50 Most Pivotal Moments in Boston Celtics History

Seventeen NBA championships, 30-plus Hall of Fame inductees and a legacy unmatched by many teams in the history of sports.

With the many title runs and the plethora of talent the Celtics have had since the early 1950s, it is safe to assume there have been countless pivotal moments in team history. Whether you talk about the dominance in the 1950s and 1960s, the Cowens-led team of the '70s or the Big Three of the '80s and today, the Celtics have had their fair share of memorable moments.

These are the 50 most pivotal moments in Boston Celtics history.

No. 50: Hiring Tom Thibodeau

When mentioning the Boston Celtics' 2008 NBA championship run, many tend to attribute the title to the All-Star talent of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce, when in fact there was a guy that may have had arguably as much to do with the team winning it all than anyone else.

You heard right, Tom Thibodeau.

Thibodeau's emphasis on getting things done on the defensive end as an assistant coach is what ultimately helped the 2008 team to develop a dominant defense and a tendency to control games with their play on that end.

No. 49: Re-Signing Head Coach Doc Rivers to 5-Year Contract

With an NBA championship to his name and four straight 50-win seasons, there is no question the re-signing of head coach Doc Rivers was as good a move as any in team history.

Keeping Rivers implies he is ready to continue coaching and excited to help take the Celtics into a new era without the Big Three in the seasons to come.

Can he help the Celtics to continue to contend without Pierce, Garnett and Allen? That will certainly be something to watch.

No. 48: 2004 NBA Draft

Talk about a draft to remember.

Taking Delonte West, Tony Allen and Al Jefferson in the 2004 NBA Draft was the main reason the "Big Three" could even come into existence, as all three players were involved in acquiring both Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett.

No. 47: The 1980 Move to Remember

In 1980 Robert Parish was brought into the Boston Celtics organization by Red Auerbach, a move that helped the team win three championships in the 1980's.

Parish would go on to play 14 season with the team, playing an integral role in all three of the Celtics' championship seasons in the decade.

No. 46: Danny Ainge Goes for Rondo over West

Could you believe it was even a debate?

When the trades were done for both Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett in 2007, Danny Ainge had decisions to make at the point guard position that would likely make or break the Celtics' future.

Sure enough, when faced between giving away Rondo or Deltonte West to be the team's point guard of the future, Ainge would make the right move and keep the Kentucky point guard. His gut feeling would ultimately win a championship for the team in 2008.

Talk about a pivotal moment.

No. 45: Greatest Comeback in NBA History

In Game 3 of the 2002 Eastern Conference Finals, the Boston Celtics faced a 21-point fourth quarter deficit and came back to win and go up 2-1 in the series.

This 21-point fourth quarter comeback was the biggest comeback in NBA history. Paul Pierce led the way with 19 points in the quarter.

No. 44: Giving Away Jim O'Brien

Former Boston Celtics head coach Jim O'Brien may have easily been one of the most overrated coaches in NBA history.

He would lead the Celtics to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2002, yet failed to meet expectations in his tenure with the team. Getting rid of him and replacing him with head coach Doc Rivers was one of the better moments in team history.

No. 43: Walker Brings the Shimmy

The Antoine Walker signature "Shimmy" was arguably one of the more comical moves in NBA history.

You just gotta love it.

No. 42: Drafting Big Perk

Trading for Kendrick Perkins in the 2003 NBA Draft was as smart a move as any for the team at the time, as his defensive presence at the center position brought a plethora of hope for this team.

Giving him away was possibly one of the worst moves in team history, but that is neither here nor there.

No. 41: Drafting Bill Sharman

Bill Sharman is easily one of the most underrated players to ever wear a Celtics uniform.

His top-notch play in the 1950s and early '60s helped the C's to win four NBA championships, as he was one of the better guards to every play in Boston.

No. 40: Ray Allen Makes History

On February 10, 2011, current Boston Celtics star Ray Allen passed Reggie Miller for the most three-pointers made in NBA history.

This moment easily is higher on the list had Allen spent more time playing with team over the course of his career. Regardless, it is certainly one of the more exciting moments in Celtics history without question.

No. 39: The Paul Pierce Free-Throw Bounce

In the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals, Paul Pierce hit a free-throw that would hit the rim, bounce straight up and miraculously fell into the basket. That was the second of two free-throws that would help close out the Cavaliers in Game 7.

Later Paul Pierce told ESPN.com:

"The ghost of Red [Auerbach] was looking over us."

No. 38: Doc Rivers Becomes Head Coach in 2003

Although it took some time for head coach Doc Rivers to find his groove in Boston, he has been arguably one of the better coaches in team history.

