The Boston Celtics are finally reaching the NBA Finals for the 23rd time in their history, something that fans and the team itself have been looking forward to.
The Celtics are one of the greatest and most storied franchises in the NBA, with a history that includes such great players as Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, Larry Bird, John Havlicek, Dave Cowens, Kevin McHale and Paul Pierce — and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Let’s take a look at the Boston Celtics’ NBA Finals history.
How many NBA championships have the Boston Celtics won?
Boston has won 17 NBA championships, tying them with the rival Los Angeles Lakers for the most in league history. If Boston beats Dallas this year, the Celtics would move into sole possession of first place and surpass their West Coast rivals.
How many times have the Celtics lost in the Finals?
Five times. That includes their most recent trip to the 2022 NBA Finals, where Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown learned some hard lessons in their first appearance on the league’s biggest stage, losing to a more experienced Stephen Curry-led Golden State Warriors.
When was the last time the Celtics won a championship?
The last time Boston won a championship was in 2008, when a team of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and rising young point guard Rajon Rondo defeated Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in six games.
When was the last time the Celtics were in the NBA Finals?
Boston was in the NBA Finals just two years ago, in 2022, but lost to the Golden State Warriors. Boston was a completely different team then. Tatum and Brown were still leaders, but the roster at the time relied on players who were no longer with the team, such as Marcus Smart, Robert Williams (who was already battling knee problems at the time) and Grant Williams.
How many titles does Jayson Tatum have?
Zero. This is the next step in Tatum’s legacy. He’s been great so far — a five-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA and 2022 Eastern Conference Finals MVP — but his legacy in Boston will be measured in rings. If Tatum wants to ascend to the ranks of one of the Celtics’ all-time greats, he’ll need a title (or titles), and that starts this year.
Who was the Boston Celtics Finals MVP?
Five Celtics have been named NBA Finals MVPs. Larry Bird was named twice in the 1980s (1984 and 1986), the most of any Boston player. Other Celtics to win NBA Finals MVP awards include John Havlicek (1974), JoJo White (1976), Cedric Maxwell (1981) and Paul Pierce (2008).
Bill Russell’s name isn’t on this list because the NBA Finals award didn’t exist until 1969, the final season of Russell’s 13-year Hall of Fame career. Although the Celtics made it to the Finals in 1969 and won the championship that season, the Finals MVP went to Jerry West of the Lakers, the only time in NBA history that the winner has come from the losing team in the series. If the Finals MVP award had existed before 1969, Russell’s trophy case would have been full of MVPs.
Did the Celtics win eight straight championships?
Yes, and that’s not even talking about the Celtics’ dominance in the late 1950s and 1960s.
Boston won 11 championships in 13 seasons from the 1957 Finals under Bill Russell to Russell’s final season in 1969. The team featured talented players such as Russell, Point Cousy, Tommy Heinsohn, Sam Jones, KC Jones, Frank Ramsey, and Bill Sharman, and was coached by legendary player Red Auerbach.
