talent, Boston’s history remains one of the central stories of professional basketball.
Celtics at a Glance
Founded: 1946
City: Boston, Massachusetts
NBA Championships: 18
Most recent championship: 2024
Current home: TD Garden
Most outstanding coach: Red Auerbach
Most outstanding player: Bill Russell
First NBA MVP: Bob Cousy, 1957
Most NBA MVPs as a Celtic: Bill Russell, 5
Three-time consecutive MVP: Larry Bird, 1984–1986
Rookie of the Year winners: Tom Heinsohn, Dave Cowens, Larry Bird
Current majority owner: William Chisholm-led ownership group
Current governor: William Chisholm.
Artie Fischal
