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1990–91 Boston Celtics season

NBA basketball team season

Field	Value
team	Boston Celtics
DivisionWin	yes
end_year	1991
wins	56
losses	26
division	Atlantic
division_place	1
conf_place	2
coach	Chris Ford
gm	Dave Gavitt
owners	Don Gaston
Alan N. Cohen
Paul Dupee
arena	Boston Garden
Hartford Civic Center
playoffs	[Conference semifinals](1991-nba-playoffs-bracket)
(lost to [Pistons](1990-91-detroit-pistons-season) 2–4)
bbr_team	BOS
television	WFXT
(Tom Heinsohn, Bob Cousy)
SportsChannel New England
(Mike Gorman, Tom Heinsohn)
radio	WEEI
(Glenn Ordway, Doug Brown)

Alan N. Cohen Paul Dupee Hartford Civic Center (lost to Pistons 2–4) (Tom Heinsohn, Bob Cousy) SportsChannel New England (Mike Gorman, Tom Heinsohn) (Glenn Ordway, Doug Brown) The 1990–91 Boston Celtics season was the 45th season for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association. The Celtics had the 19th overall pick in the 1990 NBA draft, and selected point guard Dee Brown out of Jacksonville University. During the off-season, the team signed free agent Derek Smith, and hired Chris Ford as their new head coach. After playing overseas in Italy the previous season, former Celtics guard Brian Shaw would return to the team after a one-year absence. The Celtics started their season without John Bagley, who would miss the entire regular season due to tendinitis in his right knee; Bagley later on had arthroscopic surgery on his knee in March.

After failing to advance past the first round of the playoffs in the previous two seasons, it appeared that the Celtics were fading as NBA title contenders. However, the team got off to a 29–5 start to the regular season, reminiscent of their title years of the 1980s, and once again established themselves as contenders, holding a 35–12 record at the All-Star break. Beginning in January, Larry Bird began to miss significant playing time due to back injuries, missing 22 games as the team struggled in his absence. The Celtics finished in first place in the Atlantic Division with a 56–26 record, and earned the second seed in the Eastern Conference; the Celtics also qualified for the NBA playoffs for the twelfth consecutive year.

Bird averaged 19.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 1.8 steals per game, while Reggie Lewis averaged 18.7 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, and sixth man Kevin McHale provided the team with 18.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game off the bench. In addition, Kevin Gamble contributed 15.6 points per game, while Robert Parish averaged 14.9 points, 10.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game, and Shaw provided with 13.8 points, 7.6 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Off the bench, Brown contributed 8.7 points and 4.2 assists per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, while Ed Pinckney averaged 5.2 points and 4.9 rebounds per game, and Joe Kleine provided with 3.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Charlotte Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina, Bird, McHale and Parish were all selected for the 1991 NBA All-Star Game, as members of the Eastern Conference All-Star team, while Ford was selected to coach the Eastern Conference, although Bird did not participate due to injury; it was the final All-Star appearance for both McHale and Parish. Meanwhile, Brown won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. Bird finished tied in ninth place in Most Valuable Player voting, while Parish finished in 14th place, and McHale finished tied in 19th place; McHale also finished in third place in Sixth Man of the Year voting, while Gamble finished in second place in Most Improved Player voting, behind Scott Skiles of the Orlando Magic, Brown finished in fourth place in Rookie of the Year voting, and Ford finished in third place in Coach of the Year voting.

In the Eastern Conference First Round of the 1991 NBA playoffs, the Celtics faced off against the 7th–seeded Indiana Pacers, a team that featured All-Star guard Reggie Miller, Chuck Person, and Sixth Man of the Year, Detlef Schrempf. The Celtics took a 2–1 series lead over the Pacers, before losing Game 4 on the road, 116–113 at the Market Square Arena as the Pacers evened the series. In Game 5 at the Boston Garden, and during the second quarter, Bird fell down on the court and landed hard on the right side of his face, as he had to go to the locker room; despite the injury, Bird returned to the game and finished with 32 points, as the Celtics defeated the Pacers, 124–121 to win in a hard-fought five-game series.

In the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, the team faced off against the 3rd–seeded, and 2-time defending NBA champion Detroit Pistons, who were led by the All-Star trio of Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, and Defensive Player of the Year, Dennis Rodman. However, Bird missed Game 1 due to injury as the Pistons defeated the Celtics at the Boston Garden, 86–75. Bird returned for the remainder of the series, as the Celtics won Game 2 at home, 109–103 to even the series, and then won Game 3 over the Pistons on the road by a blowout win, 115–83 at The Palace of Auburn Hills to take a 2–1 series lead. However, the Pistons won the next three games, as the Celtics lost Game 6 at The Palace of Auburn Hills in overtime, 117–113, thus losing the series in six games.