Since joining the team in 2003, he has taken the team to the NBA Finals twice and has helped put together four consecutive seasons of at least 50 wins.

No. 37: Danny Ainge Joining the Organization

Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge helped the team go from the bottom of the league to the top of the league.

He has made his fair share of questionable moves in his tenure with the team, yet was also one of the major reasons the trio of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett exists today.

No. 36: Drafting Tommy Heinsohn

Former Celtics great Tommy Heinsohn was easily one of the more talented and more under-appreciated players in team history.

Heinsohn was a part of a whopping eight championships in nine seasons, and averaged just under 20 points per game in the playoffs throughout his career. He was a significant contributor in those championships in the '50s and '60s.

Not to mention Heinsohn is the wild, biased yet hilarious voice for the Celtics on Comcast Sports Network New England.

No. 35: Larry Bird's Triple-Double Against the Rockets

Larry Bird would score 29 points, dished out 12 assists and grabbed 11 rebounds in a win over the Houston Rockets in Game 6 of the 1986 NBA Finals.

By many, this game is considered one of the greatest performances in NBA history. Bird would be named the MVP of the 1986 NBA Finals and would add a third championship to his Hall of Fame career.

No. 34: The Phoenix Suns Triple OT Game

One of the longest, greatest games in NBA history was Game 5 of the 1976 NBA Finals, a game that went into triple overtime and was taken by the Celtics, 128-126.

The Celtics would go on to win the 1976 NBA Championship, with JoJo White winning the Finals MVP.

No. 33: Brian Scalabrine Coming to Beantown

I've got to take my hat off to his intensity.

Scalabrine may have been one of the worst players in Celtics history, but is certainly a player that brought a smile to plenty of fans in TD Garden.

No. 32: Dennis Johnson Becoming the C's Starting Point Guard

Dennis Johnson, point guard for the Boston Celtics during the 1980s, was easily one of the more important players in making the championship runs later in the decade.

Larry Bird himself said Dennis Johnson was the best player he ever played with.

Yes, the best player.

No. 31: Bringing in John Havlicek

Eight NBA championships, a whopping 26,395 career points, and 13 NBA All-Star seasons.

The guy knew a thing or two about playing winning basketball, and will go down as one of the more impressive talents to ever play for the Boston Celtics.

No. 30: Bird to DJ in 1987

In the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals against the Detroit Pistons, Larry Bird stole an inbound pass from Isiah Thomas and had the presence of mind to find Dennis Johnson alone underneath the basket.

A one-point lead without the ball with less than five seconds left is difficult to crawl out of, and Bird and DJ did just that.

No. 29: Drafting Dave Cowens

Dave Cowens was a flat-out beast. No questions asked, Cowens was as pivotal a factor as any in helping the Celtics win both championships in the 1970s.

Drafted in the first round of the 1970 NBA Draft, Cowens averaged 17.6 points and 13.6 rebounds per game for his career.

Talk about some numbers for the big fellah.

No. 28: Bird's 63 Points

Against the Atlanta Hawks in March of 1985, Larry Bird would score a career-high 63 points in a game.

This was not necessarily what one would consider a pivotal moment in team history, yet more so an impressive, exciting moment in C's history. A heck of a performance from the "hick from French Lick."

No. 27: The Bird and Magic Rivalry

Larry Bird and Magic Johnson had one of the more competitive, healthy rivalries in the history of sports.

Although Johnson was able to lead the Lakers to five championships and Bird was able to lead his team to just three, it's arguable that the Eastern Conference was the more competitive conference in the 1980s.

Even still the rivalry was quite the matchup to watch.

No. 26: Drafting Kevin McHale in 1980 NBA Draft

For all three championship teams in the 1980s, Boston Celtics power forward Kevin McHale played a major role inside that lifted these teams to the three titles.

Take the following numbers into account: In the 1986 championship run, McHale averaged 24.9 points and 8.6 rebounds per game in postseason play. To put these numbers into perspective, in the regular season that year McHale averaged 21.3 points and 8.1 rebounds per game.

When it came to the playoffs, McHale was the go to guy for Boston outside of Larry Bird on the offensive end of the floor.

No. 25: Paul Pierce Comeback in Game 1

The very whispers of fans could be heard in this moment at TD Garden.

In Game 1 of the 2008 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers, Paul Pierce was taken off the court in a wheelchair as it seemed he would likely be done for the entire NBA Finals.

Sure enough he would come back to hit back-to-back three-point field goals that would open up the Game 1 win for the C's and ultimately help the team win their 17th NBA championship.

No. 24: Breeding One of the Best Point Guards in NBA History

Bob Cousy was arguably as complete a point guard as there was during his time. Cousy was a big-time scoring threat, while boasting an ability to find open teammates at ease.

