A Basic History of the Boston Celtics Basketball Team

The Boston Celtics are a professional basketball team that plays in the National Basketball Association. The Celtics play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the NBA. The team plays its home games in Boston, Massachusetts.

The Boston Celtics are currently owned by Wycliffe Grousbeck and are coached by Doc Rivers. The official colors of the Boston Celtics are green, white, and black.

The Boston Celtics were founded in 1946, and, over their sixty plus years in existence, they have won more NBA Championships than any other team with a total of 16.

The Celtics have won a total of 25 division titles in 1957-1965, 1972-1976, 1980-1982, 1984-1988, 1991-1992, and 2005. They have won 19 conference titles in 1957-1966, 1968-1969, 1974, 1976, 1981, and 1984-1987. The franchise's 16 NBA Championships were won in 1957, 1959-1966, 1968-1969, 1974, 1976, 1981, 1984, and 1986.

The Boston Celtics played the first game in franchise history in Boston Arena in 1946. The team then played their homes in Boston Garden for the rest of the 1946 season. The Boston Celtics called The Garden their home until 1995. In 1995, the Celtics moved to the Fleet Center where they currently play, although the Fleet Center is now known as the TD Banknorth Garden.

With all of the great Celtics teams over the years, it comes as no surprise that former Celtics players fill the National Basketball Hall of Fame. Former players for the Celtics who are currently in the National Basketball Hall of Fame are Nate Archibald, Dave Bing, Larry Bird, Bob Cousy, Dave Cowens, John Havlicek, Tom Heinsohn, Bob Houbregs, Bailey Howell, K.C. Jones, Sam Jones, Clyde Lovellette, Ed Macauley, Pete Maravich, Bob McAdoo, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Andy Phillip, Frank Ramsey, Arnie Risen, Bill Russell, Bill Sharman, John Thompson, Bill Walton, and Dominique Wilkins. Other members of the Celtics family, including coaches among others, are Arnold "Red" Auerbach, Walter Brown, Wayne Embry, Dave Jones, Alvin Julian, William Mokray, and John "Honey" Russell.

The Boston Celtics have more retired numbers than any other team with a total of 21 retired numbers. The players whose jersey numbers have been retired are Robert Parish - 00, Dennis Johnson - 3, Bill Russell - 6, Jo Jo White - 10, Bob Cousy - 14, Tom Heinsohn - 15, Satch Sanders - 16, John Havlicek - 17, Dave Cowens - 18, Don Nelson - 19, Bill Sharman - 21, Ed Macauley - 22, Frank Ramsey - 23, Sam Jones - 24, K.C. Jones - 25, Cedric Maxwell - 31, Kevin McHale - 32, Larry Bird - 33, and Reggie Lewis - 35. When Jim Loscutoff was told by the Celtics that they were going to retire his number, he asked that they honor him by allowing future players to wear it, so in his honor a banner with the nickname "LOSCY" hangs instead. The number 1 is retired in honor of Walter Brown, the team's founder and former owner. The number 2 is retired in honor of former coach Red Auerbach. A banner with a picture of a microphone on it hangs in honor of former Celtics broadcaster Johnny Most.