Following the season, Derek Smith, and second-year forward Michael Smith were both released to free agency.

Draft picks

Main article: 1990 NBA draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
1	19	Dee Brown	SG/PG	United States	Jacksonville

Roster

Chris Ford
Don Casey
Jon Jennings
Ed Lacerte (trainer)

Roster notes

Point guard John Bagley was on the injured reserve list due to tendinitis in his right knee, and missed the entire regular season.

Regular season

Season standings

:y – clinched division title :x – clinched playoff spot

:z – clinched division title :y – clinched division title :x – clinched playoff spot

Game log

|- | 1 | November 2 | Cleveland | W 125–101 | Boston Garden

1–0
2
November 3
@ New York
W 106–103
Madison Square Garden
2–0
-
3
November 6
@ Chicago
W 110–108
Chicago Stadium
3–0
-
4
November 9
Chicago
L 100–120
Boston Garden
3–1
-
5
November 10
@ New Jersey
W 105–91
Brendan Byrne Arena
4–1
-
6
November 13
@ Milwaukee
L 91–119
Bradley Center
4–2
-
7
November 14
Charlotte
W 135–126
Boston Garden
5–2
-
8
November 16
Utah
W 114–89
Boston Garden
6–2
-
9
November 17
@ Washington
W 102–90
Capital Centre
7–2
-
10
November 21
Houston
W 108–95
Boston Garden
8–2
-
11
November 23
Sacramento
W 115–105
Boston Garden
9–2
-
12
November 24
@ Cleveland
W 113–102
Richfield Coliseum
10–2
-
13
November 26
Miami
W 118–101
Hartford Civic Center
11–2
-
14
November 30
Washington
W 123–95
Boston Garden
12–2
-
-
15
December 1
@ Philadelphia
L 110–116
The Spectrum
12–3
-
16
December 3
Seattle
W 135–102
Boston Garden
13–3
-
17
December 5
Denver
W 148–140
Boston Garden
14–3
-
18
December 7
@ Dallas
W 112–104
Reunion Arena
15–3
-
19
December 8
@ San Antonio
L 96–102
HemisFair Arena
15–4
-
20
December 10
@ Houston
W 107–95
The Summit
16–4
-
21
December 12
Milwaukee
W 129–111
Boston Garden
17–4
-
22
December 14
Detroit
W 108–100
Boston Garden
18–4
-
23
December 15
@ Miami
W 114–100
Miami Arena
19–4
-
24
December 19
Philadelphia
W 115–105
Boston Garden
20–4
-
25
December 20
@ Charlotte
W 115–96
Charlotte Coliseum
21–4
-
26
December 23
Atlanta
W 132–104
Boston Garden
22–4
-
27
December 26
Indiana
W 152–132
Boston Garden
23–4
-
28
December 28
@ Atlanta
L 114–131
The Omni
23–5
-
-
29
January 2
New York
W 113–86
Boston Garden
24–5
-
30
January 4
Phoenix
W 132–103
Boston Garden
25–5
-
31
January 6
Dallas
W 127–110
Boston Garden
26–5
-
32
January 8
@ New York
W 101–87
Madison Square Garden
27–5
-
33
January 9
Milwaukee
W 110–102
Boston Garden
28–5
-
34
January 11
L.A. Clippers
W 109–107
Boston Garden
29–5
-
35
January 12
@ Washington
L 99–116
Capital Centre
29–6
-
36
January 16
Golden State
L 105–110
Boston Garden
29–7
-
37
January 18
New Jersey
L 106–111
Boston Garden
29–8
-
38
January 21
@ Detroit
L 90–101
The Palace of Auburn Hills
29–9
-
39
January 23
Detroit
W 111–94
Boston Garden
30–9
-
40
January 25
@ Philadelphia
L 94–116
The Spectrum
30–10
-
41
January 27
L.A. Lakers
L 87–104
Boston Garden
30–11
-
42
January 28
@ Minnesota
W 108–87
Target Center
31–11
-
43
January 30
Orlando
W 144–102
Boston Garden
32–11
-
-
44
February 1
@ Charlotte
L 91–92
Charlotte Coliseum
32–12
-
45
February 3
Washington
W 119–101
Boston Garden
33–12
-
46
February 6
Charlotte
W 133–117
Boston Garden
34–12
-
47
February 7
@ New York
W 117–101
Madison Square Garden
35–12
-
48
February 12
@ Seattle
W 114–111
Seattle Center Coliseum
36–12
-
49
February 14
@ Golden State
W 128–112
Oakland Coliseum
37–12
-
50
February 15
@ L. A. Lakers
W 98–85
The Forum
38–12
-
51
February 17
@ Denver
W 126–108
McNichols Sports Arena
39–12
-
52
February 19
@ Phoenix
L 105–109
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
39–13
-
53
February 22
New Jersey
W 111–99
Hartford Civic Center
40–13
-
54
February 24
@ Indiana
L 109–115
Market Square Arena
40–14
-
55
February 26
@ Chicago
L 99–129
Chicago Stadium
40–15
-
56
February 27
Minnesota
W 116–111
Boston Garden
41–15
-
-
57
March 1
San Antonio
W 108–98
Boston Garden
42–15
-
58
March 3
Portland
L 107–116
Boston Garden
42–16
-
59
March 4
Indiana
W 126–101
Hartford Civic Center
43–16
-
60
March 6
Miami
W 126–117
Boston Garden
44–16
-
61
March 8
@ L. A. Clippers
W 104–98
L.A. Sports Arena
45–16
-
62
March 10
@ Portland
W 111–109 (OT)
Memorial Coliseum
46–16
-
63
March 12
@ Sacramento
W 110–95
ARCO Arena
47–16
-
64
March 13
@ Utah
L 109–112
Salt Palace
47–17
-
65
March 15
@ Washington
W 94–86
Capital Centre
48–17
-
66
March 17
Philadelphia
W 110–105
Boston Garden
49–17
-
67
March 19
@ Atlanta
L 92–104
The Omni
49–18
-
68
March 20
Washington
W 102–81
Boston Garden
50–18
-
69
March 22
@ Indiana
L 109–121
Market Square Arena
50–19
-
70
March 28
@ Miami
L 88–90
Miami Arena
50–20
-
71
March 29
Cleveland
W 110–108
Boston Garden
51–20
-
72
March 31
Chicago
W 135–132 (2OT)
Boston Garden
52–20
-
-
73
April 2
@ New Jersey
W 94–77
Brendan Byrne Arena
53–20
-
74
April 4
New Jersey
W 123–104
Boston Garden
54–20
-
75
April 6
@ Orlando
L 98–102
Orlando Arena
54–21
-
76
April 11
@ Milwaukee
L 92–111
Bradley Center
54–22
-
77
April 12
Miami
W 119–109
Boston Garden
55–22
-
78
April 14
New York
W 115–102
Boston Garden
56–22
-
79
April 16
@ Detroit
L 90–118
The Palace of Auburn Hills
56–23
-
80
April 18
@ Philadelphia
L 97–122
The Spectrum
56–24
-
81
April 19
@ Cleveland
L 117–124 (OT)
Richfield Coliseum
56–25
-
82
April 21
Atlanta
L 105–117
Boston Garden
56–26
-
-
1990-91 Schedule