His game gave fans the perception of being effortless. Cousy had a knack for the game that would completely change the point guard position during his time in the league for good.

Cousy helped the Celtics win six NBA championships in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

No. 23: Trades in 2007 for Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett

Both Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen were acquired by the Boston Celtics in the summer of 2007, helping to bring together a new era in Boston, the era of "The Big Three."

Garnett and Allen would combine forces with Paul Pierce to help the team win an NBA championship in their first season together. Since 2008, they have been NBA title contenders although they have fallen short each of the last three seasons.

No. 22: Taking Paul Pierce in the 1998 NBA Draft

In the 1998 NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics decided to go with Kansas forward Paul Pierce, and as they team would soon find out, it was a choice they would never regret.

Pierce has helped the Celtics to win an NBA championship and is arguably one of the best scorers, if not the best scorer, in team history.

No. 21: Henderson Stole the Ball

In the 1984 NBA Finals, the steal that Gerald Henderson was able to make ultimately gave the Celtics the momentum in the series and helped lead the team to an NBA championship.

Yes, it was that one steal that ultimately helped push the Celtics to victory and to an NBA title. Avoiding a 2-0 deficit to the Los Angeles Lakers, Henderson's steal would help tie the series at one and give the Celtics a much needed confidence boost.

No. 20: Picking Up the Hick from French Lick

Simply put, he's the man.

Three NBA championships, three MVP awards, all of which came at a time when the NBA was as competitive as it has ever been.

Larry Bird, otherwise known as "Larry Legend," earned his nickname with his clutch scoring ability as well as his hustle plays that separated him from most stars to ever play the game. He was as unselfish a player as their was, while still boasting a knack to score the basketball as well as anyone.

No. 19: The Game 4 Comeback Against the Lakers

With a 24-point second-half deficit, the Boston Celtics were against the ropes facing the Los Angeles Lakers. It seemed as if every shot the C's took would rim out and every Lakers shot would find a way to roll in.

The Lakers would best their top-notch first quarter performance with a buzzer beater to send the game into halftime up big on the Celtics.

It was then that the Celtics would turn it up, cutting the deficit little by little until finally taking the lead midway through the fourth quarter. They would eventually go on to hold on to the lead, win the ball game, and of course win the 2008 NBA Championship.

No. 18: Havlicek Stole the Ball

"Havlicek stole the ball! Havlicek stole the ball!"

Just under five seconds remained in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals against Wilt Chamberlin and the Philadelphia 76ers when John Havlicek was able to make a steal off an inbound play that would seal a 110-109 victory for the C's and send them to the 1965 NBA Finals.

The steal is known as one of the more memorable moments in both Celtics and NBA history.

No. 17: The Bill Russell Era

Indescribable.

The era of Bill Russell was arguably the greatest era in the history of sports, as Russell was a member of a whopping 11 championship teams in 13 seasons in the league.

As a member of the Boston Celtics for the entirety of his career, Russell averaged 15.1 points and 22.5 rebounds per game.

Russell was by definition, a winner, and a Hall of Fame talent that will go down as arguably the greatest Celtic to ever play the game.

You Play to Win an NBA Championship...

So of course 1-16 has to be the ranking of each of the Celtics 17 NBA championships, with a tie for one spot on the countdown.

No. 16: 1964 NBA Championship

John Havlicek and the Boston Celtics would beat the San Francisco Warriors handily, closing out the team 4-1.

The Celtics overcame a 34.7 points per game average from Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain, who would dominate the competition prior to his encounter with the C's.

No. 15: 1959 and 1961 NBA Championships

In the 1959 NBA Finals, Russell's play on the glass was key. In the series, Russell would pull down a whopping 29.5 rebounds a contest. His record-setting play would make for a fairly easy sweep of the Minneapolis Lakers.

Just two seasons later in 1961, the Celtics would win a third straight championship, beating the St. Louis Hawks 4-1 in the series. The C's failed to win a game by less than eight points the entire series.

No. 14: 1968 Championship

The Celtics and Lakers split games in both Boston and Los Angeles, as home court advantage played a big role in the Celtics' ability to break free and win the 1968 NBA championship in six games.

This title marked their 10th in 12 seasons.

No. 13: 1957 Championship

The 1957 NBA championship was as exciting as any in Boston Celtics history.

The series would be decided in seven games, as the Celtics would win their first title in team history during this season. The first and last games of the series were to be decided in double overtime, with the Celtics winning a Game 7 double-overtime thriller.

No. 12: 1963 NBA Championship

Bill Russell came up big in this series in particular, helping the Celtics edge out their rival Los Angeles Lakers in six games yet again.

