BOSTON CELTICS AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL TEAM BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS CELTICS COMPETE THE NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION MEMBER CLUB EASTERN CONFERENCE ATLANTIC DIVISION EIGHT NBA TEAMS TOTAL TO SURVIVE THE TEAM OWNED BOSTON BASKETBALL PARTNERS PLAY GAMES TD GARDEN SHARE THE NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE BOSTON BRUINS CHAMPIONSHIPS ACCOUNT PERCENT ALL NBA IN AS PERCENTAGE FRANCHISE DATE THE MAJOR TRADITIONAL NORTH AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL SPORTS LEAGUES THE LAKERS RECORD TIMES RECENT NINE MEETINGS BOB COUSY BILL RUSSELL DAVE COWENS LARRY BIRD THE NBA MOST VALUABLE PLAYER AWARD MASCOT LUCKY THE LEPRECHAUN THE TEAMS IRISH HERITAGE BOSTONS HISTORICALLY POPULATION ROSE CHAMPIONSHIP THE HELP KEVIN GARNETT PAUL PIERCE RAY ALLEN THE ORIGINAL KEVIN MCHALE ROBERT PARISH AFTER THE END GENERAL MANAGER DANNY AINGE REBUILDING PROCESS HEAD COACH BRAD STEVENS RETURN PLAYOFFS BOSTON GARDEN CORPORATION PRESIDENT WALTER BROWN BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA ABSORPTION LEAGUE THE FALL SIGNED CHUCK COOPER BECOMING DRAFT BLACK COACH RED AUERBACH AUERBACH COLLEGE SCHEDULED THE ROAD PLAYERS JOIN WHOM REFUSED NEARBY HOLY CROSS FLASHY COUSY EVENTUALLY THE PROPERTY CHICAGO STAGS DISPERSAL DRAFT STUNNING SENT PERENNIAL ED MACAULEY LOUIS HAWKS THE DRAFT RIGHTS CLIFF HAGAN EXCHANGE OVERALL PICK ROCHESTER ROYALS NEGOTIATION PROMISE SEND ICE CAPADES ROCHESTER RUSSELL SLIDE THE PICK SELECT UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO ACQUIRED NBA ROOKIE OF THE YEAR TOMMY HEINSOHN THE PLAYERS BUILD THE CHAMPION ADVANCED FINALS SEVEN DECORATED PLAYER NBA HISTORY THIS TIME ACQUISITION JONES DYNASTY LAST SWEEPING MINNEAPOLIS LAKERS THAT TIME INTENSE BITTER RIVALRY STARTING LINEUP WILLIE NAULLS INJURED TOM SANDERS SAM JONES IN PLACE AS ONE DOMINANT OF ALL TIME SEASON KEEP THE GENERAL POSITION HOLD STRING TITLES BROKEN THE PHILADELPHIA AGING THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS EFFECTIVELY ENDING THE STREAK STREAK PROFESSIONAL SPORTS PAUL SILAS JO JO WHITE SOON CAME OUT DETERMINED EXCELLENT REGULAR SEASON UPSET NEW YORK KNICKS CONFERENCE JOHN HAVLICEK RIGHT SHOULDER IN GAME FORCED SHOOTING LEFT THE NEXT THE MILWAUKEE BUCKS NBA CHAMPIONSHIP SPLIT MILWAUKEE LEADING CHANCE CLAIM HOME COURT THE BUCKS KAREEM HOOK SHOT THE GAMES OVERTIME THE HERO IN GAME SCORING THE FIRST TIME YET ANOTHER PHOENIX SUNS GREATEST TIED FORCE DOUBLE GAR HEARD JUMPER THE KEY THE GAME POINT THOSE TWO THE CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYOFF APPEARANCE INTO ANOTHER DRAFTED YOUNG FORWARD CHARLOTTE CEDRIC MAXWELL CORNBREAD MAXWELL ROOKIE RISK JUNIOR INDIANA STATE BIRD ELECT SENIOR RETAIN RULE BELIEVED