Playoffs

1–0
2
April 28
Indiana
L 118–130
Lewis, Shaw (22)
Robert Parish (12)
Larry Bird (10)
Boston Garden
14,890
1–1
-
3
May 1
@ Indiana
W 112–105
Kevin McHale (22)
Larry Bird (9)
Brian Shaw (7)
Market Square Arena
16,530
2–1
-
4
May 3
@ Indiana
L 113–116
Kevin McHale (24)
Robert Parish (12)
Larry Bird (8)
Market Square Arena
16,530
2–2
-
5
May 5
Indiana
W 124–121
Larry Bird (32)
Larry Bird (9)
Brian Shaw (9)
Boston Garden
14,890
3–2
-
1
May 7
Detroit
L 75–86
Reggie Lewis (20)
Kevin McHale (10)
Brian Shaw (5)
Boston Garden
14,890
0–1
-
2
May 9
Detroit
W 109–103
Reggie Lewis (23)
Robert Parish (13)
Dee Brown (8)
Boston Garden
14,890
1–1
-
3
May 11
@ Detroit
W 115–83
Reggie Lewis (21)
Robert Parish (11)
Brown, McHale (6)
The Palace of Auburn Hills
21,454
2–1
-
4
May 13
@ Detroit
L 97–104
Kevin McHale (28)
Robert Parish (10)
Brian Shaw (6)
The Palace of Auburn Hills
21,454
2–2
-
5
May 15
Detroit
L 111–116
Reggie Lewis (30)
Reggie Lewis (11)
Dee Brown (10)
Boston Garden
14,890
2–3
-
6
May 17
@ Detroit
L 113–117 (OT)
Kevin McHale (34)
Ed Pinckney (9)
Reggie Lewis (5)
The Palace of Auburn Hills
21,454
2–4

