History
The Celtics were one of the NBA's earliest teams. The team's founder, Walter Brown, chose the name 'Celtics' because of the many Irish immigrants living in Boston.
Despite losing to the New Jersey Nets in the second round of the playoffs, the Celtics finished the season with an impressive 56-26 record. But the aging roster was beginning to show signs of wear and tear. Bird suffered from recurring back problems, and Parish and McHale's skills were beginning to decline.
The Boston Celtics made the playoffs once again in 1985-86, but they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals. The following year, they reached the Eastern Conference Finals, where they were defeated by the Milwaukee Bucks in seven games. Afterward, the Celtics made several moves to improve their depth and talent. For example, they traded Rodney Rogers and Kenny Anderson to the Seattle SuperSonics in exchange for Vin Baker and Shammond Williams. They also drafted University of Maryland star Len Bias with the second overall pick in the 1986 NBA draft.
Coaches
A good coach is vital in a team’s success, and the Boston Celtics have been blessed with some excellent bench bosses throughout the years. Among the best have been Red Auerbach, Bill Russell, K.C. Jones, and Doc Rivers, all of whom won NBA championships for the Celtics.
Currently, Joe Mazzulla is the team’s permanent head coach. He stepped in following the suspension of Ime Udoka for the 2022-23 season, and has led the Celtics to first place in the Eastern Conference.
The new permanent head coach is a veteran assistant who most recently served as the head coach of Fairmont State, a Division II college in West Virginia. His coaching record there was a combined 43-17 over two seasons. Mazzulla is only 34 years old, making him younger than a number of current Celtics players. He has been able to bring the young team along quickly. This has made him one of the favorites for the league’s top coach award.
Players
While the players often get more attention, the Celtics’ player development coaches put in hours and hours of work with little fanfare. They spend their days grabbing rebounds, watching film, and running drills with the guys who may not be getting their numbers called that night. And they do it all with a unique perspective thanks to their life experiences.
Neemias Queta can’t shoot but he can make the right reads in pick-and-roll situations. He’s also an above-the-rim presence and a capable rim protector.
Last season, he was the team’s best point of attack defender and a second-team All-Defense honoree. But the 26-year-old missed a jarring amount of layups and he’s still working to find his groove on offense. Still, his defensive prowess is undeniable and he’s one of the Celtics’ most underrated players. He has a bright future ahead of him. Especially if he can stay healthy.
Ownership
After winning their 18th NBA title last season, the Celtics' ownership group – led by Wyc Grousbeck – announced it was putting the franchise up for sale. The family, which has owned the team since 2002, said it had decided to sell for estate and "family planning" reasons.
According to ESPN's Andrew Zimbalist, the Celtics are worth more than $5 billion. That's an astronomical amount for any sports team, but especially one with such a rich tradition.
Several potential buyers have been mentioned, including the billionaire founder of Amazon, Jeff Bezos. Robert Hale, a private equity firm co-founder and part owner of the Celtics, has also expressed interest. He has a net worth of more than $5 billion and would likely be able to pay the huge luxury tax bills that are sure to come with owning an NBA team. The Grousbecks are planning to sell their stake in the team in two phases, with the father-son duo retaining control until 2028.