From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base

1965–66 Boston Celtics season

NBA basketball team season (won championship)

Field	Value
team	Boston Celtics
ChampionshipWin	yes
end_year	1966
wins	54
losses	26
division	Eastern
division_place	2
coach	Red Auerbach
arena	Boston Garden
television	WHDH-TV
radio	WHDH
playoffs	[NBA champions](1966-nba-finals)
(Defeated [Lakers](1965-66-los-angeles-lakers-season) 4–3)
bbr_team	BOS

(Defeated Lakers 4–3) The 1965–66 Boston Celtics season was their 20th in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

On October 29, 1965, Sam Jones set a Celtics single-game scoring record with 51, against the Detroit Pistons. His record would last until Larry Bird's 53 in 1983. The Celtics won their 8th title in a row, which still stands as a record for the most titles in a row. The Celtics defeated the Lakers 4 games to 3.

This also marked the final season Red Auerbach coached the Celtics, though his duties with the team only expanded as general manager in the following seasons; he would remain involved with the team in some form until his death 40 years later.

1966 NBA finals

The 1965-1966 NBA Finals was a thrilling seven-game series between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. The Celtics entered the series as the favorites, having won the championship the previous year and boasting a roster of talented players led by Bill Russell, John Havlicek, and Sam Jones. The Lakers, on the other hand, were led by Jerry West and Elgin Baylor, two of the most dominant players in the league.

The series began with a closely contested game one, which the Lakers won by a score of 133–129 in overtime. The Celtics bounced back in game two, with a 129–123 victory that featured standout performances from Russell and Jones. The series continued in this back-and-forth fashion, with each team trading wins and delivering memorable moments.

In game five, Russell had one of the greatest performances in NBA Finals history, recording 32 points and 30 rebounds to lead the Celtics to a 129–96 victory. The Lakers responded in game six, with Baylor scoring 41 points in a 120–118 win that forced a decisive game seven.

Game seven was a tightly contested affair, with both teams trading baskets and neither able to pull away. In the end, it was the Celtics who emerged victorious, thanks in large part to the heroics of Havlicek. With the score tied at 100-100 and just seconds remaining, Havlicek stole an inbound pass from the Lakers and scored the game-winning basket with five seconds left on the clock. The Celtics won the game 95-93 and secured their eighth championship in ten years.

The 1965-1966 NBA Finals will always be remembered as a classic series between two of the greatest teams in basketball history. The Celtics and Lakers would meet again in the Finals several times over the years, but this series remains one of the most memorable and significant in the history of the NBA.

Offseason

Draft picks

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
1	8	Ollie Johnson	SF		San Francisco

Roster

Red Auerbach

Regular season

Season standings

Game log

Several of the Celtics games were played in neutral sites, such as Providence, Rhode Island. The games in Providence occurred on November 9 and 26, December 30, February 10 and March 4. Games were also played in Fort Wayne, Indiana (against Detroit on January 27) and in Syracuse, New York (against Philadelphia on February 12) and Memphis, Tennessee (against St. Louis on March 7).

|- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 1 || October 16 || Cincinnati Royals || 102–98 || Boston Garden|| 1–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 2 || October 20 || Los Angeles Lakers || 100–96 || Boston Garden ||2–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 3 || October 23|| @ St. Louis Hawks || 110–120 || St. Louis Arena || 2–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 4 || October 28 || @ Cincinnati Royals || 108–113 || Cincinnati || 2–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 5 || October 29 || @ Detroit Pistons || 106–108 || Detroit || 2–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 6 || October 31 || Baltimore Bullets || 105–100 || Boston Garden || 3–3 |- |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 7 || November 5 || @ Baltimore Bullets || 129–118 || Baltimore || 4–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 8 || November 6 || Philadelphia 76ers || 101–91 || Boston Garden || 5–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 9 || November 9 || Baltimore Bullets || 130–116 || Providence || 6–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 10 || November 11|| St. Louis Hawks || 87–83 || Boston Garden || 7–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 11 || November 12 || @ Philadelphia 76ers || 114–123 || Convention Hall || 7–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 12 || November 13|| Detroit Pistons || 122–93 || Boston Garden || 8–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 13 || November 16|| @ San Francisco Warriors || 108–105 || San Francisco || 9–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 14 || November 17|| @ Los Angeles Lakers || 115–125 || Los Angeles || 9–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 15 || November 19|| Cincinnati Royals || 129–103 || Boston Garden || 10–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 16 || November 20|| @ New York Knicks || 122–108 || Madison Square Garden || 11–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 17 || November 24|| New York Knicks || 125–110 || Boston Garden || 12–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 18 || November 26|| Detroit Pistons || 134–114 || Providence || 13–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 19 || November 27|| Los Angeles Lakers || 101–95 || Boston Garden || 14–5 |- |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 20 || December 3|| Philadelphia 76ers || 103–119 || Boston Garden || 14–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 21 || December 4|| @ St. Louis Hawks || 100–94 || St. Louis Arena || 15–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 22 || December 5|| @ Cincinnati Royals || 99–108 || Cincinnati || 15–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 23 || December 7|| St. Louis Hawks || 112–96 || New York, NY || 16–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 24 || December 8|| Los Angeles Lakers || 108–106 || Boston Garden || 17–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 25 || December 11|| San Francisco Warriors || 143–106 || Boston Garden || 18–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 26 || December 15|| Cincinnati Royals || 110–117 || Boston Garden|| 18–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 27 || December 17|| @ Detroit Pistons || 114–112 || Detroit || 19–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 28 || December 22|| New York Knickerbockers || 123–120 || Boston Garden || 20–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 29 || December 25|| @ Baltimore Bullets || 113–99 || Baltimore || 21–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 30 || December 26|| Baltimore Bullets || 120–99 || Baltimore || 22–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 31 || December 28|| @ Philadelphia 76ers || 93–102 || Baltimore || 22–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 32 || December 29|| @ New York Knicks || 99–96 || Madison Square Garden || 23–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 33 || December 30|| San Francisco Warriors || 116–113 || Providence || 24–9 |- |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 34 || January 1|| @ St. Louis Hawks || 98–100 || St. Louis Arena || 24–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 35 || January 2|| @ Los Angeles Lakers || 124–113 || Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena || 25–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 36 || January 5|| @ Los Angeles Lakers || 113–120 || Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena || 25–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 37 || January 7|| @ San Francisco Warriors || 115–114 || San Francisco Civic Auditorium || 26–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 38 || January 8|| @ San Francisco Warriors || 124–96 || San Francisco Civic Auditorium || 27–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 39 || January 12|| Los Angeles Lakers || 114–102 || Boston Garden || 28–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 40 || January 14|| @ Philadelphia 76ers || 100–112 || Convention Hall || 28–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 41 || January 16|| Philadelphia 76ers || 137–122 || Boston Garden || 29–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 42 || January 18|| Detroit Pistons || 115–116 || Philadelphia || 29–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 43 || January 19|| Baltimore Bullets || 129–89 || Boston Garden || 30–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 44 || January 21|| Cincinnati Royals || 113–96 || Boston Garden || 31–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 45 || January 22|| @ Baltimore Bullets || 107–132 || Baltimore Civic Center || 31–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 46 || January 25|| @ Cincinnati Royals || 101–113 || Cincinnati Gardens || 31–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 47 || January 27|| Detroit Pistons || 131–112 || Fort Wayne, IN || 32–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 48 || January 28|| Detroit Pistons || 105–108 || Boston Garden || 32–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 49 || January 29|| @ New York Knickerbockers || 119–107 || Madison Square Garden || 33–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 50 || January 30|| New York Knickerbockers || 118–115 || Boston Garden || 34–16 |- |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 51 || February 1|| Detroit Pistons || 100–81 || New York || 35–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 52 || February 2|| @ Detroit Pistons || 93–99 || Cobo Arena || 35–17 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 53 || February 4|| St. Louis Hawks || 117–95 || Boston Garden || 36–17 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 54 || February 5|| @ Baltimore Bullets || 94–113 || Baltimore Civic Center || 36–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 55 || February 6|| Philadelphia 76ers || 100–99 || Boston Garden || 37–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 56 || February 7|| San Francisco Warriors || 112–107 || Philadelphia || 38–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 57 || February 9|| New York Knicks || 121–117 || Boston Garden || 39–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 58 || February 10|| San Francisco Warriors || 117–128 || Providence, RI || 39–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 59 || February 11|| San Francisco Warriors || 99–96 || Boston Garden || 40–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 60 || February 12|| Philadelphia 76ers || 85–83 || Syracuse, NY || 41–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 61 || February 13|| Los Angeles Lakers || 110–120 || Boston Garden || 41–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 62 || February 15|| @ Cincinnati Royals || 123–136 || Cincinnati Gardens || 41–21 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 63 || February 18|| @ San Francisco Warriors || 106–128 || San Francisco Civic Auditorium|| 41–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 64 || February 19|| @ Los Angeles Lakers || 115–111 || Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena|| 42–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 65 || February 21|| @ Los Angeles Lakers || 115–108 || Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena|| 43–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 66 || February 22|| @ San Francisco Warriors || 116–108 || San Francisco Civic Auditorium|| 44–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 67 || February 24|| St. Louis Hawks || 134–106 || Boston Garden|| 45–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 68 || February 26|| @ New York Knicks || 100–95 || Madison Square Garden|| 46–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 69 || February 27|| @ Baltimore Bullets || 92–132 || Baltimore Civic Center || 46–23 |- |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 70 || March 1|| @ St. Louis Hawks || 120–95 || Kiel Auditorium|| 47–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 71 || March 2|| New York Knickerbockers || 140–104 || Boston Garden|| 48–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 72 || March 4|| St. Louis Hawks || 112–132 || Providence, RI|| 48–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 73 || March 5|| @ Philadelphia 76ers || 85–102 || Convention Hall|| 48–25 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 74 || March 6|| Philadelphia 76ers || 110–113 || Boston Garden|| 48–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 75 || March 7|| St. Louis Hawks || 106–104 || Memphis, TN|| 49–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 76 || March 10|| @ Cincinnati Royals || 124–120 || Cincinnati Gardens || 50–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 77 || March 13|| Baltimore Bullets || 129–98 || Boston Garden || 51–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 78 || March 17|| @ Detroit Pistons || 128–103 || Cobo Arena || 52–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 79 || March 19|| @ New York Knicks || 126–113 || Madison Square Garden || 53–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 80 || March 20|| Cincinnati Royals || 121–104 || Boston Garden || 54–26