Player statistics

Season

|- | | 60 || 60 || 38.0 || .454 || .389 || .891 || 8.5 || 7.2 || 1.8 || 1.0 || 19.4 |- | | 82 || 5 || 23.7 || .464 || .206 || .873 || 2.2 || 4.2 || 1.0 || 0.2 || 8.7 |- | | 82 || 76 || 33.0 || .587 || .000 || .815 || 3.3 || 3.1 || 1.2 || 0.4 || 15.6 |- | | 72 || 1 || 11.8 || .468 || .000 || .783 || 3.4 || 0.3 || 0.2 || 0.2 || 3.6 |- | | 79 || 79 || 36.4 || .491 || .077 || .826 || 5.2 || 2.5 || 1.2 || 1.1 || 18.7 |- | | 68 || 10 || 30.4 || .553 || .405 || .829 || 7.1 || 1.9 || 0.4 || 2.1 || 18.4 |- | | 81 || 81 || 30.1 || .598 || .000 || .767 || 10.6 || 0.8 || 0.8 || 1.3 ||

14.9 |- | | 70 || 16 || 16.6 || .539 || .000 || .897 || 4.9 || 0.6 || 0.9 || 0.6 || 5.2 |- | | 19 || 0 || 3.4 || .406 || .000 || .900 || 0.7 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 1.8 |- | | 79 || 79 || 35.1 || .469 || .111 || .819 || 4.7 || 7.6 || 1.3 || 0.4 || 13.8 |- | | 5 || 0 || 6.0 || .429 || .000 || .600 || 0.4 || 1.2 || 0.2 || 0.0 || 1.8 |- | | 2 || 0 || 8.0 || .250 || .000 || .750 || 0.0 || 2.5 || 0.5 || 0.5 || 2.5 |- | | 47 || 3 || 8.3 || .475 || .250 || .815 || 1.2 || 0.9 || 0.1 || 0.0 || 4.6 |- | | 31 || 0 || 5.4 || .462 || .000 || .556 || 1.6 || 0.1 || 0.0 || 0.9 || 1.9 |- | | 6 || 0 || 6.5 || .250 || .000 || .750 || 0.5 || 1.3 || 0.2 || 0.0 || 2.0 |- |}

Playoffs

|- | | 10 || 10 || 39.6 || .408 || .143 || .863 || 7.2 || 6.5 || 1.3 || 0.3 || 17.1 |- | | 11 || 0 || 25.8 || .491 || .000 || .824 || 4.1 || 3.7 || 1.0 || 0.5 || 12.2 |- | | 11 || 11 || 21.6 || .483 || .000 || .667 || 1.2 || 1.7 || 0.4 || 0.2 || 6.0 |- | | 5 || 1 || 6.2 || .444 || .000 || .000 || 2.2 || 0.2 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 1.6 |- | | 11 || 11 || 42.0 || .487 || .000 || .824 || 6.2 || 2.9 || 1.1 || 0.5 || 22.4 |- | | 11 || 1 || 34.2 || .527 || .545 || .825 || 6.5 || 1.8 || 0.5 || 1.3 || 20.7 |- | | 10 || 10 || 29.6 || .598 || .000 || .689 || 9.2 || 0.6 || 0.8 || 0.7 || 15.8 |- | | 11 || 0 || 15.5 || .762 || .000 || .810 || 3.6 || 0.2 || 0.5 || 0.2 || 4.5 |- | | 11 || 11 || 28.7 || .470 || .333 || .867 || 3.5 || 4.6 || 0.9 || 0.1 || 11.0 |- | | 10 || 0 || 8.6 || .429 || .000 || .786 || 0.9 || 0.5 || 0.3 || 0.1 || 2.9 |- | | 2 || 0 || 3.0 || .500 || .000 || .000 || 0.0 || 0.5 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 1.0 |- | | 1 || 0 || 4.0 || 1.000 || .000 || .000 || 2.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 2.0 |- |}

Player statistics citation:

Awards and records

Dee Brown, NBA All-Rookie Team 1st Team

Transactions

Players Added	Players Lost

Player Transactions Citation:

References

[https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/BOS/1991.html 1990–91 Boston Celtics]
Goldaper, Sam. (June 28, 1990). "Nets Make Coleman No. 1 Pick in N.B.A. Draft". The New York Times.
(June 28, 1990). "Clippers Go With Kimble: NBA Draft: Derrick Coleman, as Expected, Is No. 1 Overall With Nets. Clippers Also Grab Michigan's Vaught With 13th Pick". Los Angeles Times.
"1990 NBA Draft". Basketball-Reference.
(June 12, 1990). "Celtics Turn to Ford to Give Then a Lift". The Washington Post.
Goldaper, Sam. (June 13, 1990). "Celtics Choose Ford as New Head Coach". The New York Times.
(June 13, 1990). "Chris Ford Becomes Celtic Coach". Los Angeles Times.
(June 16, 1990). "Celtics Seek to Keep Shaw from Staying in Italy". Los Angeles Times.
(September 14, 1990). "SPORTS PEOPLE: PRO BASKETBALL; Shaw Close on Return to Celtics, Report Says". The New York Times.
(November 1, 1990). "Celtics Keep F Popson; Put Guards Smith, Bagley on IR". United Press International.
(March 14, 1991). "For the Record". The Washington Post.
"Los Angeles Clippers at Boston Celtics Box Score, January 11, 1991". Basketball-Reference.
"NBA Games Played on February 7, 1991". Basketball-Reference.
(April 25, 1991). "BASKETBALL; Hope Riding on Bird's Bad Back". The New York Times.
(June 7, 1991). "SPORTS PEOPLE: PRO BASKETBALL; Back Surgery for Bird". The New York Times.
Arace, Michael. (November 1, 1991). "Ready or Not, Here Come the Celtics". Hartford Courant.
"1990–91 Boston Celtics Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference.
"Boston Celtics". Basketball-Reference.
"1990–91 Boston Celtics Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference.
Barnard, Bill. (February 10, 1991). "The Show of Shows for Magic: NBA: For Laker Guard, Making His 10th Appearance, Each and Every All-Star Game Is a Special Occasion". Los Angeles Times.
(September 13, 2021). "1991 NBA All-Star Recap". NBA.com.
"1991 NBA All-Star Game: East 116, West 114". Basketball-Reference.
Brown, Clifton. (February 10, 1991). "PRO BASKETBALL; Rookie Wins Dunk Contest". The New York Times.
"NBA & ABA All-Star Game Contest Winners". Basketball-Reference.
"1990–91 NBA Awards Voting". Basketball-Reference.
(May 1, 1991). "Schrempf Nips Majerle as NBA's Top 6th Man". Deseret News.
Cooper, Barry. (May 3, 1991). "It's No Dream - Skiles Is Named Most Improved". Orlando Sentinel.
Bondy, Filip. (May 7, 1991). "BASKETBALL; With Rookie Award Won, Marketing of Coleman Begins". The New York Times.
(May 23, 1991). "Chaney Gets Coaching Award, New Contract". United Press International.
Goldaper, Sam. (May 6, 1991). "BASKETBALL; The Legend Grows for Bird and Celtics". The New York Times.
Wilbon, Michael. (May 6, 1991). "Bird Hits Floor, Turns Other Cheek and Decks Pacers". Los Angeles Times.
"1991 NBA Eastern Conference First Round: Pacers vs. Celtics". Basketball-Reference.
Goldaper, Sam. (May 8, 1991). "BASKETBALL; Injury Sidelines Bird as Celtics Lose Opener". The New York Times.
Arace, Michael. (May 8, 1991). "Celtics Can't Fly Without Bird, Losing to Pistons, 86-75: NBA Playoffs: Ailing Back Prevents His Playing. Parish and Thomas Have to Leave the Game in the Fourth Quarter with Ankle Injuries". Los Angeles Times.
(May 12, 1991). "NBA PLAYOFFS EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS: Only Time Stops Celtics in 115-83 Beating of Pistons". Los Angeles Times.
Klonke, Chuck. (May 11, 1991). "Celtics 115, Pistons 83". United Press International.
Brown, Clifton. (May 18, 1991). "BASKETBALL; Quest for Third Title Alive as Pistons Eliminate Celtics". The New York Times.
Cotton, Anthony. (May 18, 1991). "Pistons Eliminate Celtics in Overtime". The Washington Post.
"1991 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals: Pistons vs. Celtics". Basketball-Reference.
"1990–91 Boston Celtics Transactions". Basketball-Reference.

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