Ranking the 5 greatest Boston Celtics teams ever

The Celtics have fielded some of the most iconic teams in NBa history, including arguably the best squad ever.

Throughout the decades, the Boston Celtics have established themselves as one of the best franchises in the NBa. From its early years to how the roster is assembled these days, excellence has always been the name of the game for this team. There is a reason why they are the winningest franchise in the history of the league.

While we have seen plenty of great Celtics teams over the years, though, there are still a few that really stand out among them. In this piece, that’s exactly what we explore as we take a look at the greatest Boston teams ever and rank them based on achievement and impact on the league.

5 The Big 3 – 2007-08

after years of mediocrity, Boston would end up with a Big 3 of Paul Pierce, Ray allen, and Kevin Garnett in 2007-08. Coached by Doc Rivers, this trio of all-Stars banded together to end the Celtics’ 22-year championship drought.

Throughout the 82-game regular season, the Celtics boasted a first-place defensive rating. This would be the team’s calling card to claim the top spot in the atlantic Division in an era where superstars like Dwyane Wade and LeBron James were making their presence felt in the Eastern Conference.

Finishing the regular season with an impressive 66-16 record, this Celtics team overcame several teams in the East, including a LeBron-led Cleveland Cavaliers, to meet the Los angeles Lakers in the Finals. It took six games to beat the Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, but ultimately, the trio of Pierce, Garnett, and allen ended up with a big win and the Larry O’Brien trophy in their hands.

4 Four-Peat – 1961-62

These days, winning three championships in a row is close to impossible for most NBa teams. That wasn’t the case for the 1961-62 Celtics squad, as this iteration of the team managed to win its fourth ring in a row during this period.

at this point in time, Boston was coached by the legendary Red auerbach and led on the floor by Bill Russell. Its roster was also reinforced by Sam Jones, a talented shooting guard whose offense bolstered the team’s performance, and Tom Heinsohn, a 6-foot-7 power forward who averaged 22.1 points and 9.5 rebounds in that season.

With that kind of talent, the Celtics were able to finish first in the East with a 60-20 record. The team would eventually face and defeat the Los angeles Lakers in seven games to win the championship.

This version of the Celtics marked the first time in franchise history the team won a championship. In auerbach’s sixth year as head coach, Bob Cousy got to play with Bill Russell and Tom Heinsohn, both rookies, to come up with a potent lineup that finished first in the East.

With a 44-28 record, the Celtics of this period defeated the Syracuse Nationals in the Division Finals and the St. Louis Hawks in the NBa Finals to secure the franchise’s first championship. In the process, Russell established himself as a force to be reckoned with, and the team laid a foundation for Boston’s success in the future.

2 Larry Legend and Co. – 1985-86

With K.C. Jones coaching a team with Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish on it, there’s bound to be some fireworks waiting to explode. This is exactly what happened when these individuals came together to give Boston its 16th ring during the 1985-86 season.

This version of the Celtics finished the regular season with a 67-15 record to claim the top spot in the atlantic Division. apart from averaging 25.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, 6.8 assists, and 2.0 blocks per game, Bird also led the league in free throw efficiency with an 89% rating.

Those numbers were just the tip of the iceberg for this Celtics team, as they demolished the Chicago Bulls, atlanta Hawks, and Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference playoffs. They would eventually dispose of a Houston Rockets squad featuring Ralph Sampson and Hakeem Olajuwon to win the championship that year in an impressive showcase of dominance throughout the regular season and playoffs.

1 The First Superteam – 1964-65

In a franchise filled with several powerhouse teams, the 1964-65 Celtics team stands out due to having a group of remarkable individuals in it. Counted among these are Bill Russell, Sam Jones, and John Havlicek, all Hall of Fame-level stars who brought something special to the table for Boston. Ultimately, their primes came together at this time to accomplish something few teams in the NBa can ever do.