-
1965–66 Schedule

Playoffs

3–2
- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
1
April 3
@ Philadelphia
W 115–96
Sam Jones (29)
Bill Russell (18)
three players tied (4)
Municipal Auditorium
6,563
1–0
- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
2
April 6
Philadelphia
W 114–93
Sam Jones (23)
Bill Russell (29)
K. C. Jones (11)
Boston Garden
13,909
2–0
- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"
3
April 7
@ Philadelphia
L 105–111
John Havlicek (27)
Bill Russell (23)
Sam Jones (6)
Municipal Auditorium
10,454
2–1
- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
4
April 10
Philadelphia
W 114–108 (OT)
John Havlicek (27)
Bill Russell (30)
Russell, Havlicek (7)
Boston Garden
13,909
3–1
- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
5
April 12
@ Philadelphia
W 120–112
John Havlicek (32)
Bill Russell (31)
Bill Russell (6)
Municipal Auditorium
8,623
4–1
-
- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"
1
April 17
Los Angeles
L 129–133 (OT)
Bill Russell (28)
Bill Russell (26)
Sam Jones (9)
Boston Garden
13,909
0–1
- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
2
April 19
Los Angeles
W 129–109
Havlicek, S. Jones (21)
Bill Russell (24)
John Havlicek (7)
Boston Garden
13,909
1–1
- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
3
April 20
@ Los Angeles
W 120–106
Sam Jones (36)
Bill Russell (19)
Sanders, K. C. Jones (5)
Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
15,101
2–1
- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
4
April 22
@ Los Angeles
W 122–117
John Havlicek (32)
Bill Russell (18)
Larry Siegfried (7)
Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
15,251
3–1
- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"
5
April 24
Los Angeles
L 117–121
Bill Russell (32)
Bill Russell (28)
Siegfried, K. C. Jones (6)
Boston Garden
13,909
3–2
- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"
6
April 26
@ Los Angeles
L 115–123
John Havlicek (27)
Bill Russell (23)
K. C. Jones (6)
Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
15,069
3–3
- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
7
April 28
Los Angeles
W 95–93
Bill Russell (25)
Bill Russell (32)
Sanders, K. C. Jones (3)
Boston Garden
13,909
4–3
-

Awards, records and milestones

Awards

John Havlicek, All-NBA Second Team
Sam Jones, All-NBA Second Team
Bill Russell, All-NBA Second Team

References

Celtics on Basketball Reference

References

(2011-08-17). "NBA.com".
"1965-66 Boston Celtics Schedule".

Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

boston-celtics-seasons nba-championship-seasons 1965–66-nba-season 1965-in-sports-in-massachusetts 1966-in-sports-in-massachusetts 1960s-in-boston

Want to explore this topic further?

Ask Mako anything about 1965–66 Boston Celtics season — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.

Research with Mako

Free with your Surf account

Content sourced from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.

Report