BIRDS POTENTIAL MAKE IT WORTH THE WAIT FELT THE COLLEGE SIGN THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP GAME FELL MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY FREEMAN WILLIAMS TRADED OWNERSHIP CHANGED IRV LEVIN STAKE BUFFALO BRAVES MOVE THE BRAVES THE SAN DIEGO CLIPPERS BRAVES MOVES TRADE SAW BOB MCADOO ROUND DRAFT PICKS PLANNED THE FUTURE PROJECT TRYING DISPUTE NEARLY RESIGNING PUBLIC SUPPORT BEHIND SOLD HARRY MANGURIAN RATHER RUN THE RISK LEAVE THROUGH THE SEASON GOING NEWCOMERS CHRIS FORD RICK ROBEY NATE ARCHIBALD FAILED REVERSE NUMBER PROMINENCE ALMOST IMMEDIATELY DETROIT PISTONS GUARD DEFENSIVE SPECIALIST LEGENDARY CELTIC POINT GUARD GERALD HENDERSON HENDERSON FORD UNIQUE SKILLS BLENDING FRONTCOURT MAXWELL GO ON TIME WAS THE BEST TURNAROUND TRADE IN ALWAYS STOCKPILING SUCCESS OPPORTUNITY IMPROVE THE GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS THE WARRIORS UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA POWER FORWARD THESE THREE FUTURE HALL HENCEFORTH CORE BILL FITCH RETIREMENT IN TRAINING ONCE AGAIN MATCHED TO BEFORE COMING BACK CLASSIC CAPTURE HOUSTON ROCKETS NBA FINALS MVP TRIED TO COME REMATCH LOST GAME AFTERWARDS RESIGNED OWNERS DON GASTON FINALLY GET BACK WINNING COLLEGE RIVALRY LAKERS STAR MAGIC JOHNSON OFFICIALLY THE POSITION JAN VOLK VOLK COLUMBIA LAW SCHOOL GENERAL COUNSEL ASSISTANT VOLKS MAJOR TRANSACTION GM SEATTLE SUPERSONICS THIS WAS THE ONLY BILL WALTON LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS WALTON BIG STAR PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS INJURIES KEPT LIVING UP THE BENCH ALREADY PASSER CENTERS HEALTHY MVP AWARD THE SIXTH MAN THE YEAR THANKS TO THE TRADE FALL AT THE END LEN BIAS HIGH HOPES UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BIAS SUPERSTAR PERFECT COMPLEMENT THE HOPE PRESENCE ENSURE THE FRANCHISE POWERHOUSE MCHALE PARISH DIED COCAINE PARTY OVERDOSING BAD LUCK CONTINUE THE BIG THREE THE LOSS COMPETITIVE CEDED REACH REIGN EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS JIMMY RODGERS TROUBLE SURGERY REMOVE BONE SPURS THE INJURY ATTEMPTS BEST OF THE WAKE ASSISTANT COACH FORDS LEADERSHIP THE ATLANTIC DIVISION EVEN THOUGH MISSED VARIETY SEMIFINALS RALLY CATCH INDIANA PACERS CLEVELAND CAVALIERS BACK PROBLEMS PLAYOFF GAMES LYING ON THE FLOOR THE LINEUP SITTING ON THE BENCH SEASONS THE CLUB GOLD MEDAL BARCELONA OLYMPICS THE DREAM TEAM BACK INJURIES CONTRIBUTIONS THE BIRD EXCEPTION EXCEED SALARY CAP FREE AGENTS AMOUNT UP TO MAXIMUM THE COACH REGGIE LEWIS NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY SEEN SUCCESSOR SMALL FORWARD FAINTED THE CHARLOTTE HORNETS REVEALED LEWIS HEART PROBLEMS ABLE DOCTORS CLEAR HEART ATTACK BASKETS BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY MEMORY RETIRING THE YEAR BEFORE LOSS H