Despite the Celtics getting off to a 2-0 start and a eventually a 3-1 series lead, the Lakers made the series as competitive as any, losing three of the four games by just three points.

Russell, Tommy Heinshon and Bob Cousy would help lead the team over a talented and deep Lakers ball club. It was the sixth NBA championship the organization had won.

No. 11: 1960 NBA Championship

Edging out the St. Louis Hawks in a seven-game series, the Boston Celtics would score at least 120 points in three of their four wins over the Hawks.

No. 10: 1965 NBA Championship

The 1965 NBA championship could be argued as the championship that the Celtics were able to dominate best.

Their 4-1 victory over the L.A. Lakers would give the team an eighth championship and their seventh consecutive title, a streak that would only continue on.

No. 9: The 1969 NBA Title

Jerry West was killing the competition during the L.A. Lakers run at an NBA championship in 1969, until the team would meet with the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals.

The C's were able to contain West just enough to edge out a 4-3 series win, with Sam Jones hitting a Game 4 buzzer beater to help the team tie the series at two games a piece and regain momentum.

Russell would put together a top-notch Game 7 performance to help his Celtics beat the Lakers yet again in the NBA Finals.

No. 8: 1981 NBA Championship

Kevin McHale, Larry Bird and Robert Parish would help the Celtics win three NBA championships in the 1980s, with the 1981 title being the first of them.

The Celtics would edge Moses Malone and the Houston Rockets 4-2 in the series, winning a title for the first time since 1976.

No. 7: 2008 NBA Championship

With this Finals victory, the 22-year drought was finally over.

Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen were brought together in 2007 and the trio would win an NBA championship in their first season together in 2008.

The Celtics edged out Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in six games, winning a crucial Game 4 after being down double-digits, a win that would ultimately shift the momentum of the entire series.

Pierce was named the 2008 Finals MVP.

No. 6: 1966 NBA Finals

In what was one of the better NBA Finals in league history, the Boston Celtics would beat the Lakers 4-3 in a battle for the ages.

In Game 7 of the series Russell's contributions were key, as he would grab 32 rebounds to help lead his team to victory.

Jerry West dropped a whopping 34.2 points per game in the playoff run for the Lakers, as the Purple and Gold failed to come up with the Game 7 victory.

No. 5 and 4: 1974 and 1976 NBA Championships

Many forget just how crucial the 1974 and 1976 championships were for the team, as the Celtics would win two titles in the decade and keep the winning tradition alive in Beantown.

Led by Dave Cowens and John Havlicek, the Celtics were able to edge out the Milwaukee Bucks 4-3 in 1974 and then would go on to top the Phoenix Suns 4-2 in 1976.

The 1974 title over the Bucks was led by Havlicek, Cowens and JoJo White on the offensive end, as the three went for a combined 60 points a game that season.

In the 1976 championship, the Celtics were able to top the Suns with two straight victories to close out the series. This matchup featured the infamous triple-overtime game that would help the Celtics gain momentum and ultimately win the series.

No. 3: 1984 NBA Championship

The Boston Celtics and L.A. Lakers would meet three times in the decade, with the 1984 NBA Finals being the first of the meetings between the two organizations.

Although the Lakers would get the best of them, winning two of the three encounters, the Celtics had the edge in 1984. Larry Bird played some of the best basketball of his career, while Kevin McHale began to blossom as a star in the league.

Robert Parish was also key in the series, making big plays defensively and scoring efficiently in the paint. Bird was named the NBA Finals MVP. Cedric Maxwell was in fact the leading scorer in the victory, as an unlikely hero would step up to the plate and deliver big for the team.

No. 2: 1986 NBA Championship

The 1986 NBA championship was the team's third of the 1980s and was the beginning of the end for arguably the greatest trio of players in Celtics history.

McHale, Bird and Parish were dynamic offensive players as well as unselfish talents, which made the three as cohesive a unit as any.

The 4-2 win over Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon and the Houston Rockets marked the second title over the Rockers in the decade and a 16th Celtics championship.

No. 1: 1962 NBA Championship

It was the best of the best, a battle for the ages, and arguably the best NBA Finals series in league history.

Bill Russell and the great Wilt Chamberlain fought until the end, as the Celtics would take a Game 7 thriller that would have them as NBA champions for the fourth consecutive season.

It was remembered most for the thriller of an overtime played in Boston, as the teams were trading baskets down the stretch. Bill Russell would finish with an NBA Finals-record 40 rebounds in the Game 7 contest.

Talk about a heck of a performance.

This championship was a testament to just how tough a team the 1960s Celtics were, and would ultimately be a trend that continued for future Celtics teams. The Celtics would go on to win four more championships in a row behind the play of Russell.